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Reviewer's Bookwatch

Volume 3, Number 5 May 2003 Home | RBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Vicki's Bookshelf Sullivan's Bookshelf
Paul's Bookshelf Meredith's Bookshelf Marya's Bookshelf
Magdalena's Bookshelf Lori's Bookshelf Liana's Bookshelf
Kinni's Bookshelf Judine's Bookshelf Hodgins' Bookshelf
Harwood's Bookshelf Harold's Bookshelf Gorden's Bookshelf
Alyice's Bookshelf Fortenberry's Bookshelf Dana's Bookshelf
Cindy Lynn's Bookshelf Charisse's Bookshelf Taylor's Bookshelf
Rick's Bookshelf Roe's Bookshelf Susan's Bookshelf

Reviewer's Choice

The Last Warrior
Jim Hitt
Adventure Book Publishers
adventure@puzzlesbyshar.com, www.puzzlesbyshar.com/adventurebooks/
ISBN:1553131185, E-Book, $4.66 Online, 225 pages

Michael Bogert
Reviewer

The Last Warrior is a story based on an actual event that took place in 1903 in the Philippines. Luther Kelley (Known as Yellowstone) famous for his battles against the Sioux and Cheyenne, together with a group of African American soldiers help defend the territory against Muslim radicals and even escaped prisoners.

Mr. Hitt has done an excellent job in capturing the time period in his work. I enjoy books that can give the reader a feeling of what the characters experienced, and how their way of life dictated their actions. The pace that is set in the story doesn't slack at any point, which is a plus for historical novels. The author's style of writing allows the reader to understand the time period without taking away from the enjoyment of the book. It was a pleasure to read this story, and I would be happy to see it become available in print.

I would recommend The Last Warrior to readers, historical or not, who wish to add a fine story to their collection.

Gramma Knows the F Word
Ted Schredd
Discover Fun.
ISBN: 09731197-0-5, $19.95, www.discoverfun.com

David Leonhardt, Reviewer
http://www.TheHappyGuy.com

There's a fine line between happiness and fun, a line Ted Schredd leaps over, back and forth, with almost too much glee. Gramma Knows the F Word is about fun. (What did you think the "F" stands for?) Well, OK, some of the language Schredd uses is a bit coarse, so keep the book away from those with the most tender ears, but generally the book is about feeling positive and enjoying life.

If you are one of those people who reads only the beginning of a book, gets distracted, puts it down, forgets about it and never picks it up to read about it again, this book is about happiness - a topic I am very familiar with from my own book. In fact, many of the themes Schredd addresses in the first few chapters are themes from my book (I would like to think he had read my book and was so inspired by it that he went out and wrote his own, but that may just be the optimism of a happy person thinking.)

If you are the type of person who actually reads past the first third of the book, you will find that the book is not really about happiness, but about fun. Yes, the F word. Ted has chapters on laughing, silliness, sex, chilling out, fun at home and other fun themes.

The cover sets the tone, featuring a granny in cheerleader regalia. Ted's no-nonsense writing style definitely carries that mood through the book, which is further enhanced by his own illustrations - oops, I mean his own silly illustrations. Peppered throughout the book are famous and not-so-famous quotations, which tend to be much more serious than anything else in the book.

Whenever I review a book, I look for some lasting legacy the author might leave behind, in the event that the book becomes a top seller. Ted Schredd's legacy would be "mind poo", a term his grandmother coined. Mind poo is a generic term for all the negative thinking that keeps us from having fun.

There are many books that could be considered "fun", such as books about games, comic books and humor books, but few about fun as a topic. In fact, this is the first book specifically on fun that I have ever read, and it is unquestionably the best.

Pick up Gramma Knows the F Word and have some fun.

Talk Your Way Out Of Credit Card Debt
Scott Bilker
Press One Publishing
P.O. Box 563, Barnegat, NJ 08005-0563
ISBN 0-9648401-5-4, $19.95, 320 Pages, http://www.DebtSmart.com

Peter Hupalo
Reviewer

Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt: Phone Calls To Banks That Saved More Than $43,000 In Interest Charges and Fees! by consumer-advocate Scott Bilker shows people how to negotiate with credit card companies to reduce or eliminate fees, lower interest rates, and deal with credit card disputes and billing errors.

For himself, friends, and family, Bilker made hundreds of phone calls to credit card companies in an attempt to achieve a better deal and evaluate what works and what doesn't when calling credit card companies.

The full transcripts of fifty-two recorded phone calls are given and analyzed in Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt. The names of Bilker's friends were changed to protect their identities. Probably to prevent lawsuits, the names of the banks were changed to the names of dog breeds. And, the names of the account representatives and supervisors were changed to insect names. (Bilker suggests keeping notes and writing down the name of each person you talk with regarding your account. That way, if a representative claims he'll lower your interest rate, but doesn't, you can call back and say, "Mr. Tumble Bug said he was going to lower my rate to....")

The savings Bilker achieved were significant. In one phone call, Bilker got the bank to lower the interest rate from 13.72% to 8.75%, saving $4,320.00, based upon the existing credit card balance. (An appendix shows us how to calculate the savings we achieve by reducing credit card interest rates.)

In another case, Bilker absolutely couldn't get Mr. Mosquito or Ms. Glowworm at Shih Tzu bank to lower it's rate, but the bank offered a low rate for transfers from other accounts. So, Bilker promptly transferred the full balance out of Shih Tzu and then back again to get the lower transfer rate. Bilker speculates banks believe people are too lazy to transfer money around like this, even though the savings in interest paid by doing so are often in the thousands of dollars.

Bilker says it's crucial to keep your credit options open so you have bargaining power. He points out that banks with which you have established relationships are most likely to give you a good deal. So, Bilker argues, for people who carry credit card balances, there's little advantage in closing a no-fee, zero-balance account. With a phone call, they might lower their rate or might offer a great rate on transfers. Bilker writes: "Play all your credit card banks against each other. Make them fight for your business."

Bilker says credit card offers received in the mail (that most of us throw away) can also be used effectively when negotiating with your present bank. Be prepared to read the offers you have to your current bank to show that you have options.

Bilker writes: "It's easy for someone to say 'just call the bank and get the fees waived,' but actually calling is a different story. Without training you might risk not knowing exactly what to say in a highly pressured moment.... The key to success is knowing who to talk to and exactly what to say."

Bilker notes that Americans expect a rigid pricing structure and often don't know what to say or feel intimidated when speaking with bank account representatives, who often give customers the run-around. (There's something quite empowering about having your account representative named Mr. Mud Wasp or Ms. Deer Tick.)

Bilker says consumers should be prepared when they call, including having a "deal breaker" handy, which is the action the person will take if the credit card company fails to make a reasonable compromise.

Chapters in Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt discuss:

* Getting The Annual Fee Waived

* Reducing Or Eliminating Late Payment Fees, Overlimit Fees, and Cash Advance Fees

* Lowering Your Interest Rates

* Shopping Around To Get The Lowest Credit Card Rate

* Negotiating Settlements

* Dealing With Disputes, Chargebacks, And Errors

For consumers carrying credit card balances, the chapters about lowering interest rates and shopping around for the best interest rate are the most valuable. Bilker writes: "The key to repaying your debt efficiently, and I mean cheaply, is to keep your finance charges as low as possible."

In about 70% of the calls, Bilker got the bank to reduce its interest rate. Bilker tells us that at a high 19.8% APR, making minimum payments on $5,000 worth of credit card debt might take 46 years and cost $24,000 to pay off. Even a small reduction in the interest rate can save thousands of dollars.

Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt gives especially useful advice in dealing with run-around. Through reading the phone call transcripts, you'll gain experience in negotiating with a bank. Bilker points out that an account representative might tell you he/she can't change your rate. He/she might tell you that the supervisor can't change it either. It's their best offer. Bilker says you should ask to speak with the supervisor, anyway, who will often lower your rate as requested.

Bilker gives some great tips for dealing with awkward moments. For example, if a representative asks if you want to close the account (you don't want to) or leave the rate where it is, Bilker says you could respond that you don't want to close the account, but that you plan to transfer the balance to another card and not use their card unless the rate is later lowered. Under pressure, unless you're familiar with what might be said or requested, you might say things that only sound like whining, which won't get you what you want.

I highly recommend Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt to anyone who carries a balance on his or her credit cards or anyone who wants to gain skill in negotiating with a credit card bank to reduce interest rates or eliminate fees. Following Bilker's advice can save thousands of dollars in credit card interest and fees. Scott Bilker is also the author of the best-selling book Credit Card And Debt Management.

Memoirs of a Geisha
Arthur Golden
Vintage Books; Random House
ISBN: 0-09-977151-9n 434pp 1997 6.99UK ppbk
http://www.randomhouse.co.uk

0-679-78158-7 1999 448pp 14.95US ppbk
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/results.pperl?author_like=Arthur%20Golden

Pogo, Reviewer
pogomcl@authorsden.com

Have you ever wanted to look beneath the white mask or glimpse beneath the rich finery of a Geisha? Upon opening the cover of this book, you enter the heart of Nitta Sayuri, the renown geisha of Gion, who confesses the events of her life to Jakob Haarhuis, Professor of Japanese History of New York University. He writes,

"Though she was eager to have her biography recorded, Sayuri did insist upon several conditions. She wanted the manuscript published only after her death and the deaths of several men who had figured prominently in her life. As it turned out, the all predeceased her...Whenever possible I have left the names unchanged, though Sayuri did hide the identities of certain men even from me through the convention ... of referring to customers by means of an epithet." (p4)

Born with the eyes and temperament of her mother, Sayuri reflects upon the mystical influence of water on her nature,

"My mother always said that she married my father because she had too much water in her personality and he had too much wood in his. People who knew my father understood right away what she was talking about. Water flows from place to place quickly and always finds a crack to spill through. Wood, on the other hand holds fast to the earth." (p9)

More intriguing than a Dickens novel, Memoirs of a Geisha, follows the tangled fate of Chiyo, the daughter of an impoverished fisherman of Yoroida, from her earliest childhood memories where they lived in a tipsy house atop the sea cliffs, where the fierce winds and strong waves seemed to wash away life from the beach forever. How much can be changed by a single incident? How can the restless movement of water be blocked? What is the impact of a split lip? The world of Chiyo changes as she is sold to an okiya in Gion by Mr. Tanaka, the owner of a fish packing plant.

"But the truth is that the afternoon when I met Mr. Tanaka Ichiro really was the best and the worst of my life. He seemed so fascinating to me, even the fish smell on his hands was a kind of perfume. If I had never known him, I'm sure I would not have become a geisha." (p7)

Drawn in meticuous detail, the profiles of Hatsumomo, Mameha, Pumpkin and Chiyo are cut in sharp contrast like the silhouettes from the early twentieth century mounted against dark backgrounds.

"This Pumpkin girl," Mameha said, "how do she and Hatsumomo get along?"

"Well, ma'am," I said, "I suppose Hatsumomo pays her no more attention than she would a leaf that has fluttered into the courtyard."

"How poetic... a leaf that has fluttered into the courtyard. Is that the way Hatsumomo treats you as well?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but the truth is, I wasn't sure what to say. I knew very little about Mameha, and it would be improper to speak ill of Hatsumomo to someone outside the okiya. Mameha seemed to sense what I was thinking, for she said to me:

"You needn't answer. I know perfectly well how Hatsumomo treats you: about like a serpent treats its next meal, I should think." (p122)

Adroitly, the author exposes Hatsumomo's vicious disposition to destroy any rival that might challenge her domination of geisha in Gion. With the capriciousness of a reigning diva, she contrives to steal an elegant kimono from a rival to have Chiyo ruin it by splotting it with ink. Who wants a girl that brings the okiya in debt? Who fails to complete an apprenticeship? Who tries to run away? With such bad beginnings, Chiyo confronts a life of unmitigated misery of debt and indentured drudgery as a permament maid.

Only the high bidding for the mizuage, the sexual initiation of the apprentice when the woman's cave is explored by the man's eel, and the patronage of a danna can relieve Chiyo of debt and assure some security from the destructive forces of the world. With the formality of being an apprentice, the name is changed from Chiyo to Sayuri, and with the formal adoption of the okiya, the name is changed once more, Nitta Sayuri, to designate her ownership.As the layers of make-up are applied, the white mask donned, the thoughts of a geisha becomes hidden beneath the layers clothes, rituals and social expectations until gradually the superficial mask becomes part of daily reality. We follow the formation of a rough country girl through the harsh discipline of learning the art of entertaining whether the movement of her arm in pouring tea or the intricate steps of dancing. Sayuri explains the differences in dress between an apprentice and a full-fledged geisha; the way they wear their obi, collars and hair. And reminiscing, she astutely comments,

"Since moving to New York I've learned what the word "geisha" really means to most Westerners. From time to time at elegant parties, I've been introduced to some young woman or other in a splendid dress and jewelry. When she learns I was once a geisha in Kyoto, she forms her mouth into a sort of smile, although the corners don't turn up quite right as they should. She has no idea what to say! And then the burden of the conversation falls to the man or woman who has introduced us—because I've never learned much English, even all these years. Of course, there is little point even in trying, because this woman is thinking, "My goodness... I'm talking with a prostitute..." A moment later she is rescued by her escort, a wealthy man a good thirty or foty years older than she is." (291)

Tightly written, the novel moves quickly like a brook flowing over a stony bed, ever seeking its path forward. And with its many twists and tuns of a mountain spring, the writing is briskly refreshing. Difficult to set aside, the yarn entangles the reader into a web of intrigue and strategems of the leading players who move like chessmen against each other. With great skill, Arthur Golden easily takes his place amongst the master craftsmen, the great tale-spinners of Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo and Mark Twain in his ability to create a cinematic historical stage, realistic dialogue and internal subterfuge that keeps the pages turning unto the end.

Irrepressible Appetites
Tracey Broussard, editor
Rock Press, Inc.
4611 South University Drive, #450, Davie, FL 33328
ISBN 0-9676748-2-4, $19.95, April, 2003, 240 Pages

Rebekah Savage
Reviewer

Like the rule to never go shopping at the grocery store hungry, this anthology also carries the same warning. To wander through its pages is to spark your hunger and send you reaching for your favorite meal. Ms. Broussard has gathered together a wonderful array of writers. It is delightful walk through the minds and stomachs of a diverse group, each share recipes, poems and short stories that are a treat for both the mind and the taste buds. The reader is invited both into the hearts and to the dinner table of these writers. To experience this anthology is to share in the most natural exchange between two people: eating.

Over and over again, this anthology emphasizes how our appetites influence our cultural traditions beginning with our families and our most intimate relationships and extending out towards the greater society. We see that our family's stories often rotate around the axis of eating, as we see in "Dean-O," by Nina Romano, "Ecole de Cuisine," by Michele Dunn Baker and "The Inadvertent Muse," by Carol Koris.

Also, there is the forbidden aspect of eating and food as seen in "Kinetic Tableau," by Elisa Albo, "Produce," by Jesse Millner and "The Tomato Omlete," by Barbara Bottner. Just as an artist paints a scene rich with all the colors of daily life, stories like "Shopping at Publix, Late October," by Lydia Webster and poems like "Praise," by Norman Minnick, and "Everything," by Elisa Albo, demonstrate how food enriches our memories of special occasions.

Poignant, yet simple and uncomplicated; humorous and heartbreaking. Each reader will find something to savor and revisit repeatedly, like a comfort food or a warming cup of tea.

The Hunters
Claire Messud
Picador, Macmillan
ISBN: 0330488155, A$22.00, (paperback), 181 pages

Harvest Books
ISBN: 0156007312, $13.00, (paperback), 208 pages

Ann Skea, Reviewer
http://ann.skea.com

Maria Poniatowski is in her seventies. Sometimes she feels as if she is unseen - to the women she cleans for, and to her grown-up son and his family, for instance. No-one wants to know about her past, or much about her present. But she is tough and resilient. She has endured too much already to let present disappointments undo her. So, when she lets herself into ninety-two year-old Mrs Ellington's flat one Tuesday morning and sees a trail of blood streaked along the walls, she thinks the worst and accepts it philosophically.

Claire Messud is a masterly story-teller. She catches your interest, raises your curiosity, then keeps your attention as the tale unfolds. She is clever at painting in the colours so that "unseen" people, like Maria, come into focus, and she draws their lives so well that you begin to see that in many ways they are just like you.

Maria Poniatowski is a D.P. - a "Displaced Person", a post-war refugee from a small village in the Ukraine who, with her husband and son, began a new life in Canada after World War II. Maria has cleaned Mrs Ellington's home every week for forty-five years. She is happy with this routine; enjoys the company; knows Mrs Ellington's daily living needs in detail and is immune to her growing bad-temper, sympathetic about her near-blindness, and understanding of her need for independence.

Messud tells us all this. And tells us, almost in passing, about Maria's past - "the long woven filament of life that stretched back through the years and across continents" - and about the strange, strained, limited friendship between the two women, which is about to end. The story is as ordinary and yet as extraordinary as many peoples' lives and Messud tells it with subtly and insight. Rightly, she calls it A Simple Tale.

The second story in this book gives the book its title. I'm still not sure why this story is called 'The Hunters', unless it is meant to suggest that the story is about the lengths to which some people will go to give meaning to their lives. I felt less empathy with the narrator of this tale, which was probably due to Messud's subtle and deliberate manipulation of my feelings, and I was kept reading partly by my curiosity as to this narrator's gender.

Messud's narrator is as American who is doing academic research in London and is living in a rented flat in Kilburn, not, as planned, in Maida Vale. Concern for appearances - snobbishness, if you like, about the address - means that the narrator spends several paragraphs telling us of this mistake and complaining of the deviousness of the estate agent with whom he negotiated the deal. As the tale unfolds (and it is quite an ordinary tale) the teller's capacity for the imaginative re-creation of a world which clearly revolves around him or her becomes apparent. And the tale unfolds in prose which is exotic, full of reported speech, and richly descriptive, as befits an academic who is (as he/she makes sure we know) an expert on the French novelist Malreaux. But his/her view of situations borders on fantasy and obsession, and there is enough plausibility in the fantasy for it to be dangerous. Chief of his/her preoccupations is the woman who lives with her mother (or does she?) in the downstairs flat.

Various scenarios for this mother/daughter relationship start to occupy the narrator's mind and, eventually, much of his/her life. But in the end, despite the spying and the guessing, it is all a game. The sabbatical ends, the narrator returns to America, and new obsessions displace the old, until a return visit to Kilburn offers more food for thought and, briefly, some new fantasies. This is a subtle character study, shaped by Messud with admirable skill.

So, The Hunters contains two very different stories, both beautifully told. Messud shows her readers that the seemingly mundane can be very unusual if you look beneath the surface, and her stories prompt us to look again at the ordinary people around us and to never again believe that the way they appear to us tells all.

Two Bits
Clint Gaige
Quiet Storm Publishing
PO Box 1666, Martinsburg, WV 25402
0972881905, $22.95, hardcover, 204 pages, www.quietstormpublishing.com

Phillip Tomasso III
Reviewer

Clint Gaige, author of A Kerouac Christ, has written an unforgettable crime story in Two Bits. The tightly plotted con-artist novel is complete with taut chapters, crisp dialogue and page turning, roller coaster action packed into every scene. In Two Bits, Gaige left out all the fluff and filler, clearly concentrating on putting together a no-nonsense thriller.

Archie Greene, is like a young Paul Newman. Caught after pulling off a petty scam, Greene might have walked away from the deal with a slap on the wrist. His temper lands him behind bars after taking a swing at the arresting officer. Two Bits starts with Greene's parole. He has a telemarketing job lined up and an apartment ready and waiting.

Greene can't handle the day to day, hum-drum life that ordinary people lead. He itches to get back into the game. A con artist is a con artist. Conning is in his blood, literally. Greene learned the tricks of the trade from the best, his grandfather.

Greene's grandfather shows up on his doorstep a broken man. Pat Shannon, a hot-shot Mafia man inadvertently killed Greene's grandmother. And the grandfather wants to bleed the man dry of his wealth to teach him a lesson.

The easiest way to a self-absorbed person is to make the con all about that person. Greene poses as a film producer interested in shooting a movie about Shannon's life. Teaming up with a host of odd friends and dangerous new acquaintances, the plan to scam millions unfolds. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. Murphy's law comes into play. Anything that can get screwed up, does. People you thought could be trusted are first in line to twist the knife in your back. Greene finds himself isolated and trapped in a quick-failing con, with nothing to do but keep up the con?The show must go on.

In the vein of Leonard's Get Shorty, and Tevis' The Hustler, Two Bits is a fine work of cleverly crafted fiction. Clint Gaige invokes anticipation in the reader with fingernail biting vigor. He knows how to move the story at breakneck speed utilizing his host of unusual and savory characters. Tension, it's in there. Action, it's in there. Satisfaction, it's in there.

The Twentieth-Century Lady: Donna Lou Seymour's Contribution to Save Our World
Donald Seymour
Talent Discovery Press
ISBN: 0964753235, $24.95, 304 pp., http://www.bookmasters.com/marktplc/00676.htm

Viveka Neveln
Reviewer

For someone who "disliked English, and seldom passed it in school," Donald Seymour borders on prolific. Already the author of The Key to Your Unknown Talent, this time Seymour gets personal with this tenderly written biography/memoir of his late wife, Donna. Seymour introduces the reader to a plain farm girl from Wisconsin and details how she became a fitting representative of the twentieth-century lady: beautiful, wise, and above all, compassionate. In addition, the book recounts how this woman helped Seymour to research and develop an intriguing idea they believed would provide a solution to a myriad of global challenges.

The author uses simple language and an earnest tone to effectively capture the special relationship he had with Donna. The story is divided into three sections. Each one is comprised of a series of vignettes which describe how the couple met, their married life, and how their unique ideas developed through discussions and research. The impetus for the research resulted from Seymour's frustrating attempts to support his family. After bouncing around from job to job until he finally found something he could succeed at, he wondered if there wasn't a better method for choosing one's career. Though he goes on to become an international businessman and successful C.E.O. of a company he helped to build, he continued to look for answers.

Seymour studied the work of great thinkers from Albert Einstein to Maria Montessori, and together with Donna, arrived at some surprising and original ideas. Not only would their ideas help people to discover their natural talents and therefore avoid slogging through unfulfilling careers, the Seymours proposed that their ideas could provide potential solutions to everything from environmental degradation to terrorism. Although Seymour sometimes comes across as a maverick visionary, complete with abstract and simplistic rhetoric, the book is mostly down-to-earth and logical.

So find out just how this ambitious but compassionate research team hoped to fill the tall order of saving the world. Through it all, their love and dedication drives their dream of making a meaningful contribution to humanity. Overall, an inspiring and thought-provoking read.


Vicki's Bookshelf

The Shoemaker Extraordinaire
Steve Light
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
100 Fifth Ave., NY, NY 10011
ISBN 0-8109-4236-4, $14.95, 32 pages, www.abramsbooks.com

Hans Crispin is no ordinary shoemaker. He's a shoemaker extraordinaire! In Steve Light's ("Puss in Boots") first original picture book, there's something magical about the new shoemaker's wares that make people taller, more confident, or more energetic. Everyone is heads over heels over Hans's shoes…everyone except the town's local cobbler, that is, because now his ordinary shoes are sit on the shelves without any buyers. So he hatches a plan to get rid of the new competition, by sending Hans to a "new customer" who is in fact a hungry giant. Will Hans get stomped by the giant, or will he think on his toes and save his mortal sole? Light's story is lively and fun, with plenty of classic fairytale elements and a very fresh, very fluid collage style to knock readers' socks off.

The Case of the Monkeys That Fell From the Trees
Susan E. Quinlan
Boyds Mills Press
815 Church St., Honesdale, Penn. 18431
ISBN 1-56397-902-0, $15.95, 172 pages, www.boydsmillspress

In her sequel to "The Case of the Mummified Pigs and Other Mysteries of Nature," biologist Susan E. Quinlan is again on the case. This time she solves the case of the monkeys that suddenly fell from their perches in trees, and other mysteries in tropical nature, such as how tiny frogs make deadly poisons, and why certain plants harbor hordes of biting ants. Each of the eleven ecological mysteries follow scientists as they track down clues, set up curious experiments and ultimately discover some of the surprising and hidden connections that make tropical forests so fascinating and so fragile. Quinlan is equally adept at writing for ages 9 to 12, as she is completing her carefully-researched, black-and-white illustrations that help elementary school readers visualize tropical forests, diverse plants and animals and the details of each page-turning mystery. A recommended Junior Library Guild Selection.

George Washington, The Writer
Compiled & edited by Carolyn P. Yoder
Boyds Mills Press
815 Church St., Honesdale, Penn. 18431
ISBN 1-56397-772-9, $16.95, 144 pages, www.boydsmillspress

Besides being a great soldier, farmer, politician and president, George Washington liked to write. Washington kept journal and diaries, wrote letters, and prepared speeches and official documents throughout his life. His writings fill volumes and number in the thousands. "George Washington, The Writer" is a selection of Washington's writings that follow his life, from an entry in his journal written as a teenager to his last diary entry written the day before he died. Some of the writings are personal, expressing love and concern for his family, friends, and home. Each selection is accompanied by an introduction that provides historical background. By being introduced to Washington's words, readers will get to know a man who was not superhuman only dedicated to personal friends and family, and the country he helped shape. Like "Abraham Lincoln, The Writer," this companion book is a valuable reference for first-hand records of Washington's life and influence.

Mathmania
Highlights For Children Editorial Staff
Boyds Mills Press
815 Church St., Honesdale, Penn. 18431
ISBN 0-87534-935-8
ISBN 0-87534-936-6
ISBN 0-87534-937-4
ISBN 0-87534-938-2
$5.95 each, 52 pages, www.mathmania.com

"Highlights for Children" have been creating parent-approved children's activity books for ages, and they haven't lost the knack. Their "Mathmania" series of paperback activity books published by Boyds Mills Press, clearly pleases kids while painlessly teaching math skills and honing already-learned techniques. For this series, a staff of magazine editors, and freelance authors and illustrators have come up with an endless variety of puzzles, mazes, word and number problems to challenge young students age 8 to 12 and stir their imagination. The approach works so well, kids often turn to these books as fun time-fillers, rarely viewing them as something that's "good for them" the worst turn-off imaginable when it comes to educational materials. No wonder they're attracted to the series, as it's filled with attractive, four-color art, and a lively array of solitary activities from simple visual puzzles like connect-the-dots and scrambled pictures, to more challenging number searches, logic puzzles, secret codes and head-spinning brainteasers. An answer key in the back takes the guesswork out of the mix.

Wild Horses: Black Hills Sanctuary
Cris Peterson, illustrated by Alvis Upitis
Boyds Mills Press
815 Church St., Honesdale, Penn. 18431
ISBN 1-56397-745-1, $16.95, 32 pages, www.boydsmillspress

Exquisite color photos and evocative text are the thoroughbred hallmarks of this sophisticated non-fiction picture book for ages 8 and up. Young girls in the throes of horse-love will be particularly enthralled by this spirited tribute to the wild horses of the Black Hills of South Dakota. There lie eleven thousand acres of breathtaking rangeland and rim-rock, canyons and pastures home to more than three thousand wild mustangs. The Black Hills Sanctuary was the vision of one man, Dayton Hyde, who conceived of a place where wild horses could live and die in freedom and dignity. In the book, more than forty stunning photographs and a richly eloquent text tell the story of Dayton's love of horses and of the American West and how he made this wildlife sanctuary become a reality. Conservationists, wildlife advocates, and horse lovers of all ages will rejoice in this inspirational story by the author of "Century Farm," "Harvest Year" and "Horsepower."

Carlo Likes Colors
Jessica Spanyol
Candlewick Press
2067 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140
ISBN 0-7636-2023-8, $14.99, 28 pages, www.candlewick.com

In a field overcrowded with Pre-K color-concept books, this charming picture book manages to stand out from the pack with its engaging simplicity, participatory elements, and the genuine sweetness of its central character, Carlo a young giraffe. Operating under the belief that even learning such basic concepts as color identification can be exciting for tots, British author/illustrator Jessica Spanyol approaches the subject in an enjoyably simple and charming manner. Like those in her previous books "Carlo Like Reading" and "Carlo Likes Counting," Spanyol's simple, one-dimensional line drawings employ primary colors and childlike depictions in much the same innocent style as the popular Maisy the mouse series. The minimal narrative text merely acts as a catalyst for young counters to search through the color-themed illustrations of everyday environments a yellow farm, a blue pool, a brown forest, a green field, a white wedding -- to identify labeled objects of the same color in each double-spread. Both Carlo and young tots will eagerly approach the task, finding tremendous fun and satisfaction in the process.

First To Fly
Peter Busby, illustrated by David Crag
Crown Books for Young Readers / Random House
1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036
ISBN 0-375-81287-3, $19.95, 32 pages, www.randomhouse.com/kids/

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight, "First To Fly": How Wilbur & Orville Wright Invented the Airplane" tells the triumphant story of the brothers whose creation changed the world forever. "First To Fly" recreates the story of the Wright Brothers, from their earliest challenges to their final triumph. As boys, Wilbur and Orville Wright loved launching their toy helicopter into a make-believe flight. As adults, the brothers made their living taking apart things like printing presses, bicycles and planes, then putting them together again. The book shares their amazing story from their early days in Dayton, Ohio to their first flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright Brothers are proof that hard work and determination can lead to amazing accomplishments. And for Orville and Wilbur, opening the door to aviation was an achievement not only for themselves, but also for generations of people across the globe. Original paintings, period photographs and detailed diagrams accompany Busby's inspiring text, giving "First To Fly" crossover appeal to both children and adults. The oversized hardback format is large enough for sharing in the classroom where it will be heartily endorsed by teachers and elementary school students alike.

Family Fun Vacation Guide: California & Hawaii
Editors of Family Fun magazine
Disney Editions
114 Fifth Ave., NY, NY 10011-5690
ISBN 0-78685-303-4, $17.95, 408 pages, www.disneyeditions.com

Each of the seven most recent Family Fun's "Vacation Guides" cover a lot of territory, including book by book -- New England, the Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, Southwest, Florida/the Southeast and California/Hawaii. The paperback guidebook boasts listings for top kid-friendly destinations, a four-star rating system for hotels and restaurants with price guide, deals and steals, age-by-age advice, planning tips, day-trip itineraries, kid-friendly restaurants, and children's museums. In all, the California and Hawaii guidebook presents 408 pages of family-tested ideas and adventures, including car games, souvenir shopping lists, and a variety of travel activities to enjoy en route. The piece de resistance, naturally enough, are the theme park how-tos from no less an authority than Disney, of course. And the book is surprisingly restrained when discussing Disney properties, even to the point of giving Disneyland's Blue Bayou restaurant a mere two-star rating.

The grouped areas of each "Family Fun Vacation Guide" seem to make the most sense for family road trips, but clearly are not for everyone as every family has a different itinerary that may often not be contained in one volume. In the case of the westernmost book, the initially incongruous pairing of California and Hawaii is, upon deeper analysis, actually quite practical, as a significant number of family vacationers travel to both Los Angeles/Disneyland and Hawaii in the same trip, and residents of both states often travel back and forth regularly. The book has already become indispensable in my Los Angeles home for entertaining the kids locally and for planning the itineraries of out-of-town guests.

Walking With Cavemen
John Lynch and Louise Barrett
DK
375 Hudson St., NY, NY, 10014
ISBN 0-7894-9775-1, $35.00, 224 pages, www.dk.com

Sure to be a crowd-pleaser, "Walking With Cavemen" is the companion book release to the BBC and Discovery Channel series, the third installment of the Emmy award-winning Walking with Dinosaurs" and "Walking with Prehistoric Beasts" programs. "Walking With Cavemen" takes readers back in time to the emergence of the first upright walking Australopithecus afarensis in Africa more than four million years ago, to the evolution of modern Homo sapiens. Hundreds of full-color live action and computer generated images from the program vividly tell the tale, and depict different species of hominids in scenarios of everyday life something that was before only discussed or illustrated. Readers can see Paranthropus boisei caring for infants, Homo ergasters tracking and hunting, Neanderthals surviving during the ice age, and Homo sapiens walking out of the arid plains of Africa. The images and text is so engrossing that readers are likely to forget that each of these scenes are based on a long-list of scientific assumptions, that are mostly staged by costumed actors -- although close-ups are often render them less believable than the creators may like. In all, it's a valiant effort to bring alive a long dead subject through active scientific examination and creative show-and-tell playacting. Most intriguing is the way "Walking With Cavemen" uncovers the development of unique human traits by using narrative descriptions of how hominids brought up their young, survived attack, interacted with other species, and met other challenges. Authors John Lynch (head of the BBC Science Unit) and anthropologist Louise Barrett also feature the science behind the television series, the latest findings about our earliest human ancestors, and important discoveries including Lucy, Boxgrove, DNA genetic evidence of evolution, and the mysterious "black skull" that caused such a stir among anthropologists in 1985. A must for any public or school library, "Walking With Cavemen" is the ultimate family history, bringing readers eye-to-eye with our ancestors.

The Ultimate Guide to the Justice League of America
DK
375 Hudson St., NY, NY, 10014
ISBN 0-7894-8893-0, $19.99, 96 pages, www.dk.com

Superman, Wonder Woman, Plastic Man, Green Lantern, Batman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter and The Flash join forces in DK's new hardback tribute to the all star cast of characters in the Justice League of America. At once a fan book and reference guide, this new addition to the "Ultimate" series goes a long way to fulfill the dreams of DC comic readers by assembling everything you ever wanted to know about the world's greatest superheroes. For the first time anywhere, this book reveals all the history, the lore, the heroes, the villains and the locations in one full-color reference guidebook. Die-hard fans will salivate over the beautiful images and reverential production as well as the must-have information. Included are in-depth profiles of all the major superheroes and villains; an historical timeline; and eye-catching illustrations. Many basics will seem mundane to true fanatics (such as the no-brainers like Flash's real name or Superman's occupation), but the bare facts are necessary, ma'am, and are expanded upon in fun to browse sidebars on each two-page spread. But the real delight here is in the original material specially-commissioned expressly for the "Ultimate Guide," including full-color illustrations and cross-sections of the League's Watchtower and Trophy Room, and Aquaman's undersea base, Atlantic. Readers new and old will pore over the details and annotation for hours, secure in the knowledge that this definitive chronicle was created with the full cooperation and guidance of DC Comics, shapers of the JLA legend. Kapow! It's a super effort.

Dog Days Starring Otis
Amanda Harvey
Doubleday / Random House
1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036
ISBN 0-385-74621-0, $15.95, 32 pages, www.randomhouse.com/kids

Welcome back Otis. The lovable, floppy-eared dog from "Dog Eared" makes his encore appearance in "Dog Days, Starring Otis", a sweet new picture book story about a new trouble maker in the house: a darling little kitten that the family just won't stop fussing over. What's a dog to do when his family adopts a meowing fluff ball who steals all the attention? Otis finds himself forgotten. They miss his breakfast, neglect to shake out his bed, and forget to brush his hair. Not liking this lack of attention, Otis storms out of the house and sets off on his own. He roams the streets, doing things he's normally not allowed to do but without his family, it doesn't really mean much. When he has finally had enough of being by himself, he decides to do the unthinkable… he starts to look for a new family. Children will identify with the feeling of being neglected by busy parents or new siblings, and enjoy the fantasy of making a change. But would it really be a change for the better? The book's satisfying twist at the conclusion will put a smile on everyone's face. Even Otis's.

Little Monkey Says Good Night
Ann Whitford Paul, illustrated by David Walker
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
19 Union Square West, NY, NY 10003
ISBN 0-374-34609-7, $16.00, 32 pages, www.fsgbooks.com

Before he goes to bed, Little Monkey insists that he has to say good night to all the performers under the Big Top tent; Ringmaster, elephant, Strong Man, the Clowns, and, of course, Mama. Boing, swish, thump, bump wheee! Little Monkey has an awful lot of fun avoiding bed, and in the process, he becomes part of the performance himself until finally even Little Monkey can't delay bedtime any longer, and there is only one last extra-sweet good night to be said: "Good night, Me!" The phrase is a natural, sure to be echoed by little listeners when enjoying the story at their own bedtime. In his first picture book, David Walker's precious pictures are packed with whimsical antics and affection to capture the charm of Little Monkey.

Moses Goes to the Circus
Isaac Millman
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
19 Union Square West, NY, NY 10003
ISBN 0-374-35064-7, $16.00, 32 pages, www.fsgbooks.com

In his third unique picture book about a charming deaf boy named Moses, author and illustrator Isaac Millman takes readers on a wonderful outing in pictures and both written English and American Sign Language. As with "Moses Goes to a Concert" and "Moses Goes to School," the boy's newest adventure is detailed with diagrams of the ASL signs so that readers can learn how to sign. This time, Moses's hearing little sister, Renee, is learning how to sign as well, so she can better converse with her proud big brother. The story's delightful setting is just as innovative as the relationship and the book's story-telling techniques, because the action doesn't take place at just any circus, but rather, it's at the exciting "Big Apple's Circus of the Senses." Step right up and see, in a single ring, acts by trapeze artists, acrobats, elephants, horses and clowns all specially designed for the blind, deaf and hard-of-hearing. Moses' sister Renee isn't deaf but her senses are piqued in much the same way as the book'
s intrigued young readers age 4 to 8.

Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story
Lisa Westberg Peters, Illustrated by Lauren Stringer
Harcourt
525 B Street, San Diego, CA 92101
15 E. 26th St., NY, NY 10010
ISBN 0-15-201772-0, $17, 48 pages, www.HarcourtBooks.com

This gentle family album of life on earth introduces the fundamental scientific concept of the evolution of species to young children. Vetted by anthropologists and geologists, the book's science is accurate and expressed in simple, easy-to-understand language. An illustrated time line and glossary help expand the story for children and families. The book was released to coinside with the one-hundred-and-twenty-first anniversary of the death of British scientist Charles Darwin, the father of evolutionary theory. His "On The Origin of the Species" detailed the theory of natural selection. Modern children can now grasp the basics of Darwin's once revolutionary theory through "Our Family Tree." More than ever, intriguing science books like this are of vital importance to introduce basic scientific principles and to help children increase their scientific knowledge. In addition, author Lisa Westberg Peters worked with credentialed elementary and secondary school educators to create specific lesson plans based on "Our Family Tree", to increase the book's value as a teaching tool. Lush illustrations by Lauren Stringer (who previously illustrated the award-winning "Castles, Caves and Honeycombs" by Linda Ashman) sparkle, making this a fascinating visual feast for eager young learners.

Rachel: The Story of Rachel Carson
Amy Ehrlich, Illustrated by Wendell Minor
Silver Whistle / Harcourt
525 B Street, San Diego, CA 92101
15 E. 26th St., NY, NY 10010
ISBN 0-15-216227-5, $16, 32 pages, www.HarcourtBooks.com

Released to coincide with Earth Day, this picture book biography of pioneer environmentalist Rachel Carson is tremendously inspiring. Carson's beginnings as a writer and environmentalist are poetically detailed, with luminous paintings that capture the essence of Carson's life passion understanding the interconnection of all living things. As the author of "Silent Spring" a book widely recognized as the catalyst for the environmental movement that began in the 1960s she held her views in the face of enormous criticism. Published in 1962, the best-selling "Silent Spring" criticized the widespread use of pesticides and faced legal challenges from a number of chemical companies. Tragically, Carson dies of breast cancer in 1964, more than six years before the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, which traces its roots to Ms. Carson's seminal work. Clearly, "Rachel: The Story of Rachel Carson" is a labor of love for the author and illustrator. Admirably, they manage successfully to explain the complex subject matter and its ramifications without over-simplification.

Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!
Mo Willems
Hyperion
114 Fifth Ave., NY, NY 10011-5690
ISBN 0-78681-988-X, $12.99, 36 pages, www.hyperionchildrensbooks.com

At once nostalgic and thoroughly modern, "Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus" is a joyous, cartoonish picture book with a fabulous sense of humor appealing to the kid in all of us. It's no wonder: author Mo Willems is a four-time Emmy winning writer and animator for Sesame Street" and the creator of Cartoon Network's "Sheep in the Big City." Here he immediately puts the reader into the action on the title page by having a bus driver address readers directly, asking "Can you watch things for me until I get back?" There's just one weird warning, however: "Remember, don't let the pigeon drive the bus." The funny premise bear comedic fruit when, sure enough, a pigeon shows up and tries everything he can think off to talk us into letting him drive. Defeated, he gives up…or does he? It's a pure and simple joke told through cheerfully crude line drawings of the clever talking bird, set against a blank canvas of pastel hued pages. It's so simple, in fact, I was tempted to replay the story as a flip book. It's one of the most fun picture books in years for pre-readers and their sure-to-be-amused caregivers.

Touch Stuff: Tough Truck Rescue
Kate Hayler and Red Giraffe
Hyperion
114 Fifth Ave., NY, NY 10011-5690
ISBN 0-7868-1981-2, $8.99, 12 pages, www.hyperionchildrensbooks.com

Coming to the rescue of restless toddler boys everywhere is the interactive "Tough Stuff" line of board books filled with brightly illustrated scenarios of rescue vehicles in action, including police cars, fire engines, wailing sirens, helicopters, trucks and tractors. As the rubber tire-tracks on the covers suggest, each title is a rough and tumble ride with the heroes of Tough Town with various hands-on elements employed for the different books which themselves are different sizes, shapes and formats. Featuring a lift-the-flap control panel inside a cover fold out page, "Tough Truck Rescue" introduces the Tough Team rescuers: Dorothy, Tony, Charlie, Doug, Jose, Finn and Flora, and their dogs Tracker and Barley. Each spread also offers a different checklist for toddlers to play along with, as if they're in the driver's seat. "Helicopter Rescue" features the same format. The half-size "Tractor Power" and "Digger Power" ($5.99, 10 pages each) are two easy-to-hold, die-cut wheel shaped books, also featuring rubber tire-tracks on the cover and simple scenes of various trucks in action. The largest "Tough Stuff" books are in the "Sound the Alarm! Press The Siren" sub-series, which includes "Fire, Fire! Emergency" and "Police Chase! Emergency" ($12.99, 10 pages each), and thankfully comes with a quieter-than-most siren element. All books are also published in Spanish editions.

Look Around: Simply Science
Nora Gaydos, Illustrated by BB Sams
Innovative Kids
18 Ann Street, Norwalk, CT 06854-2258
ISBN 1-58476-167-9 (Look Around)
ISBN 1-58476-169-5 (Simply Science)
$14.99, 12 pages each book, 10 book packages

Innovative Kids "Now I'm Reading" series is one of the best and most-popular step-by-step emergent reader series on the market. It's a developmentally appropriate booklet series written by an elementary school teacher as a fun method of teaching pre-reading and reading skills, and encouraging children to become independent, self-motivated readers. Square paperback booklets are packaged in groups of 10, then housed inside plastic slipcases and bound in a hardback with a magnetic closure. Six reading levels are offered to encourage reading progress: pre-reader, level one, two, three, four and independent, with each providing progressively more difficult vowel songs, consonant sounds and blends, and more complicated words and sentences. A variety of book sets have been added to the series some are story based, while others are non-fiction, providing extra learning opportunities. Such is the case for the new "Simply Science" release containing 10 science books for independent readers about space, the earth, human bones, animals, plants, the life cycle of frogs and butterflies, weather, water and rocks. For pre-readers, "Look Around" features simple, silly stories told with humorous, full color illustrations, basic concepts and alliteration. As with previous titles, "Look Around" and "Simply Science" teach using a successful balance of phonics and literature-based reading, with plenty of developmentally appropriate concepts, language and subjects. The parent/teacher guide gives excellent guidance, and the sheet of 40 incentive stickers provides simple motivation and reward for kids. Bravo to Innovative Kids for a reliable beginning reader program that caregivers can count on, and children enjoy.

The Alphabet Keeper
Mary Murphy
Knopf / Random House
1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036
ISBN 0-375-82347-6, $14.95, 32 pages, www.randomhouse.com/teens

The stern Alphabet Keeper. In her drab overcoat, heeled shoes and flowered hat, keeps all her letters caged in the dark. The 26 unruly letters of the alphabet have had quite enough. When she goes to clean the cage one day, all the letters escape through a window beginning the wild chase-scene that is Mary Murphy's hilarious alphabet adventure, "The Alphabet Keeper." In Murphy's lively word fantasy, the clever letters use their talents to elude the Alphabet Keeper by rearranging themselves at every turn. With a few quick moves, the Alphabet Keeper's hat becomes a cat (and covers her head so she can't see, leading, naturally, to funny antics). A bus turns into a bush, a crow turns into a cow, a moo turns into the moon, and so on. How will the frustrated Alphabet Keeper ever get her letters back? The picture book's irreverent wordplay, wacky artwork and soothing color palette of wild aqua, periwinkle and sage are sure to delight readers and alphabet lovers everywhere. Good word fun and games.

Thirsty Baby Catherine
Ann Cullen, Illustrated by David McPhail
Little, Brown and Company
1271 Ave. of the Americas, NY, NY 10020
ISBN 0-316-16357-0 $14.95, 28 pages, www.twbookmark.com/children

"'I'm thirsty,' said the baby, 'and I need a drink.' So we gave him a bottle, and what do you think? He started with a sip, and he finished with a sup. And the pink plastic bottle, he drank it all up." In this picture book for toddlers, Catherine Ann Cullen ("The Magical, Mystical, Marvelous Coat") pays tribute to her extremely thirsty nephew in cute, sing-song rhyme,. The resulting poem is rhythmically pure, with consistent cadences that absolutely hit their mark, every time. Cullen's writing skill makes rhyming picture books look easy, which is certainly not the case. Veteran illustrator David McPhail also executes his task with confidence, but not with particularly attractive results. How unfortunate that the illustrator of more than 100 children's books such as the appealing "Drawing Lessons From a Bear" and "Edward in the Jungle" has here created such unattractive facial features and distorted human anatomy. What should have been cutsey-pie has ended up mildly creepy.

Seaman: The Dog Who Explored the West with Lewis & Clark
Gail Langer Karwoski
Peachtree Publishers
1700 Chattahoochee Ave., Atlanta, GA 30318-2112
ISBN 1-56145-190-8
$8.95, 198 pages, www.peachtree-online.com

In anticipation of the Lewis & Clark bicentennial (2002-2004), this popular historical fiction novel for middle readers 8-12, has been reissued as an anniversary hardcover edition with new cover art, and a new introduction by Jay Rasmussen, President of the Oregon Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. Originally published in 1999, the award-winning "Seaman" tells the tale of Meriwether Lewis's 150-pound Newfoundland dog who went along on Lewis & Clark's legendary exploration of the uncharted Louisiana Purchase territories. In fact, Seaman was an integral part the Corps of Discovery, serving a key role in the expedition's success: catching and retrieving game, and protecting the team from wild animals and hostile Indians. The exciting journey takes them from St. Louis, Missouri on the first American trek to the western sea. Along the way, readers will meet Sacagawea, the sole woman on the trip, who joins the expedition as a guide as they establish relationships with several Indian tribes on behalf of President Thomas Jefferson, and discover strange new flora and fauna. Dangerous encounters with grizzly bears and buffalos add excitement to the adventure. Extremely well researched and engagingly told, "Seaman" is a blue ribbon winner.

Aliens from Earth
Peachtree Publishers
1700 Chattahoochee Ave., Atlanta, GA 30318-2112
ISBN 1-56145-236-X
$15.95, 32 pages, www.peachtree-online.com

"When animals or plants invade a new habitat, they can upset the delicate balance of the ecosystem. "Aliens from Earth: When Animals and Plants Invade Other Ecosystems" introduces young readers to the new and ongoing environmental problems caused by invasive plant and animal species. Batten, a children's nature writer of award-winning books, describes various examples of these "aliens" to show how the intruders have arrived -- by land, air, or sea and how they have disrupted their new environments. Some aliens, like fire ants, were introduced to the U.S. accidentally when they stowed aboard a cargo ship from South America in the 1930s. Without any natural predators, the destructive ants spread quickly and have caused billions of dollars of damage. Some species, however, were purposefully introduced with good intentions, but bad consequences. In 1956, for example, scientists imported the African bee queen to Brazil to improve the breeding stock of honeybees for Brazilian beekeepers. The offspring, called Africanized honeybees or "killer bees," were more fierce than the original insect, and their sting has resulted in serious injury and even death to some farm animals and people. Pointing out that the problem of invasive species is escalating with increased travel, the author helps children better understand the subject by including ways they can keep new aliens from invading their own backyard. "Aliens from Earth" does an excellent job of encouraging renewed respect for biodiversity and the delicate balance of life in our ecosystem.

Kit's Railway Adventure
Pleasant Company
8400 Fairway Place, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562
ISBN 1-58485-575-4
$15.95, 56 pages, www.americangirl.com

Fans of the "American Girls Collection" character Kit Kittredge, can embark on a railway adventure with her via this inventive, interactive novelty book. Designed to mimic a personal travel journal complete with eight pull-out souvenirs the book is written in first-person, describing events and people met along the way from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Montana's Glacier National Park in 1934. "Kit's Railway Adventure" features an interactive format that encourages girls' imaginations and gives fans a new way to further explore the world of one of the most popular American Girls characters. The story begins after Kit wins an essay contest and an all-expense paid train trip for two to anywhere in the country. Kit and her Aunt Millie choose to head west to see Montana's beautiful new Glacier Park and Kit's brother Charlie, who's working for the Civilian Conservation Corps. Along the way, Kit and Aunt Millie stop at the "Century of Progress" World's Fair in Chicago to ride the Sky Ride and see the world' s largest fountain; stay overnight at a cattle ranch; and meet the President and First Lady, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. To bring Kit's adventure to life, the hardcover book includes historical photographs and removable vacation mementos, such as a map, a Worlds Fair bookmark, a train whistle, a Native American bracelet, and a secret decoder that readers can use to figure out clues hidden throughout the book. It's a delightful vacation voyage back in time for girls eight and up.

Rhino Records
10635 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. CA 90025-4900
ISBN $TBA, VHS cassettes, www.rhino.com

Beep Beep
Kay Widdowson
Scholastic
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 0-439-45284-8
$5.99, 10 pages, www.scholastic.com

Move over, lightweight toddler books. Here comes the heavy-duty, super-sturdy board book "Beep Beep," and it's (almost literally) a ton of fun. With it, little ones can experience a fun car ride to a farm, driving along a winding road pass fields of friendly piglets, goats, chickens and other busy barnyard animals. While an adult reads the simple story, tots can play their part by pressing a soft round button that honks along with the "Beep Beep" of the story's red convertible. It's a nice lap-time option for sharing interactive reading, and an especially good value considering the not-inexpensive production materials and extras.

Big and Little
Samantha Berger and Pamela Chanko
Scholastic
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 0-439-44237-0, $4.99, 14 pages, www.scholastic.com

This simple learning book for toddlers is designed to simply illustrate the concept of size opposites. Samantha Berger and Pamela Chanko use crisp color photos to show "big" and "little" in side-by-side comparisons, including a polar bear mother and cub, Great Dane and Chihuahua, and the hands of a father and young son. The examples are charming and wisely varied to hold the interest of young minds, and the simple phrases are easy to grasp. The final spread is cute as well as educational, as it depicts a same-sized pair of twin boys accompanied by the surprise ending: "Both the same size!"

Desiderata: Words for Life
Max Ehrmann, photos by Marc Tauss
Scholastic Press
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 0-439-37293-3
$15.95, 44 pages, www.scholastic.com

The inspiring words of Max Ehrmann's prose poem "Desiderata" ring as true today as when they were first written 76 years ago. Millions of readers have since been moved by Ehrmann's sage words, which begin famously with "Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence." That serene mood permeates each taut phrase, which together create a spiritual To Do list for keeping grounded in our often helter-skelter daily lives. All are simple, profane truths. And a great many ring especially true in these combative ("As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons"), financially unstable ("Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time" and "Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals…"), tumultuous (With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.") and surprising ("…and everywhere life is full of heroism.") times that we live in. Readers will be tempted to read Ehrmann's proclamations as prophetic, but they are simply timeless words-to-the-wise that continue to instruct willing ears. Interestingly, the poem was first written as a Christmas greeting for friends and family, but not published until three years after Ehrmann's death. In a journal he once wrote "I should like, if I could, to leave a humble gift a bit of chaste prose that had caught up some noble moods…" Clearly, "Desiderata" continues to secure for Ehrmann a place among other visionary American poets who have bestowed a lasting gift of simple enduring truth. For this beautiful art book edition, photographer Marc Tauss ("Leaf by Leaf: Autumn Poems") accompanies each phrase or semi-phrase with a beautiful illustrative photo, lending subtle credence to each thought by depicting an example of ways people prove their worthiness in everyday life. Overall, the images manage to avoid the "greeting card" sentimentality one may expect, though the cumulative effect falls a tad short of artistic inspiration.

Land of the Buffalo Bones by Marion Dane Bauer
Love Thy Neighbor: The Tory Diary of Prudence Emerson by Ann Turner
The Journal of Finn Reardon: A Newsie by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Scholastic
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 0-0-439-22027-0 (Land), $12.95, 222 pages
ISBN 0-439-22027-0 (Love), $12.95, 190 pages
ISBN 0439-18894-6 (Journal), $10.95, 158 pages, www.scholastic.com

Scholastic's popular "Dear America" series of historical fiction novels for ages 9 through 14 has more than 16 million books in print, and often charts on The New York Times bestseller lists. The latest books in the series keep to the theme of presenting fictional diaries written by characters from various periods of American history. "Land of the Buffalo Bones: The Diary of Mary Elizabeth Rodgers" is about a young English girl in New Yeovil, Minnesota, circa 1973. Told from her point of view, the book reveals her heartrending story of how her immigrant family struggles to succeed in the New World's wild landscape. When Polly's father, the Reverend Dr. George Rodgers, hears of the promise of religious freedom and easily obtainable land in the United States, he decides to take his congregation to the New World in the hopes of establishing a new community there. Minnesota has come greatly recommended by Northern Pacific Railroad brochures as a land "begemmed with innumerable lakes," and "supplied with forests." Soon, the Rodgers, along with other English families, set sail aboard the City of Bristol toward America. However, they find life in Minnesota to be rife with desolation, peril, disease and even hunger. The harsh landscape pits the settlers in a fierce battle against nature, and against the land's original settlers, for survival. Through Polly's moving entries, Marion Dane Bauer brings this episode of American history to life.

"Love They Neighbor: The Tory Diary of Prudence Emerson," written by Ann Turner, is a powerful personal look at a dangerous and pivotal historic moment. Set in Green Marsh, Massachusetts, in 1774, "Love Thy Neighbor" introduces Prudence Emerson, a lively, smart and inquisitive daughter of a merchant. She spends most her time with her sisters and best friend Abigail, but when her aunt gives her a lovely accounts book that used to belong to her late uncle, Prudence starts to keep a journal of her daily adventures, and the turbulent times she is living in. Many colonials, calling themselves Patriots, are clamoring for independence from the king, and soon there are rumors of war. Prudence is torn between her family's sworn allegiance to the British crown, and her loneliness for the friends who have abandoned her for the Patriot cause. With poignant sensitivity, the novel succeeds in capturing the other side of American's fight for freedom.

"The Journal of Finn Reardon: A Newsie" is the newest addition to the "My Name is America" sub-series of fictional adventure journals written primarily for boys age 9 through 14. In this case, it's a riveting account of a David-and-Goliath-like struggle between newsies (i.e. newspaper boys) and newspaper publishers. When young Finn's father dies, the boy is forced to become the man of the family and support his mother and eight siblings. Soon, he joins the ranks of newsies peddling newspapers in the corners of New York City after school. But when the two major publishers in the city, Hearst and Pulitzer, decide to increase the money the newsies must pay to sell the newspapers, the boys band together and go on strike. The book remains faithful to the facts, while weaving a tale of true-to-life fictional characters that readers will deeply care about.

The Yawn Heard 'Round the World
Scott Thomas, illustrations by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Tricycle Press
P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707
ISBN 1-58246-051-5, $14.95, 30 pages, www.tenspeed.com

Round and round and round it goes, where this yawn stops, nobody knows. What happens to a yawn after it escapes from your mouth? That's the "what if" posed by first-time author Scott Thomas in his funny tale of a silent phenomenon familiar to wide-awake sleepyheads all 'round the world. One yawn, we all know, leads to another and another and another due to their mysteriously contagious nature. And so it goes in the picture book "The Yawn Heard 'Round The World" when a young girl, Sara, yawns against her will while arguing about going to bed. It causes her mother to yawn, then her father, her aunt, and even a passing chickadee. The bird flies to France and soon pink Parisian poodles are yawning too. "Then al those yawns from far and wide began a long and breezy ride all the way to Sara's street and to her house on windy feet," continues Thomas's sweet rhyming verse as it follows the yawn as it returns home. At the end of the long journey, readers get to lift a flap to peek inside Sara's house for a sweet update on little Sara's activities. "The Yawn Heard 'Round the World" is just the ticket for bedtime reading to put young ones in the mood to snooze.

Treasure Planet Read-Along
Walt Disney Records
350 South Buena Vista Street Burbank, CA 90512-6230
ISBN 0-7634-2012-3, $14.98, www.disney.com/DisneyRecords

Disney isn't known for subtlety in marketing, but in the case of the "Treasure Planet Read-Along" interactive DVD book from Walt Disney Records, the product offers much, much more than its simple title suggests. This is the ninth title in the popular series of DVD Read-Alongs, and it's packed with special features that add up to at least 90 minutes of story, music and interactive fun. It features a narrated read-along story, vocabulary lessons, sing-along songs and a challenging game featuring characters from the "Treasure Planet" animated film. Worlds are highlighted onscreen to encourage children to read-along as the story is read aloud. The simple concept is supplemented with all sorts of bells and whistles, including special effects, and five different language tracks, enabling users to hear and read the story, songs and vocabulary in English, Spanish, French, Italian or German. There are less educational extras as well, including a music video for the hit single "I'm Still Here" by Goo Goo Doll's singer John Rezeznik, a cartoonish game using the DVD remote control, and, unfortunately, commercials for upcoming Disney releases. A single-disc DVD and paperback picture book are housed in a compact plastic case the size of an average paperback novel, this is a convenient entertainment and pseudo learning tool that's playable on multiple platforms, including television, personal computers, Playstation 2 and X-Box. The film was a disappointment, but maybe, just maybe this DVD version will inspire at least one kid to seek out the original edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic.

Slaves Who Dared: The Stories of Ten African-American Heroes
Mary Garrison
Whilte Mane Kids
P.O. Box 708, 63 West Burd Street, Shippensburg, PA 17257
ISBN 1-57249-272-4, $19.95, pages 142 pages

It is difficult to imagine a time in our country's history when people owned people. Yet nearly 4 million enslaved people lived in the United States at the end of the Civil War. These African-Americans overcame enormous obstacles to make significant contributions to our country. Fortunately, many escaped slaves recorded their life experiences in books known as slave narratives. Journalist Mary Garrison bases her academic reference book on these 100 year-old narratives, bringing to life the historic adventures of ten slaves: Josiah Henson, Harriet Jacobs, Henry Bibb, Sojourner Truth and six others. Their courage and determination in the face of horrible injustice is tremendously inspiring a fact that won't be missed on the young readers for which this was written. As such, it teaches much more than the facts of early American life, African-American history and the stories of ten African-American heroes and heroines who lived through it; it teaches tolerance, humility, moral fortitude, a deep respect for those who endured such hardships, and a deeper appreciation for the freedoms and rights we enjoy today. The powerful stories of "Slaves Who Dared" are an excellent classroom supplement or library source for elementary school book reports and research projects.

Reviewed by Vicki Arkoff
varkoff@yahoo.com


Sullivan's Bookshelf

Where We Stand: 30 Reasons for Loving Our Country
Roger Rosenblatt
Harcourt, Inc.
ISBN # 0151007225, $l6.95, 200l, l94 pages,

Rosenblatt, essayist for the LEHRER TV NEWSHOUR on PBS, tells the reader in an informal, almost stream-of-consciousness way, what's so great about living in the United States of America and why being a citizen of this country is so grand. Obviously a written response to the devastation wrought on 9/11, his comments, which do buck up feelings of despair, are right out of the popular culture from Mark Twain to Joe DiMaggio. This author's writing is humorous, thoughtful, enlightning, and, well, patriotic without being saccharin.

This easy read is recommended. It's great for bathroom perusing. The book consists of 30 essays, some as short as half a page, none longer than eight pages.

The author says in opening his preface, "This book is about love of country--not unnalloyed love, or unwary, unquestioning love, or infatuated, one-night, wink-in-the-bar love. But love, pure, steady, and complicated. [...]"

Rosenblatt and his wife have homes on Long Island, NY and in Manhattan. He teaches college level writing and has authored other volumes, including RULES FOR AGING.

Confessions of a Street Addict
James J. Cramer
Simon & Schuster
ISBN # 0743224876, $26.00, 2002, 339 pages/indexed

Wall Street's the avenue this author is addicted to. If you've ever seen him on TV's KUDLOW & CRAMER, a Wall Street, economics and political review and interview show on Cable, you'll know of Cramer's addiction and his manic, hyper, frantic, and sometimes all three type of personality. To say that he speaks his mind and is unpredictable is, at best, an understatement.

Cramer is a self-made multimillionaire. Along the way, he's made many others rich, too. He's done this mostly through his Wall Street Hedge Fund, CramerBerkoowitz, and his co-founding of the online pubication TheStreet.com, a website containing the latest news about money and investments.

Rarely is a nonfiction volume, particularly one concerning the ups and downs of the stock market and the dot.com bubble, a page turner, but this book is just that and hard to put down. The mainly financial story he tells is gripping. And he spares no one, not even himself, in relaying the facts, negative and positive, to the reader. Moreover, he tells his tales well. That shouldn't be surprising because he's as good a writer as he is a stock picker.

Not above expressing how his legendary temper and shooting off his mouth have landed him in trouble, he doesn't spare himself criticism about being a frequently absent husband and father, either. Too often, he's chosen to follow the stock market ticker instead.

Highly educated, he holds an undergraduate and law degree from Harvard. But he finds law work boring, so he doesn't practice nor has he any desire to. Originally, he trained and worked as a journalist. And he became quite good at that, though it paid poorly. He, therefore, drifted to the stock market because of a lifelong interest in it.

A longtime friend, Marty Peretz, publisher of THE NEW REPUBLIC magazine, gave Cramer a huge pile of money to invest and reinvest Cramer did that riding the market making a lot of money for his friend, for himself, and for many others. Soon, the hedge fund was highly reputed for big gains, year after year.

But then problems arose. The fund began to lose big in l998. Peretz and others pulled their considerable money out. Now Cramer's hedge fund morphed into small potatoes. But he diid't give up.

He read the book ENDURANCE, about Shackleton's escape from Anntactica wihout losing any of his men. Cramer inspired his staff at the hedge fund with this story. Karen, Cramer's wife, whom he dubbed "the Trading Goddess," and who had taught Cramer initially how to make money through stock market trades whether the market was going up or down, came back to work at the office briefly to help buck up Cramer and to get the firm out of the financial doldrums. Her short return helped immensely. And, soon, they were out of hot water.

In more recent years, before his and Kudlow's TV program, originally called AMERICA NOW, was on the air, Cramer was on numerous other TV shows touting, in his high pitched, nervous, often irritating sounding voice, stocks and his webside TheStreet.com. He also did, and still does, radio talk shows.

Long after he came to his millions, he finally came to his senses, too. He turned over the hedge fund to his junior partner, Jeff Berkowitz, who, unasked, kept Cramer's name in the firm's title. In any case, Cramer retired from that business. TheStreet.com, though Cramer owns a large chunk of its valuable stock, is operationally out of his control for legal reasons. So, he was now able to spend more time at home with his spouse and kids. He seems happier now than he's ever been.

"The manic misery of nonstop performance," the author writes in his book, "day in and day out, can't be sustained without believing in the fiction that poverty still lurks just around the corner, that I'm back in the Ford Fairmont sleeping off of Interstate 5 an instant after a couple of bad Brocade [a favored stock] trades. But trying to stay hungry when you are making $l0 million a year is difficult stuff."

Cramer, his wife and two children, reside in Summit, New Jersey.

Already 2002 is becoming a dim memory, but this book is the best this reviewer has read during that year, maybe in several years.

Highly recommended!

Jim Sullivan
Reviewer


Paul's Bookshelf

With Sleep Disturbed
Michael Ford Xlibris Corp.
436 Walnut Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3703
2000, ISBN 0-7388-2498-4, 319 pages, $16.00, http://www.xlibris.com

This novel takes place in 1890s Boston. Brice Stockton travels from Texas to pick up the body of Peter, his older brother, who has died in a suicide pact with Diane Cabel, of the wealthy Suffolk Cabels. It seems like a straightforward, but gruesome, task. When he gets there, not only is he denied entrance to the estate, but Brice is told that Peter has already been buried, contrary to the wishes of the Stockton family. He is also told of the Cabel curse. A curse can be something other than perpetual bad luck.

Once Brice practically forces himself onto the estate, he finds an eccentric family who have seen better days. Moorefield is the family patriarch, Wolf is his son and heir (along with being an arrogant you-know-what) and Maida is his daughter. Ainsley, another son, is a congenital imbecile. There are also a number of servants.

The police are not very helpful, because of the Cabel's influence, but the coffins are dug up, only to find that they're both empty. Brice begins to get the idea that Diane and Peter didn't kill themselves. Suspicion falls on one of the servants, who is killed by Wolf just before he was going to confess. During a hunting trip, Wolf and several of his men attempt to kill Brice and make it look like an accident. He barely escapes by jumping into a nearby lake, where he finds the bodies of Peter and Diane. Suspicion then falls on Maida, who is being treated by a local doctor, who also happens to be a hypnotist. Not only is she being sexually assaulted while under hypnosis, but just enough of a post-hypnotic suggestion is planted in her mind to make Maida think that maybe she is actually guilty of murder. For a time, suspicion also falls on Ainsley. Brice also learns that Maida is holding a major secret over Wolf's head concerning Ainsley. If Moorefield got even an inkling of this secret, Wolf would be disinherited so fast it would make his head spin. Just to make things more interesting, on more than one occasion, Brice sees Peter and Diane actually walking through the house. They aren't some ghostly see-through apparition, but solid enough to reach out and touch. Through it all, Brice is drawn deeper and deeper into the depths of his own soul.

This book has it all. It's got a mansion with secret passages and wings that have been closed for years, it's got dark family secrets, several dead bodies, a bit of sex, strange goings-on and a really well done story. This fine piece of Victorian horror writing is very much worth reading.

The Empty Cafe
Michael Hoffman
1st Books Library
2595 Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404
ISBN 0-75961-986-7, 260 pages, $10.95, http://www.1stbooks.com

This group of stories take place somewhere between fantasy and reality.

A man goes away to school and eventually becomes a history professor, losing touch with his younger brother. One day, he opens the newspaper and sees a picture of little brother, fronting a popular rock music band. Overnight, the older brother's life is turned upside down, as he goes from being an average college professor to brother of a famous rock star. A westerner living in Japan, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, watches as his innocence slowly disappears.
A woman and her fiance are eating in an expensive restaurant. Suddenly, she notices an older gentleman a few tables away and screams. The fiance takes her home immediately, and after a good night's sleep, it's as if the incident in the restaurant never happened. A couple of times, the woman says "I won't hurt you," for seemingly no reason at all. The object of her emotional reaction, an actor, appeared in a film a few years previously. It's about a man who befriends a little girl, takes her shopping for a doll, then drugs her, undresses her and photographs her, but otherwise doesn't harm her.
A police officer in present-day Bangkok, Thailand, after reuniting a lost boy with his frantic parents, tells of how his own son, a schizophrenic, committed suicide. Perhaps those who hear voices in their heads are the sane ones, and the rest of us, who can't hear them, are insane.

These stories are really good. Hoffman has done a fine job throughout. They are easy to read, with real people as characters and are highly recommended.

The Freelance Success Book
David Taylor
Peak Writing Press
37 W. Fairmont Avenue, Suite 202, P.O. Box 14196, Savannah, GA 31416
ISBN 0-9717330-4-X, 368 pages, $19.95, http://www.peakwriting.com

Periodical editors are engaged in a never-ending search for writing that people want to read, which means that there is a large demand for freelance writers. This book, written by a former magazine editor, tells how to get your name and phone number into an editor's Rolodex.

The first thing a budding freelance writer should do is get hold of a copy of a book like the yearly Writer's Market and read the submission guidelines for the intended target publication (novels, short stories, magazine non-fiction, etc). If your target is a specific magazine, read, and analyze, several issues of that magazine. Know it better than its editors, and find a niche that no one has filled.

To call yourself a writer, it's necessary to actually do some writing. The act of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) is covered, along with what to do when the words just won't come out.

After your masterpiece comes into existence on paper, then comes dealing with the editor. How do you write a query letter (or should you)? Make sure you deal with the right editor, not just any editor. Some editors do business by phone, others by fax or email; adjust your approach accordingly. Don't gush about how much you love the magazine; editors don't want fan clubs. Get right to the point. The biggest mistake a freelance writer makes in dealing with an editor is laziness; not knowing the magazine inside and out.

Writing for the internet is totally different than writing for print. Your average web surfer is not going to sit and read the equivalent of a magazine article on a screen. It's best to break up the text as much as possible, with bullets, numbers, colored backgrounds, etc. Also provide lots of hyperlinks, so the web surfer can do more research on their own. The book also covers the legal end of things, including contracts, libel and ethics in general.

I learned a lot from this book. A copy belongs right next to the dictionary on the bookshelf of every freelance writer, and every would-be freelance writer. It is packed full of useful information, and is money very well spent. I hope this also works for book reviewers...

The Spiritual Guide for the Really Busy Person
Sherri Carden-McDonald
PageFree Publishing
733 Howard Street, Otsego, MI 49078
ISBN 1-930252-90-0, $15.95, 116 pages, http://www.pagefreepublishing.com

In this fast-paced, 24/7 type world, many things can get left behind; spirituality is usually among them. This book aims to change that.

The first step for any person is to decide just what they want out of life. What is their heart's desire? Is it better to be happy, or to have a closer relationship with the Creator? The come a series of things that anyone can do during the day to incorporate spirituality into their lives.

When you get up in the morning, take several deep breaths and some stretching exercises to get yourself ready for the day. Try singing, or yoga or color visualization. During the day, think before you speak. Pay attention to where you put your energy. At noontime, take a moment of silence or say noontime prayers. It sounds like a cliche, but, on the way home from work, stop and smell the roses. Bless and appreciate your evening meal. Express your gratitude for the day just finished. At bedtime, send healing prayers to anyone who may need them. Write down things from the day for which you are grateful.

Included is a list of things that can be done at any time during the day. Take time to visualize your future. Replace meat products with natural alternatives. Stay Clean. Try not to take on too much. Take the time to unclutter and reorganize. Remember where people are coming from emotionally. Stop worrying. In short, make the most of everyday.

Perhaps one of the reasons for all the strife and discord today is the decreasing importance of spirituality in people's lives. This book doesn't push any particular religion or conception of "God." The suggestions included can be done by people of any religion. For anyone who wants to keep a spiritual connection in today's world, or anyone wanting to fix a "broken" connection, this book is an excellent place to start. It's a very quick read, and it says a lot.

Joe Sails: A Story in Progress
Dick Olenych
Lone Tree Publishing Inc
5572 War Admiral Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462-4044
ISBN 0-9724117-0-4, $18.95, 148 pages

Joe Sails is a salesman at the Acme Office Products Company. He has been with the company for a number of years, and, in the past, was the top salesman. Not any more. Joe has become increasingly dissatisfied, but without being able to put his finger on the reason. He is getting less diligent in his duties. If a customer calls with a problem, he either sends the call to another department or leaves the fixing of the problem until the end of the day. At the office, Joe is supposed to log all his client visits and sales phone calls along with the status of the customer, another area in which he has been less than conscientious. His numbers have also started to drop; he has missed his monthly sales quota more ofetn than he has reached it.

Bobbi, Joe's immediate boss, has also noticed. Without making Joe resentful, she wonders how to bring him back to his core competency, treating the customer as most important. They go over Joe's activity log every day. She pairs Joe with Bill, another salesman. It's not intended to treat Joe as a child (but that's how he initially interprets it), but to show what putting the customer first is all about. Between sales calls, Bill's ear is glued to his cell phone, checking his voicemail or calling potential clients. Depending on the customer, it may take a couple of visits before the subject of what product (in this case, office products like copiers) the client should buy is mentioned. Selling any old box is easy, selling the right kind of box that will expand with the business is hard. Joe slowly begins to get the idea. His diligence returns, and his productivity starts to go up. He's not back to where he was, but he's getting there.

For most people, this book can be skipped. Those who are in business, any business, could really use this book. Improvement in business, however it's measured, is a never-ending quest. Putting it in novel form can be more helpful than in the form of some book full of business buzzwords. It's worth reading.

Life After Terrorism: What You Need to Know To Survive In Today's World
Bruce D. Clayton
Paladin Press
Gunbarrel Tech Center, 7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
ISBN 1-58160-326-6, 176 pages, $24.95, http://www.paladin-press.com

After terrorism came to America in 2001, there has been much talk about future attacks. What kind of person or group would do such a thing? What is a likely target? What form will it take? How can I protect myself? This book, written by a county assistant Emergency Services Director (the person who is supposed to know about such things) attempts to answer some of these questions.

The culprit could be nearly anyone. It could be a person with a grudge against a federal agency. It could be a fundamentalist religious group (of any religion). It could be a home-grown politically radical group (on either side of the political spectrum). For some, the object is to hit a target of symbolic value (like the World rade Center), while, for others, the goal is to inflict the maximum number of casualties.

The author also looks at the various substances that might be used in an attack. Nerve agents like VX and sarin make it impossible for nerve cells to transmit nerve impulses. Vesicants like mustard gas burn the eyes and skin and produce horrible blisters. Corrosive gases like chlorine inflame the lungs and airways. Also considered are possible bioweapons like anthrax, plague, smallpox and ebola.

There is no such thing as 100% total protection in case of an attack. Gas masks do not provide their own air supply, they only filter outside air. Even the best air filters will not remove all toxic spores from the air; for some toxins, all it takes is one spore. Don't forget the toxins absorbed through the skin.

There are many things to do to reduce the possible risk during an attack. If you work in a big-city skyscraper, consider looking for a job in the suburbs, preferably west of the city (winds generally blow west to east). If you live near a potential target, and moving is not an option, plan and rehearse what to do when the evacuation order comes. At minimum, have a bag of things (canned food, battery powered radio, prescription medicine, etc.) packed and ready to go at a moment's notice. At maximum, have a second house, fully stocked and livable, out in the country. Use secondary roads for your escape route; count on highway gridlock.

Those who want even a chance to survive a future attack of any kind would be very well advised to read this book. The writing is sober, clear-headed and free from hysterics.

It's Only Money! A Primer for Women
Allison Acken
Womentalkmoney.com
P.O. Box 49327, Los Angeles, CA 90049
ISBN 0-9711715-1-3, $18.95, 158 pages, http://www.womentalkmoney.com

For one reason or another, there are many women today who know little, or nothing, about how to handle money. Perhaps their parents never taught them the value of it, or their husband wanted to shield them from the financial world by saying that women shouldn't get their hands dirty with money. This book aims to change that.

It's natural to feel anxious and ashamed about your lack of money knowledge when everyone around you is financially on top of the world. Start with something simple like balancing the checkbook. Remember that hubby won't be around forever, either through death or divorce, so becoming familiar with the family finances is a very good idea.

Tell a neighbor or best friend, someone you can confide in, your fears and fantasies about money. She may be in the same position as you, but afriad to admit it. Don't be afriad to ask the "dumb" questions about money; perhaps together, you can find the answer. Listen to stories from other women about money; not how much they saved, but how they saved, through investing, budgeting, etc.

The author leaves the more specific money-saving tips until the end, but her biggest recommendation is to get rid of your credit card debt. With interest rates at anywhere up to 20 percent and with the average credit card debt at several thousand dollars per person, paying off that debt as fast as possible is the single best thing anyone can do to save money.
Acken knows something about women's fears concerning money. Growing up in a Baltimore record store, she could make change from an early age, but never learned what money was all about. years later, a divorced mother of two, she found herself with a PhD in psychology and a $50,000 student debt. She learned about money real fast.

For those who get nervous and panicky in the personal finance section of the local chain bookstore, this book is for you. It's written in a very down-to-earth style and is very easy to read. It's recommended for women of any socio-economic status. This isn't rocket science; like the title says It's Only Money!

Boomers Really Can Put Old On Hold
Barbara Morris
Image F/X Publications
P.O. Box 937, Escondido, CA 92033-0937
ISBN 0966784219, $16.95, 160 pages, http://www.putoldonhold.com

Many books have been written on health and exercise and slowing the effects of aging. The problem is, they are all written by doctors or forty-something fitness gurus. This is written by a "real" person, a pharmacist in her seventies.

Her biggest recommendation is to take control of your own health and well-being. No matter how wonderful your doctor or pharmacist is, they won't do it for you. Educate yourself about, for instance, supplements and alternative medicine. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Is drug B really necessary, or is it simply counteracting side effects from drug A? Drink lots of water, and, if applicable, change your status from smoker to ex-smoker.

A big reason for America's health problems is the American diet. It's full of all sorts of artificial, pre-processed, fat and chemical-filled stuff that bears little resemblance to real food. Reduce the amount of such things that you put in your mouth. Eliminating it entirely would be even better.

Part of the secret is attitude, which starts with the word "retirement." If you're physically and mentally able to keep working, don't retire just because you have reached "retirement age." If you're retiring to do something you have always wanted to do, go for it. On the other hand, if you're retiring to move into some retirement community and wait for the Grim Reaper, you need more help than this book can provide.

Morris also recommends living in an environment that includes young people; they can be a pain in the neck, but their energy can be contagious. Avoid people and organizations that say "the end is near." Develop a positive sense of humor and outlook on life. Stand apart from the masses. Don't abandon long-term plans just because you think you have X years left.

To those who aren't ready to leave the workforce, or leave this Earth, just because their body has reached a certain chronological age, this book is for you. It's very easy to read, it's from a regular person intended for regular people, and anyone can learn a lot from it. This is very highly recommended.

Bonneville Stories
Mark Doyon
Pocol Press
6023 Pocol Drive, Clifton, VA 20124
ISBN 1929763093, $12.95, 142 pages, http://www.markdoyon.com

This is a connected group of stories about the fictional town of Bonneville, somewhere in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.

The Mayor, broke and running from creditors, secretly returns to town. He is not the most popular person in town. A few years previously, he helped bring a secret fireworks factory to Bonneville. Everyone in town worked there. Customers came from miles around. The money was rolling in like an Indian casino, until the authorities started asking questions. The factory closed, the newfound riches disappeared, and the Mayor was run out of town. So the Mayor has returned to open a speakeasy, under an unused barn about half a mile from the nearest road.

Roy Sullivan is in the Guinness Book of World Records, having been struck by lightning seven times in his life. Being struck once makes a person a celebrity, but being struck seven times leads to rumors that God is punishing him for something.

The local Laundromat has a slot machine. While she is playing it over and over, Sarah Ann Muskie thinks about karma. For every Vanna White who rockets to stardom, a ravishing beauty is hit by a bus. She remembers the day her father died, in front of her on the playground, in a freak accident. She buys a Powerball ticket and watches, incredulous, as the winning numbers equal the numbers on her ticket--minus one. She returns to the Laundromat and introduces the slot machine to her pistol, one bullet at a time.

Randy works for a local gardening company. Just out of high school, he makes pretty good money spreading mulch and running a lawn mower. He is told to go back to a customer's house to replace some suddenly-dead azaleas. The only problem is that the customer, Mrs. Anders, is a very attractive woman and lets Randy know, in no uncertain terms, that she is interested in romance.

I really enjoyed these stories. They are the sort of tales that could take place in any town in America, with just a touch of "different." The author's writing has been compared to Roald Dahl and Ray Bradbury. May I humbly add the name of Garrison Keillor to that list. These stories are very much worth the reader's time.

Paul Lappen
Reviewer


Meredith's Bookshelf

Modoc Sundance
Sean Belanger
USA Books
ISBN 159209001X, $13.00, words: 201, www.amazon.com

Second in series about the Indian struggles in 1873 Northern California, Belanger has once again penned a riveting tale. The review from Time iRead says it "...Captures the Sam Peckinpah school..." Sure enough! In fact, this rendition of the Lava Beds War, loaded with gore, outdoes Peckipah! At times, the writing becomes the poetry of horror, and Belanger weaves the words of era songs in and out of his prose. Too bad this book didn't come with a sound tract.
A senseless cavalry charge into a sleeping Modoc camp filled with squaws and children, touches off a revenge fight from Hell. Modoc Indian, Hooker Jim rampages against the pioneers-- disemboweling, bashing out brains, severing heads and ears-- leaving mutilated bodies to ever-circling crows. Sharp pictures of the $13.00 a month trooper, mostly German and Irish immigrants, present expectations regarding duty, honor and country in the United States First cavalry. Other depicted characters come alive heightening readers historical interest: ambitious Shaman Sho Oks, and the scheming rancher, Krueger, troubled, General Edward Canby, veteran of the Mexican and Civil Wars, President Ulysses Grant, and Chief of Staff, General William Sherman. Impeccably researched, for fans of genre Westerns this one is a must read.

Candle in the Darkness
Lynn Austin
Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55438
ISBN: 1556614365, $12.99, 1-800-328-6109, www.amazon.com

What's a girl to do when she desperately loves a man fighting for the wrong cause? Why, keep on loving him, but follow her conscience, of course. Such is the story of timid, devout Caroline Fletcher, wealthy belle in Civil War Richmond.

Written in first person, the novel opens, 1853, with twelve-year-old Caroline witnessing slave traders dragging away her childhood playmate to sell him at Richmond's infamous slave market. This act sets the tone and reason for the story, for Caroline develops an intense hostility to slavery. This attitude intensifies as she and Cousin Jonathan stroll the grounds of the family's plantation near Richmond and she experiences the deaths of slave babies because of disease and filth. When she is 16 her mother dies, and Caroline's father sends her to Philadelphia to live with an aunt. Philadelphia is an abolition hotbed that feeds Caroline's anti-slavery predilections. Home two years later, she brings back abolitionist tracts in a fruitless attempt to change southern hearts and minds. She meets and becomes engaged to Charles St. John, psychologically chained to the slave economy. Regardless of political differences, the couple passionately loves one another. This relationship tests to the utmost her commitment to end slavery. By novel's end June 1865, Caroline has sacrificed all, bowing to God's will. Although all ends are not completely unraveled, the conclusion leaves one with a lump in the throat and a smile on the face.

Although the novel is of Christian genre, Austin doesn't overly evangelize. The Christian voice comes from slave preacher Eli, the family's hostler and Caroline's mentor. Gilbert, her father's valet, mammy Tessie--about whom surrounds a mystery not unraveled until the end--cook Esther, Josiah, son of Eli and Esther, and servants Luella and Ruby round out the slave cast. Austin brings the reader into their lives and feelings as they loyally confront the war's hardships and dangers with "Missy Caroline" while rejoicing at their coming freedom.

Accurate down to the buttonhole, the era and Richmond itself come alive.

Meredith Campbell
Reviewer


Marya's Bookshelf

Hazel Green
Odo Hirsch
Bloomsbury USA
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
1-58234-820-0, 212-982-2837, www.bloomsbury.com/usa

In a very ordinary town, once a year, they have a very ordinary sort of celebration complete with lots of food and a big parade. All is well with this years preparations for the parade until Hazel Green discovers something. Hazel realizes that she has never seen a child participate in the parade. Most people are happy with this state of affairs. Not Hazel. This plucky girl decides to take on the challenge of persuading the powers-that-be and her fellow children that they should be a part of the parade. Odo Hirsch has managed to turn a very simple plot into a delightful tale about people in a small neighborhood, their rivalries and petty jealousies. He also shows us, through Hazel, how wrong our first impressions can be. Not thinking Hazel gave a quiet retiring boy called Yakov the nickname "the Yak." Her unkind act comes back to haunt her and she has to put things right. Throughout this book the reader will find wonderful sections of description which help us see, hear, smell and even taste, Hazel's little world. We can almost bite into the custard pies, smell the flowers in the flower shop, and hear the quiet in the street in the early morning. A gentle tale with soft moods and rhythms, we can only hope that we will get to share other events in Hazel's life in the not too distant future.

Elisabeth: The Princess Bride
Barry Denenberg
Scholastic Inc.
557 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10012-3999
0-439-26644-0, 1-800-246-2986, www.scholastic.com

For Elisabeth life was something to be enjoyed. She loved to ride, to take care of her pets, to read and to write poetry. Becoming an empress or queen was not something she ever expected to have to do. That was her sister's future role; Nene was going to marry the Emperor of Austria, she was the one who was going to have to learn all about etiquette and court customs. Then the fateful day arrived. Nene, Elisabeth and their mother went to the Emperor's court to be 'viewed'. Much to everyone's surprise, Elisabeth was the one the Emperor chose to be his future Empress and not Nene. Suddenly Elisabeth found herself at the center of everyone's attention. An enormous number of clothes had to be made for her and she had to memorize list after list of rules of etiquette and conduct; Elisabeth also had to meet countless dignitaries and accept the fact that her time was no longer her own. In fact her life was no longer her own. Elisabeth's existence was going to change drastically, and as she faced the prospect of her upcoming marriage, she wondered if she had made the right choice in accepting the Emperor's proposal. Would she be able to adjust to her new life? We learn in the epilogue of this book that Elisabeth did not, in fact, adjust well at all. The restraints on her life frustrated her and made her quite miserable at times. The Emperor wanted an obedient and pliant wife, not one who had her own opinions and wants. Sadly the marriage was not a success. In addition to the epilogue there is a very interesting and informative section about the history of the times and a wonderful selection of black and white photographs of Elisabeth, her family and the places she visited or lived in. With an excellent portrayal of a lesser-known European royal, this book shows us how the life of a noble-born woman was not her own, that she was very much the 'property' of her family or her husband's family. This is one of several books in "The Royal Diaries" series.

Land of the Buffalo Bones
Marion Dane Bauer
Scholastic Inc.
557 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10012-3999
0-439-22027, 1-800-246-2986, www.scholastic.com

For Mary Ann this trip to America, to Minnesota, is a wonderful, exciting thing. At least it begins that way. Her father, the Revered Dr. George Rodgers, is their leader. He went to Minnesota and set everything up with the Northern Pacific Railroad. The company promised to build the immigrants a town, complete with streets, shops, school and church. They are also paying passage for Mary Ann and her family to their new life. It is not long before Mary Ann discovers that this adventure is not going to be an easy one. Many of the travelers get terribly sick on the journey across the Atlantic. Mary Ann's best friend Jane losses her dear brother and Mary Ann wrestles with the misery of Timmy's burial at sea. Jane's mother is grief stricken and seems to lose her grip on life. Jane straightens her back and takes on the job of caring for her father and her mother.

In the middle of a violent spring storm, the weary travelers arrive at their destination. They discover that there is no town, just an open prairie. The immigrants turn on Dr. Rodgers demanding an explanation. He is unable to give one but talks about how easy it will be to build their town themselves. The question is, what are they to build their town with? There are no trees. Why didn't Dr. Rodgers tell them that there were no trees. The scholarly, overly optimistic man of cloth forgot to mention many things. It never occurred to the highly impractical man to think of these matters when he visited Minnesota the first time.

So, painfully, with much suffering, and much grumbling the English settlers begin the monumental task of creating a life for themselves in this foreign land. They are stricken with drought, fire, locusts and winter storms. It truly seems that they are cursed. Mary Ann wonders why her father took them from their comfortable life in England to suffer so much in this strange and inhospitable country. She begins to see him as he really is, a good by unwise man, a man who speaks big words but has no real idea of how life is to be lead. It is she and her stepmother who hold the family together. In fact, the two become closer as they share the burden of caring for the family.

Mary Ann's relationship with her dear and much loved Jane also changes. Jane's mother gives up on life, committing suicide. Her father turns to drink and becomes a violent and angry man, blaming the reverend for all his woes. He takes his anger out on his daughter and she retreats from Mary Ann, seeking solace in the most unexpected place of all. Mary Ann can no longer turn to Jane for comfort and companionship. She must move on alone, helping her mother with the children and doing her best to support her father.

This remarkable story is haunting. The author shares her discoveries about her great-grandfather and his family with great understanding and sympathy. She offers no excuses for the often thoughtless things the Revered Rodgers says and does. That is the kind of man he is, learned and impractical. Despite the suffering his family is put through, they endure and make a life for themselves in America. We are reminded of how harsh pioneer life often was, even in the late 1870's. Dr. Rodgers' community was ill-prepared. The people were unused to the farming life and to living at the mercy of wind, sun, rain and snow. This special edition "Dear America" book is truly unique and offers an extraordinary personal insight into a story very few people have heard.

Hairy Maclary's Bone
Lynley Dodd
Tricycle Press
P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707
1-58246-060-4, 1800-841-BOOK, www.tenspeed.com

Hairy Maclary is a rather odd looking dog. He is also a very lucky dog because he has a friend at the local butcher's shop. Mr. Samuel Stone gives our hero a bone, a delicious bone. In no time Hairy Maclary has a collection of dogs following him down the street. They all want that bone, that wonderful smelling bone, that delicious looking bone. Hairy Maclary may be funny looking but he is also very smart. As he heads home to the dairy where he lives, Hairy Maclary takes a very circuitous path. The end result is that before long, his train of hungry dogs has been left behind. One is stuck in a fence, another is trapped in a hedge and so on. With amusing names, delightful illustrations and a simple story, Lynley Dodd has created a charming book for youngsters. A perfect read-aloud book, "Hairy Maclary's Bone"is one of several books about this intelligent and comical dog.

Sparrow Jack
Mordicai Gerstein
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003
0-374-37139-3, 888-330-8477, www.fsgbooks.com

John Bardsley went out one night to gather some sparrows. It was 1838, and believe it or not, people in England used to eat roasted sparrows in those days. It was considered a delicacy in fact. John found a baby sparrow that night and ended up raising it instead of eating it. After that John became very fond of the sparrows in his village and they became fond of him. When he was grown up John decided to go to America to seek his fortune. He ended up in Philadelphia and became a house painter. He soon discovered that Philadelphia had a problem. It was overrun with inchworms. The local birds wouldn't touch the pests and John came up with a brilliant plan. John decided he would bring sparrows over from England to eat the inchworms. All you have to do is look outside to see what happened next. The author has told this true story with humor and sensitivity and his illustrations with their charming borders are full of activity and life.

What the Sea Left Behind
Mimi Gregoire Carpenter
Down East Books
P.O.Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
0-89272-123-5, 800-766-1670, www.downeastbooks.com

When the weather is fine Tessa and her artist mother go down to the beach to explore and collect treasures. As Tessa tells us, at first you may not realize that there are treasures to be found. You have to stop looking at the big picture and start looking at the small things, the shells and stones, the little crabs and seaweeds. Tessa take us with her as she explores the boundaries of the land and ocean. There are the shells of razor clams and sea urchins. Tessa tells us little details about the small animals that get washed up on the shore, how they got there and how they connect with the larger world of the ocean and the beach. One of the joys of finding these small treasures is being able to draw and paint them on the days when she doesn't go exploring. With musical prose and beautiful illustrations, the author has created an extraordinary book. For a parent or a teacher this book is a wonderful tool to show children how there are big worlds and little ones; how the smaller creatures and plants have their own sort of beauty, and how you often need to change the way you look at things to appreciate them fully.

Mel's Diner
Marissa Moss
Troll Books
4600 Pleasant Hill Road, Memphis, TN 38118
0-8167-3461-5, 1800-929-TROLL, www.troll.com

Mabel has a special place in her life. Every morning she goes and works in the diner that her family owns. Mabel helps her mother and father get everything ready and soon the first customers arrive. In ones and twos they come in and sit down, and we get to meet Mabel's friends. There is Mrs. Krupnik who always has coffee and a sticky bun and who has wonderful stories to tell about her life. Jorge and Lila read the paper as they drink cup after cup of coffee. Cole and Craig like to tell jokes and make Mabel laugh. After school Mabel and her best friend Rhonda come to the diner to have a snack and do their homework. They also have fun, playing music on the jukebox that they dance to. With each page turned the reader gets to share this wonderful place with Mabel and her family. We see people of all shapes, colors and sizes come into the diner, we smell the food and hear the voices. At the end of the day we leave the diner with Mabel and her mother and see "the light in our front window, welcoming us home." The author has created a very unique book with lovely soft illustrations and simple prose.

Marya Jansen-Gruber, Reviewer
mjansengruber@mindspring.com


Magdalena's Bookshelf

Youth
JM Coetzee
Vintage Books
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
ISBN 0099433621, $22.95, 169 pages, 1-800-726-0600, www.amazon.com

Youth is a short and tortuous novel which follows John, a young man with lofty literary aspirations through a mathematics degree, a move from a politically unstable South Africa to London where he works towards a Masters degree in literature and begins work as a computer programmer. Many critics have argued that this sparse Beckettian novel is really a memoir, to be read as a prelude to Coetzee's own great writing career. Whatever parallels there may be to Coetzee's young life, this book is clearly a novel, and it deserves to be judged as a complete work. The story is tortuous because it reminds its readers of something that seems to go hand and hand with youth - the desire for glory, for greatness, for artistic achievement and admiration without the tedious work of application. John is a hard character to stomach because we have been there.

While waiting fruitlessly for the muse to strike, John becomes involved in a number of unsatisfactory relationships, attends arty films, writes a few bad poems and takes on two programming jobs. Throughout the novel, John is generally lonely, unkind, bored, frightened and unappealing. While this may not be an original theme as such, the novel is written in the third person, present tense which gives it a kind of Kafkaesque starkness. It reads as a cold confessional, as the narrator stumbles along in the dark trying to discover what has gone wrong in his life and why both Love and Art, two things he associates with one another, have forsaken him:

What will cure him, if it were to arrive, will be love. He may not believe in God but he does believe in love and the powers of love. The beloved, the destined one, will see at once through the odd and even dull exterior he presents to the fire that burns within him. Meanwhile, being dull and odd-looking are part of a purgatory he must pass through in order to emerge, one day, into the light: the light of love, the light of art. for he will be an artist, that has long been settled. If for the time being he must be obscure and ridiculous, that is because it is the lot of the artist to suffer obscurity and ridicule until the day when he is revealed in his true powers and the scoffers and mockers fall silent. (3)

In the background the world is in turmoil. There is the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa, protest marches, the Cold War, and the prelude to the Vietnam war. At one point, John even writes to the Chinese Embassy in London offering to teach English in China in an attempt to engage himself in something - the do something positive. John has to deal with his complicated feelings towards South Africa, "a wound which bleeds within him," his feelings about the west with its money oriented industry represented by IBM, and with his feelings of guilt for his lack of purpose. He is a 1960s character and although the background is subtle and the story mainly focuses on John's ennui, we also get a fairly clear picture of the life of an immigrant during this period.

The other characters in the story, John's friend Paul, his lover Jacqueline, his IBM colleagues and bosses, his Indian neighbours, his later lovers Sarah, Caroline, Marianne, Astrid or his friend and colleague at International Computers Ganapathy, are sketched only lightly. We know that he senses what the "right" thing to do is, and also that he senses that "the right thing" is the antithesis to "Art." We also know that often John does the "wrong" thing. He is cold and disconnected with his "friends" and associates. He is awkward with his neighbours and unable to reciprocate their dinner invitation. He is cruel and detached with Sarah and Marianne. He also makes juvenile and appalling judgements in his mind about Art, artists and women:

..artists have to live with their fever, whatever its nature, good or bad. The fever is what makes them artists; the fever mustbe kept alive. That is why artists can never be wholly present to the world: one eye has always to be turned inward. As for women who flock after artists, they cannot wholly be trusted. For just as the spirit of the artist is both flame and fever, so the woman who yearns to be licked by tongues of flame will at the same time do her best to quench the fever and bring down the artist to common ground. therefore women have to be resisted even when they are loved.(31)

These mental illuminations are so full of cliched and trite sentiments - so adolescent in fact that one suspects that they are meant to be taken as tongue in cheek. This is confirmed by other elements of humour throughout the book. At one point, John is reading Ford Madox Ford on Provence and decides to buy fish fingers instead of sausages "in deference to Ford," frying them in olive oil and sprinkling them with garlic salt. Another point in the novel John reveals that his highest aspirations were for a French girlfriend: "If he had a passionate affair with a French girl he would be touched and improved, he is sure, by the grace of the French language, the subtlety of French thought. " (74)

Despite his ridiculous generalisations and revelations of immaturity, John is not without sensitivity. At one point he stands before Robert Motherwell's Elegy for the Spanish Republic and is "transfixed. Menacing and mysterious, the black shape takes him over. A sound like the stroke of a gong goes out from it, leaving him shaken and week-kneed." (92) He is moved by beautiful lines of poetry such as Brodsky's "As dark as the inside of a needle," and at another point, lying on his jacket in a Hamstead Heath park, he suddenly feels a moment of joy listening to the cries of children, birdsong and insects. He also recognises the empty nature of his work at IBM - the dullness and repetition of his work and the lack of camaraderie, and even though he doesn't express it well, one senses he has touched upon something important there. His pleasure at working at International Computers later - his sense of accomplishment and of wanting to work for the right side is one which elicits sympathy in the reader.

John may be unpleasant. He is also immature and even boring, but what makes Youth an interesting book, taking it beyond merely a failed bildungsroman into the realm of a serious novel, is that John is a character which readers will be able to recognise. We may not want to identify with him. After all, he never makes it. He admits that his one talent is for misery, and he ends up unhappy, lonely, feeling a failure and ready to give up his delusions of grandeur for what he perceives will be a dull life:

The upshot is that he is sitting alone on a Sunday afternoon in an upstairs room in a house in the depths of the Berkshire countryside, with crows cawing in the fields and a grey mist hanging overhead, playing chess with himself, growing old, waiting for evening to fall so that he can with a good conscience fry his sausages and bread for supper. At eighteen he might have been a poet. Now he is not a poet, not a writer, not an artist." (168}

John's constant rhetorical questions are tedious, and the first person present tense narration is unsettling, but the story moves quickly, and perhaps there is a moment of revelation in the end. John sees himself "locked into an attenuating endgame" but at twenty four, he is still a youth after all.

Linda Radke's Promote Like A Pro: Small Budget, Big Show
Linda F Radke and contributors
Five Star Publications, Inc
PO Box 6698, Chandler, AZ, 85246-6698 USA
ISBN 1877749362, $19.95, www.fivestarpublications.com

You've written a book. Terrific. You aren't alone. According to Linda Radke, (xv) "Statistics show that every year more than 50,000 books are published and more than 7,000 new presses come into existence. WIth this kind of competition, you just can't expect your book to make it by word of mouth." If you think that the hard work is done once the book has been accepted for publication, you're wrong. Regardless of whether you've been published by a large house, small press, or are self-publishing, the key to achieving good sales is promotion.

With a heavily saturated market, and publicity space which is becoming more limited by the day, authors have to understand how to promote themselves and their work if they want their books to sell. There are quite a few books on the market which cover promotional skills, and how to handle the media, but Linda Radke's "Promote Like a Pro" was specifically written for authors. It is a complete guide to obtaining serious and very low cost publicity for your book, including distribution, advance publicity, media attention, signings, reviews, using the media, the Internet and more. Even if you do decide to hire a publicist or have one assigned to you from a large publishing house, this book is a useful guide to the necessary work involved at each step. However good the publicist, it is the author who has to sell his or her books in any case.

Radke is more of an editor than an author, although she does contribute the first section of the book. The rest of the book consists of a series of chapters and essays written by experts in their respective fields. Super publicist Suzi Prokell tells you how to pull together an effective publicity campaign.

Marketing guru Kerry LePage provides a sample marketing plan and advertising guidelines, and media hound Joan Stewart tells you how to schmooze your way to free publicity. There are chapters on getting into the newspapers, getting book reviews, pulling together a press kit, getting on television, doing talkback radio, and how to use the Internet for publicity. Each topic is written by a different expert which makes for a nice blend of different voices, styles, and perspectives.

There are a few sections which are too general, such as LePage's marketing plan - it would have been better if each essay were specifically geared towards the promotion of books, since this is what differentials "Promote Like a Pro". This is made up for though in other sections that really stand out, such as Jess Todtfeld's entertaining "How to Get Free Publicity on Television." Joe Sabah's "How to Promote Yourself on Radio Talk Shows" is also useful with its sample scripts and humorous summaries, as is Joan Stewart's "The Top Three Ways to Snag Valuable Free Publicity: Write, Speak, and Schmooze with the Media." Radke's own essay "Promote Like a Pro" which forms Part I of the book, is valuable too, particularly around the area of finding a suitable angle for your book's promotion and publicity tie-ins.

Since all of the contributors to this small but informative book are experienced in their areas, the essays are full of real life examples, personal insights and an insiders perspective. If you need to promote a book or other small project and don't have a lot of money to hire experts, Promote Like A Pro