American Books

The third book in the Vicky Bliss series, this book unites Vicky and John with her old flame, Tony, and her boss, Schmidt, in the search for the lost gold of Troy.

This novel is excellent- it brings back the character of Tony from the first Vicky novel, and adds to the mix other historians. The suspense is great, and the relationship between Vicky and John reaches a new level.

This is an awesome book!

This is the book that I pick up whenever I need comfort. It's such a treat - funny with fabulous characters that you'll wish were part of your life. I've read this book many times and for ages, every time I started it again, I'd forget who the villain was. The mystery is fascinating with history and art mixed in and enough action and intrigue to keep you going. As good as the mystery is, it's the wonderful characters and their friendships and humorous carryings on that makes the story sing. And there's a fabulous romance to boot. Get ready to fall in love with the mysterious John Smithe!

If you like to read fiction set in the places you vacation, this would be a great book to take with you on a trip to southern Germany at Christmas time.

You know exactly the kind of perfect Sunday afternoon I'm thinking of. It's raining, perhaps with hail bashing against the window. But you're inside and warm, cuddled up under a favorite quilt with a box of cookies and a great novel to read.

This is the great mystery novel that is part of your mental picture.

It's not that Trojan Gold is a big important book. It's not; this is just a fun mystery story. But it trods the fine line between "fluff" and "serious novel, to which I must pay attention." Making it the absolute perfect escapist book for a lazy weekend, a long plane flight or, really, anytime.

Our heroine Vicky Bliss is an art historian working at a Munich museum, when she receives a curious photo in the mail... even more curious, given that there's human blood on the envelope. There are tantalizing clues that the gold taken by Schliemann from Troy (and lost during World War II) might still actually be around. Wouldn't *that* be a feather in the cap of any museum... or thief? The photo leads her into a merry (and I do mean *merry*) chase across the German countryside, as several people are wondering about the same very subject. Quite a few of them have a romantic interest in Vicky, too.

Vicky is a woman of strong character, independent spirit, and wry wit. The situation is fun enough to be a "romp" but never veers towards silly. And I loved the setting: the Bavarian Alps at Christmastime.

Trojan Gold is not the first in the Vicky Bliss series; it just happens to be the first one that I picked up. While I'm sure it might have helped to know about her earlier adventures, I did just fine with this mystery, as it's pretty well self-contained.

I've read all the Vicky Bliss novels, and I can only say I wish Elizabeth Peters would write more. She has such a humorous touch with these novels that the characters are not only believeable, they're a downright likeable bunch. I like the way Peters uses humor to propel the story along, and the exchanges between Vicky and her sometimes lover, John Smythe, are hilarious. But don't leave out her boss, Herr Doktor Schmidt, who is a remarkably innocent man for one of his advanced years, and a wonderful co-conspirator (even if he does have a tendency to view desperate situations as some sort of wonderful adventure). For fans of this series, I heartily recommend this book, since it's about time that Vicki and John come clean about their feelings for one another. The avalanche scene is a real nailbiter, and in keeping with the adventure! Don't miss this one!

and I believe the best of the Vicky Bliss series thus far; I have not read the fifth one yet, preferring to read them in order.

Vicky Bliss is a beautiful buxom art historian, located in Germany, who would prefer to be taken seriously for her brains rather than her looks. In this entry, she receives a photo of a woman wearing the golden jewels that had disappeared during the Nazi reign in Germany known as the Trojan Gold. To make it interesting, however, it is not a photograph of the original finder's wife, Frau Schliemann, as Vicky first supposes, but a modern photograph, meaning the gold has been found.

Vicky figures out who has the gold and races with her boss Schmidt to a small ski resort town, also in Germany, to find the gold. Meeting here there are several other art historians with whom she had attended an art conference the previous year as well as, of course, her sometimes boyfriend, Sir John Smythe.

The action is fast paced enough to keep the book interesting while the romance between Vicki and John reaches new levels. And, making this a perfect mystery read, there is plenty of humor as well. This is an excellently written mystery with suspects to choose from and clues to help along the way.

I have already purchased the fifth and, at least until now, last of the Vicky Bliss series. I certainly wish that Elizabeth Peters would write a new one!

Ed's book was a delight to read. His knowledge of the airline industry, combined with his own unique personal experiences, have all the right ingredients to make this book hard to put down once you've started reading it. I particularly appreciated Ed's wonderful sense of humor and was literally howling while reading of his exploits at the cargo building in New York, as well as his overseas temporary assignments.
Ed was able to illustrate just how difficult it was to have worked in a sometimes hostile environment. However, he managed to successfully accomplish his many managerial responsibilities and goals, as he proceeded from one hilarious situation to another.
This book brought back so many fond memories of my own airline experiences as I read page after page with great delight. It also served as a reminder to me that humor, hard work and patience, can all help to overcome the many difficult situations we encounter in our respective careers.
Ed's book is a winner. I certainly hope he writes another one soon.

Turbulence on the Ground, brings back memories of yesteryear, and should do so to all of those who at one time or another were associated with Pan American Airways later known as Pan American World Airways or PANAM, or with any other Airline, a wonderful narration of what life was like,in the Airline Industry, very very enjoyable, well written and also sentimental, I hope everyone who buys it will enjoy it as much as I did. Thanks for the memories Mr.Parrey.

Having worked for PanAm in London in similar positions during the 50's and 60's, when PanAm was a great Worldwide Airline with dedicated people, I was able to appreciate and enjoy Ed Parrey's book of his humorous anecdotes and problems he encountered during his PanAm career.

I can fully recommend the book particularly to airline personnel and passengers around the world.
After all it's a Turbulent World we live in!

My husband, Grant brought this book home and I couldn't believe it. He usually doesn't have time to read a book. "Why did you pick this book to read of all the other books out there?"
Well as it turns out he read and read and read this book. sometimes chuckling to himself as he was reading it. For the first time I actually saw him reading way past his usual bed time and couldn't put it down.
Needless to say he finished the book in record time and really enjoyed it's humor.
If you have a guy who has a tough time finding time to read get him this book. It sure worked for my guy.

Another must read book. Ed Parrey's book,Turbulence on the Ground, is and introduction to culture shock, and how to succeed while working with hostel bosses.
He begins with airline cargo, giving us an insight to what happens to our bags, and our pets, left in his charge. Then, shows us the art of manipulating personnel who would like to see us disappear. He tells us about surviving in a culture whose way of doing business is not taught in business school.
This is a book that can be read anytime you find time on your hands, especially during long airline flights. The book was written over time, but about subjects that are never out of date.

With the passing of time, it is too easy to forget the sacrifices that members of the US military make for the residents of the United States and the free world. Of all the men most mistreated in the history of the US, the Prisoners of War in North Vietnam suffered most grievously, and for the longest period of time. Here Jeremiah Denton, a navy pilot at the time, and future US Senator, chronicles his captivity in North Vietnam. This is one of the best books written on the subject, as he never enhances the story, and reveals his faults and fears candidly. Rarely has a more modest and well grounded man been treated so brutally for so long with so much mental and emotional strength.

Denton was launched in his A-6 from the USS Independence on his fateful flight while being observed by Robert McNamara who was there on a fact-finding junket. Needless to say most military members and especially pilots loathed and disrespected McNamara and his insane ideas about warfare, but did their best in spite of obstacles erected by both North Vietnam and Washington. For his trouble that day, Denton was singled out by his captors for extra torture as he was "sent by McNamara personally", and was, like all captured American fliers, a "war criminal."

Throughout the book, Denton returns to the theme of self-discipline and the Code of Conduct. Never have men endured more torture and been more selfless and noble: this book gives a glimpse into what makes these men so great. Men like Denton, Leo Thorsness, Bud Day, Robbie Risner, Jim Stockdale, Everett Alvarez, and, yes, John McCain kept the faith under conditions far worse than anyone who wasn't there can imagine for the good of the United States and the American way of life. Free people everywhere should be eternally grateful to all these men.

This book is harrowing and sad, but is also unexpectedly uplifting as it reveals the power of the human spirit to endure even when things appear darkest. Denton mentions several quotations that inspired him throughout his life, but my favorite is early in the book when he quotes an anonymous man who said "The greatest heroes known are those that are afraid to go; but go." Never have truer words been spoken. The book gives insight into how to survive physical, but more importantly, mental and psychological torture, and emphasizes the spiritual thinking required in a time of such duress. Sadly, after coming back to the US, Denton was confronted with changes in the fabric of society that saddened and disappointed him: the sixties ravaged our society while he was a POW, with an especially strong toll on families and youth. For this reason Denton has devoted himself to the cause of the American family with a greater vigor than anyone I can recall. I thought that his endurance as a POW would be the thing I admired most about Denton, but after reading this book it is clear that there is so much more to him.

I cannot recommend this book more highly. Though it grimly reveals the inhumanity that human beings can show each other, it presents a calling for all of us to be better people every day. If men like Jeremiah Denton can make it through a Vietnamese POW camp, surely the trials most of us face on a daily basis will seem trivial indeed.

Thank you, Senator Denton.

And I just came upon it by accident at a friend's house in his "Shaklee Store" in his basement back in the early 80's. It was just sitting over to the side on top of some other books. I historically have Never purchased a book "because, well, it just looked interesting". In this instance, however, I did. It changed my whole outlook on life. There was a one page magazine advertisement that one of Denton's "Hotel mates" (Everett Alvarez) did for Phillip Morris after he had returned to the U.S. and became successful. It talked about "everything tasting better" and "smelling better" in Freedom and that "nothing in life was a problem" (or something to that effect) after what he had gone through and survived. That advertisement and the book "When Hell Was in Session" should be required reading for every high school and college social studies class.

This book is intensely disturbing, gut-wrenching and horrific... That being said, it may sound cliche, but Jeremiah Denton provides an entirely new insight into what our servicemen have endured for our country -- what he went through will hit you hard. I dare anyone to read this book and not come away a changed person in some way...

I was impressed by Denton's horrifying experiences as a POW in Hanoi for 7+ years. He accurately describes the torture he and his fellow POWs experienced for several years before the tides of war slowly changed in the early '70s which lessened the tortures they were receiving. You, as a reader, are right there with Denton in his cell as he learns the tap codes and other methods of communication; how he is horribly punished and tortured for communicating and not cooperating. One has to ask oneself, "How would I have handled this situation?" To be locked in Alcatraz for several years in solitary confinement and wondering how to cope with it...what would YOU do?

I had seen the film of Denton's return in the movie, Dear America: Letters Home from Viet Nam and never really understood his horrible times in the Hanoi Hilton. Now, I do. A treasure of a read to add to any library. The only drawback...not enough maps to put his location in perspective.

Nevertheless, fascinating. In the words of his captors, "Shut mouth. Read book!"

This is one of the best books I've ever read. I have so much respect for Denton and the prisoners of war he was held in captivity with for over 7 years. It amazes me that anyone could survive within that environment. These soldiers helped each other survive under great distress -- even while many of them were in solitary confinement and their story is amazing. This book isn't just a recap of Denton's experience; it contains deeply thoughtful content throughout the book about love, patriotism, encouragement and more. There is much wisdom contained in this book. I learned a lot and highly recommend it to others.

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

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

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

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

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

This crime mystery revolves around a magnificent diamond brooch lost during the Holocaust. The author tells the story of a murder investigation from the 1950's and the story of a diamond brooch that resurfaces in the present day. There are also different family issues that are developed in the story such as Gemma's mothers illness and Gemma's relationship with her father that are very well crafted. Both the murder investigation from the early 1950's and the diamond brooch investigation will keep you guessing.

The appearance of a long-lost precious brooch at an auction house in London sets off a wide-ranging investigation by Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid, protagonists in this popular series of mysteries. Coupled with flashbacks to Jewish refugees fleeing to England just before the start of World War II, and Gemma's personal problems--her mother's illness and her own insecurity with regard to her relationship with Kincaid--set the tone for a highly emotional and poignant story.

The author, a Texan with a penchant for the English procedural, travels at least twice in each novel to London to research the places in which the tales take place. A charming map highlighting the locations and characters adorns the inside cover of the meticulously researched book. However, there is one error: the Hagganah as a terrorist group (it was the Irgun that performed such deeds against the English).

The alternating descriptions of the past and present keep the reader on edge virtually till the end of the book. The characters are deep and the interplay of emotions and relationships telling. The author's sensitivity to the plight of German Jews under the Nazis are moving and touching. A very good read, and one which is recommended.

American author Deborah Crombie scored another hit with her latest novel with the crime-fighting duo Duncan and Gemma. We learned more about the family and their dedication to police work. I haven't been to England but feel like I took a trip there. The places were very real and I am sure accurately portrayed. The story had good action and keep me guessing until the very end.

Absorbing story with interesting characters and plot. Just started reading it and look forward each day to picking it up where I left off.
arlene

This was my first (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James) novel. I thought it was very well written and had an interesting plot. Jemma and Duncan make a very likeable team, and they are surrounded by interesting family and friends. While I certainly had questions about some of the relationships, I felt this book could definitely stand on its own. It made me want to go out and read the books at the beginning of the series. I read a lot of mystery's, and I liked the fact that this story was to the point. Sometimes you get an extra 50 pages or more which are not necessary to the story line. Some of the book flashes between the past and the present of one of the central characters. Debra Crombie does this in an accomplished manner, as we are witness to a truly hateful time in history.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is one of the best recipe books in the whole "Deen" line. There is nothing like a cookbook with a lot of pictures and this one has it. The recipes are easy & have everyday foods that you don't have to hunt for at the store. I will be seeing the brothers and Paul at a cooking shoe in a couple months & hope to get this authographed!

Everything that I have made is great and easy. I especially love the spaghetti pie, cookies with M & Ms, grilled porkchops and spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. The only recipe that did not turn out well is the pink lemonade cake. This is a great cookbook for entertaining!

I purchased this book as a Father's Day gift for my son-in-law.

Delightful and simple...fun for everyone.

I enjoyed the Deen Brothers' first cookbook, but I must say that I've been enjoying their second cookbook (this one) even more---if that is possible!

This cookbook is much more personal than the Deen Brothers' first cookbook. In the first cookbook , the brothers (Jamie and Bobby) shared with us some of the recipes that they developed with the inspirations from their travels.

This second cookbook, however, deals mostly with recipes that the brothers developed, perfected, and revised throughout their lives. Of course, this does not mean that this book will give the reader ALL the recipes ever invented by the brothers, but this book will give a wonderful BASIS to the readers, and a terrific introduction to the Brothers Deen style of cooking.

To me, the "Brothers Deen Style" cooking is this:
1)Easy,
2)FUN to duplicate,
3)Inspirational,
4)Easy to procure the ingredients, and...
5)The recipes do not take too long to make

As was seen in the Deen Brothers` first cookbook, their photos are spectacular! Almost every single recipes in this 2nd book has a LARGE photo to go with it. The photos themselves are inspirational!

This book covers a "homey" style of cooking, with recipes that are easy to duplicate and also FUN to make and EAT! For example, I'll give y'all a taste of some of my favorite recipes from this cookbook:

~~Bacon wrapped chicken breasts w/chile cheese sauce.
~~Romaine,cucumber,& grape tomato salad w/Ranch dressing (the dressing recipe is included).
~~Mama's friend chicken (I have not tried this one yet, but I've seen this one made on their TV show, and is on my list of recipes to make soon).
~~Hoecakes (another recipes the Brothers made on their/and Paula's TV show,that I plan to duplicate soon, along w/ the fried chicken).
~~Three cheese potato gratin (the 3-cheese mix does the trick!).
~~Breakfast casserole w/ham and cheese (this is like a souffle`, but easier to make).
~~Egg white omelet w/ spinach and tomatoes (it's low in cholesterol).
~~Artichoke & Spinach Dip w/ Pita chips (this is the Brothers' version of the original spinach dip many of us have tried before @ parties).
~~Crab Egg Benedicts (if you love Eggs Benedict, then this version will surprise you).
~~Ham and Cream Cheese stuffed Chicken (this is a similar version to one of Paula's recipes that is very good).
~~Spinach Salad with WARM Bacon dressing (if you have never tried this recipe, please do because it has an unforgettable flavor.One of my family's favorites).

I will stop w/ recipes here because I am running out of room, but there are many more in this book....

Anyhow, all in all,(to me), this is a five star cookbook.

I was born in Savannah right after Pearl Harbor. Growing up there in the 40s and 50s I remember a garden in almost every back yard. Fresh produce, meat, eggs. There was a childhood memory on every page of this wonderful cookbook.

These are recipes I hope to find every time I buy a Southern cookbook and, till now, couldn't find. And then along comes Ya'll Come Eat! I must admit I did find a tear dropping on the pages more than once, but they were happy tears. My grandmother's Red Potato & Green Bean Saute was there. Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad. We always took that to Tybee Beach to eat with our sandwiches. They have wonderful recipes for Three Cheese Potato Gratin, Zesty Caesar Salad, Corn Bread Caserole. As yummy looking as Bobby! Oh, to be 25 again! I'd be following him all over the restaurant!

Unfortunately, as my life progressed, my career took me to other places. NYC is where I live now and have for some time. Can't find a meatloaf like the one in the book or the way mom used to cook it. Pot roast with sweet potatoes? Maybe there is still one, lone restaurant in Harlem that hasn't been gentrified to the point they don't have Southern cooking any longer. Mom and Pop restaurants are disappearing here in the city as quickly as the glaciers in the Arctic.

So it was a delight for me to open this wonderful cookbook today and see page after page of easy to make, stick to your tummy, make you happy all day recipes that I remember from the 40s and 50s in Savannah. Can't wait to make that Southern pound cake and Lemonade cake this weekend! Wonderful photos of the boys and their mom from their childhood, and recent photos of Jamie, his beautiful wife and adorable son. Just love, love, love this book! A lot of my NYC Yankee friends are getting copies for the holiday season this year!

I really need to come back home and meet this fabulous family! I just retired and now have the time. If I win the NY Lottery, I'll move back for good! Then I can eat with the Deen family every day!

You are going to love this cookbook. It is something really special.

Naylor's style of writing is much like Judy Blume, in which it draws you in and you ache, laugh and sympthasize with the character. With every "Alice" book, it feels like you get to know a friend. I'm sure every girl can relate to the everyday things she has to go to. Because the Alice series is so realistic, each time a new installment is realeased, you get the feeling that you're just learning new stuff about an old friend.

This insallment of the series is a little less chirpy, like past might have been. Gone are the silly 6th grade "what will I wear?!" chrisis that everyone can probably relate to. Now, it's about becoming woman of the house, and dealing with deeper problems. For example, Alice encounters a loner. She invites her to her dad's party and they start a bond. Well, just a few days later [I haven't read the book in 2+ years so forgive me!], the friend commits suicide, and in comes the feelings of "I could've done this...It's my fault".

A solid book for kids of most ages.

This book is about how Alice gets used to being the woman of the house. When she finds out that a man docter is going to examin her she starts to freak out but then reilizes that it isn't so bad. The boys are naming girls after states according to how big their breasts are.

About to turn 13, Alice McKinley is preoccupied with her aunt's statement about needing to be the "Woman of the House" for her widowed father and older brother Lester. Her best efforts, however, usually turn to disaster...

To make matters worse, the seventh-grade boys are naming the girls after various states...depending on the size of their chests! Alice lives in terror, uncertain which would be worse: getting dubbed the name of a flat state, or being overlooked altogether.

Readers will enjoy hearing about Alice, who is just an ordinary girl going through ordinary things, but in such a humorous and interesting way, they can't help wanting things to turn out okay...

Alice in April is about a girl who is having trouble with boys giving the girls at school nicknames of a state by it's geography, in other words ,"hills or no hills". If you like books that are funny, maybe even true life, Alice in April is the book for you.

I just read this a few days ago, and I started reading it at 9:30 p.m. that night and it was done the next day at about 1:30 p.m.!! I love this book, it is so believeable I think Alice IS ME!!(except for my mom didn't die). I love this book and all the other books in the series!!

I loved every word printed in the book. I am a big fan of Victoria Johnson's and I can not wait for her next book, I will buy that based on her love and appreciation of the romance field.

The author put her love of writing in this book It is obvious to me that Author Victoria Johnson did tremendous amounts of research and cares deeply about the romance genre and about human beings.

I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed this book. The research and the information that I recieved from this book was awesome.I am recommending the book to all of my friends. All I need to Know in Life I Learned from Romance Novels is a must read for Romance Lovers all over the World!

All I need to know in Life I learned from Romance Novels by Victoria Johnson was a pleasure and a thought provoking experience. The things that the author talks about are the things that interest me. I can not wait for her next Book!

I was amazed with all the positive comments from other readers regarding this book. I want to join in praise for Victoria Johnson's book All I learned in life I learned from Romance Novels.I loved the how to book on successful relationships.I loved the quotes from the famous Romance authors. Her advice is genuine and you can tell that the author knows her subject matter.Her book is positive and uplifting.

Rob Stennett is truly a gifted satirical writer! Not only can he provoke vivid images of the main character Ryan Fisher, but he also grabs your attention until the last paragraph of the novel. Whether you have grown up in church or have only had a passing acquaintance with organized religion, this book will engage you! I have read it, recommended it, and given it to friends. Read it!

I do not often read fiction, especially new fiction, but how often does one share a name with the title character of a new novel?
As I got into the first few chapters I was amazed at the incredible and considerable traits I shared with Stennett's character of the same name.
Same age, similar background, shared names of friends, similar philosophical views, same disdain for receiving loose change as well as the same fondness for paying with exact change.
I must also admit that I have even entertained the idea of forming my own religious affiliation for lack of one that meets my needs.
The book is an entertaining read, to be sure. Stennett has put together a plausible story that flows well but sometimes gets campy. I'll submit "Cowboy Jack" and "The Greasy Spork" as examples. I've lived in Southern Oklahoma, so I know these names are not too far off the mark for people or places in that part of the country, but I still had a hard time getting around them.
The pace of events in the book felt a bit rushed and some parts skipped ahead in huge leaps, but I can understand the author's need to shove the story ahead when he did. Not doing so may have bogged the story down making for a much heftier and less enjoyable text.
Overall the book is decent. There is a target audience out there that doesn't include folks like me who read history almost exclusively. But if religious non-fiction is your bag, pick up The Almost True Story of Ryan Fisher.

Our western American culture, especially the next generation, has a great desire and need for authenticity. Ryan Fisher offers such an remarkable amalgam of authenticity and lies. He's sort of authentic with himself and his wife about his agnosticism. He offers a sort of authenticity to his church. That is, he offers authentic real life experience Vs abstract dogma. That's attractive and winsome to people. And in the end, the very last sentence of the novel, he seems to be ushered into discovering real authenticity. But it's all in the context of outrageous lies and self-deception.

Of course it is also an intriguing satire on what really makes western evangelical churches work. If we are honest with ourselves, we recognize that our churches really are often a fusion of spiritual faith, real love for God, marketing, worldly business practices, pop-psychology and pragmatism. God is so patient with us! And He must also groan so often.

A short description of the plot of this book is enough to grab any reader: an average real estate agent trys to boost his business by catering only to Christians, and when he is successful in the endeavor, decides to start his own church. That would be enough to make someone pick the book up, but Rob Stennett's writing is what keeps the reader engaged.

The book is an easy read, but don't let that fool you. The characters are complex and realistic. Stennett uses all kinds of literary devices, such as flashing forward or back, but does so masterfully, resulting in a satisfying reading experience. Stennett has a firm grasp on American Christianity and how it is perceived by those on the outside. Even Oprah makes an appearance in this book. (That's right. Not just mentioned, but actually has dialogue. What kind of writer has the guts to do that?)

The only knock I have on this book is the constant pop culture references. Most of them are funny, but sometimes it feels as if Stennett is trying too hard to be hip. But overall, I give this book a stellar review. The character of Ryan Fisher is unbelievable. I couldn't figure him out. Sometimes I hated him, and others I wanted to cheer for him. He was real, and that's what a writer should do.

I'm trying hard to be objectional, but I'm on the verge of calling Rob Stennett a genius.

This book is brilliant in its simplicity. A non-Christian realtor taps into the Christian community to make sales--and has great success. He realizes that he could do the whole pastor thing if he wanted, even though he's still not a believer, so he goes for it--and has wild success. Sure, he lies about his credentials and does everything unconventionally, but he helps masses of people to find God, to transform their lives, and to serve each other. Perhaps the book mocks evangelicalism a bit, but only the way one would mock his own family members--with a whole lot of love and grace. This book causes Christians to get a good chuckle about themselves while gaining a bit of perspective on whether it's worth getting bent out of shape about issues that seem so huge.

It's an easy read--humorous and straightforward with tons of laugh out loud humor.