Clubs Books

Spiritual path and makes you want to be wild and free like our ancestors and indigenous brothers and sisters.

Paul Shepard was an extremely brilliant man, most of whose writings focused on how we humans became what we are. I began with Dr. Shepard by reading his book, Coming Home to the Pleistocene.

Coming Home is a truly great book, but now I would recommend The Only World We've Got to anyone reading Shepard for the first time. It's an omnibus of some of Paul's essays and covers many subjects. It's a bit easier to read than Coming Home.

Shepard's books are not overly easy to read. They require concentration and either a massive vocabulary or a handy dictionary. (I've opted for a dictionary.) But the ideas contained in his writings are superbly enlightening.

If you're interested in how the lifestyles of our ancestors over the last several million years made us what we are today, you'll find Shepard's many books fascinating, thought-provoking, informative and enjoyable. I strongly recommend Paul Shepard's writings in general and The Only World We've Got in particular.

Have you ever wondered why we dream of animals or see them in the clouds and stars (e.g., Ursa Minor, Ursa Major, and Bootes)? Have you ever wondered why Paleolithic men decorated their caves with animal art? Have you ever wondered why we share our homes with animals, entertain ourselves at zoos, or why some of us eat meat? Or have you ever wondered why "mass society delivers itself into military hands" (p. 138), or seeks comfort in "massive therapy, escapism, intoxicants, narcotics, fits of destruction and rage, enormous grief, subordinations to hierarchies that exhibit callow ineptitude at every level, and perhaps worst of all, a readiness to strike back at a natural world that we dimly perceive as having failed us" (p. 156)? Ecophilosopher, Paul Shepard addresses all of these questions, and more, in this fascinating Sierra Club Reader. "The generic human in us knows how to dance the animal, knows the strength of clan membership and the profound claims and liberation of daily rites of thanksgiving," Shepard writes in this book's Preface. "Hidden from history, this secret person is undamaged in each of us and may be called forth by the most ordinary acts of life" (p. xx).

A friend recommended this book to me as a good introduction to Paul Shepard's ten other books. In the first Chapter, "The Eye," Shepard studies the human eye and how it differentiates us from species. In Chapter Two, "On Animals Thinking," he argues that the human mind "and its organ, the brain, are in reality that part of us most dependent on the survival of animals," that "living animals are a necessary part of the mental growth of humans" (pp. 22-3). Whereas Darwin "rediscovered" in 1859 that man was an animal, Shepard's book considers what animals tell us most about ourselves (p. 107). "Physiologically," he writes in Chapter Five, "from the neck down, so to speak, [man] is an omnivore whose diet is about three-quarters plant products, like a bear or boar. By looking only at his gut one might predict that he is a kind of oversized raccoon. Yet the patterns of life set by hunting-gathering peoples are centered on the spiritual and ceremonial eating of large mammals. Behavior and culture are more wolflike than bearlike" (p. 113). Men "wolf" their food, as they say. "Man is a fat-making, fair-weather carnivore who can eat more than three pounds of meat at a sitting. He is also a primate snacker, a connoisseur of ripe and unripe berries, of frogs, crabs, and insects" (p. 131). Like animals, "men need, in their nonhuman environment, open country with occasional cover, labyrinthe play areas, a rich variety of plants, animals, rocks, stars; structures and forms numbering into the thousands, initiation solitude, transitional and holy places, a wide variety of food organisms and diversity of stone and wood, nearby fresh water, large mammalian herds, cave and other habitation sites, and so on" (p. 135).

In Chapter Six, Shepard examines how we have "broke bonds with the earth, soil and nature," and how the human spirit has become dissociated "from seasons and celestial rounds" (p. 149). As a result, civilized culture has become stuck in immaturity; "to remain a child," Shepard observes, "is not an appropriate individual destiny, nor is it a norm for our species" (p. 160). He encourages us to free ourselves from our cultural immaturity.

Nature writer, Barry Lopez calls Shepard's writing "endlessly stimulating." Paul Shepard was an original thinker, and this brilliant book offers an eye-opening and imaginative look at ourselves, and "the only world we've got."

G. Merritt

I used Shepard's works a few years ago among supplemental books for a course I taught theological students regarding their awareness of science and nature. People may recognize me today as the co-author of the recent "Nabokov's Blues: The Scientific Odyssey of a Literary Genius" (1999)(which I must mention to make my major point about Shepard and his books). My point concerns the world's own "right of passage" regarding urgent dictums akin to "its the only world we've got". What we see in Paul Shepard and his work reflects a level of awareness typifying the keenest of polymathic minds from, say, the 1970-1990's. However, many people do not realize that before that (before the major books of environmental awareness were well-known to the public [Carson, Ehrlich, Meadows et al., etc.] and thus germinal in most minds) writings about nature by even celebrated literary writers, like Vladimir Nabokov [as in The Gift], or great "nature writers", like Edwin Way Teale, peculiarly LACK a sense of this urgency. Recent writings on these latter authors (who shared 1999 as their centenary year) brought this question to the fore when comparing them to the "levels" of modern eco-awarenss in men like Shepard. Observers were stunned-- how could men like Nabokov and Teale who wrote so genuinely, and with wondrous detail, concerning nature, "miss the point" [i.e. no "urgency"] regarding what we see as the environmental crisis today. A fine reading of Shepard's works (this "Reader" among them), provides the answer. If ones reads far enough back in Shepard's writings-- and then follows the development of his major theses enculcating URGENCY in eco-awarenss-- one realizes that what one is seeing IS precisely the germinal stage of that sense worldwide. Before that, for writers even as sensitive to nature as Nabokov or Teale, its seemed that no matter how assaulted nature was around them, and in their writings, "it still had someplace else to go". Somehow, great writers of nature of that earlier era never had that "personal epiphany" when a "line in the sand" was drawn for them. It seems so odd to scientists today (especially those working overseas) who experience that epiphany very day. With this in mind, Shepard's works are perhaps one of the best examples of that awakening and seeing them in that historical perspective gives them even more life.

Paul Shepard (who also wrote The Tender Carnivore, which is also highly recommended)was one of the most insightful and brilliant thinkers of our century. This book has the power and impact of Thom Hartmann's "The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight" and the insights of Michael Tobias's "World War III." Highly recommended.

This is my first Ngaio Marsh novel. It is in many respects similar to an Agatha Christie in that the suspects are interviewed one at a time and then gathered for the final denoument. I guessed wrongly whodunnit, but the murderer and motive make sense when revealed. However, the murder doesn't take place until well into the book, and I got caught up with Martyn's story. The suspense for me was whether she would get the role and attain her dream of stardom. Ms. Marsh must have known a lot about the theater since there is a lot of detail about sets and actors. For a contemporary "closed set" murder mystery also based in England, I would recommend Christmas is Murder: A Rex Graves Mystery by C.S. Challinor.

Like many struggling young actresses before her, Martyn Tarne has a private fantasy of stepping in for a leading lady taken ill. In true Ngaio Marsh style, Martyn's dream is made a reality, in a twisted way; having just missed an audition at the Vulcan, Martyn wangles a job involved with another show set to open in a few days - as the leading lady's dresser, since Helena Hamilton's regular dresser just went into hospital. Martyn, a New Zealander who was robbed upon arriving in England, is alone and broke, and thankful to get *any* job until she can get on her feet - even at the Vulcan, where her mother's immensely famous cousin Adam Poole is both leading man and director.

The small cast and other Vulcan personnel involved in the production feature quite a few mirror images and parallels in their situations and their relationships with each other. In several scenes, actual reflecting surfaces underline this - shop windows as Martyn trudges to a late audition, a picture under glass of one character that reflects another, and so on.

Martyn doesn't want to establish herself on the London stage solely on the strength of her relationship with Poole - but she's ideally suited for a supporting role in the play requiring a woman who strongly resembles the lead. By contrast, Gay Gainsford, cast for the part on her uncle's insistence, requires heavy makeup and acting skills outside her scope, and is as prone to hysterical outbursts about her loathing for the play even as Martyn tries to fade into the woodwork and hang onto her job. Both women's relationships with older men in the company result in protective and sometimes over-protective reactions as clashes occur in the high-pressure atmosphere of the last few rehearsals and opening night.

As for the men associated with the Vulcan, Clark Bennington, Gay's uncle, is a once-fine actor now in a supporting role as an alcoholic both on stage and in life. On a particularly galling note, he seems to be playing second fiddle to Adam Poole in his marriage as well as his career - Helena Hamilton, the leading lady, has a career that eclipses Bennington's and tends to inspire devotion in most men, though she seems to collect only the young and artistic variety. Most of the other men on the scene apparently don't qualify, being either too old (her devoted admirer Jacques, the director's assistant; Gay's admirer Darcey, supporting player; the crabby playwright Dr. Rutherford) or ambiguous. All the men except Jacques and Poole do their bit to make the situation worse - even the playwright, whose "helpful" feedback is loaded with unprofessional attacks on the junior members of the cast, driving them almost to the point of breakdown when he isn't tactfully headed off.

The story plays out in a very compressed space and timeframe, set almost entirely within the walls of the Vulcan and mostly upon the opening night of THUS TO REVISIT, whose first performance ends with the discovery of the body of a member of the company; the investigation is wrapped up before daybreak.

I recommend James Saxon's unabridged recording of the text; Marsh's stories tend to function very well when performed, and this is no exception.

Drive in totals:
- Two deaths (poison); a third from a previous incident in the same theatre is referred to. (The Vulcan is not the same theatre as the Dolphin, which appears in other stories).
- One sexual assault (off camera, referred to indirectly).
- One openly homophobic character; it's made clear that that's only one of many unpleasant aspects of his rude, bullying personality.
- A character from A SURFEIT OF LAMPREYS turns up as a young constable.
- This story isn't about Alleyn, really; he serves to bring the truth of events and various motivations of the real main characters to light. Alleyn's personal life and family aren't a factor.

There's never a dull moment at The Vulcan Theatre--especially when a starving actress named Martyn Tarne walks into the job of dresser for the show's leading lady. What with a gifted but nasty author, an alcoholic actor, a hysterical bit player, and a host of other neurotics, opening night is more unnerving than usual. In fact, it's pure murder, and Inspector Alleyn is soon on the scene.

Ngaio Marsh is one of the great mystery novelists of the 20th Century, and she is particularly known for her skill at creating believable characters in memorable settings. But she is also uniquely gifted at portraying the complex world of the theatre, a task she takes on in several novels but never better than here. Marsh captures the contrast between the out-front-glamor and the backstage hysteria with the knowledge of an insider (she was, in fact, a theatrical director herself), and in VULCAN she offers a remarkably accurate, powerful vision.

Although it is occasionally beset by some of Marsh's less admirable tendencies, NIGHT AT THE VULCAN is easily among the best of the best, a novel that will not only fascinate you with it's look behind the grand curtain, but keep you guessing in terms of plot as well. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Who would've thought that so many murders could occur in theatres? But then again, it's all a case of life imitating art, and no one does this better than Ngaio Marsh. It's not surprising when you realize that she was a stage director/producer in New Zealand. _Night at the Vulcan_ beautifully captures the atmosphere unique to the theatre, while laying out a very clever case of murder made to look like suicide. This is all told through the eyes of Martyn Tarne, a young lady newly arrived to the London theatre scene, making it all the more interesting. The only reason that I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5, was that the identity of the murderer became a little too obvious, in my opinion, but all in all, a fantastic read.

Night at the Vulcan has everything; sympathetic (and endearing) characters, lots of Shakespearean quotes, realistic dialogue, two very different (but equally satisfying) love stories, gorgeous prose...all of the things I read Ngaio for. The character of Martyn Tarne is one I wish Ngaio had re-used in a later book (like she did with some characters from "Death of a Peer" and "Killer Dolphin.").

Ngaio Marsh is my favorite author, and Night at the Vulcan is my favorite Ngaio Marsh. 'Nuff said.

Who belongs to the strange, mechanical voice that is giving orders to Reginald Spencer about how to
handle his business, Spencer Enterprises? When Reginald doesn't respond soon enough to please the voice,
his only son Aaron Spencer is killed in a unique manner. But Reginald still has not rehired enough of the
workers that had to be let go for the financial survival of the company. He then loses his only daughter.

Cooper and Cutter, the hired killers, don't know who the voice belongs to either, they just know he pays
very well, so they follow his orders to the letter. They receive the orders over the phone, and when the job is
done they find the money in a designated area. What could be simpler?

Cutter likes to finish the job cleanly and leave, but Cooper is a sadistic slice-and-dice man who likes to take
his time until the last gurgle emanates. He kills not only for profit, but in his spare time he kills just for the
fun of it. No, not for gratis, no one has hired him for these fun seeking sojourns. It's simply for his pleasure.

Detectives Jim Stanton and his partner Shelly McGuire are with the Wright Valley Police Department
working the violent crimes unit. They knew this one was going to be a hard case to work on when they learned
the victim was Reginald Spencer's son, and in particular after learning how Aaron died. They could not have
been more right.

This is Mr. Miller's second bone-chilling novel. It starts off with a bang - - uh, no, sorry, it starts with -
- well never mind, you'll see; it's just what it takes to capture your full attention and hold it to the last page.

You know the characters. They are everyone, yet no one. You see them in your neighborhood, stores,
malls, hanging around airports, anyplace you might go. They are that real in the story, along with plenty of
action to keep you reading.

Mr. Miller is an excellent writer who knows how to make his characters come out of the book at you,
or you are pulled into the book with them. However you like to read, this is one in which you are sure to
become involved.
Review by: Shirley Truax

This book will keep you on the edge of your chair! Two psychotic killers are in battle to see who is the most psychotic! Who will win the battle? Will both survive? And just WHAT are they using as their weapon???

You won't put this one down until all those questions are answered! Very well written!!! Way To Go Tim!!!

Epstein LaRue, Author of "Crazy Thoughts Of Passion," and "Love At First Type." Chief publising agent for Epstein Publishing.

...OUT OF NOWHERE is a suspense/thriller with a little humor and even some very light romance, all shrouded in a mystery that keeps you guessing until that very last page. OUT OF NOWHERE is an absolutely absorbing thriller that you will not be able to put aside until you figure out who the voice belongs to. And I do not think you can figure that out until the end. I didn't. And then you will laugh because it was there all the time.

I recommend that everyone read OUT OF NOWHERE. It is a book that you will not forget in the near future. Mr. Miller is a very, very talented author. And he continues to prove it with this second book. Don't miss the chance to see Mr. Miller's star rise on the horizon in the literary world, because it is on its way and moving fast. I know I definitely will be there. I hope you will be too.

Talented author, Tim Miller, provides another fascinating read with his newest thriller OUT OF NOWHERE. He pits two hired killers against an unscrupulous business tycoon-all directed by an anonymous voice on the phone. Detectives Jim Stanton and Shelly McGuire are thrown together to solve the case. OUT OF NOWHERE kept me turning pages to try and figure out who is the mysterious voice on the phone. Two times I thought I had it solved, then the story twisted again, totally confounding me. I raced through to the final twist, enjoying every minute of the action on the pages.

I highly recommend OUT OF NOWHERE to readers who like fast paced thrillers with a sprinkle of humor. The chemistry between detectives Jim Stanton and Shelly McGuire has me hoping that Mr. Miller is working on a sequel!

Out of Nowhere is one of those books you wish you could stop reading--but you can't. You HAVE to finish it. you have to find out who is pulling the strings behind all the bad things happening to the richest man in town, Reginald Spencer. The man who owns the plant that supports the town and has been laying off LOTS of workers.
You HAVE to follow the work of Jim Stanton, newly widowed, and his new partner, Shelly McGuire, as they put the pieces together. You MUST know if the killers are smarter and more determined that the detectives following them.

Out of Nowhere is not a "cozy" read. If you like sunshine and sweetness in your mysteries--well, you won't find much of that in this book. The killers are brutal, the descriptions can be graphic. I found it hard to decide which of the two killers was the most frightening--loose cannon Cooper(who LOVES blood-and inflicting pain)or cold-so very cold- Cutter(who kills because it's his job and he does it without emotion).

Mr. Miller displays his knowledge of the police scene effectively. The politics of police work show up in Stanton's dealings with his superiors and with the mayor and Reginald Spencer. Stanton tries to do his job in spite of interference from higher ups.

A real highlight of the novel is the byplay between Jim and Shelly as they move from antagonism to teamwork to a hint of something more personal. Shelly McGuire is a wonderful character! Her wit, intelligence and courage add a great deal to the story. Her no-holds-barred approach to life fills the book with enery and a great deal of excitement. She is definitely an asset to Jim Stanton's work on the case.

Reginald Spencer is being blackmailed by a person unknown. He has been ordered to call back all of the workers he laid off in an attempt to save his failing business. When he doesn't move fast enough to sulit the disembodied voice on the phone--people die in horrible ways. First, but not last, is his only son who is a victim of the two hired killers--in spite of professional security protection.

Spencer is reluctant to lose his fortune and people pay for his reluctance. He tries to run and tries to hide but he's being watched. Will he pay the final price? Stanton and McGuire struggle against the unknown mastermind as well as the deadly killers.

Out of Nowhere is full of twists, turns and surprises. There is a great deal of depth to the story. The characters are real--even the evil ones. Miller brings Cutter to life(if that word can be used for someone so cold and deadly). We see part of the story from Cutter's point of view. We see how and why he works. We delve into the madness of Cooper's bloodlust. We see the struggle of good against evil in the battle of wills between Cutter and Stanton. And we're not sure which will win.

I found my emotions and my intellect involved in this book. I liked Stanton and Shelly(actually, I loved Shelly!) I felt revulsion and fear for the behavior of Cooper and Cutter. And I really disliked Reginald Spencer for being the creep he was. I hope to see Jim and Shelly again.(hint, hint, Mr. Miller)

Just in time for the holidays -- I'm buying Paula Easley's Warehouse Food Cookbook in mass quantities. As a cookbook collector, enthusiastic eater and someone who wants to make the most out of grocery specials, I love every page of this book. The recipes are creative and the book is written in an and easy-to-read (and use) format. Ms. Easley's great recipes, charm and wit, make the Warehouse Food Cookbook a great read and an excellent resource. I give Paula Easley's Warehouse Food Cookbook a top rating!

This is a great book to learn to buy and store in bulk. An added bonus is the wonderful recipes.

Being recently reestablished as a single and relocated adult I need all the help I can get in rebuilding both my social graces and enviroment. A small lakeside cabin in rural Georgia does not match the authors isolation in bush Alaska. However, similar challenges of supply and storage do exist. It's 50 miles to the nearest Sam's or Costco. Not over snow and ice covered tundra, but over even more dangerous back roads and freeways into downtown Atlanta. Ms. Easley's book has been a great help not only in planning and purchasing, but most certainly in presentation.

Warehouse Cookbook is a beautiful work of art, and I am sure also a labor of love which all cooks can appreciate! I think that the recipes sound wonderful. In fact, I have just purchased two of the books, one to give as a gift! On the final page of the book, ideas are requested by the author. I love to cook and especially hunt for books that focus on low-cost, frugal cooking. The idea of focusing on warehouse shopping is excellent! My only suggestion, however, is that I would really love to see more day to day practical insights & how to's on a daily basis with daily type foods such as those that are hinted on pages 8 & 9, Ingredient Cooking Secrets. I would love to see a monthly menu with monthly family recipes included, like the recipe for meatloaf, and a grocery list to go along. The idea of how to utilize a box of Costco tomatoes is excellent. I would like recipes and breakdowns on many items to make cooking lowcost and affordable for families. Hope this is helpful. It is sent in not to criticize, because the book is truly a beautiful cookbook that I will treasure. But, rather, it is sent to encourage because Paula Easley obviously has alot to share with others. Also, I would love to know more about her adventures and life in Alaska. I hope Paula publishes a second book because I would surely purchase it!

Hi, I'm Paula Easley's nephew, Kale. I just wanted to say that this is a very good book. I looked through it, and I have to say that it looks good. My step-dad edited it, and he said he thought it was really good, too. I even asked my little 2-year-old sister what she thought, and she said "yes" she liked it. Then she said,"Go away. I reading the newspaper. You be really quiet."

When I'm reading "Perfect Pigs" to my preschoolers, I give Mr. Perfect Pig a pompous, know-it-all personality. They like to catch him tracking mud through the house or leaving sandwich fixings all over the counter for someone else to clean up. Then they all tell Mr. Perfect Pig how he should act in each situation. I like the way it is divided into categories such as home, school, with friends. I think they also like the comic strip type layout.

I heard all about this book from my friend, the soy sauce. I read it and learned a lot about manners. Before I read this, I would roll around in the mud before school, but not anymore! I learned that was a no no. I would also snort and chew with my mouth open when I ate. Heck when i saw somebody with a lunch i wanted, I would dive onto the table screaming like all hell broke loose and tackle the person, steal thier lunch, and run away. But not I know its not polite to scare the crap outa people to get thier lunch. Streaking in the hallways is also looked down upon. Who woulda known?

As part of our school counseling program and character education program, I read Perfect Pigs to my students. This is a fun book and gives the students a different viewpoint on manners. It also helps me promote reading and literature with the students.

My boys love this book..it's funny and helps to teach them essential manners at the same time. We have the softcover and I wish I had bought the hardcover so it would last longer.

I loved thsi book when i was little and still do. imean a book about Pigs and Manners what could be better. The laughs never stop i mean Pigs...manners lol well if you like comics and think people with bad manners are funny. Or even it you think pigs are cute this book is for you! This book should be featureed on Reading rainbow and given a thumbs up by levar burton. I <3 PErfect Pigs!!!!

We have used this cookbook for years and continue to go back to it again and again for our favorite and new recipes alike. I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for not-too-complicated recipes that are delicious! Favorites are the Red Snapper with Black Bean Salsa and the French Pepper Steak - two recipes we have made dozens of times.

I am just now learning to cook, and must admit that every single recipe I have tried in both Main Line Classics I and II have been delicious. Now even I can cook for my in-laws!!

This is a wonderful cookbook for quick, easy, and DELICIOUS recipes. Great for company or family dinners. Ingredients are easy to find. I love this book.

This community cookbook has so many recipes that are easy, up-to-date, and ready for company. I have used this book, and it's companion...Main Line Classics many, many times. I love them both.

I have enjoyed preparing many of the recipes. Most are very easy to follow and the end results very tasty. The complete menus at the back of the book provide guidance when planning a dinner party. The fact that 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the cookbook is donated to the comunity makes this a favorite cookbook.

There's an excitement to this story where even the down times of rehearsal or learning about the Great Hoo Ha Ha become fun and exciting. Playtrain is an excellent example of expert pacing. As far as I can find this is Daniel Liegey's first work but I'm guessing it won't be his last. There is so much room left open for a sequel, I'm betting we'll see Playtrain 2 soon enough. I would highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.

Some of the highlights in the story include the "Infamous Playtrain Circus" At the first mention of it, the circus didn't sound so appealing but when you actually get to the surreal details of it you'll become memorized. Maddening drums! I love it! The kite fight match is fun. It opens up a great little subplot to the book and helps to broaden Sam's horizons in the underground. But I have to say, if you can follow it, the mystery is well built. You'll kick yourself for not figuring it out on your own.

The train passenger's are fun. There's no real deepness to them but I'm not sure that's necessary. I have to admit I found myself laughing at Antonio the Demon's jokes. They're supposed to be bad and I guess I thought that's why they were funny. All of the characters are loony in one way or another. Horton is probably the most likeable but Teckle Rubar is genius. The Doves's songs I found annoying but I think that was the point. What's up with the sheep? It's kind of funny. She just slept the whole time and wakes up for a second at the end. Fitzgerald Fang might be one of the most clever character's created I've ever read. Maybe I'm thinking too much? I just realized that I'm writing more towards people who read the book already and not to the people who want to read it. So my advice is to read this book!

Splendid performance and sure to delight readers of all ages!

I was given Playtrain by a friend and I stopped reading Summerland just to start reading it (and I love Chabon!). I'm only up to chapter 4 but I already love it. My friend already told me all about it but it doesn't matter cause I just forget when I'm reading it. There are some similarities to Harry Potter, but Playtrain is a bit more to my taste! Great job, Mr. Liegey!!

Tayla is an great character. She's kind of the opposite of Hermionie but I love her! I also liked Horton Mellow and when Tayla rode Horton to catch Brice! Check out the playtrain website!

Playtrain is another one of those can't put em' down children's books that has has flooded the market. In a lot of ways this book is even better then most. It has that comedy flair like in Artemis Fowl and it captures that magic of traveling to a new place here on earth just like the Golden Compass. It reads fast and it's got a nice twist on the whole idea of who the hero should be. There's a part in it that really made me think about how children can mold another child into being a bully. It's and interesting concept. After all, the kid whose good at sports gets rewarded and molded into a future athlete. The kid who gets good in art class gets molded into an artist. It's a subtle message but probably a really important one we need to look at with all the recent focus on bullying behavior. I like that there's a little bit more moral fiber put into Playtrain versus' the other books. Don't worry, the adventure is just as solid as the rest of them. And unlike the other book where the hero's often get major help in the end from their friends, in this book it all comes down to the main character. The concept of the book is wonderful! These kids put on school plays in order to harness the audience's imagination and then they can create their train. The trick is, they have to be back from their adventure by the time the play is over or the train disappears. Pretty cool! It's got some of the strangeness of Lemony Snicket and the secondary characters are just as fun as the secondary character's in Artemis Fowl. I almost wish I read this first because I like it more.

My brother's book has 6 stories about me. I drew illustrations. This stories is true. I stole a french fry are McDonald's and cut my own haircut. Other stories about Cheez Puffs, our dog Duke, my bicycle and flying beetle. The people where I work like my book. There is a poem about Mrs. Post, my aide at my old school. I drew illustration of her. I drew a dogs, my family, animals and my own cartoon characters. I like how the book is turn out. It's nice when the people read about me and see my illustrations.

Hats off to Richard and Kevin Carlson! This book is a must read for families who have loved ones on the autism/Asperger's spectrum, educators, all professionals. In short, this book is for everybody. This book serves as a bridge linking people and knocks down walls that were once said to enclose people on the spectrum. Like Joshua with the ram's horn, the walls are knocked down by the brothers Carlson.

This collaborative effort features several anecdotes involving Richard and Kevin. Kevin's illustrations bring the world as he knows it and the sensory issues he confronts on a daily basis into sharper focus. Richard provides an equally clear and strong voice. The bond between this pair is very heartwarming.

Please read this book. You will be so glad that you did.

Richard Carlson is to be commended, along with his brother Kevin. The drawings throughout this book are delightful, as are the stories told with such direct simplicity. This book, along with others in the Richard Carlson collection, should be required reading in schools. Children will love it. Every one of the stories will grab their interest. It will make a terrific present.

Carol Kluz is a coauthor of Carol Randy suspense and solo author of fantasy.

This book was great! It has some poems and short stories from MY
BROTHER KEVIN HAS AUTISM and there are new ones. I
felt lots of emotions reading this book like when Kevin fell in the icy
cold water and he couldn't swim. I felt really bad for him.
There were funny stories too. There was a lot of information about what
Autism is and now I understand it a little better. I would
like to meet Kevin to tell him what a great job he did with the
illustrations. I think this is a wonderful book for kids of all ages. I really enjoyed it, you will too!

Suggested for young readers age 6 to 10, yet involving and highly recommended reading for all ages, Poems And Short Stories About My Brother Kevin Who Has Autism by Richard W. Carlson Jr. is a unique and compelling collection of six true stories and six poems about the author's autistic younger brother, Kevin. Fifty simple black-and-white line drawing illustrations by Kevin illustrate and enhance this straightforward, heartwarming account which offers young readers a unique perspective into what it's like growing up with an autistic sibling, and the special challenges and responses therein. "Most boys would like bugs a lot./Because he has autism he does not." Also strongly recommended for school and community library collections is Richard Carlson's previous book: My Brother Kevin Has Autism.

Why Read?
Because it's good for you.

Why Read Short Stories, Essays and the like?
Because they're perfect for those tiny slices of your day when you're bored but have time to read only a few pages or so. Sure, if you have 6 hours straight to sit down and read something as thick as your wrist, no problem. But if you're the kinda person who catches the train, reads before bed, or waits in cafes for eternally tardy companions, shorter pieces are great because, well, they're short. There's no nasty 'What'll happen next? Darnit, my stop's coming up, I'll have to wait 'til tomorrow to find out!' sentiment. Stegall has masterfully crafted his stories to fit into the length of you bus trip; his interviews are precisely long enough to fill the ten minutes it'll take you to drink that latte.

Why Read James's Short Stories, Essays and the like?
Because they're good, GOOD i tell you. Look - everyone loves Retail Commando. What are you reading this for? Extra confirmation? Ok then: it's good! Buy it! You know you wanna!

Retail Commando is short in much the same way that War and Peace is not. But as James has always said, it's not the size that counts, but how you use it. He proves this chunk of wisdom right with this book. His brand of satire pierces the nipples of consumerism and his painful tragedies plunge shis-ka-bob skewers into your chest like Buffy's steaks into vampire hearts.

On Mr. Stegall's website, he has pictures of himself handling a lizard. I say, with writing of his caliber, he can handle any lizard he wants.

This book is electric much like the slide of the same name; the one danced at weddings. This book is magic much like the johnson of the the same name. Unlike my johnson this book is not very long, but then again it doesn't ruin promnight with premature [...] problems. This book is wacky and eclectic with stories and interviews and essays on well over two subjects. This book is deserving of a infomercial epitaph like, XL, Omni, Ultra, or 2000 and 1. It is both exciting and interesting. I wonder whether I should have taken out the johnson remark, [...]. I say the johnson comment stays, james Stegall would want it that way.

I became a fan of Mr. Stegall's when I realized his last name rhymes with 'eagle'. In actuality it might not, but seeing as I am a red, white, and blue blooded American, I just don't care. When my copy of 'Retail Commando' arrived, I went to the corner .... and bought an egg salad sandwich and a couple bottles of fine red wine.

Then I read the book.

Then I wrote this review.

And I must say this...Mr. Eagle, you're a good writer. You remind me of Bill Murray's character in 'Meat Balls'. Man, that's a great movie. The parts where they keep putting the guy's bed in different places? Ah.

A warning to movie buffs out there, however: This book has very little to do with 'Commando', starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. I was misled, but happily surprised. A little serendipity, if you will. :)

This book was written by a young man who will be going places in the literary world. His command of tongue-in-cheek satire as well as his grasp of the nuances of deep felt, family problems is amazing in one so young.

The unfaced fear of "Getting Out Alive", a look at just getting through basic training with the 4-year future in the Army yet to face; the soul-searching "We Have Rules" setting forth the story of a marriage breaking apart, leaving two sons, and yes, two adults, torn apart, and hopefully brought back together, albeit in separate camps; "The Wall Mirror", a story of an eating disorder, and not knowing how to handle it; the evolving "Don't Wake" the story of yet another marriage break-up. So many thoughts brought out in a first book, and all carried to fruition. Mr. Stegall does not leave you hanging wondering what happened to his characters - he fleshes them out for the reader to easily follow.

All surrounded by the shockingly funny lead story, "Retail Commando" the creative "Cupid's Boxing Ring", "Office Sex for Dummies" and real life interviews from the author's college days.

An excellent read!

I laughed so hard I was crying. It really made my day. I hope Fred will continue to write as I know there are many more stories to be told. He has a real knack for seeing the humor in what we experienced on a daily basis. He also sees why we became teachers, it was the kids...

I am spreading the word to my teacher friends that this is a must read.

My wife and I are both teachers and this book is a slice taken from our lives. I guess the same kids go to all the schools all over the world, because if we didn't meet these students and teachers ourselves, we heard about them in the teachers lounge or over dinner. Anderson finds the levity in these situations that we may have missed while under fire. Open this book on any page for humorous insights into the life of a high school teacher.

I found Fred's stories to bring back so many memories of high school. Although I'm not a teacher, I related to his zany descriptions of life during these years. This book is a "must read" for everyone! Keep the stories coming Fred!

Fred Anderson's stories not only sent me back to the goofy events of my own adolescence, he brought me face to face with what our precious teachers confront every day. Anderson's writing combines a wide aperture with a very fast shutter speed, capturing what life in a big high school often becomes: narrow glimpses of human sagas. I hope he writes more. I couldn't get enough of these wonderful little stories.

I laghed. I cried. I peed my pants. Seriously, A great book of short stories that take me back to the ways of high school.