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"After too many years looking for an answer, a man marries the most beutiful woman in the world, with her, he's got most of the things he's ever wanted in life. Except money"... Josh and Joan, a happily married couple, decided to take a week of and fly to Las Vegas. There, they met Ibraham, an Arab billionaire, which proposed Joan to spend a night with him, in exchange of a million dollars. Joan and Josh felt desperate and empty, they did not know what to do. Finally they both decided to accept the proposal. After that night, Josh and Joan werent the same, everything seemed to go wrong. They decided to separate, and Joan left with Ibraham.Later on, she realizes that the only man she belonged to was Josh,she discoverd how deeply in love she was with him, and returned to Josh. This novel shows how ambition can destroy your life. It taught me that everyone should be happy with what they have, and try to make the best out of it. Who cares if you have all the money in the world, all the cars you've ever wanted if you dont have love.Love is life, and it's free.

I am a fan of Robert Redford so I enjoyed the movie, but it was NOTHING compared to this book.

Jack Engelhard while telling an interesting story is super adept at weaving in moral dilemmas which make his readers THINK!!!

Bottom line...the book is better than the movie by far.

BTW...I have read ESCAPE FROM MOUNT MORIAH...I just wonder if it weren't for Adolf Hitler, Jack could well have become a rabbi...a very distinguished rabbi.

REALLY GREAT BOOK, Jack!! You and Cassell write about different Atlantic Citys. Yours is the Atlantic City of today:slick and tinseled...as opposed to Cassell's shabby but colorful.

Love lost and regained... maybe... at what price.

I quest for novels like this (The Bathsheba Deadline: An Original Novel was one, too), which are inspired and masterfully presented, but which do not leave the reader in the hopeless state of wanting to jump off a cliff, or off a skyscraper or high bridge, whichever arrives first.

Not only that, the story surged contemplations on various vital issues of life games... politics, religion, culture, all of what Engelhard ascribed to King David (the protagonist, Josh's man) as "lover, poet, warrior, sinner, king"... (I flipped instantly to page 61 when looking to verify that list, ha!)

Each character in this novel is precisely, profoundly, psychologically on target, with Joan, Josh, and Ibrahim being the prime trilogy in that observation:

--- Joan must have written her part, as the author accused of her in his introductory remarks, because her psychology of the feminine, as it is breaking down and rebuilding itself, are true to that psyche and hormonal balance which limits, defines, and elevates that gender, a gender which each human has within.

--- Ibrahim must also have written his part, because, as it appears to me, he is an embodiment of the pure strength and raw beauty of princely power, and of the potently rich addiction of profanity, both within his Amalekite blood.

--- Of course, Joshua, as bred by the author, constantly works the phenomenal growth potential inherent in his Jewish ancestral blood, as he relentlessly responds to the dynamic demand of consciousness shifting through the kaleidoscopic, mesmerizing, eternal process of thesis, antithesis, synthesis.

As I was reading somewhere in chapter 27 of INDECENT PROPOSAL, a thought came to mind:

"THIS IS A NOVEL."

I've never said that before, in that way, and in the most precise sense of the term "novel." For me, INDECENT PROPOSAL has delineated the term. Regarding that novel, I mean that term in the full, brightest sense of an inspired, artistic, structural accomplishment enhanced by the ability to entertain and enthrall a reader within the circular cohesion of a story format.

The complicated twists leading to the denouement of this story were awesome.

They had me fluctuating between seeing the book as a novel in the sense of bright-side brilliance...

... (especially during the reader's joy in experiencing the growing anticipation between Josh and Joan that the New York scene they had planned as a renewal of their love might work a healing magic for this pair of desert-crossed lovers)...

... then seeing the book as a novel of dark-side brilliance (on par with the literary classics, many of which I honestly can't condone as contributing to the mental health of the human race)...

... then flipping maybe a couple more times between the bright and dark... finally ending with the conclusion that INDECENT PROPOSAL has honored the grace of art and redemption of soul.

All of which brings me to noting how much I was impressed and edified by seeing parts from Escape from Mount Moriah: Memoirs of a Refugee Child's Triumph, Engelhard's childhood memoirs, bleeding, literally, into PROPOSAL. Now, of course, I see why ESCAPE stepped up to me to be read just prior to PROPOSAL, and why I was compelled to buy both in the same order on Amazon.

A question which remains after having read INDECENT PROPOSAL is:

Why did the movie move away from the intriguing, if discomforting, thematic landmine within the original novel.

Of course, the introductory essays to this original version of the novel made the opening reading of the first chapter all the more riveting, especially knowing ahead of time that this book contrasts so obviously with the movie.

As Englehard detailed generously in his intro remarks, the attempt to translate a novel into a movie is always limited by the forms of text Vs film. Also involved, as I know from my own perspective, is the fact that reading a novel aloud takes around 7 hours; whereas a movie's average run is under 2 hours. In any case, a balsamic touch for condensation is required for an honorable translation.

In this case, the movie script did not go balsamic with the essence of the original novel. It did ingeniously exploit one of the surface concepts of the book, while ignoring the deeper issues in the novel, eclipsing them with a concept of "every woman's fantasy." That fantasy may have been true for the screenwriter, but is not true for me, and not true for 90% of the female population, in my opinion.

Truly, the translation from novel to screenplay was confusing.

There was a reason that the female lead in the original novel was a high-spirited, gorgeous, blond Gentile. There were reasons that it was an Arab prince, an enormously wealthy Sheik, who tempted a Jewish man and his wife. There were reasons for the setting of the story being in Atlantic City's gambling cassinos, with the Jewish man being unlucky in his gambling addiction due to the intensity of his need, with the Arab prince owning the dark luck his wealth and ancient blood empowered. Where did all those reasons go.

As others have said, Engelhard has accomplished something timeless, eternal, and primal in this book. To acknowledge the publisher, Huberman's understatement, it holds universal messages.

Possibly, when this book was written on Engelhard's kitchen table, and later when it was made into a blockbuster movie, the human race was not ready to be entertained by the primitive sides of politics and truth. At that time, we were buying the romantic ideal, paying for redemption through rose-tints.

In the long run, truth designs a much bolder, richer story. Jack Engelhard has presented that story with literary finesse, with gritty depth and enthralling prose.

I love movies as well as books, yet I wonder if a movie could ever capture what this author can bring to life in an original novel.

Long may he write.

In some ways movie producers today have been getting away with politically and culturally adventurous plots. Maybe they're closer now to portraying the type of bold and rich which resides in the true novelist's soul.

Every minute of every day is a choice and a second chance (I said that).

Linda Shelnutt

Check out also Engelhard's Kindle novel, The Girls of Cincinnati
And see the works of John W. Cassell for novels of the same caliber which also embody the qualities praised in this review.

Oh, boy! This book is really something else. Although the movie gets the general idea of the plot, the characters are totally different from the book. Woody Harleson is a dark, moody and sacrastic European Jew obsessed with his blonde trophy wife. He lives in Philadelphia that he so deliciously hates. When the twosome go to Atlantic City (Vegas would be too happy a place), they meet, Robert Redford? Nooo! An evil oil prince from some desert kingdom. And this time it's not about money...

Jack's New Power is great. The best chapter is at the end when he goes to the cock fight and loses a piece of money. Even though his sister is annoying, she ends up being right. I felt bad for Jack, kind of, at the end. He's off to Florida and he doesn't know what that is going to be like.
The funniest part was when he is totally purple and is trying to hide that fact by running around the neighborhood at night when it is dark. Even though he doesn't want to see anyone, someone else is running at night too. He ends up being his friend.

I loved this Book about Jack and his Memoirs. I read it in One week!!!!

i know this is a kids book, and i read it a few years ago, but every once in a while i get it out and read it from cover to cover again. every time i read this book i get inspired about life. does that seem a little drastic? i love this book. it's like my security blanket. read this book!

What a truly great book. I read this when I was in 4th grade.It has a beautiful mix of comedy and just plain interesting writing.It's the best book that I've ever read in my entire life. I also own my own copy of it. I would automatically recommend this book to anyone who wants a good laugh. This is a great book for all ages. I would also like to recommend "Heads Or Tails" which is also in the same series. I am also currently reading the third book in the series, "Jack's Black Book". It's great. Everyone should go out and buy copies of all three books and read them.

My husband bought this book on a whim at a bookstore, and my daughter has loved it ever since ! We began to read it to her at the age of 18 months, and it really encouraged her to learn about James. She would often make the buzzing noise whenever we arrived to that area in the book. The book has become a favorite in her collection. The reason that I gave it 4 stars, rather than 5 stars, is that the paperback version can become a little ragged after many readings, but I always feel that this is a mark of a beloved book!

My 2 1/2 year old son loves the "Thomas" books in the Step into Reading series, but James Goes Buzz Buzz is his favorite by far. My wife and I bought it for him for St. Nicholas's day (along with 3 others listed below), and since then he has read it every day, multiple times a day, and like the another reviewer's son, he knows the words. He liked them all so much, we could not resist buying him three more for Christmas.

For early readers and Thomas fans, this book is a must, as well as "Happy Birthday Thomas", "Thomas and Percy and the Dragon", and "The Great Race".

Just a Note: There is a mistake in the text. Poor Trevor is described as a "Tractor Engine". How ridiculous. Trevor is a "Traction" engine. Ok...I feel better now. LOL.

In any case... we love these little books. Despite what the recommended age ranges suggest they a good for younger Thomas lovers as well. The drawings are colorful and the stories are fun and amusing; and as the previous reviewer has noted, young children can 'read' this themselves after a few times through.

"Step 2" refers to the Preschool through Grade 1 reading range, which means "Reading with Help". Sentences are short with 'basic vocabulary'.

An example from the book:
"Bees are very loud!" said James.
"Do not make them mad," said Trevor. "They may sting you!"
"Hmmmph!" said James. "I am not scared of a bunch of bees!"
James puffed off.

Hopefully the above will help you gage whether this book is appropriate for your child. My suggestion though would be to get the book anyway. If they can't read it now, they will be able to in the future.

Five stars. One of the Classic Thomas Stories.

This book is one of my 3 yr old son's favorites. After hearing
it only twice he is now "reading" it to us. The pictures are very bright and colorful and bring the story to life. A great gift for any Thomas fan. Also check out Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Happy Birthday Thomas in this series. We've read them so much we may have to get new copies...

!~Josefina learns A Lesson~!
I am writing a book called Josefina Learns a Lesson. Its about a girl who likes to read. She likes to write about her family. She has two sisters and two nephews and a dad. She gos to school to learn how to read and write better. She likes to run outside and play with her nephews. She lives in Mexico. I recommend this book to people who like to read and write. The author is Valerie Tripp .The book is from American Girl Collection. Someother characters in the collection are Kirsten, Samantha, Addy, Molly, and Felicity. There are more characters.

This is another one of the American Girls series about Josefina Montoya, a nine-year-old girl (almost ten!) living in the New Mexico of 1824. When a flashflood brings disaster to her father's rancho, Josefina's aunt Dolores suggests that they begin weaving blankets that they can trade. Josefina throws herself into the work, eager to help the family, but one of her sisters is holding back, and Josefina needs to find out why.

The final chapter of this wonderful book is a highly informative look at schooling in New Mexico in 1824. Jean-Paul Tibbles' illustrations are nothing short of excellent, and add so much to this wonderful story.

This is another of the excellent stories that American Girls presents. This one also has a fine lesson, while the story is highly entertaining. Also, I do enjoy the way the author has realistically woven Josefina's religion into her daily life; religion is something lacking in most American Girls stories. My eleven-year-old daughter and I read this book together; we both enjoyed it, and we both recommend it to you.

I like that there is a glossary of Spanish words at the end of the book, because I know that if I ever go to Mexico, I will know how to say thank-you and stuff like that (gracias). The idea of a maid teaching Josephina and Josephina being so eager to learn makes me stunned. I think that you will very much enjoy the pictures, as I did. I did not recognize the dyes that the girls used to dye the wool, but from the pictures I understood that they were very beautiful. (Carmelle, Age 8)

Nine year old Josefina Montoya is growing up on a rancho in New Mexico in 1824. When Josefina's Tia Dolores comes to visit to Montoyas, Josefina learns about a world beyond the rancho-a world of elegance. But Josefina and her sisters begin to worry that Tia Dolores will replace Mama, who died last year. And then disaster strikes. The Montoyas lose most of their sheep in a terrible flood. Tia Dolores comes to the rescue with the suggestion that the Montoyas weave blankets to sell so that they can get new sheep. But more and more, Josefina and her sisters begin to believe that all the new ideas their aunt has brought will make them forget all that Mama taught them. Then, Tia Dolores begins to teach the girls to read and write. Mama couldn't read and write, and Josefina and her sisters aren't sure she'd approve. More and more, Josefina must face many changes-both good and bad.

An excellent book teaching students and children differences and similarities of culture. My students love it! Fun and well written. The ending is touching.

I was telling my sister-in-law about a friend's child who just started a new school and is having a hard time. My sister-in-law knew about this book and suggested I get it for my friend. She loved it! After she read it to her son, it opened up a whole discussion on what would be the same and different at his new school, and how the differences don't have to be bad. He really responded well. I read it, too, and I have to say, after just starting a new job, I found myself laughing at how appropriate this children's book is to my life. You may miss friends and things from the past, but you can learn a lot from new experiences. Ms. Miller's students are lucky to have her as a teacher.

Just Like Home is unlike any other book I've ever encountered for ESL and Bilingual curriculum. It's patterned, alternating format is perfectly designed for English and Spanish language learners alike.

It is moving, engaging, and an honest account of the challenges and joys faced by every child who is faced with two cultures or two languages.

It is a must read!

I just received an early edition of this wonderful children's book.

This eloquently written and beautifully illustrated children's book effectively describes what it is like for a child to move to a new place.

While this book is about a girl who moves to a new country, it can be used to help any child who is faced with moving to a new place and adapting to a different life.

The writing is fast-paced and kept my young child interested. And the pictures are colorful; they really help to tell this story.

Since the book is in Spanish and English, it is a great teaching tool for ESL classes and Spanish classes alike. And the well-thought-out glossary in the back of the book makes it an effective study book for an English class.

I could not find any other children's books by the brilliant author, Elizabeth I. Miller, so I'm guessing that this is her first book. My son and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next

I love this edition. It has my two favorite Kim Possible episodes, "Bueno Nacho" and "Tick Tick Tick". This is a picture book, with images from these two TV adventures. The pictures are very clear, art-like drawings. The book pages are made out of thick, durable paper too. In my opinion, this book is worth the price, and would give satisfaction to any Kim fan. It's the perfect book to have, because with it you can see Kim any time you want.

Wow, this is a first! American TV turned into Tokyopop manga! If you think about it, though, there must have been something great that Tokyopop saw in "Kim Possible" that made it worthy of this enjoyable first.

The art in this book is in color, and looks basically like freeze-frames from the TV series. It does lack some of the usual manga items, such as tiny characters on blank pages, and random words, pictures, and notes here and there. But those things are only for smiling at, and don't affect the story much. The fact that the book was in color was very attractive, and already having an insight to the characters from the show was nice. I finally got tired of waiting for future books to come out, but it looks like there is a nice, long line of them now!

I recommend this book to Kim Possible fans, comic book lovers familiar with the show, or people who like comics and would like a taste of KP. It is the first book, too, so you won't be skipping ahead.

this is a relly cool book I LOVE KIM POSSIBLE and this book is a cartoon of bueno nocho and tick-tick-tick (any magor KP fan will know what eps thouses are) but a must buy for any KP fan

Anyone else out there who loves the infectious Disney show Kim Possible would really dig this cool book. It basicly contains two episodes of the show, Bueno Naco and Tick-tick-tick which are two of my personal favourites, Kim fights Shego in the end of each, it's so cool.

Every single page is beautifully rendered in full color and the printing is top notch. I think that the comic book style layout of the the story has a really fun feel about it and overall this book would be a charming addition to any KP fans collection.

I credit Alexander Scourby for helping me truly understand the New Testament simply because of the way he reads it. Whether listening in the car or reading along at home, you will get much more out of the New Testament with Mr. Scourby.

These Bible cd's are priceless if you love reading or learning about the Bible. I play them at work or in the car during my drive to and from work. Amazon delivered a top quality product in a very timely manner. I couldn't be more satisfied.

This is a wonderful way to listen to the New Testament while doing other things, like cooking, exercising, etc.

I like Scourby's voice and drama.

I have a rather long daily commute. With Scourby's KJV Old Testament/CD, I fell in love with the Bible "again" for the first time. In ordering Scourby's KJV New Testament/CD, I was not disappointed. My endorsement of BOTH of these products is heartfelt and without qualification. My commute is now a joy and a pleasure.

This book is a treasure and a new classic. I've given several copies to friends and family. If we're very lucky, this story of a six year-old boy 'Little Lion', will be just the beginning of a long-term relationship between children and a wholy original character that is adorable, eccentric and very special.

In addition to being an engrossing, colorful read, and a great way to introduce or reinforce the values of tolerance and individuality, Little Lion is also a beautifully written, poetic work of children's literature. In the much more eloquent words of Jamaican scholar Dr. Elsa Leo Rhynie, "Little Lion is a book that should be in the library of every Caribbean boy and girl...The flow of rhyming is like music to a child's ear."

With great animation and just the right inflections, this book is perfect fodder for bedtime reading for toddlers.
Since I am determined for my chil to be literate by the time she is 3, I have been reading to my daughter since infancy and now she mocks my behavior by grabbing one of her numerous books and reading to herself.
I introduced this book t her after meeting the author in a bookstore and having it signed. My 2 year old fell in love with it immediately ! The next day I saw her in her favorite chair, trying to mock my voice while flipping through the pages. Mind you, this was only after ONE reading!
Ms. Magnus has that "it" Oprah raves about .. to write outstanding children's books. This book has a storyline any child can relate to and appreciate. This is a highly recommended one for your child's library.
The illustrations are outstanding as well.
This one is right next to my other favorite "Please Baby Please"
PICK THIS ONE UP... YOUR CHILD WOULD LOVE YOU FOR IT!

I simply love this story! Little Lion is truly an inspiration to children and adults regardless of ethnicity or cultural background. The illustrations are vibrant and fun, and the themes and tenets of the story are witty and heart warming.

I fell in love with this inspiring story. I'm Jamaican so I really appreciated the cultural references, but I've shared Little Little with some of my American friends and they enjoyed it too. My son, who is almost two, also loves it. He's particularly fond of Little Lion's shoes and socks (the illustrations are great).

If you want to know more about the Lizzie McGuire series then this is a must.

The Lizzie McGuire Official Episode Guide rocks! It's so totally awesome, and a must have for any Lizzie McGuire fan. There are cool coloured pics for each of the sixty five episodes. For each episode, it shows the name, writer, cast, episode summary, bloopers, and a "Did You Know?" section. The "Did You Know" section has lots of ultra cool facts. The bloopers are really funny, check the episodes to see if you can spot them. There's also a cool sneak peek of "The Lizzie McGuire Movie". It shows the cast, a summary, and a "Did You Know?" section. There are also biographies of Hilary Duff (Lizzie), Lalaine (Miranda), Adam Lamberg (Gordo), Robert Carradine (Sam McGuire), Hallie Todd (Jo McGuire), and Jake Thomas (Matt). There are also mini bios of Stan Rogow, Susan Estelle Jansen, and Terri Minsky. A must have for every Lizzie fan!

this episode guide is perfect book ever. it the best book out of the series.this episode guide will tell you everything to Know about lizzie mcguire the t.v series.it has the tv episode summmry a " did you know" seletion and it tells you the bloopers they have.Also it has pictures of all 65 episodes and the cast Biograghy in the back. You sould buy this book if you are a Lizzie McGuire FANATIC!!!

this book has a lot of cool information about the show it is sooo coolit has can you spot the bloopers and a all about the show and then an all about the episodes and cool color pictures of all 65 episodes if you are a lizzie mcguire fan this is a must have

As many versions of Authorware I have used (3 through 6.5), this book has proven to be one of the "must have" in anyone's reference library. Great examples and simple explainations of all functions and variables. I only wish Joe Ganci would publish a new revision for Authorware 7.

This book is a must have for any serious Authorware programer. It is easily the best reference for an Authorware Programer and a nice addition to the documentation that comes with Authorware 3.X. This book is filled with usefull and practical tips on how to get things done in the most popular multimedia authoring language around.

Joe Ganci, active contributor to numerous online discussions of Authorware, has created a wonderful reference for those who want to squeeze out the functionality from Macromedia Authorware 3.

This book details how, when and why to use the functions that are invaluable to Authorware power users. I've reviewed this book more throughly at my Authorware book site (http://pobox.com/~betsy/).

Betsy Bruce, Authorware Consultant

Even though Macromedia has released Authorware 5 Attain, this book still is a very handy reference. The explanations and examples are great, if just all programming manuals were this clear and to the point... Highly recommended! /Johan Lundstrom