Road Books

I read Different Roads while traveling cross country and really loved it.

The story propels from the first page through the last and gives the reader a sense that all things are interconnected and happen for a reason. The dialogue is snappy and right on the money.

All the characters were memorable, but Jaycee, the feisty young girl who grows up into a strong, opinionated woman, really shines. The reader can't help but root for her through all her hardships and tough decisions.

I highly recommend this book.

Rarely does a character in a book jump into my heart from the first page. Jaycee, the main character in Different Roads, written by Joyce Sterling Scarbrough, was one of those rare characters. She grabbed me from the first paragraph and hasn't let go since.
Ms. Scarbrough has a writing style that draws the reader in quickly and keeps the interest until the very end. Not one to read many romances, I was a bit skeptical at first. This is no ordinary mushy romance novel, however; the relationship between the two main characters is passionate and fraught with more twists and turns than a Class Five hurricane.
As I followed Jaycee and Bud through their relationship, I laughed loudly and cried hard. At one point I was glad Joyce Scarbrough wasn't near because I wasn't sure if I'd hug her for writing such a powerful book or strangle her for causing such an emotional upheaval within me. The characters are so real, the feelings so true-to-life, you will forget you are reading a book and actually feel you know the people involved.
This book deals with some heavy topics, but does so with skill and finesse. Ms. Scarbrough understand completely the inner workings of her characters and helps the reader understand as well. Her understanding of human nature is exceptional.
If you are looking for a mere quick read, this isn't a book for you. If, however, you want a story that draws you deeply within the story and allows you to feel the emotions fully, this is a must-read. You will not regret for one moment buying and reading Different Roads. I will caution readers--be prepared for an emotion journey unlike any you have experienced.

I really enjoyed reading this book. If you liked "Tru Blue Forever" written by this author then you will like this book. It does have some bad language in it, if you can look past that, I highly recommend the book. I loved it as I did her first book. Can't wait for the next one. Loved it and will probably read it again while waiting on the 3rd book from this author.

Jaycee Stevens breaks the mold. No Yankee can read this book and think Southern Bells populate the South. Her tough persona captivates the reader because her quick firing of insults and threats articulated with such aplomb that people let her do anything she wants. Jaycee says things openly that many of us privately wish we had the courage to come out of our own mouths. Most of us lack her charm and courage. The fact that she's sexy and attractive with big boobs makes men melt. They allow her to do things that would irritate most people, yet she pulls it off with them apologizing to her. They rationalize that she is being playful when, in fact, she directs her deep-seated anger at them.

Jaycee's mother died when she was young and she was raised by an alcoholic father who neglected her or beat her. Mostly he ignored her and she grew up taking care of herself in any manner that she could. She became a fighter with a cutting tongue to hide her fear of abandonment.

She lived on the wrong side of town and lost her first love to parents who felt she wasn't good enough for their son. She's a gifted writer which wins her an opportunity to leave behind all the negatives that comprised her being. While in college, she meets Bud Stanton, a rich boy suffering the same feelings of neglect and abandonment. They are so much alike that they truly do understand each other, but they act out and often Jaycee lashes out at poor Bud. He tends to pout and withdraw.

Bud starves for his father's approval and display jealousy when Mack becomes Jaycee's surrogate father. Bud wonders if more is going on than a father/daughter relationship. He is very possessive of Jaycee. This creates many of their battles. Their pattern is to fight, make up, then make love very passionately. Jaycee, with Mack's help, becomes a published author of children's books. She feels she is finally overcoming her past when she find out the truth about her chance to go to New York and be a journalist while in college. This upsets Jaycee so much that she leaves Bud and heads home to her dying father. There she discovers more truths that nearly destroy her. Only Bud holds the key to Jaycee's acceptance of herself. But will Bud take her back?

This book, by Joyce Sterling Scarbrough, is a winner. I admit it is not in my usual genre, but I found myself turning pages long after my allotted reading time each night.
Joyce writes with an energy and passion that shines through in all her characters.
Jaycee, the main character, the product of a dysfunctional family background, is a load to handle and she makes me want to pull my hair out sometimes. Her growth toward maturity is not easy, but is evident.
Joyce has crafted a realistic adventure of two young people on the way to adulthood along a rocky road. There are both smiles and frowns along the way.
I strongly recommend this book as a "must read." It's well worth the time.

Totally portable, accurate and inexpensive. I would not venture out in Manhattan without this booklet in my bag.

I bought this book a little over a year ago and have used it for several business trips. It is small and easy to carry, doesn't look touristy, and gives me a lot of confidence getting around Manhattan. The best $ I ever spent. You know how some people just seem to "know" New York even though they don't live there? Well, that's me now.

Certainly veteran New Yorkers will snicker that they don't need "Fodor's Flashmaps New York" to get around town. And they may very well be right. However, as a New Yorker with many international friends I field countless queries about what to do in New York City when you get here. Let's be honest...the Big Apple is gigantic. And no matter how well versed you are about New York City...things change so quickly in this town that it is smart to have this tidy little book around just in case you happen to suffer from brainlock.

And then of course sometimes friends ask for help for things for the kids or for their young teens. Moreover, some queries are specifically for daylight hours, nightlife, weekend activities or happenings in boroughs outside of Manhattan. This text can help. Additionally, Fodor's includes essential telephone numbers for hotels, places of worship, ballparks, schools and universities, airports, transportation, museums, art galleries, parks, shopping, dining, theaters, movies, libraries, consulates, hospitals and hip nightlife activities. Fodor's even provides zip codes but no e-mail addresses.

This book is a great tool. It's small and can easily slip into the inside of your sports coat or if you have a normal size purse, just pop it in and you're set. Or better yet...carry it around in your back pocket (it fits). There are 61 maps and thousands of listings. It will help you walk around, take buses, ride the subways or take railways into the suburbs. In my opinion it clearly is worth the investment for metropolitans or for anyone who wants to visit New York City. One thing is for sure...it will save you plenty of time, and as everyone knows...time is an important commodity.

Bert Ruiz

I donýt know how the conversation started, but I was at the Union Square store of a major competitor of Amazon, letýs just call it FarmStructures & Nobel Booksellers, and the security guard told me that he had relied on this book as a native New Yorker for years. So I bought it.

And now *I* have relied on it for years.

Whether you are looking for where the ýDý train crosses the ý7ý or where exactly Cornelia Street is anyway, this book is excellent. Museums, movie theaters, road maps and highways are all here. The shopping and restaurants sections are good for out-of-towners looking for the classics, less useful for New Yorkers looking for the next new thing, obviously.

Itýs small, convenient, and well-drafted (the maps themselves are different colors so you can readily find what youýre looking for as you flip through ý yellow is street /subway; pink is daytime attractions; black/blue for nighttime attractions). All in all, anybody living in or visiting New York frequently would find this useful. If you are a one-time tourist, though, youýre probably better off going with something more comprehensive like Lonely Planet.

Enjoy!

I highly recommend that when you visit NYC you carry a copy of Flashmaps with you. It's a convenient subway and bus map, shows you all the neighborhoods, museums, post offices, etc. But the thing I use the most is the cross street lookup, which I relied on not just while new in NYC but also as a long-time resident.
I discovered the NYC Flashmaps many years ago when I asked a limo driver exactly where a business address was. He pulled out his Flashmaps, turned to the cross street page and told me the exact cross street in well... a flash. He told me no professional driver and no New Yorker should be without it. I bought my first copy that day and have been telling residents and vistors alike for years.

I just got done reading this book over the weekend. I had been looking for a nice Persian story book for my 4.5 year old daughter and came across this. Fortress of the Golden Dragon while a great story, is a bit too complex for a 4 year to fully understand. The story borrows heavily from the ancient Persian myth of Haftvad (please see: [...]. There are many additional elements however present in this story which make it unique and a great magical story. There are some good moral lessons there as well. Therefore, I will keep this book and read it to my daughter in a few years when she is a bit older.

This book is enchanting and delightful. It is a must read for older children and adults. I would not be surprised if it were on the big screen soon!

Wonderful! It is a bit of "Lord of the Rings" meets "Cinderella" meets "The Celestine Prophesy". I highly recommend this book.

This book is a wonderful way of showing children and young adults, as well as grown ups, how they can strengthen and grow their inner good to overcome all dark and evil forces within them. Not only is a well described story, it is also very inspirational to all readers. Once you start this entertaining book you will never want to set it down.

I found this book, written by Homa A. Garemani to be very intriguing and entertaining for all ages. This book is an ancient tale that makes you use your imagination. It gives enough imagery to give you the main picture and leaves out enough to make you use your imagination and create a world you see in your mind's eye. With its intricate use of love, hate, and magic this tale is a good read for everyone. There are many themes that can be derived from this book such as, love can overcome any obstacle and when you learn from your mistakes and keep a level head anything is possible. In this story many characters are actually symbols for bigger things, such as Peerbabu. He is the good inside of everyone that is always there. It comes when you need it and is the hope that drives out the evil. The evil in this story isn't really the "dragon" but instead it is Amaease, he represents the greed and power hungry people in the world. This book has a universal message, the beauty of it is in its simplicity. There are few books that are written for one culture, that can be related to everone which the whole world is able to understand, and this is one of them. The only other book I have read that was able to do this was The Illiad and the Odessy. I grew up living with books like Harry Potter and The Hobbit, but this is a book about my culture that is interesting and makes me feel even more proud about my heritage.

Urticaria hives have plagued me for nearly 3 years. Many visits to a Dermatologist and an Allergist plus numerous blood work-ups have not been of any help. Dr. Wanderer's book "Hives: The Road to Diagnosis and Treatment of Urticaria" has been very beneficial in my understanding of Urticaria and has shown me what steps to take in an attempt to pinpoint the cause. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has Urticaria. It may not help you find the cause but it will help you understand what you are faced with. It is my belief that this book should be recommended by all Doctors to people with Urticaria.

I have been a chronic urticaria sufferer for 5 1/2 years and have been on Prednisone for the last 4 1/2 years. My doctor ordered the book after my recommendation and we are using it together to try new medications and therapies. Thank you Dr. Wanderer!

Should have gotten this book way before wasting so much time, energy, fraustration, and money on all the different doctors/medications/injections...etc. it is too bad Dr. Wanderer is not in Los Angeles otherwise I would love to see him also refer him to others

This is a terrific book that answers many questions for chronic urticaria sufferers. I wish I had found it sooner. I'm only on my first year of CU, but I really like to use this book as a reference for all the information scattered over the Internet. I brought it to show my allergist/immunologist and he had ordered it too.

I have been battling hives for several months. Dr. Wanderer was the third Dr. I encountered in an attempt to rid myself of this problem. On my first visit with Dr. Wanderer, he recommended a thorough series of testing to try and determine the cause of my outbreak of hives. During our interview time, it was apparent to Dr. Wanderer that I was in need of information on my illness. He suggested I read a book that he had written on the diagnosis and treatment of hives. I would encourage anyone who might have a bout with hives to get this book! It has helped me immensely with the understanding of the illness and more importantly, the diagnosis and treatments. I am still in treatment but I'm doing better and I've stayed the course of treatment ONLY because I have the book to go to for guidance and understanding. I'm hopeful of a positive outcome for my illness now because I have this book for reference. I would not have progressed to this point of recovery if not for the book Dr. Wanderer has published for us! It has given me strength daily!

The artwork and heartwarming tale will appeal to the preschool youngsters, but the message of self-acceptance and tolerance towards others is one that older children who can read will be able to grasp even more. This is the type of story that parents and teachers can use as a springboard for discussion of acceptance of differences and it's a reminder of how sophisticated children's literature can be. A story with a moral we all can appreciate!

"How High Can You Fly?" is a book that all my elementary students love. As a substitute teacher, often times I find myself needing to fill the gap between coursework. Students remain attentive and interested until the end. I have actually read the story more than once to the same class. The pictures are bright and entertaining. Thank you Janie and Renee for helping make my school days so much easier

How High Can You Fly? is a charming picture book artfully written by Janie DeVos brought to life with simple and abstract yet vibrant full-color illustrations by Renee Rejent. A young bird meets a variety of creatures on God's precious earth, each of which has its own unique talent or gift, but the bird likes its own gift of flight best of all in this simple yet delightful easy reader book.

This charming story by Janie DeVos is filled with wonderful animal characters, which come to life in her vibrant imagery and playful, rhythmic prose. A little bird discovers that although not all animals can fly, each possesses a unique gift, special in its own right...a timless story about cherishing individuality that will please any child. Bold, whimsical illustrations by Renee Rejent add visual excitement to the story. I look forward to seeing future books by this talented children's author.

Ms. DeVos' book brings a lovely message to young children, allowing them to recognize and appreciate their own special gifts, as well as, those of others. We found the illustrations to be equally as lovely. They were "happy", colorful, and inviting. This book would be a beautiful addition to any child's library.

Hungry Plants
Author: Mary Batten
Reviewed By:Brianna - a Stockbridge Central School 3rd Grader
****
Did you know that some plants can actually eat bugs!?
It's true! There are more than 600 kinds of bug eating plants in the word. In this book Hungry Plants you will learn about all kinds of insect- eating plants. Did you know Borneo is home to the biggest pitcher plants in the world!? Insect -eating plants don't have eyes so how does a Venus fly trap know when a bug is in there mouth? When a fly or any other small insect, crawls on to a Venus fly trap's leaf, it touches a tiny hair. Then the fly touches another hair these little hairs are triggers that signals to the plants that dinner is here!! There is not a lot of text and through out the book there is narration it's easy to read and interesting. The illustrations are very detailed and are interesting. They're almost like photographs. I recommend this book to people who love plants that eat bugs or any body who would like to learn about hungry plants. So read the book or you'll be missing out!!!

My daughter loved every page of the book. It is a learning book and does so in a very interesting way. My daughter couldn't stop saying how good this book was. I would recommend it to anyone!

This is one entralling book! I knew there were meat eating plants, but I never thought of them as "passive" and "active". The book is broken up in cute sections, "Gulp!" and "Slurp!" being my favorite, but the entire book keeps your interest. The drawings are quite excellent and you learn a lot just by looking at the pictures. I really enjoyed it and my little brother just loves it. A hit.

This is an excellent first book to fire up the interest of children in carnivorous plants. This is a hobby of mine, and I have an extensive collection, and am interested in conservation of their habitats.

The book talks about the major genera of carnivorous plants (although it completely skips Pinguicula, the butterworts). The full-color illustrations are beautiful and accurate. The information in the book is all factually accurate. It even briefly covers conservation.

I bought this book along with Plants Bite Back. We had already read our library copy of the Plants Bite Back and I actually was not sure I needed another book on carniverous plants. To my surprise, this little book offers other very important and interesting details on plants that are not in the other book (which is an excellent book also).

I am glad we got this book (e.g.it explained why we shouldn't keep touching the Venus Flytrap--it probably saved the plant's life from inquisitive little hands).

This book is a must-read for anyone who feels this country's corporate and political leadership is lacking in vision, awareness, conscience and accountability. With clarity and depth, and pulling no punches, Robert puts into words what so many of us feel but cannot adequately express - we need a new breed of leaders who can take the world into peace and harmony, not war and chaos. We need transcendent leaders, and it must begin with each one of us. "Igniting the Soul at Work - A Mandate for Mystics" should be required reading for every political and corporate leader throughout this world.

Most books make me fall asleep at night, "Igniting the Soul at Work" became my stimulant. It was like a match on an already lit pilot light, it ignited something even deeper inside of me. Immediately I would stop and relate what Rob said to my life, the reflections inspired me to action. It's made me re-define who I am as a business owner and what it is I truly want to convey out in the world. The internal reflection time was the practical part of all of this. His words ignited introspection and the reflection suggestions helped me make it practical to my life. Twelve years ago, after just one consulting session with Rob, I started my business and am now living my dream. His words in this book continue to have that same power of inspiration that lead me to authentication. I highly recommend this to everyone, because it challenges us all to question ourselves. When we do this we all make the world a better place to live.

I've been reading Robert's books for many years now. His insight and his passion never cease to amaze me. He writes what we all feel, and he writes from such a deep and honest place that it can only help us to clarify the truth in ourselves as well as the world around us. I truly believe this is a book that the corporate world needs to read, needs to set its standards by. Our lives are so precious and Robert helps us to realize how we can live our lives authentically, spiritually, with humor, and how all of this can transpire in the work place. The stories he shares of his own experiences enlighten us all. His words make me WANT to be better, to live my live in truth. I think this is a book for everyone who wants to live their life in the light of love, passion and truth.

What is true leadership? Should we lead from our hearts? From our heads? From our wallets? These are questions that Robert Rabbin addresses with courage and insight in his latest book. And he shows us that without a deep sense of who we really are, these questions are hard to figure out. This is the starting point for Igniting the Soul at Work: A Mandate for Mystics. "Mystic" doesn't mean supernatural or freaky, but rather it accurately connotes that we all have a source of inspiration that comes to us quite naturally, if we let it. We all have mystical ability, and Rabbin shows us that when we realize this, it makes sense to expect our leaders to demonstrate this strength as well.

For over a year, I've been exchanging emails with Robert Rabbin, a self-described mystic and catalyst for clarity, whose website I found one day while surfing the web. Rob's writing is powerful and liberating, but not in any ordinary way. He writes straight from his soul. It's so obvious that he has no need for the intermediary of his mind that I describe him as a poet. His stuff comes from a place that's so deep inside---that's so connected to the primordial energy that creates and sustains us all---that the words themselves are almost superfluous. It's feeling, passion, and direct knowing that come through his work, no matter what the subject. Go read Igniting the Soul at Work: A Mandate for Mystics. I dare you not to feel like you've been punched in the gut and kissed on the lips all at the same time.

This is a great book. I couldn't put it down. It's a good combination of seriousness and humor. Andrew is a phenominal writer. A must for Project 86 fans.

I bought this for my son(17 years old). He is an Andrew Schwab fan, and he requested it for his birthday. He sat down and read the book so quickly. He was laughing and sighing at the same time.

The book is filled with a humorous but realistic look at the life of a band on the road.

My teenager HIGHLY recommends this for everyone!

i read it in 3days. amazing book couldnt stop reading it, for all die hard project86 fans or anyone who wants to laugh

Since Project 86 will probably never enjoy mainstream success, this is the closest any fan will ever come to anything resembling a VH1 Behind the Music special on Project 86.

From satirical (and often amusing) commentary, to hilarious tour stories, to heart-breaking situations, lead singer Andrew Schwab must be admired for his honesty, bluntness, and sincerity.

Uncovering his humanity for all to see, Schwab bears it all...even when it makes him look like less than the perfect Christian. Even while reading the book, I found my attitude toward Schwab wavering from excitement to disappointment to compassion. (Causing a reader to go through such an experience is an ability that only a talented writer possesses.) But in the end, I always came back to the realization that we all have growing to do in regards to our character and our relationships with the LORD.

I would recommend this book to anybody who is an avid fan of Project 86. My only major criticism of the book is that it wasn't edited very carefully...there is a plethora of omitted words that occasionally limits smooth reading.

CONSIDER THIS FAIR WARNING: If you have P86 (and especially Schwab) on a pedestal, you may be slightly shocked by what you read.

I found this to honestly be one of the best books that I have ever read. This is a must-have for any Project 86 fafn, or even any Tooth and Nail Record supporter. Andrew shares some of his deepest feelings as well as some of his most inspiring and touching stories he has to offer. You will find yourself unable to put the book down and find yourself wanting to share with Andrew how you feel for him and how much you appriciate what he does. Being a Project 86 fan, reading this made me love the band even that much more. You will most definitely not be disappointed with this one.

We met Lulu and Lolly in pawson at our groomer's yesterday. They are super cute and friendly in person as is their mom. We hope their calendar for 2009 (which she says is going to print right now) is a big HIT! Congratulations on the Lady's Home Journal interview. We'll be ordering one soon. Good luck Cynthia!

My niece (age 9) loves this calendar and has asked me to get her another one for school! The dogs are super cute, but the story and characters make this a hit with the kids. It is so different than the other calendars that only have nice pictures of dogs.
Can't wait for 2008!!!!

Scott Storey

Not only is the imagery fantastic but the story is intriguing. As a mystery/adventure writer of a FULL-COLOR novel, "ME&YOUTOO: CATALYST", I can truly say this is as inventive as any narrative and beautifully illustrated. Can't wait to 2008 and the next adventure even though my pets are not Maltese. This is a work of art and a great concept for anyone at any age.

This thing is funny -- not just comic to look at. There are funny inscriptions and days dedicated to animals in every month. If you've never read a vacation postcard sent home by a Maltese dog, this calendar will give you twelve of them -- all pretty funny, and the pictures are a delight. This is a lot more than a calendar -- it's a story too.

I absolutely love Lolly and Lulu! This calendar is adorable. This is perfect for the Maltese lover in your life. Check out the Lulu and Lolly website for more about these two precious Maltese. Keep the Lulu and Lolly merchadise coming--I want it all!

Only Max Morath and his wife, photographer Diane Skomars, could have created this book. It's a beautifully designed time capsule, a portrait of a showman who, though he plays music from the turn of the century, is very much a man of the present. The iconography of the freeway -- lurid hotel, restaurant, and gas station signs -- is part of this story, as well as Max's pithy words on chocolate malts, where to sit on an airplane (on the aisle toward the front), and a thoughtful final essay called "Thinking About the Music" wherein Max tells us exactly where American popular music came from.

This is a non-fiction book you can actually read! It's funny, truthful, revealing, exciting and fun. Max approaches this book the way he approaches his music--with vigor and enthusiasm. The pictures have depth--you get to know Max through the photography. Would highly recommend it!

Max Morath and Diane Skomars have created a handsome book celebrating Max's career as a channeler of American popular culture. Max loves the American present as much as he loves its past. He's been stirring the melting pot for fifty years now, mixing musical styles, fact, fiction, humor, and social observation. This book is much like a Morath concert--that is, it is sweet, funny, and wise. Skomars' photographs gorgeously depict the world of "Present Max"--a world of fast food, lookalike motels, freeway signs--as he travels to take "Past Max" to audiences everywhere. A beautiful evocation of Max at work and on his way to work.

In all of the mass of literature about American entertainment, there are only a few books that give you an accurate idea of what show business is really like -- ACT ONE, by Moss Hart, THE TROUBLE WITH CINDERELLA, by Artie Shaw, ALL OF MY BEST FRIENDS, by George Burns, and the occasional passage in a star's autobiography (Sophie Tucker, Billy Rose, Little Richard).

Now, THE ROAD TO RAGTIME has joined that select company. Thanks to Max Morath and Diane Fay Skomars, we have a document that shows what real American show business is like in the late 20th Century trenches -- the one-man show, the community concerts circuit, the roadhouses and honky-tonks, radio, television, and anywhere else there's an audience ready to be entertained.

Max Morath is one of America's greatest entertainers. He's one of those magical peformers who's able to get the audience in the palm of his hand the moment he takes the stage. What's extraordinary is that he's been able to be so successful without ever compromising the integrity of his music.

He's a national treasure -- and this terrific book helps us unlock it.

-- Murray Horwitz National Public Radio

Only Max Morath and his wife, photographer Diane Skomars, could have created this book. It's a beautifully designed time capsule, a portrait of a showman who, though he plays music from the turn of the century, is very much a man of the present. The iconography of the freeway -- lurid hotel, restaurant, and gas station signs -- is part of this story, as well as Max's pithy words on chocolate malts, where to sit on an airplane (on the aisle toward the front), and a thoughtful final essay called "Thinking About the Music" wherein Max tells us exactly where American popular music came from.