American Books

This is the original story by Annie Proulx as well as the movie script. Great for fans of the film as a collector item.

I had to purchase this book for a college course, otherwise I probably would never have read it. I found it boring and realized that it's probably better suited for either men who like cowboy stories, or people who are into studying how to create a screenplay from a move. The screenplay stays very true to the short story. The best part about this book is the essay in the back by Proulx. I suggest you read it before you read the short story as it answered my main question, which is why a straight woman in her 60s would write a story about rough cowboys who were having trouble accepting their sexual orientation.

This item took you through the entire life of the book to the screenplay to the movie. It was great reading what the writers said about the project and how it was a labor of love for everyone involved. It was wonderful reading how devoted everyone was to the project. Much how the two main characters were devoted to each other.

In an effort to check out my approach to writing a book adaption to screenplay, I thought it would be a good exercise to experience how others have done it. After reading the Brokeback Mountain short story, then reading the shooting script, then watching the film, I knew I was right on target. It is invigorating to experience and understand the progression from story to screenplay to film. The book also includes backround information from the short story writer, Annie Proulx and the two screenwriters, Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, which tops off the value of this book. Reading it is a great process, and once you've read the book, you'll appreciate the film even more.
-Catherine Busch-Johnston-

This is an excellent addition to anyone's book collection - not only do you receive Annie Proulx's wonderful story, but you can experience Larry McMurtry's and Diana Ossana's sweet, lilting and poignant screenplay. Ennis and Jack jump off the page, fictional characters who have somehow become real, as we are transported with them through the most beautiful twenty years of their star-crossed lives. No, it is not a story about gay cowboys....it is a story about two young men who find love and happiness in an unlikely relationship, and simply don't know how to handle it. The part of this story that always grabs me is that through a simple twist of fate, the entire ending could have been different.

I suggest this book couple with the movie - seeing the screenplay come to life through Heath Ledger's and Jake Gyllenhaal's performances is spell bounding.

It was a fascinating read to see the short story move from Annie's simple prose to screenplay. And the chapters at the end which discuss the story and the filming of this heart-wrenching story is worth the price. I highly recommend it. Thanks for listening.

It was good because the end was the opposit of the beginning. You have to read the book to see what I mean. I'd tell you, but that would ruin the ending - review by Rick, age 6

This is a great story. My kids love this book to be read to them at bedtime.
It make a great gift. The pictures will make you smile.

The book was too small. I wanted the regular size book which I had to go to a local retailer to get one due to its out-of-date production that Amazon does not carry. They should because this is a classic children's book.

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
By Laura Joffe Numeroff
Illustrated by Felicia Bond

"If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk."

One thing leads to another in this cute picture book. When you get finished with all of the mouse's requests, he may just want another glass of milk. And we all know what goes well with milk.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
Author: Through the Rug
[ASIN:0979845548 Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)]]

This is the first offering of a wonderfully delightful series of like stories for children. If You Give a Mouse A Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond tell the story, and the problems you might run into, if you should happen to give a overly active and demanding mouse a cookie. The story begins with a young boy innocently setting by his sidewalk in front of his house. A hungry mouse comes along and the problems begin.

This is a progressive type of tale, where one act of generosity keeps growing and growing. "If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him milk, he'll probably ask you for a straw. When you give him a straw, he will ask........." And it goes on and on and on until the poor kid pretty well has a completely trashed house and is exhausted trying to fulfill the escalating requests and the subsequent mess the requests ultimately cause. A pushy mouse and cookies, we find, are not a good combination!

The text is delightfully simple and keeps you turning the pages, page after page. You actually find you self wanting to see what the little rodent is going to ask for next. The story is simple and there is no bang, bang, crash crunch plot nor ending. The only problem I find in this aspect is that in this day and age, I find some children (and even more adults), who have the attention span of ferrets on coffee and if the story is in the least bit mellow, their minds simply cannot track. This is a minor problem though, if it is indeed a problem.

The art work by Felicia Bond is quite well done and goes perfectly with the text. The pictures are simple to understand, cute and quite eye catching. I liked them.

This is one of in a series of books by this team. Others include If you give a Moose a Muffin, If you give a Pig a Pancake, If you take a Mouse to the Movies, If you take a Mouse to School and If you give a Pig a Party. All are as well done. I have noted in reading this book and others in the series that the kids love them and will always ask for repeat readings.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Leave all your skepticism at the door. I doubted that this book would meet my expectations after reading the positive reviews here. I was fully satisfied as I turned the last page and reflected on this tale of sacrifice and courage in the madness of war.

The author writes with clarity and the events of the battle are easy to follow throughout the work. Several black and white photos and an excellent set of supplemental position maps augment the words on the page. I was never confused and never lost track of who was going where and what they were doing. I also kept referring to a ship diagram that was provided each time a new crew was introduced. It was amazing to compare the smaller American ships to the behemoth Japanese ships while reading about them squaring off, and more times than not with the Americans getting the better of the confrontation, at least at first.

Not lost in all this is the struggle of the individual sailors and officers. You are there as they charge into oblivion, blast away with awesome precision, watch their friends die in often horrible ways, yet they keep going until their beloved "Tin Cans" are blown out from underneath them. An awesome testimony to this breed of soldier during ww2.

A large group of resources is included for further study including other books and websites, but I can't imagine it getting any better treatment than this. The only way you don't enjoy this is if you aren't interested in military history or you don't care. On second thought, maybe that's exactly why you should read it - to see what it took back then.

In the end, a highly recommended and inspiring book. A MUST for ww2 fans.

I stumbled on this book and am glad I did as it now has to be one of my favorite books. Well written and researched it's a fun adventure be it a morbid one but and adventure just the same.

I must admit to knowing next to nothing about the Battle off Samar Island. What little I have read paints it more or less as a lucky loss in that the Americans avoided a true calamity.

In an effort to stem the American advance on the Philippines and hopefully catch the carrier fleet unaware; the Japanese Navy set in motion a plan to trick the carriers away from the invasion forces. Admiral Ozawa offered a decoy force in an attempt to draw off Halsey and Halsey true to form charged after him.

The attacking force lead by the behemoth Yamato heads in an stumbles on a small task force of 6 escort carriers and their escorts.

What should have been a full slaughter turns into a loss due to the efforts of the force commander "Ziggy" Sprague and the suicidal bravery of the Tin-Cans. The image of the Johnston charging a cruiser force with guns blazing and torpedoes launching is the stuff of legends. Surprisingly she disables the lead cruiser Kumano. That and the other sorties by the Samuel B. Roberts, the Hoel and the Heermann buy time for the force to make a run for it and send planes to try and blunt the attack. The attack goes on with the Hoel, Johnston and Samuel B. Roberts disabled or sinking. The Gambier Bay is hit and sinks and the for reasons only know to the force commander Admiral Kurita, he calls off the attack and heads home.

Hornfischer does a splendid job telling this story. It is well researched and very detailed as it tries to convey what the men went through. Especially when trying to survive in the water while waiting for rescue that was foolishly delayed and probably caused the death of over 100 men.

The minutia of detail gives harrowing imagery to the battle. The bravery and the odd things people do. Such as men carefully lining up their shoes on the deck as they abandon ship. The sacrifice and the sad end for many. The doctor who stays aboard to ease the passing of the dying and dies in an explosion. The dying man who keeps trying to load his destroyed gun. The dog who returns to the sinking ship.

One odd thing I have read about is the dementia of long term exposure in the ocean. A common theme involves the belief that fresh water is below the surface water. It happens in this story as well.

Another interesting thing is the Japanese viewpoint. Hornfischer put an effort describing the leadup to the battle and gave a couple examples of humanity. Such as the commander of the cruiser Tone who orders the gunners to avoid the men trying to leave the ship. The sailors who toss tins of food to the men in the water.

There are numerous photos and there is a list of men who died during and after the battle. I found myself looking at the list when names appeared in the reading to see if they survived.

It's interesting that this battle is often overlooked as the author points out it was a battle of firsts and lasts. Firsts were: The first time a US aircraft carrier was lost due to surface gunfire, the first time a ship was sunk by a Kamikaze, the first time the Yamato fired her guns in battle. The lasts were: the last massed ship action, the last time a battleship fired it's guns at other ships, the last time destroyers charged a line of ships.

Overall, this was a fun read and the details in the book make it a worthwhile addition to anyone's library.

The accolades for this book you find here are extremely well deserved. I will add to the cheerleading only by saying that this book is without a doubt, the single best book I have ever read concerning any aspect of the war in the Pacific. And I've read a LOT of it. It is literally impossible to put this book down once the action starts. Too bad more of naval history isn't written by this author. I have read many books on the Battle of Leyte Gulf that left me scratching my head in frustration as the author utterly fails in his attempt to relate to the reader a complex and disjointed narrative of one of the most complicated battles in U.S. Naval history. Not so with this Last Stand. BTW, I have been trying to plow through Lundstrum's "First Team" for what seems like forever. Talk about a great story ruined by a guy who has no flair for writting. But back on topic and in conclusion I will say that this won't be the last time I read Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. As far as Lundtrum's book, well, I'm really looking forward to finishing it and making a paper weight out of it.

Being a voracious reader of world war ii novels,This is quite simply one of the most exciting and heart rending novels of naval warfare I have ever read.What make's it all the more interesting is my late grandfather served on a destroyer escort and even though he told a few tales himself reading this novel I truly almost felt I could smell the cordite and feel the deck as the Samuel b Robert's charged at the Japanese fleet.Next time you see a vet shake his hand and thank him.They deserve it!

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors chronicles "The Battle off Samar", possibly the most lopsided battle ever fought by the US Navy. Due to an inexplicable decision by the legendary Admiral Halsey, on October 25, 1944 a small flotilla of Escort Carriers and their escorting squadron of "Tin Cans" (Destroyers, and their little cousins, Destroyer Escorts, the smallest ships in the blue water fleet) were the only thing standing between a powerful fleet of Japanese battleships and the US invasion force sent to liberate the Philippines.

For the Americans, trying to stand up against the heavily armed and armored Japanese behemoths with the minimal forces at their disposal was suicidal. Still they were the only ships available to prevent the Japanese steaming into Leyte Gulf and slaughtering the soldiers and Marines still on the beach, so stand up against them is what they did. Incredibly, the Japanese retreated...but only after blasting two Destroyers a Destroyer Escort and one of the Escort Carriers into oblivion.

It was once said (by William Manchester, I believe) that military history often focuses on battles because, once so much blood has been shed we humans seem compelled to justify all the loss and pain by giving the event meaning. By the time the Battle off Samar took place, the Japanese empire was certainly beaten. Win, lose or draw, on that day in October they were not going to significantly alter the course of the war. And yet the willingness of the outnumbered and out gunned American squadron to stand and fight when they should have had no chance of winning does elevate 3 hours of explosive action to that point where stories and poems will be written about it for decades.

James D. Hornfischer's book captures both the events and emotions of the men who made what they knew would be a suicidal last stand vividly. It is well worth reading for anyone interested in World War II history.

Murphy calls Dresden to the scene of what is being classified as a suicide. But something doesn't feel right. And with his own brand of investigation, manages to find a hidden message: one that even the police would never have found. A message for him. Exodus 22:18. `Suffer not a witch to live.' Murphy things perhaps a religious fanatic. Harry doesn't think so.

As Harry investigates, he's finding more of the 'supernatural underclass' are turning up either dead or missing. And he doesn't like the looks of things. A security tape points right at Thomas, Harry's half brother, and Harry refuses to believe it. His brother wouldn't do that. But finding Thomas is an investigation in itself ~ Harry can't find him and he's started to get worried.

As Harry delves deeper, he and Murphy are targeted more and more, and he's suddenly thinking of a bigger picture. There's more to these supposed suicides, he's sure of it.

Without warning, Elaine pops into the story, surprising Harry with the actual amount of strength she has as a wizard. However, she's keeping a low profile; she doesn't trust men, refuses to be controlled by them again, and is staying on the down-low, refusing to call attention to herself. She wants nothing to do with the Wardens or the White Council and will do anything to keep it that way.

The investigation grows more complex, time is running out, and Harry has to figure out a way to stop the threat of a bigger war.

Harry knows he can't do it alone. But is he willing to throw his friends in the fray and watch as they get hurt or, worse yet, die?

I saw a different side of Harry in this novel, and at times, he even scared me. Harry is doing what he can to teach Molly the different between doing something right for the right reasons, knowing that if she screws up, it would be the end of the road for them both. But Molly doesn't really understand what Harry's trying to teach ~ that is until two seriously intense moments between them. One of them scared the daylights out of me - and I'm not a character in the book. Disturbing is just one word I could use to describe it. Even Murphy demands an explanation after witnessing that episode. And yet he finally manages to get through Molly's thick skull - by golly, she's learning. And while teaching Molly, Harry is brought back to his roots, revising everything he had learned at her age, and is finding new ways to deal with his magic. LOL, even patience has a new meaning to him.

When Harry and Murphy confront a group of women for answers to their questions, only more questions pop up. With the help of Lasciel, Harry discovers that there was someone else in the room, one that veiled themselves to keep from being recognized. Low and behold, Elaine had come to the aid of a woman seeking her help to protect her and the others. Then he realizes something: she's stronger than she's pretending to be. After a few questions answered by Ramirez, now Harry's certain. Finding out why she's keeping on the down-low is almost hurtful.

As the investigation goes deeper, Harry discovers that three of the other houses are attempting to overthrow the king of the White Court, wanting to stop the peace talks and throw their weight in behind the Red Court and their war with the Council. Harry is desperate to stop that from happening - should the war continue, and the threat of a Black Council rise, it would be the end of Harry's world. And he's determined not to see that happen, no matter the cost.

With the help of Molly, Murphy, Thomas, Ramirez, even Lasciel and Marcone and some of his men (including Hendricks), Harry puts an end to the fight. But it's a really close one.

Action scenes are incredible ~ I truly love watching/reading Harry in his battles. The end of the last fight scene was fantastic. The way he got through to Molly was damn near scary. At first, I wasn't happy with the way he did it, even though I understand why. He even reasons with Lasciel, making her understand his point about it all. His agreement with Marcone was something of a surprise, I most certainly didn't see that coming. And the more and more he investigates with Murphy, the more and more she's understanding everything. I'm glad that Harry and Ramirez talked. Harry knows not to trust anyone, and yet Ramirez gets fired up that Harry hadn't trusted him. Carlos even began to suspect Harry. Whew, glad that was put to rest.

What I like about Butchers novels is that, now matter how he does it, there is always something new to learn in about in Harry's world. In earlier novels, we learn the differences between the vampires: White Court, Red Court and Black Court, and what kind of vampires they are. In this one, we learn the differences between the families/houses in the White Court - sort of made me think of the mob. These novels are addictive ... darn near unputdownable. The dialogue is smooth, Harry is witty and fun to read. The plot simply flows - there's no slowing down. There's never the same old, same old. Always something new, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

This book, in comparison to some of the earlier books in the series, has an ideal balance of political intregue, solid writing and character development, and a quick-paced story. Those who are familiar with Harry Dresden and his supporting cast will find comfort in a reunion with old friends, with a story that has some unpredictable twists and turns.

I have enjoyed every book in this series and am looking forward to the next installment.

Butcher delivers.

An action packed, Harry Dresden adventure.

This is another in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. Butcher's hero, Harry Dresden, is a wizard/private investigator who has his own battery of unusual resources and methods of getting things done. Because Harry's 'involvement' usually leads to confrontations, there is always something happening to keep your interest; it makes it easy to read on and on, often well into the night.

In this episode, some of Harry's lesser magical female brethren have being committing suicide, or have they; enter Harry and Murph to get to the bottom of this enigma.

Butcher's tales are fast paced and fun to read. The main plot, not unexpectedly, deals with fighting the evil hordes, but there were other things about this book that I really liked. There are, for instance, sprinklings of humor (often sarcastic or cynical), some eroticism and even some profound musings regarding love (and love lost), loneliness, pain and death. I found it hard not to like and feel some empathy towards Harry; he's probably one of my favorite fantasy figures.

In addition, there are also a number of 'side' characters in this book that I really enjoyed. Especially the lecherous Bob the Skull (my type of nonentity), Elaine, Lash and Lara, each with their own unique personalities and agendas.

Conclusion:
A typical Harry Dresden fantasy adventure; action packed, fast and fun, and with the occasional, ever so subtle, deeper philosophical moments.
If you like Jim Butcher's writing style, you'll love this addition to the Dresden files.

R.Nicholson

I love all of Buthcher's books. I can hardly wait for the next ones to come out. Very exciting and keeps you up at night until you're finished. Keep up the good writing! I am anxiously awaiting the next one.

Needless to say after finishing "The Book of Atrus" I had fairly high expectations for this series going forward. At the end of "The Book of Atrus" we think the story is going to continue forward from that point, but there is a major story that has not been told yet. The fall of D'ni. This tale is frequently alluded to in the game and the prior book. In fact most of the prior book is trying to rework what was lost during the fall of the D'ni Empire.

Journey with us to a long ago time when Atrus' grandmother was a lot younger and originally known as just Ana. Unlike the other Myst stories so far, this book deals on the level of an entire society. Most areas in Myst that we've visited have been fairly desolate and uninhabited, except for one section in "Riven", but we never interacted with the native population. Well in this book you get to see the height of the D'ni Empire. This story is actually pretty epic in scope and it starts during a time when D'ni was expanding their empire. They knew they were underground and politically there were some people pushing for a way to the surface of the world they were on. You get really involved in all of this political intrigue and that's what makes the book really exciting. I must point out here that as a reader I typically don't enjoy this type of thing and I go more for the action or mystery based types of books. "The Book of Ti'ana" has the perfect blend of political intrigue and mystery as far as I'm concerned.

So the book starts off with the digging teams working their way to the surface and this is where Aitrus (Atrus' grandfather) is introduced into the story. Something happens and the political winds change and the project is put to a halt. At this point you're brought further into the D'ni culture and Aitrus' background story. The D'ni culture is so fascinating that I honestly couldn't stop reading the book. However, going in tandem to this world underground is also a surface world where Ana and her father survey the land areas that haven't been used yet. The surface culture is also on the expanse and often Ana and her father are commissioned to go and explore.

Honestly, I can see how some people would think the book is sort of dry at first because there isn't that much intrigue and it is more based on character development. Such as the introducing of Aitrus' powerful friend Viovus and so on. He becomes a very integral part of the story in the future, but at the beginning you don't know that, nor do you suspect anything... but that is the whole point! One day everything changes in the D'ni society when Ana shows up in their world. Not only that but she can learn language and the D'ni society was haughty enough to think they were the only culture on this world possible for such words and technology. Granted the D'ni technology far exceeded that of Ana's knowledge, but her ability to learn astounded them.

I don't want to give too much away, but that's just a taste for what you can expect to see in this astounding novel. Eventually the story turns into a sort of fate styled meeting for two lovers, Aitrus and Ti'ana (the "ti" was added onto her name in D'ni). They are simply destined to be together. However, this is also the tragic tale of a lost friendship which eventually leads to the fall of an entire empire. In the end it's a rather sad tale, but an incredible background story of Atrus' forefathers and why his father Gehn was so obsessed with D'ni. Let's just say, I now know why he was so captivated with that world.

I simply can't recommend these books to people enough. They're simply shocking! Of all the video game based books I have read, these are probably the best in my collection. They are superbly written and they literally bring you into another world, just like the video game series can do! They are made in the spirit of Myst with small drawings and notations about what is being described in the book, so it has a bit of a journal feel just like we get in the game! I've actually read these books twice now and that's the first time I've ever done that with a book, that's how good these novels actually are.

If your like me and LOVE Myst and the Myst storyline then you will probably love this...

However if you dont know what Myst is or don't care too much for it you will find this very boring (however I doubt you'd be looking at this if you hate Myst)

The history of the D'ni is all written in this beautiful novel. This is where the series of Myst begins. All in here.

It's tragic tale of the D'ni begins when a young lord weds a surface dweller. And everything, the lord's people, his friend, things get out of hand. But they kept their relationship strong despite what's going on around them.

This is a complete story about the D'ni as the story focuses on the beginning of a highly popular series. It pulls you in and grabs you as you are sucked into what feels like a real thing. You feel like you were really there, with the D'ni, with the surface dweller, all there... behind them, beside them, and next to them. It makes you want to do something, but cannot. To me, this is perhaps Rand's most powerfully written story he has ever done. It was such a sad story and I have broke into tears at the end. Nevertheless, it is a truly fascinating book. And owning the hardcover is an honor. Especially the map that is included with this novel, as well. I love how the map relates strongly to the story, instead of just being a bonus item that's included with the novel.

I strongly recommend this book alongside Book of Atrus. As these novels are Rand's all-time best novels he's ever written. Way to go Rand!

This book is simply beyond words. The charaters are vividly written, not a single one seeming overdone or cliched. When I first read this I had never really gotten into the games, but I had to after finishing it. You cannot help but instantly connect with the characters: wondering at that which makes them wonder, feeling joy when they are happy, sorrow when they are hurt. And another thing, you neither have to have played, nor even be familiar ith the games to fully enjoy this book. This books drips with rich words and thoughts, not one part feeling underdeveloped or pointless. It felt to me as a perfect blending of both science fiction and fantasy, a difficult thing to do.

One of the most striking things I found when reading this is the various worlds that are described and the sheer awe inspiring beauty with which they are constructed. You cannot read about them, but as you do you will be transported to them, sad for the return to our world whne you finish the book.

Overall, this book, which is first in the series chronologically, is simply one of the finest ever written and should not be MYST by anyone. Young, old, a fan of the games or not, anyone who enjoys fantasy will have that childlike wonder brought back to them as the read this book. The other books in the series, The Book of Atrus and The Book of D'ni, are no less exciting and are the only things capable of satisfying the desire to know more about this wondrous civilization.

If you have done played the computer game, you might understand the world(s) that are Myst. The books give dimension to the computer CD-ROM games that I know so well. The books tell you the stories of what happened to the worlds in the game, and it is very helpful and interesting how someone could come up with such wonderful, descriptive worlds. These books take you into a world that you can only imagine, that you can only think about in your dreams. I absolutely love these books.

Robert Sabuda is a master of the pop-up book and this is the second one I purchased of an adaptation of a famous children's story, and once again it does not dissapoint.

A good telling of the story combined with some incredible pop-ups, the one of the Emerald City makes you feel like you are in the story.

If you are a collector or have children you must get at least one of these books. Make sure you read it with the younger ones to show how books should be handled properly, though make sure they really understand before letting them use the book on their own.

I bought this book as a birthday present for my Dorothy-obsessed 3-year old and she LOVES it. I was a little worried that it would be seriously abridged when I read that it only had 16 pages, but no need to fear. Within each page is a chapter of the book so there is plenty of story. It takes almost an hour to read it to her but it is well-worth it.

I was shown this book by a friend who collects pop up books. The more elaborate, expensive, and creative, the more he loves them and the more he pays for them. When I saw this in his collection he lead me to believe that the book would cost no less than two hundred... easy. When I found it here I assumed that it couldn't possibly be the same book so imagine my thrill when it arrived. Not only is it the same book, its less than twenty bucks! I've enjoyed the taunting of course, but even more I've enjoyed the craftsmanship and beauty that is this book. How it can be made and sold for this price is beyond my comprehension but I'm glad it is. I've bought copies for everyone I know who would love it as much as I do.
If you love pop ups, or the Wizard of Oz this book is a must have. If you don't love either but you love a cleaver, beautiful work of art, this book is a must have.
You will not regret ever having this in your collection.

I ordered this book for my 8 year old niece. She really likes it, especially the tornado page at the beginning. She is just discovering the world of books and is always thrilled when she can actually keep one versus having to return it to the library!

This book was recommended by a friend who has it and reads it to her granddaughter. I bought it to give as a gift to my granddaughter, but was so thrilled at the charming and spectacular content, I have kept it for myself. The pop ups have such amazing color and are on heavy enough paper that it should last a long time. I have been a great fan of all the Oz books (which I Have, some printed in the early 1900's) and believe this will be a great addition to my collection.
Sincerely, Lise Jones

There are two duds in this book, the one about a college in the dessert, that I'm not sure even exists, but whatever, and the one about museums. But after that I think it's an intersting twist on what 'essays' mean. okay

Now that the hype is over, please can we finally agree that John D'Agata is 100% the worst writer this country has ever produced!

Let me preface this by saying I was a classmate of John's at the Iowa Writers' Workshop in the mid-90's. I remember discussing several of the essays included in this collection, and being incredibly impressed with both the work and the author. The time, imagination, detail, obsession, intelligence, honesty and humble nature of both the essays and the essayist should at the very least inspire a more attentive read than several of the other negative reviewers chose to give.

It's time to give the Iowa Workshop a break. Just let it go. I mean, really, whether it's jealousy, or a rejected application, or just some strange anti-MFA vendetta, there seems to be a pervasive, generic attack on all who spent time at the school. People, it's just a school, good or bad. It's not some factory that automatically frankensteins each poetry student into some Jorie Graham/Michael Palmer avant-guardian. We actually have our own minds, styles, and ideas, and some of us even hold onto them well after we graduate. Imagine that.

I can assure you, there are few labels that would accurately portray all Iowa workshop students across the board, especially in the poetry program. You have no idea what it was like there unless you were there, and it varies from year to year. I would be uncomfortable judging people who've just graduated the program on the same standards, attitudes and practices I found during my '95-'97 term.

I'm not saying you have to like it, but review the work itself as it is given to you, not the Workshop or the writer's personal life. Why do people have to dismiss or attack writers and their works simply because they come out of a specific school, or because they are popular, or because the author has some success at an early age? Good writing has come out of Iowa, bad writing has come out of Iowa, just like every other MFA program, publishing house, school of thought, or geographical area.

This is an incredible work. Truly dazzling.

And to the reviewer who slams John for "plagiarizing" Dave Eggers, I can tell you that John had already written several of these essays, and published at least one of them in a journal (the Martha Graham piece)years before "A Heartbreaking Work..." was even published.

John is an exceptionally gifted writer and person, but even with all of his talent and imagination, I don't think he has the ability to steal work that didn't even exist at the time. To that reviewer, do your homework before you use serious words like "plagiarism" - John has clearly done his.

It seems pretty clear that the world has gone insane, since this is in fact the WORST book ever written in nonfiction, instead of what the insane reviews on here are calling the best. So from now on, every good review that this book gets I am going to counter with a negative one. It seems only fair for a book that is not only unreadable but that has copied better efforts by better writers, which has been camoflaged with lots of "experimental" techniques that are neither experimental nor very technically able. John D'Agata is overrated, untalented, and the least informed writer of his generation. These aren't essays, but just masterbatory effects.

Let me give you the scoop on John D'Agata. I am a student of the Writer's Workshop at the University of Iowa. Before I came I made a point to read everyone's books. I haven't had John D'Agata as a teacher and haven't even seen him yet because he's a freak and a hermit. But this is what I think about his "brilliant" book. Halls of Fame is D'Agata's first book, and you can tell it is. Now that the love fest with him seems to be over, I hope people will be willing to think about this book intelligently. It is a waste of paper. And definitely a waste of money. His "essays" ,if that's what you want to call them, are just hodge podges of bits of information and "observations" that are about as profound as a bowell movement. Just because a guy uses some "experimental" styles while writing in a conventinoal form doesn't make him a "breakthrough!" Get with it people. This is not a good book.

One silent November evening during the first week of battle in Fallujah, Iraq, in the year of our war 2004, Lt. Col. Kopelman, battalion commander, led his troops through a seemingly empty street sided by seemingly empty houses when one of his men heard click, click, shuffle sound. Sticking his rifle into the doorway he found a yipping, tail-wagging, and nail-clicking fur bundle of puppy.

This discovery began a five month odyssey of puppy rescue. "Lava," the puppy, made it to the United States, in spite of rules forbidding the transfer of animals.

It took a band of conspirators to get the puppy out of Iraq by air to Chicago's O'Hare Airfield, then on to California in April 2005, where "Lava" lived happily ever after.

"From Baghdad, With Love" is one of the better stories to come out of Iraq. With a lot of heart, a few tears and a lot of system spoofing, this well told tale of Marine and puppy is well worth a read.

Richard N. Larsen
Reviewer

Several times throughout this book I cried. I love that this Marine cried too. A tough guy with a BIG heart for a puppy. Definitely the kind of person I like. I had a hard time with reading about what happens to animals at war time. Honestly, I never thought about it much. Now I know. I'm a veg, 20 years, since I see what happens to animals. I find I always connect with people who go above and beyond for animals, so I knew this would be a good read. I highly recommend it. Now on to book two.

In other reviews, some people said they "didn't like the language" or "the way the book was written". I am not sure what they were expecting! I have been a lang. arts teacher for over 30 years, and I thought this was a great story, and it was written the way I would expect a "war story" to be told. It definitely showed me a different side of the war, as well as giving some facts I didn't know at all. I actually read parts of it aloud to my 7th graders. Anyone who has a heart for taking care of all the canines in the world would love this story too.

I just want to encourage everyone who loves dogs....... and who wonders about the war in Iraq, to read this book. A lot of people came together to save one little dog, and that's really what it's all about. VERY good.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about this wonderful book? Not much to tell you the truth. It is a great book, very hard to put down. You learn so much about Lava and Jay, as well as what is really going on in Iraq. It took me a long time to bring myself to buy this book.
One reason was I was afraid to read the reality of what is going on in Iraq. Because I knew that there was no way someone could write about a dog he is trying to save, without telling us what is really happening over there. The other is I knew that the military doesn't allow any contact with stray animals. So in my head I thought it was going to be a sad ending.
So I avoided the book, that is until the seeing the second book that came out. I saw that he arrived home safely. Now, I am kicking myself for not getting this book earlier. I laughed, cried, almost hurled (from some of the things that he described), cried, and laughed again.
I hope that this really opens the militarys eyes and sees that our troops really do need the comfort of animals. They just seem to make everything feel better. Just a few minutes of being with your furry pal, puts you in a wonderful zone.
Thanks Jay for saving Lava, and opening the door for the possiblity of more rescues.
Good bless our Troops!!!

This is such a wonderful read, I really enjoyed it. I read it within 2-3 days, I couldn't put the book down. James is such an irresistible rogue. I absolutely found him sexy, strong and deliciously wicked! I wanted more of him! I wish the story never ended! Hmph! =o/

Fans: Type in Malory in YouTube.com and read what other fans wrote!

I absolutely love Johanna Lindsey and all of the Malory stories. I just reread this one and still love it. The writing is so smooth I just sail through these books and find myself in love with all of the characters. I recommend virtually all of Johanna Lindsey's books to any historical lover.

Lots of people seem to LOVE this book, so I'm figuring the fact that I hate it just points to different people having different tastes. Johanna Lindsey is a very entertaining writer, with the most fun heroines. Unfortunately, her heroes usually leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. The hero of this novel is no exception.

Basically, the novel goes something like this:

James Malory, "hero": Ooh, a pretty girl disguised as a cabin boy! I think I'll take advantage of this and seduce the poor thing without her knowing it.

Georgina Anderson, heroine: My goodness, what is this delicious feeling I feel whenever I'm around this strong, virile, pushy, autocratic man? I'm ridiculously naive for a twenty-two year old woman, and apparently I have never felt desire or basic human arousal even once in my entire life.

James: I shall now use this woman to slake my lust, calling her a wench and not once caring about the fact that an unmarried woman is ruined in the eyes of society. As long as I get mine!

Georgina: I will now give into this man for no good reason except that I must give into my urges that I've never felt before because this man is so-o-o-o strong, virile, pushy, and autocratic, and despite my protests that turns me on!

And so forth. James Malory is strong, virile, pushy, and autocratic, and Georgina pretends to hate those qualities but in fact she loves them. This makes for a lot of tedious "dialogue," with James pushing Georgina around and Georgina letting him, huffing indignantly all the while. James is also spiteful and petty and vengeful, and apparently always gets his way, along with insulting and bullying Georgina throughout the book. That's not romance, to me.

I couldn't finish the book. A hero who badgers, kidnaps, and insults the supposed love of his life is a terrible turn-off for me. Georgina is a fun heroine, as usual with Johanna Lindsey, but the hero's antics just ruin the book too much to make it worthwhile.

Conclusion: An extremely unlikable hero makes this book unreadable. But other people love this hero, so if you enjoy most early Lindseys, you'll probably enjoy this one. If you don't like early Lindesy novels, give this one a pass.

I've read a number of books by J. Lindsey and my two favorites are this book and "A Loving Scoundrel." Both of them have a girl dressed as and pretending to be a boy. I loved the characters. Good plot. Good writing. Great fun

CAUTION SPOILERS: Georgina was dressed as a boy and thought the captain (James) believed she was a boy. James knew she was really a girl but pretended he didn't know. It was great fun to watch James try to seduce the "boy". It didn't work the way James had planned because Georgina was so ignorant of sex that she thought she was nauseous rather than turned on. I loved the end where James purposely embarassed her publicly so her brothers would force the marriage.

Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: five. Setting: 1818 London, the high seas and America. Copyright: 1990. Genre: regency romance.

To date, I have read the following Johanna Lindsey books. All my reviews were posted on Amazon between 6/3/08 and 6/14/08, except as noted.
Malory Family Series:
5 stars. Gentle Rogue Copyright: 1990.
5 stars. A Loving Scoundrel Copyright: 2004.
4.5 stars. The Magic of You Copyright: 1993.
4.5 stars. Say You Love Me Copyright: 1996.
3 stars. Love Only Once Copyright: 1985.
3 stars. Tender Rebel Copyright: 1988.
3 stars. No Choice But Seduction Copyright: 2008. My review posted 6/21/08.
2 stars. The Present copyright: 1998.
2 stars. Captive of My Desires copyright: 2006.

Sherring Cross Series:
4.5 stars. Man of My Dreams Copyright: 1993.
3 stars. Love Me Forever Copyright: 1995.
(not read) The Pursuit

Other novels:
4 stars. Defy Not The Heart. Copyright: 1989. My review posted 8/15/08.
2 stars. The Devil Who Tamed Her Copyright: 2007.
1 star. Prisoner of My Desire Copyright: 1991.

The extreme popularity of this book bewilders me. Though it is well-written and there are numerous opportunities for really heart-wrenching romance, Lindsey fails to capitalize on any of these, and the heroine--though not wholly unlikable--is just frustrating. Her failure to realize that James discerns her gender does nothing to recommend her intellect, and the way she childishly mimics his habits reeks of girlish infatuation. But for all that, her personality is not particularly offensive. Her naïve description of sexual arousal as a type of "nausea" is even endearing. No, my problem with Georgie is this: "Her temper wanted to flare, but when James rested between her thighs, anger was the farthest thing from her mind." This sentiment is repeated constantly, no matter how James deliberately humiliates or hurts her. I understand the ease in rechanneling anger into lust, but Georgie's legitimate problems repeatedly disappear when James kisses her into submission. He, in effect, sexually manipulates her into being pliable and content, and... it works. With no apparent resentment or even realization on her part. He treats her like a valueless sex object for the duration of the novel, and though it sometimes seems she will call him out on it, she ultimately does nothing. Instead, she settles for the "tenderness" she senses when they make love, a cringingly classic female mistake.

Making Georgie's ludicrous gullibility acutely obvious is the comparison to her brother-in-law and his wife. James mockingly refers to how his brother's wife withheld sexual favors during a fight, confident that his own wife would never do such a thing. Sadly, he's right. Georgie's internal dialogues, depicted as between herself and "her conscience," are invariably lost by her conscience and won by some hedonistic part of herself with no practicality and less self-respect. (James's ego is, admittedly, nothing out of the ordinary; but the delight I take in these novels is that the female usually manages to take the hero down a peg. George only lowers herself.)

In short, this book was difficult to finish; I had absolutely no desire for Georgie to have her foolishness unpunished, and I could not bear for James to have his misogyny and manipulativeness forever unchecked. The relationship was shallow and unsatisfying. Overall, a disappointment.

I love Camryn Mannheim and her book. I'd give this a 4.5 if I could, because since she wrote the book, she's lost quite a bit of weight and puts the reasoning for it on being a mother.

I hated it when Carnie Wilson went from being a NAAFA member and spokesperson for loving yourself at any size to being obsessed with being thin. She's admitted to lying about why she had WLS and has made a snootful of money pimping it to others. She has been a major factor in the deaths of hundreds of (mostly) women who didn't make it after the surgery and her recommendation of it.

And I am very saddened by Mannheim's abandonment of her principals of fat-acceptance and the people who have supported her and her book.

Isn't there anyone out there who will stay committed to the cause and not cave in when someone runs some cash under their noses or threatens their career if they don't lose weight?

Ack. Love the book. Disappointed in Mannheim today.

This was both an intertaining a introspective read. Camryn Manheim is funny, smart, human, and beautiful. This book made me look at the excuses I make for my failures and the things I allow to stand in the way of my success. I was able to relate to Camryn much more than I could relate to Oprah when I read her book. It is a book for all women, all mothers, and a book I would want my boyfriend to read. Thank you Camryn, I wish we could meet some day.

I just happened into a copy of the book when I had a little time to kill, then I could hardly put it down. I enjoyed the book and the many reviews that have been written here. I normally write reviews on obscure books where there are only a few, if any, reviews so this is different for me and I doubt if i have too much to add. Beyond the self acceptance theme that has been much reviewed (I have fat issues and support Camryn's views (mostly)), I liked the book on many other levels. Of course I liked the humor and human interest of growing up in America. The struggle for success story is good too. I especially liked the unconventional approach to the book itself. Frnakly, I did not much the Cammy--fat dialogs, but I liked many of the other, unusual things like asides and notes to herself and others throughout. There were other quirky approaches that I really liked too. I really like the book and recommend it highly.

Camryn Manheim is an sassy, award-winning actress and laugh-out-loud funny. This book is a personal account of her experiences of fat-ism and her journey to self-acceptance.

Manheim is a natural storyteller and, being overweight myself, there was a lot here to relate to, but although I enjoyed the book, there were no groundbreaking revelations for me here ... though it does make a pretty strong case against society's obsession with being thin, this book is in no way a "self-help" book (to be fair, it doesn't claim to be) and it didn't help me to "make peace" with my fat. It did however make me laugh a lot and that's reason enough to encourage others to read it!

Thank you Camryn, for speaking out for big women everywhere.

Camryn Manheim is a fat activist. Her experiences in a world where people are literally dying to be thin include getting in to the NYU Masters of Fine Arts program, gracing the cover of "fat" magazines such as Radiance and winning an Emmy for her performance on The Practice. She is a likeable, mature and attractive woman who has fought passionately for what she believes in. But does that make one a good author? In Manheim's case, it damn well does.

"Wake up, I'm fat," is a hilarious, bittersweet page-turner. This socially critical memoir mainly deals with one individual's struggles on growing up in our superficial world. Anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, be it because of their race, religion or looks, will immediately be able to relate to the amiable narrator.

Manheim manages to be honest about the ugly underbelly of today's beauty image and her struggles without sounding whiny. She uses dark humor and clever prose to describe how she got to where she is today.

Subjects such as erotic weight gain or personal ads are also dealt with in this book. They may make the reader feel slightly squeamish at first, but ultimately they just make this book a more interesting read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about "the underdog being on top" or who simply likes a good story told well.