Clubs Books

I actually hate to read, and I am extremely picky about which books I like to reread, but after reading this for the first time I am sure that there will be a second, as well as a third and fourth. Ricardo is a masterful storyteller, and the world he creates is so vivid and well-conceived that it is easy to lose yourself in his stories. The only fault I can find is with me, for not reading it sooner. --

I'm not much of a fantasy book reader, but a friend of mine who is a fantasy book guru suggested I read "The Blood of Kings" by Ricardo Flores. So I ordered a copy, and when I received it started scanning through the first several pages, and immediately got hooked. "The Blood of Kings" is a very creative tale which captivates the reader from the first chapter. The urge to find out "what happens" compels one to read without pause; indeed, I completed my reading within just a few sittings, and am now wondering how soon to expect the next installment from Mr. Flores. I heartily recommend this book, both to fantasy connoiseurs, and to "first-timers", such as myself.

Ricardo Flores is truly a gifted story teller. I first heard of him when I read some of his short stories on the Internet. I enjoyed them so much I had to buy his novel. It is a wonderfully crafted fantasy story. I highly recommend it!

Ricardo - Keep up the good work!

A refreshingly imaginative fantasy work. The Blood of Kings gets back to basics in the high fantasy genre. I recommend it to anyone who craves fantasy with a literary twist.

I have read heaps of these type of books and wasn't expecting much but this is a CLASSIC. Very funny. Unique concept, original. Very cleverly written. can be chauvanistic in parts and is definitely NOT politically correct. One for the boys.

Go Sammy Slapperelli!!!

Well done Mr Blue, whoever you are.
Lock up your daughters. This is huge. The cover is pretty average but don't judge the book by it! This is pure gold. It is like a funny Kama Sutra
Website is good too

http://www.blueridersclub.com

What a classic!!!

They should make this into a movie. So much better than all those other pick up guides out there. There is nothing like this one. Some of the best lines I have ever read - Tarantino should make the movie. The best description of fellatio and cunnilingus I have seen

Awesome!

When I bought this book I expected it to be a straight how to pick up women guide. It is soooo funny! There are heaps of how to tips, but it is very cleverly done. Lots of references to famous people. And get a load of some of the characters. Sammy Slapperelli is my fave. He has "Super Sleaze Clinics"
There is also a lesbian character. And watch out for the old master Frankie Cabana. Probably one of the funniest books I have ever read. It is based on a true story.

Who would have guessed that such a simple, straightfoward musical would be the longest running show in New York history? Read this copy of the libretto, and you'll know why. The show is very simple and very honest. It has drama and lighthearted comedy in just the right amounts to create what is, in many ways, the perfect musical. This volume also contains lots of extra information about the show, including the lyrics to a new song written for the show in its later years, and a number of photos. The music is missing, of course, but even without the OCR to the show, you get a great sense here of what makes The Fantasticks so, well, fantastic.

It never fails to amaze me that Jones & Schmidt were capable of such powerful poetry while still studying for their masters degrees. This thesis show is a powerhouse of simplicity and a panorama of minimalism. Sound oxymoronic? It is. The show is so disceptively simple, but the stories it tells are universal, and they are guaranteed to ring true for even the most tarnished audience member. One read, and it won't be hard to "try to remember" this show for a long time!

This is one of the most wonderful musicals ever. It has a wonderful story and plot but the best part about it is the music. The music is absolutely FANTASTICK! The musical contains a wide variety of songs, each with its own mood and purpose. There are funny and amuzing songs, ominous songs, loving songs, wishful songs... there's something for everybody. I first saw the Fantasticks in New York and fell in love with the music. I have almost all the songs completely memorized and I am working on putting a few of the song into my audition repertoire. This is music that every true musical fan should have. Its brilliant.

It has been two years since I was first introduced to The Fantasticks. Ever since I saw the show I have been captivated by its remarkable story, lyrics, and music. It was only recently that I read this 30th anniversary edition and truly found out how amazing this show is.

Tom Jones' personal account of The Fantasticks shows the reader what exactly goes in to a show before it actually debuts. The first section "Try to Remember" is well set as the first chapter of the book. The reader will benefit more from reading this chapter before the show.

The third section (the second was the libretto) is a look at the actors really shows you the life of the longest running Off-Broadway show.

I know my words cannot do justice to this amazing book. I would recommend this book to any die-hard Fantasticks fan, or to anyone interested in getting to know the best musical ever written.

.... "It has seventeen new essays and 37 new book lists added to the second edition mentioned here. Forty six essays describe how individual groups are organized and portray thier strengths, weaknesses, and unique characters. Special-interest groups, groups with professional leaders or sponsors, new groups, and groups that have been meeting for decades are all represented. Readers discover what makes a good group tick, from how to organize meetings, select members and books, and stimulate discussion to turning a flagging group around. More than three dozen reading lists supplied by the groups themselves help to provide insight and inspiration for all who currently belong to a book group or are tempted to start a group of thier own....

From Fall 2000, but Amazon does not carry it yet. Hopefully soon. "It has seventeen new essays and 37 new book lists added to the second edition mentioned here. Forty six essays describe how individual groups are organized and portray thier strengths, weaknesses, and unique characters. Special-interest groups, groups with professional leaders or sponsors, new groups, and groups that have been meeting for decades are all represented. Readers discover what makes a good group tick, from how to organize meetings, select members and books, and stimulate discussion to turning a flagging group around. More than three dozen reading lists supplied by the groups themselves help to provide insight and inspiration for all who currently belong to a book group or are tempted to start a group of thier own. This book replaces 1-55652-246-0" catalog

I was looking for information about starting a book club when I found this book. At first I thought it would be useless because I was looking for guidelines, and this is a collection of essays. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the essays here not only provided the information I was looking for but were enjoyable reading in their own merit. The collection reads like a book of short stories. The compiled book lists are also very helpful.

A Thoughtful Guide to Forming & Enjoying a Stimulating Book Discussion Group with essayss written, often collectively, by members of many & varied groups together with a What To Read section. With a foreword that only Margaret Atwood could write, this collection of quirky, humorous & serious essays gathered from book groups around the country, enchants, entertains & had me plotting how to start a group out of our local library. A really neat read. ................

i highly enjoyed reading this book! the characters were well thought out and you felt as if you knew each one like a neighbor. the book takes a different approach to history. all of the events have actually happened, but alfred himself is a creation. you felt sad when he hurt and happy when he rejoiced. there were a couple of slow points in the book, but if you push past them, you will find the overall finish totally rewarding!

As a student of Black History of the Post Civil War West I can reccommend Mr. Smith's book highly. Although he has taken some liberties chronologically(which, in his forward, he apologized for) the events are correct.

Hopefully Mr. Smith's book will inspire other such studies and accounts of a long forgotten and neglected part of our history.

A great book. The story is full of historical detail, but it reads completely like a novel. I thought the main character, Alfred, was very believable. There is quite a lot of variety in the many adventures he has in the story. I learned a lot about the time period. The book has not just one main character, but a number of interesting figures. I highly recommend it.

This book is well worth a readers time - it educates, informs and makes you think - leaving a lasting impact in your life. The central character (Alfred) illuminates what conditions must have been like as a slave, a civil war soldier, a free man, a buffalo soldier - all in a manner that is very believable. Well done! I look forward to reading more of this author in the future.

A captivating story about a young woman who is put to the ultimate test. She must find her way to freedom without sacrificing the lives of her beloved not to mention her own. Truely spellbinding and a must-read for all young women.

A superior novel that involves such drama and suspense. Highly recommended for all girls going through the teen years.

A must read for all girls coming of age. Great life lessons are explored in this compelling novel.

This book was very intense and swept me into the lives of Katie Connor and Danny Jenkins from the very beginning. Danny's manipulative personality used to force Katie into submission was well protrayed by the author. I feel this is a must read for all
teen age girls and their Mom's & Dad's also.

Wow! What a delightful book! I never had the pleasure of hearing the Penn Glee Club, or seeing them perform, but reading this wonderful memoir/autobiography by its 50-year director certainly makes me wish I had. Bruce Montgomery is a true Renaissance man...conductor, arranger, composer, artist, choreographer, diplomat and mentor to hundreds of students over the years. This captivating narrative covers a lifetime of passion for excellence and love of occupation expressed with warmth and humor. Fortunate are the students touched by his genius, and fortunate are those of us who have read his story!

After a less than sterling performance as Santa Claus in a first grade pageant, I decided that others were better suited for the limelight than I. On later occasions, I had the opportunity to use my visual skills 'backstage' through set design and construction. In this manner I found much satisfaction in collaborating with talented folks who could sing, dance and remember lyrics and scores far better than I. Mr. Mongomery's book, "Brothers, Sing On!" brings back many memories of marvelous experiences, great friendships, and yes, the hard work that goes into the making of exhilarating performances.

I can only wish that I had first hand experiences with Mr. Mongomery's music. Seeing his group via TV in Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was of interest. The recounting in his book of his half-century of performances and creations seems to demonstrate rather convincingly his outstanding musical and directing skills. To be able to compose - invent - new music as well as arrange the work of others; to write transitional or counterpoint melodies and lyrics, surely are gifts that few people have. For performers, collaborators, or those interested in stories of success, Mr. Mongomery's book is a true delight to read.

Having heard the University of Pennsylvania perform at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and also with the Philadelphia Orchestra, I picked this book up out of curiosity. Then I couldn't put it down and had to purchase two more for friends as gifts. Bruce Montgomery's memoir of nearly 50 years working with talented college students and transforming them into a finely honed professional singing troupe is nothing short of breathtaking. This will make a great holiday gift for everyone on my list!

Having sung in the 1960's Penn Glee Club, when we didn't dance and didn't travel far from West Philadelphia, this book is an explanation of how the "Club" survived and thrived in subsequent years. The World travel and successes are thrilling;
but how "Monty" and his men put together their annual shows and built on them is even more enthralling.
Surely anyone who had anything to do with the University of Pennsylvania for the past 50 plus years has been touched by the
talent of Bruce Montgomery and should find this a good read!

As a breeder I look out for bulldog books all the time, and this one is superb. Right from the inside cover (full color diagram of the breed standard) to the inside of the back cover (a really nice touch for first time owners, including a place to put their picture and to keep notes such as vaccination records) this book delivers 100%. Highly recommended for ol'timers like me and new bulldog owners alike!!

GREAT OVERVIEW OF PUPPIES IN GENERAL AND BULLDOGS IN PARTICULAR. I BREED BULLDOGS AND GIVE THIS BOOK WITH EVERY PUPPY.

Bulldog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series)
This is an excellent buy. Definitely to be HIGHLY recommended

The cover picture alone would be reason enough to buy this book. The book itself, though, is a very good manual for bulldog owners and has lots of other pictures scattered throughout. A very good purchase.

This book is very well loved by my Cousin's one year old little girl. I borrowed it from the library a few days ago and it quickly became the favorite. She has the attention span of a gnat right now and flips the page before I can read the first two lines of most books but this one holds her attention through the whole book. Thank you Colin West for that.

The pictures are bright and I like the fact that the animals show real emotion on their faces. I also liked the fact that although the bee is told to "Buzz off" by all the animals he finds a friend in the end.

A Great bedtime read for baby to age 3. Soon to replace the classic "goodnight moon". This rates high with the baby and the dog.

I don't know why, but this book is captivating to both my kids - my (almost) three year old girl liked it from about 6 months (and still does) and its all over if my 18 month old boy sees it: 3-4 read throughs minimum. The illustrations are bright and clear and yet there is enough detail (and, if you can imagine it, suspense!) to keep my older toddler interested.

A Great bedtime read for baby to age 3. Soon to replace the classic "goodnight moon". This rates high with the baby and the dog.

If you want to know more about architecture in the Caribbean, you have to read this book!

Through his work at la Marina, Casa de Campo, Gian Franco Fini captures the essence of refined architecture with a perfect air of Caribbean elegance.

This is a book about one of those magical places that once you get there you don't want to leave. It's in the path of boats coming from Miami to the West Indies and is the place to see in the Caribbean before you die. Casa de Campo is the Caribbean most complete resort by far where any possible hobby in the world could practiced at world renowned conditions -besides skiing, except if you change it for water-sky-. The book about the Casa de Campo's Marina is definitely a 5 start in class, quality and content. This is the real thing in Caribbean Elegance and Luxury where you'll be able to find some of the most exclusive houses in the region.

This is the only book available about Marinas from an architectural standpoint. Blueprints, sketches and more than 300 full-color pictures are a never ending source for one of the most luxurious approach to Caribbean Architecture. It's about the renowned Marina at Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic and is a must for anyone willing see from the inside out as many options as possible to recreate a tropical paradise despite if it's and apartment or a houses under 2,000 sqf or a masterpiece above 20,000 sqf.
In contrast with W.R. Blain's book for "Marina Developments" -That is an excellent and maybe the only book about Marinas from a structural standpoint- this one is an architectural approach to Marinas and all the elements around it such as Yacht Club, Apartments, Houses, Restaurants and all related services. It's full of details and references in a text that is catchy and easy to read. My only concern was that I thought it was pricy in the first place despite that it was printed and bounded in Italy, but Blain's book is above the $250 and this one is more related to interior design and architecture so it's worth 5 out 5 starts.