American Books

This book is a nice heartwarming read. The author does a wonderful job in describing the characters and giving them depth. I enjoyed the story line as well.

Also holds a special place in my heart after having a sonfor six hours before he was life flighted because of atrial septul defect hole in his heart like emma

Charles Martin is a wonderful writer. His characters are developed well and I came to love them. This is a great book!

I love laying on beach reading christian fiction. This book made me get a sun burn! Be careful, you forget your surroundings and the next thing you know you have forgotten to reapply sunscreen. It's that good, you truly have trouble putting it down. I won't discuss the contents, if I start, I might ruin it for you. NO JOKE, A MUST READ!!!

This book will grab your heart and won't let go until long after you've read the last page, leaving fingerprints as a reminder of what matters most in life. You will breathe and bleed and cry for Reese and Emma ... Reese and Annie ... Reese and Charlie ... Reese and Cindy -- each pair sharing heart-healing actions with each other.

The book's messages arrive with felt force, like the resilient beat of a healthy heart, over and over and over ... reminding us that the heart offers redemption and renewal through an unknowable life-force that transforms as it purifies. Like the heart, this book has a pulse and a heartbeat that you will feel.

Read it and be moved, from smiles to sobs. Read it and be thankful for divine coincidence (also known as answered prayers ... that lead a heart surgeon to a lemonade stand and a girl who needs a new heart, that tease him out of grief and withdrawal to use his heartfelt, God-given gifts once again). Read it and shout, Hallelujah!

This book has everything - history, intrigue, drama, harsh reality, excitement, and even humor. I look forward to reading other books by Benioff.

A good page-turner. This one will appeal to those who love WW II military stories and anyone who loves an odyssey through a dystopian landscape. Lev, a Jewish boy too young for the Soviet army, is arrested for looting the body of German bomber pilot that lands near his apartment. But instead of the usual punishment of a bullet in the head, he is sent on an impossible quest with Koyla, an army deserter Don Juan who fancies himself a conman. Their goal: locate a dozen eggs for a wedding cake to be made for a Russian colonel's daughter in a city under siege and without food. This story will grab ahold of you and keep you reading page after page.

City of Thieves has a story that pulls you in and keeps you reading. It tells a wonderful and horrible story of what the Russian people went through during their occupation of WWII. Benioff uses just the right amount of humor and characters that you really care about. Buy it!

Every once in a while I read a novel that it so riveting, fascinating,and memorable that I want to shout its brilliance to the world. City of Thieves now joins this company. The Eastern front of World War II has always been an interest of mine. Coupled with my enjoyment of mystery/thrillers, City of Thieves was a natural after I read a review in the Los Angeles Times. Author David Benioff is a wonderful storyteller as he grabs the reader, creates unforgetable characters in the stunning and horrific setting of the siege of Leningrad, and tells a story that is hard to put down. I will not retell the plot, but City of Thieves starts out as two unwilling young men embark on a seemingly impossible journey in the pursuit of a dozen eggs for a Soviet Colonel that must be accomplished in order for them to survive. As the storyline progresses, it also becomes a picaresque tale as these two and then a young female partisan are engulfed in both a battle for survival and a coming of age, against the backdrop of the horrors and terror of a brutal war. There are also glints of hope, humor, and romance to warm the reader. It could have turned into a bloated and corny melodrama. However, author Benioff avoided this with a crisp and concise plot that avoids the gratuitous, undeveloped, and spontaneous actions that can make a thriller or mystery ridiculous and ultimately an unsatisfying waste of time. This is not a long novel at 258 pages, but perhaps the compactness is part of its success. Benioff tells a wonderful story without any fluff that bogs down many longer books. It is a vivid and unforgettable tale that leaves much to the imagination, yet satisfies the reader. I wish I could have given it 6 stars!

I would like to spare you the same disappointment I had with this nearly flawless book. DO NOT READ THE PROLOGUE. I have no idea how the author, the editor, and publisher agreed to add those mere three pages that nearly ruin the rest of the book. But I'm glad I got over it and continued. This is an amazing book. I've read a lot of WWII era books, and this one is funnier and more entertaining than others. In my opinion, it is nearly a perfect book except for the ridiculous prologue.

The Coalwood Way is by far the best book I have read this year. The story and the writing style grab you back to the couch to read another chapter every time. The only bad part is that the story was not longer, but that's why this is a trilogy. I am now rushing to order Hickman's next novel in the series!

Another excellent book by Homer Hickam, If you don't read the trilogy you're missing a true West Virginia experience

I'm not sure where the below reviewers are coming from. The Coalwood Way, although including the Rocket Boys, is very much different from the first memoir. And it is not a bunch of disconnected stories, not at all! The Coalwood Way opens with Sonny Hickam in a strange depression a year after the death of his grandfather who had lost his legs in the coal mine. It is a depression he struggles with throughout the book and is the core thread. How he determines what is causing that depression really fills out a part of the original memoir that was left out and provides us with insight as to how he ultimately succeeds. Hickam reveals how that last winter in Coalwood so much is happening to him and his friends. His rockets are starting to work, but nothing else does. He even lets Chipper, his mom's beloved squirrel, escape into the winter cold and snow. He also meets Dreama, a young woman also struggling, and wanting Sonny to be her friend. Dreama is considered something like white trash, and is living with one of the most detestable men in town. Sonny also falls for Ginger who dreams of being a professional singer and provides an interesting counterpoint to the coal miners' sons of Coalwood with their dreams of spaceflight. "Dad," or Homer, Sr. is also struggling, trying to open a part of the mine that has defeated previous mine superintendents but upon which the future of Coalwood depends. "Mom," or Elsie, struggles with her failure to win the annual Veteran's Day parade (Coalwood's float has always won before), as well as her continuing attempts to get Homer, Sr. to quit the mine before black lung kills him. Elsie also identifies very much with Dreama and wants to help her but is held back by the "Coalwood way". The story is told with Hickam's tradmark humor and there are as many laugh out loud moments as tears. The dramatic arc of these threads to the story all join in a night of murder and mayhem when Coalwood is also buried in a huge snowstorm and cut off from the rest of the world. This is followed by another night of hope and amazing redemption on Christmas Eve that will cause even the hardest heart to melt. In many ways, this is Hickam's Coalwood Christmas story and it's a great one. You will love it.

Dr. Werner von Braun once said, "Matters of faith are not really accessible to our rational thinking. I find it best not to ask any questions, but to just believe..." These words are truly conveyed throughout the second of Homer Hickam Jr.'s memoirs, The Coalwood Way, originally published in 2000. Although following his acclaimed, Rocket Boys, this compelling story does not continue where the last left off. Portions of the memoir take place during the same time period as the last, however, this tome portrays the life of Homer "Sonny" Hickam in a different light. This particular memoir focuses on Sonny's senior year in high school and the hardships he must go through when growing up. In addition to working diligently on creating improved rockets, Sonny must focus on achieving A's in school. Most importantly, he must focus on his family. In 1959 Coalwood, West Virginia is a ticking bomb and as it becomes more and more difficult to keep the mines running, the bomb seems to always be the verge of exploding leaving the people out of jobs, homes and, even worse, their town. Sonny must now try to keep his family together while the town falls apart and yet keep alive the dream of leaving in order to join his role model, Dr. Werner von Braun, at Cape Canaveral.
Sonny Hickam is on his way to fulfilling his dreams as the book begins. However there a few obstacles on the way. Troubles in his family prevent Sonny from leading an easy, carefree life. His mother, Elsie, is growing increasingly impatient with Sonny's father. Sonny's father, Homer, is the mine superintendent and with the opening of a dangerous new mine, 11 East; ultimately, he is home even less often than usual. The strain on the marriage becomes too much for Sonny's mother and she insists on leaving Coalwood to escape to Myrtle Beach in order to sell real estate. In addition to his domestic hardships, Sonny is having troubles with himself. Every so often, although only lasting a few minutes, Sonny will find himself engulfed in an unexplainable grief. This mystery baffles Sonny day after day. As he searches for the origin of this mystery grief, he learns more than he ever imagined. Sonny's emotions and adventures are vividly depicted through a truly sentimental story, splashed with humor in all the right places. The writing style of Homer Hickam in this memoir is once again captivating and absolutely unforgettable.
Although one may think memoirs aren't written well due to the lack of an experienced writer, The Coalwood Way reads like an old time fable. It is written in such a way that you are taken from your own world and thrown into the small town in West Virginia. Hickam depicts Coalwood in such a way that the image of every part of the quaint town is etched into your mind. His method of writing will bring you to tears when tragedy strikes and laughter when Sonny finds himself in a humorous predicament.
This memoir is all about finding yourself and realizing that whenever life trips you up, someone will always be there to catch you when you fall. Throughout this lucid story, Sonny tries to find himself, and while looking down on his beloved town, he finally realizes the answer to what he's being puzzling all along. He understands his feelings, thinking: "My parents, and all the people of Coalwood, had given me the only true gifts they could ever give, that of their wisdom, and of their dreams, and of their love. All fear, sadness, and anger inside me had vanished. I knew who I was and where I came from and who my people were. I was ready to leave because I could never leave." Once Sonny realizes he can let go of the past, he is able to finally leave his hometown with the closure he needs to succeed.

"The Coalwood Way" is the part 2 contiuation of the "Rocket Boys", AKA:"October Sky". I just really like the way Mr. Hickam tells his story in his books. I find them to be "Americana" like- a success story from a humble start. I think the series could be a must read for middle and high school students as a way to see their potential in their own future and not just the here and now. A great book (and series) to read!

Jim Randel shares his 30+ years of real estate experience in this outstanding book. You might not know that he leased Bed, Bath and Beyond space in one of his buildings and they tried to hire him to expand nationwide. He turned down the job. Also, he leased Martha Stewart her first store in the 1980s in Westport, CT. He has closed more than 5,000 transactions as an attorney and is one of the brightest real estate investors in the country. His self-deprecating writing style is refreshing. He once made almost $1,000,000 for an hour long meeting that resulted in a 50/50 split of a brokerage commission. You'll learn more about these stories and much more in "Confessions of a Real Estate Entrepreneur".

You simply must buy this book!

This book is absolutely excellent. Jim's writing is straightforward and easy to understand even when he is discussing fairly complex ideas. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in any aspect of commercial Real Estate!

Finally a book for someone in the NE to read and understand NE real estate numbers, both insightful and inspirational.

This is the best commercial real estate primer I have ever read. I run a commercial real estate brokerage and this is required reading for all of my agents. I highly recommend it.

If you are looking for a step by step buy a house, rehab it, and get rich, please find another book. If you are looking for a dull textbook type presentation you should also pass.

If you are looking for clear explanations of concepts and illustrated with some small case studies to kick start your brain, then this might be just the thing to get you from dreaming to doing.

Although I knew almost all the concepts presented, this book made them much more concrete. I have already begun the process of actually doing instead of sitting on my butt thinking about doing!

Thank You!!

Bought this for my nieces and they love it as much as I did as a kid

This book belongs in every child's shelf. When I read it with my children I am transported anew.

Falliing is such a great book just like Shel's other books. I have so much fun reading it to my children. This is a wonderful collection of poetry for children. This is the perfect example of what children's books should be... fun.
Another must have book for any fan of Shel Silverstein is Boety by Beau Beaudoin. His books are often compared to Shel, Dr. Seuss and Tim Burton. What my kids love about his illustrations are they are in color.Boetry

This is a great book like all Silverstains books:
Where the Sidewalk Ends 30th Anniversary Edition: Poems and Drawings
The Giving Tree
A Giraffe and a Half

Another author tha I love is Nowiki:
Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 2

To be frank, I get a kick out of Silverstein's work. It is always a bit quirky, always takes a couple of readings to really "get," and is very entertaining while being quite insightful as to human nature. This work is no different from his other works, same quality, same odd way of looking at life, same delightful black and white drawings. Publisher's Weekly got it pretty right here, in their usual, rather snotty way, which is one of the few reviews I have ever agreed with them on. (except their little shot at some of his art that they felt may no be appropriate for kids...obviously the author of that review has never been around kids very much). This work consists of 171 pages of poetry rhymes and drawings. I first read Silverstein in Playboy magazine years and years ago when I wasted my time with such publications. I did not particularly care for him them, but over the years have developed quite a like for his work. I truely love this book and do highly recommend it.

it's been over a decade since I read this and can't justify giving it 5 when it's been so long. That said, I enjoyed this quite a bit as I recall. What makes this a good read is that it is about an ordinary guy finding himself in an unbelievable scenario and how he faces the challenges. Many authors would be tempted to turn Joe Schmo instantly into James Bond or any other fantasy hero with all the smarts and moves. Fortunately, Saint avoids this and presents us with a story that we can almost believe is fact, not fiction. This is actually more a review of the film than the book. If you've seen the abomination of a film citing this novel as the source material and thought it was good, you should probably pass on giving this a read. Much like Bonfire of the Vanities, this was horribly miscast and butchered. How this ever fell into the hands of John Carpenter and Chevy Chase, I'll never understand. Someone else mentioned that Harrison Ford would have been better cast as the central character and I think that's pretty much dead on but the screenplay would have to have been trashed and put in the hands of someone who wanted to create something that actually represented the original and also in the hands of a more capable director. John Carpenter may be good at what he does but he was way out of his depth with this and was probably incapable of controlling Chase. Bottom line, the books very good if not great and the movie is a huge disappointment that really sucks.

Saint's narrative of how an invisible man survives in an urban setting is very credible because of the amount of details provided. Nick is forced to become a true survivalist because government agents are after him with the intent of making him a laboratory curiosity.
One reviewer commented that Nick appeared rather wimpy in his response to Colonel Jenkins' persecution (that is the best word for it) and this is the only aspect of the book that put me off slightly. If I'd been in Nick's place, Jenkins' life would have been much, much harder.

Clever, exciting and witty sums up this book. I wasn't expecting much but Saint does a great job of making his protanginst and his dilemma all seem quite real.

Edgy, nail-biting, darkly humorous, sexy, paranoid, and brilliant speculation about what life might be like for a man who is accidentally turned invisible.

This is light-years better than any of the many other recent attempts to build stories on this theme, from books and TV to films, and sadly including the distinctly average Chevy Chase comedy which was actually inspired by this book.

The narrator and central character is Nick Halliwell, a 34-year old, single, securities analyst working for a New York firm, who is completely ordinary except perhaps for an overactive sex drive. As part of his campaign to seduce a beautiful New York Times journalist called Anne Epstein, Nick invites her to a demonstration by a company called MicroMagnetics of their new type of magnetic fields.

Unfortunately Anne has cartoonishly stereotypical left-wing/liberal views. She decides that the magnetic fields must be intended for nuclear fusion containment, and tips off a buch of lunatics called "Students for a Fair society" about the event. These idiots decide to stage the other sort of demonstration, which includes cutting off power to the building.

As Nick puts it later, he should have paid more attention to what the students were about to do and what effect this might have on the process which the head of the company describes.

"I knew that someone was about to shut off power to the building ... And this man was telling me that he had some loopy subatomic process roaring away, which sustained itself but whose control system used outside power. It is important to listen to exactly what people are saying ..."

Shortly afterwards Nick is in the toilet when the building is evacuated as someone realises what the students are about to do: perversely ignoring a security guard who asks if anyone is there, he remains in the building and consequently is still inside when the control system has its power cut off, and the equipment blows up, turning everything else inside the building invisible.

Nick is knocked out by the effect. He comes to his senses a few hours later, and realises that he has been turned invisible, by which time government investigators are looking at the building. He calls out to the nearest investigator, expecting them to offer help, and is astonished when the man speaks into his radio and even as he promises medical help, Nick can see that an ambulance and some paramedics are being told to leave. Then the investigators come towards the building with a net. Nick realises that they see him more as an invaluable asset than as another human being, and falling into their hands might be a very bad idea ...

The main plot of the story is about the determined efforts which the investigators, led by the horrible Colonel Jenkins, make to capture Nick, and Nick's equally determined attempts to stay out of their custody. The sub-plot is that invisibility does not affect Nick's considerable libido, and he misses female companionship more than anything else about his situation. And as if it were not difficult enough for an invisible man to find love, any attempt Nick makes to do so is almost certain to offer new opportunities for Colonel Jenkins to catch him.

The dramatic tension in the book is sometimes unbearably strong, and there are some very exciting action sequences: there are also some moments of extreme pathos and some hysterically funny or embarrassing scenes.

Contains a lot of speculation, much of it highly plausible, about how other human beings might react to an invisible person. He is still solid, still needs food, water, sleep & shelter, and has to open doors to pass through them, so he cannot avoid leaving evidence that a person is around. Some people confronted with evidence of Nick's presence assume he's a ghost, or that a burglar has been and gone, but other people who become aware of him react in much more dangerous ways.

"Memoirs of an invisible man" is one of the best novels I have ever read. As I prepare to post this I see that the number of Amazon.com reader reviews is now up to 64 and 62 including mine are five-stars, which must be almost unprecedented. But the book really is that good.

I first read this book almost 20 years ago, and remember at the time recommending it to everyone I knew who loved books. They recently had a re-run of the dreadful film ( movie) of this great book, which prompted me to get my 15 year old daughter to read it - she loved it!

ps anyone ever find out who actually was H.F Saint?

Thankyou Sammer Ghouleh for writing a book that gave me hope, wisdom, and a sense of peace. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a sick child. It has given me strength when I needed it the most. Sammer is talented and really let me feel her emotions through her poetry.

This is a phenomenal book. I enjoyed reading it and it has given me a stronger spirit in coping with my own child's illness. Any parent with an afflicted child needs to pick this book up. It has made me a better mother because i nutured my soul. Sincerely, Jacqueline Elmosa

Treasured Misfortunes, is a book that I read many years ago. This book of poety has touched my heart. The illustrations relate to the poetry so well, that I often think of them as much as the words they depict. I have become a different person because of the extent the poetry has affected me in my life. I recommed this book to everyone who needs an awakening to their consienceness.

As I read the book,my every emotion of love became awakened with it's reality.Amazon did great job in allowing the readers to express their thoughts and feelings.I love the book and told as many people about it as I could.I would love to meet the great lady who wrote the book.I am waiting to read more of her books.Good luck.

As I was reading the powerful poetry of Treasured Misfortunes
I became to value the real meaning of sincere love between a mother and her child.I was very educated. The book was full of many emotional issues,that are very deep and sacred to the poet soul. I enjoyed the book very much,as well as appreciated Amazon .com for it's great way in allowing me to express my thoughts. I am actually waiting to read more of her books, She is just an outstanding lady of great talent and wise expressions that are very healing.

Many people read many books but not always do people remember what they read and react to it with tears and sincere emotions.
Until this day some of the poems I read still effect my heart when I remember them.The poems in the Living Through Faith chapter is just beyond my ability to express.It is a great book,I really would like to read other type of poetry which she writes about.I wish fo every perso who desire poetic reality to purchase Treasured Misfortunes.

I bought this book as a required reading for school. It was very easy to read and covered many interesting topics. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in learning more about the urban environment.

In an age when architects and planners were spouting all kinds of brave-new-world nonsense (or mindlessly absorbing it, or even worse - building it), Jacobs burst onto the scene with an incredible dose of sanity mixed with common sense and wisdom, carefully observing the urban environment and drawing a host of remarkably sensible conclusions. For some reason we architects seem always at risk of believing our own nuttiest fantasies. Jacobs is a perennial corrective.

Still relevant, still useful....and still ignored by the common city engineer. Our city's planners need to re-read this sucker.

This is a book that relates to designers, and city planners as well as the "un-educated". Reading this book will certainly inform one on the purpose and importance of city planning.

This book will give you a reason to want to go visit the city, or to go out and get into the city you already live in. Her reference to the "ballet of the sidewalks" gives a whole new twist to what is going on in a busy downtown. City planners, take note!

this book is enjoyed by all my children aged 1 to 8, they find the rhyming attractive and love the images

A book designed to twist your tongue into contortions, kids love the wackiness and also seem to enjoy seeing the grown ups mess up. Not for lightweight adult readers.

My son read this book at the barber shop and loved it so much we ordered it for him. It is a great way to teach word recognition and promotes fast reading so they practice, then they enjoy challenging the whole family to read the book. As a homeschool mom I appreciate any book that encourages my boy to read! Love that Dr. Seuss

This was the funniest book I have ever read. I found it in the Doctors office and was going to check it out for my grandsons to see if I needed to order it. I sat in the office and laughed out loud, then came home and ordered the book. My daughter and son in law are also delighted with this book and enjoy reading to the grandchildren.

There's so much silliness and tongue twisting going on in "Fox in Socks" that my 5-year old and 4-year old end up rolling around in their beds because they laugh so hard.

This is one of my sons' favorite bedtime books. Initially, the book provided new vocabulary but, now they have got the book nearly memorized, the main attraction is the tongue-twisting rhymes Mr. Fox delivers.

You can't read "tweetle beetle puddle paddle battle" without any seriousness and that's the point of Dr. Suess books. Check the seriousness at the door and dive into the silliness with your children.

I recommend you add these Dr. Suess books to your kids' bookshelf:

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Green Eggs and Ham
Hop on Pop
The Foot Book
The Cat in the Hat

Not one of the worst books I've ever read but pretty close. Sorry I bought it and am not passing it on to friends. Perhaps it was the subject matter that first intrigued and in the end alienated me but I had to force myself to finish because I couldn't believe the plot. I kept hoping for some relevant message. Mary Magdalene, the original feminist and Mary the Mother of God, the worn out, bitter, stay at home Mom? I won't even try to describe her take on Jesus. Not my cup of nectar. I'll certainly make every effort to keep this book a "secret".

It's embarrassing to say this, but I was told to read this book by a friend who gushed about it. Normally, I run away from books that are gushed about. But I had to read it. She stood over me until I did. Now it's my turn to gush. Read this book. If you're looking for everything in a book: a great read, beauty, real characters, adventure, action, secrets, and deep meaning, well, you've found it. Now I'm gushing.

Though the cover states "What the DaVinci Code only hinted at, this brings to life" is only partially true. Yes, it shows Mary Magdalene as Jesus's companion and intellectual peer, but no, it doesn't reveal any more of their relationship. In fact, it shrouds in diffucult prose what their relationship was, how they spent their time together (other than walking everywhere silently), and how they collectively orchestrated Jesus's resurrection to fulfill prophesy and give the people the Messiah they so desperately needed and sought. Through Mary's voice, it turns the miracles, the parables, and the events described in the Bible as basically misunderstood by the disciples, and therefore calls into question their historical and spiritual validity. This viewpoint, though creative and well-composed, made it all too convenient for me. I'm no Biblical scholar, but I do know some of the pivotal points in the Gospels, and what's more miraculous to me is how Mary Magdalene, whether clothed as herself or as John the Less, is at every one of them and has an explanation as to how they each came to be that's at odds with what's recorded in the gospels. I would agree with an earlier reviewer who found the ending a disappointment. I won't go into it, in case there's a reader out there who doesn't want me to give it away, but be prepared - it will let you down. DaVinci code went further than this, without going into all the details of Mary's (Miriamne's) life. Read it for the interesting perspective, but don't read it for salacious and informed details regarding Mary's and Jesus's relationship.

Although well written, this book takes all the writings of the New Testament regarding Jesus the Christ and his followers as not only ordinary, but, provides a story line that discredits any miraculous happenings, including the resurrection of Jesus. The book provides information on the times and geographical areas mentioned in the New Testament and develops the personalities of various followers of Jesus in ways that are most interesting. However, I would caution anyone planning on reading this book to know that all miraculous events will be given a non-miraculous context.

I can't count the times I cried reading this book. Or the times I laughed. Or the times I wondered at how the author made such perfect sense of all the stories, interpretations, arguments, historical events, warring religious factions, as well as getting under the skin of each and every rich and delicious character. My understanding of what might very well be a true "Truth" as I read got clearer and clearer and if I wasn't crying or laughing, I was going aha! yes! could be! why not? never thought of it that way! wow!

The theology is brilliant. The philosophy is brilliant. But it's also a brilliant read. This is a historical novel so it has all that those who read historical novels could want: an Alexandria, Egypt when the Great Library still beckoned, the Holy Land when the temple was the center of Jewish belief, Rome when Tiberius was emperor. It has adventures and quests and love and despair and thrill and danger and derring-do and, best of all, Meaning. The story means something that will stay with you long long after you close the book.

I've read a few reviews that loved the book but said they had a little trouble at first with the style of writing. But that's perfect too. It's like reading Gone With the Wind, the King James version. It's literature on a high level but in no way does this mean "difficult." It means this is a real writer telling a real story that needs to be told.