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Together Alone Description:

New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky weaves a stunning, intricate, and beautiful tapestry of life, love, and acceptance, first published in 1995.

With their daughters off to college, the time has come for forever best friends Emily, Kay, and Celeste to redefine themselves as women. Once half of a perfect marriage — still suffering from a terrible loss — Emily hardly knows her workaholic husband, Doug, anymore, and is drawn instead to what is offered by a new neighbor. A dedicated teacher who loves her job, Kay is confused and troubled by husband John’s unfamiliar demands. And Celeste, long-divorced and ecstatic with freedom, sees her electric new life dimmed when her child is endangered.

The precious secrets, desires, and needs they’ve hidden for years can be denied no longer. But first, three women must learn the hardest lesson of all: how to love themselves.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5886 in eBooks
• Published on: 2004-05-10
• Released on: 2004-05-10
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

Customer Reviews:

I’m hooked!
This was the first book I’ve read by this author but it certainly won’t be the last. I love how this book made me think about the people who mean the most in my own life. The saddest part of this book was when I reached the last page because I had come to know the characters so well that I didn’t want the story to end.

This is a must read for the romantic within you
I, personally, read this book while vacationing in Grand Caymand Islands. It was deliciously romantic, heart-warming and a suspenseful thriller. It takes you to softer places within your heart. It draws into question love, family, romance and creates suspicion of all of these puzzle pieces within a married life. The romantic drama is fantastically dancing at all times in Barbara’s books. A must read for the romantic soul and anyone who loves to root for the underdog.

Excellent Book!
This book was such an inspiration! I couldn’t put it down. The characters were so real and so true to life. This stuff can really happen to women today.

From Publishers Weekly
The author of For My Daughters sallies into Judith Krantz and Iris Rainer Dart territory with this somewhat familiar tale of angst among girlfriends. With their daughters off to college, Emily, Kay and Celeste find themselves emotionally adrift in their small Massachusetts town. Emily retreats to baking and redecorating to hide the pain of husband Doug’s infrequent (and sexually chilly) visits home, while eighth-grade teacher Kay uses her work as a shield against her police chief husband’s attempts to recapture their former intimacy. And divorcee Celeste celebrates her daughter’s departure with a nose job and a personal ad she hopes will bring her “wine and roses and music and poetry. And sex.” When recently widowed NYPD detective Brian Stasek arrives to join the local police force, Emily becomes drawn to him-and increasingly suspicious about Doug’s absences. Celeste, meanwhile, finds an architect who may be too good to be true and Kay, certain that her body has lost its allure, continues to rebuff her baffled husband. Only when Brian reopens the long-closed case of one couple’s kidnapped son does Delinsky’s story manage a spark that keeps it from being just another suburban melodrama.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher
Barbara Delinsky, the author of the New York Times bestsellers For My Daughters and Suddenly, has always written about topics close to women’s hearts. This book tells the story of three friends who send their only daughters off to college and are left searching for meaning in their own lives.

About the Author
Barbara Delinsky was a sociologist and photographer before she began to write. A lifelong New Englander, she and her husband have three sons, two daughters-in-law, and a cat. There are more than thirty million copies of her books in print.

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At the age of eight Brian Lackey is found bleeding under the crawl space of his house, having endured something so traumatic that he cannot remember an entire five–hour period of time.

During the following years he slowly recalls details from that night, but these fragments are not enough to explain what happened to him, and he begins to believe that he may have been the victim of an alien encounter. Neil McCormick is fully aware of the events from that summer of 1981. Wise beyond his years, curious about his developing sexuality, Neil found what he perceived to be love and guidance from his baseball coach. Now, ten years later, he is a teenage hustler, a terrorist of sorts, unaware of the dangerous path his life is taking. His recklessness is governed by idealized memories of his coach, memories that unexpectedly change when Brian comes to Neil for help and, ultimately, the truth.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81667 in eBooks
• Published on: 2008-04-01
• Released on: 2008-04-01
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

A wonderful mess of a novel
I’m a big fan of imdb.com, and somehow I stumbled upon the page for an upcoming movie called Mysterious Skin. It interested me, so I thought I’d check out the book. Well. I finished it about twenty minutes ago, and I’m speechless.

MYSTERIOUS SKIN has so many different characters, memorable quotes, and mind-boggling descriptions that I couldn’t put it down. I’m not going to go into the full story, but the book is fantastic. Basically, it’s about two boys that share a common bond, though neither of them know it in the beginning of the story. As the book advances, both characters (Brian Lackey and Neil McCormack) start to come to terms with an event that took place during the summer of 1981.

There are a few parts of the book that are extremely graphic, some pages were hard to read without putting the book down and trying to clear my mind. My short description does NOT do the book justice.

MYSTERIOUS SKIN is a fantastic novel, one that I wouldn’t have chosen to read if I hadn’t heard of the movie. This is definately the best book I’ve read in a loooong time. Highly recommended.

Overall grade - A+

Taking You Places You May Not Want to Go… But Ought To
Great literature gives us fascinating characters. Daring literature takes us places we may not want to go. Among the fascinating people roaming the streets today few can be as weirdly interesting as the homosexual who offers himself up for a “good time” by scrawling his phone number on a public bathroom stall or the loopy individual who is chillingly convinced he has been abducted by aliens. You have to wonder who these people are and what damaged background could’ve led them to such outlandish behavior. In Scott Heim’s stunning book Mysterious Skin he suggests that both behaviors could’ve been triggered by the same trauma, and by the time you are done reading, you will be convinced too.

Neil and Brian are two eight year old boys who have been sexually abused by their Little League coach, but their two reactions couldn’t be more different. Neil is already aware of his homosexuality when he meets the coach. His father is dead and his mother is a provocative though loving drunk. Neil fancies himself in love with the coach and readily submits to all that is asked of him. Brian, on the other hand, is the product of a loving family, and one that is mildly dysfunctional in ways that could be considered more normal than “normal”. For Brian the experience is so painfully disturbing that he buries it in his subconscious, blacking it out so that as the years unwind he becomes fascinated with what happened to him during his “lost hours”, eventually reaching the conclusion that he was abducted by aliens.

As time goes on, Neil, who at first seems to be coping with the pedophilia on the basis of it being a homosexual encounter, eventually becomes obsessed with humiliating sex with older men and seeks out his liaisons by writing his phone number on the insides of bathroom stalls, behavior that leads to indiscriminate hustling. Brian, whose dreams provide him with eerie snippets of information about being held against his will, latches on to a woman he sees on a television special about alien abductions and contacts her seeking answers.

The depth and complexity of these characters is arresting. Heim does an excellent job of building empathy in the reader and is especially good at making the distinction between homosexuality and pedophilia, showing that young people who are homosexuals can still be damaged by pedophilia, albeit in more subtle but no less excruciating ways. In the end, one is left with the sense that as horrible as the experience was for Brian, who is a heterosexual, the healing can start once he’s learned to face what’s happened. But for Neil, whose willingness to cooperate in his own abuse, even to convince himself that it was desirable, it has set him on a course seeking ugly, risky sex that must ultimately destroy him.

Needless to say, Mysterious Skin is not for the faint of heart. The morally squeamish will be tempted to characterize it as pornographic, forgetting that pornography is defined as that which is “gratuitous, having no moral or social value.” This is certainly not true of Mysterious Skin. True, it is chocked full of graphic sex scenes which will disturb and revolt, but all are in service to the greater theme of how those victimized and damaged by situations out of their control must find common cause in seeking answers that can redeem them, a laudable moral observation and one far more constructive than brushing such horrors under the rug or dismissing pedophiles and homosexuals as equally objectionable.

Heim is a fine writer, a poet whose descriptions are often startling and beautiful. The book has a compelling narrative construction, building the stories of the two boys on parallel paths until they gradually converge. And he does a terrific job with secondary characters, showing how they influence and are touched by the protagonists in ways that are different but no less important than they first anticipated.

My only objection is the development of a friendship later in the book between Brian and one of Neil’s friends that seems unlikely, given their different experiences; but otherwise Mysterious Skin is valid, compelling and important, a book that takes you places you may not want to go but probably ought to if you want to understand the world and make it better.

Frank (not sensationalist) prose about childhood sexual abuse
Two boys were sexually abused by their Little League coach in the summer of 1981. Neil McCormack spent the entire summer as Coach’s lover, embracing his status as Coach’s special friend, the recipient of attention, treats, and money. Brian Lackey, on the other hand, only had one incident with Coach, but he doesn’t remember anything other than the fact that he lost several hours during the afternoon of a rained-out baseball game.

Brian grows up as a strange, skittish boy. He wets the bed and he knows something strange happened to him. Does UFO abduction explain his loss of memory? Fragments start to come back, and he desperately records them to make some sense of the missing time.

The only person who can explain Brian’s missing time is Neil, who bullied younger boys after his summer with Coach and then grew into a sexual hustler in his teenage years. After high school, he headed off to NY to begin his hustling career in earnest.

The climax of the novel comes when Neil starts to view sexual abuse from another vantage point, and Brian gets the answers about the hours that went missing during his summer in Little League. The novel centers on the degree to which each boy was shaped by his experience with Coach, and how it stayed with them for life.

The prose is sexually frank, but not sensationalist. The mystery of what happened to Brian is tantalizing and unfolds gradually over the course of years. The journey makes for a great story. On a side note, the movie adaptation is very true to the book and makes an excellent companion to the novel. It’s amazing to see the characters come to life on the big screen, exactly as they were portrayed in the narrative.

How To Win Friends and Influence People Description:

How to Win Friends and Influence People is the first, and still the finest, book of its kind. One of the best-known motivational books in history, Dale Carnegie’s groundbreaking work has sold millions of copies, has been translated into almost every known written language, and has helped countless people succeed in both their business and personal lives.

First published in 1937, Carnegie’s advice has remained relevant for generations because he addresses timeless questions about the fine art of getting along with people: How can you make people like you instantly? How can you persuade people to agree with you? How can you speak frankly to people without giving offense? The ability to read others and successfully navigate any social situation is critically important to those who want to get a job, keep a job, or simply expand their social network.

The core principles of this book, originally written as a practical, working handbook on human relations, are proven effective. Carnegie explains the fundamentals of handling people with a positive approach; how to make people like you and want to help you; how to win people to your way of thinking without conflict; and how to be the kind of leader who inspires quality work, increased productivity, and high morale.

As Carnegie explains, the majority of our success in life depends on our ability to communicate and manage personal relationships effectively, whether at home or at work. How to Win Friends and Influence People will help you discover and develop the people skills you need to live well and prosper.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #190 in Books
• Published on: 2009-11-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 291 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781439167342
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews:

Common sense advice, but beware the unwritten chapter
I won’t waste your time with a rundown of what “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is about. With over 400 reviews on Amazon, with over 15 million copies sold, and with a very self-explanatory title, I think you all get it. For the rare person who may not know what this book is about, here’s a succinct description: in 1930s vernacular prose, Dale Carnegie explains that by appealing to the other person’s highest ideals, remembering the other person’s name, letting the other person do most of the talking, speaking in terms of the other person’s interests, allowing the other to save face, by “throwing down a challenge,” etc., you can make a friend out of just about anyone.

The advice is largely sound, but I think the reader should keep in mind the context within which this book was written. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” was written in the 1930’s and intended primarily as a companion book to Dale Carnegie’s classes on how to be a good salesman. In other words, these techniques work very well in the context of sales and public relations, i.e., in relationships that are not expected to be deep and/or long-lasting. I wouldn’t recommend using these techniques on close personal friends. Doing so may make a person come across as a bit “plastic.”

Also, there is one major point that I think needs to be remembered, but unfortunately is nowhere to be found in “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” During my research of Dale Carnegie’s techniques, I came across what I believe may be the only biography available about him: “Dale Carnegie: The Man Who Influenced Millions” by Giles Kemp and Edward Claflin. This book reveals many interesting things, such as the fact that Dale Carnegie grew up poor; he lost part of his left index finger when he was a child; he often broke many of the tenets set forth in this book, often forgetting others’ names, often arguing with others, etc. But what I found most interesting was that the last chapter of “How to Win Friends” was to describe those individuals with whom none of Dale Carnegie’s techniques work. In this unpublished chapter, Carnegie wrote that there were some people with whom it was impossible to get along. You either needed to divorce such people, “knock them down,” or sue them in court.

Why is that chapter absent from this book, you ask? Well, Dale Carnegie was in the middle of writing this chapter when he was offered a trip to Europe, and rather than complete this last chapter he decided to take the trip. The uncompleted book was sent off to publishers, and Carnegie shipped off to Europe.

Giles Kemp and Edward Claflin say that given the optimistic tone of the rest of “How to Win Friends,” the European trip was perhaps the better choice. Reconciling the the unwritten chapter with the rest of this optimistic book would’ve been nearly impossible, they say.

Anyway, I think that this unpublished chapter is important to keep in mind. I had to learn the hard way that the unpublished chapter is very true. There are some people with whom it is impossible to get along. When you meet up with such people, and believe me you will, don’t think that you’ve failed the Carnegie techniques. Instead, remind yourself that you are experiencing exactly what Carnegie describes in that pragmatic, unpublished chapter. And then quickly move on to the nicer people!

Andrew Olivo

More than just getting along well with people
I think the title of this book may be misleading in that just about everyone can get along with people, and win friends. The part of the title that most people was is the abaility to influence others especially in a way that makes them happy and willing to do what you ask.

As a supervisor for a department of 50 people, I found it was easy to get people to do what I asked them becuase I was the boss. After reading How To Win Friends and Influence People, I was able to get people to do what I asked not because I was there supervisor, because they wanted to.

In addition, I have always found that there are always some people (many times my supervisors) who completely lack people skills. Dale Carnegies book taugh me how to work with those people as well.

I highly recommend How To Win Friends and Influence People to anyone who wants to significantly improve their people skills and especially their ability to positively influence people.

Great book!

Timeless Advice
His advice is so obvious and so easy, so how come it’s so difficult to do yourself and so rarely found in others? Is it cynicism or manipulation? No, it’s human nature: Do Unto Others …

THE FUNDAMENTALS

? “Speak ill of no man and speak all the good you know of everyone.”
People react very badly to criticism; don’t do it, not to their face nor behind their back … especially not behind their back.

? Say “Thank You”.
Express appreciation. People yearn, yearn to be appreciated.

? Talk about what people want and help them get it.
“Arouse in others an eager want.”
Corollary: let others take credit for your ideas; they’ll like your ideas a lot more if they believe them to be their own.

WAYS TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU

? Be happy to see people.
Greet everyone you meet and show an interest in them. Remember the things that are important to them.

? Smile!

? Remembers peoples’ names!!
Remember it, use it when talking to them. A person’s name sounds beautiful to them.

? Draw people out.
Encourage them to talk about themselves and their interests.

? Actively research the other person’s interests.

? Every person you meet feels themselves superior to you in some way.
Strain to find out what that is and recognize their importance. Talk to people about themselves and they will listen to you for hours.

WIN PEOPLE TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING

? Don’t argue!
Give in! Agree that the other person is right; often they are and if they aren’t, you’ll never convince them of it by arguing.

? Don’t ever tell a person they’re wrong.
They may be but telling them so is always counterproductive. It is difficult for a person to admit to themselves that they are wrong; harder still to admit it to others.

? If you know you’re wrong, admit it.
Openly and freely admit whenever you’re wrong. And always leave open the possibility that you’re wrong even of you think you aren’t.

? Friendliness begets friendliness.
Always begin that way. Don’t accuse.

? Never neglect a kindness.
Look for ways to do or say something nice.

? Start out by emphasizing areas of agreement.
When a person has said “no” it’s hard to get them to change even if they know they’re wrong.

? Let the other person do most of the talking.
Listen patiently and don’t interrupt. Let your friends be better than you.

? Let people come to your conclusions.
First, tell me what you expect of me; then tell me what I can expect of you. People will generally live up to the commitments they make to you as long as they came up with them on their own.

? Think always in terms of the other person’s point of view.
Where they stand depends on where they sit; figure out where they’re sitting.

? ? of the people you will ever meet are dying for sympathy.
Give it to them and they will love you.

? A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

? Dramatize your ideas.
“Don’t use logic; tell stories.” Make your ideas visible, concrete. Bear in mind that people don’t know until you show them what you mean.

? Stimulate in others their innate desire to excel (perhaps through a friendly challenge or through competition).

BE A LEADER

? Don’t go sailing into difficult interpersonal situations with guns blazing. You’ll always get a negative reaction.

? Change “but” into “and”.
Be indirect in your criticism. Praise before you condemn.

? Ask questions rather than giving orders.

? Be very careful to help others preserve their dignity.

? People crave recognition: praise the smallest improvement and praise every improvement.

? Treat people as though they had the virtues you wished they possessed.
Give them a reputation to live up to and they will work like crazy to live up to it.

? Praise the good; minimize the bad: encourage.
Make achievement seem possible. Take and encourage little baby steps. Seek out even the most insignificant of successes.

? Napoleon: I could conquer the world if only I had enough ribbon.

Amazon.com Review
This grandfather of all people-skills books was first published in 1937. It was an overnight hit, eventually selling 15 million copies. How to Win Friends and Influence People is just as useful today as it was when it was first published, because Dale Carnegie had an understanding of human nature that will never be outdated. Financial success, Carnegie believed, is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to “the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people.” He teaches these skills through underlying principles of dealing with people so that they feel important and appreciated. He also emphasizes fundamental techniques for handling people without making them feel manipulated. Carnegie says you can make someone want to do what you want them to by seeing the situation from the other person’s point of view and “arousing in the other person an eager want.” You learn how to make people like you, win people over to your way of thinking, and change people without causing offense or arousing resentment. For instance, “let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers,” and “talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.” Carnegie illustrates his points with anecdotes of historical figures, leaders of the business world, and everyday folks. –Joan Price

Review

From an era when ’self-help’ books had genuine depth, Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” has influenced the world. No book in the self-help category matters more than this one.

Learning to relate to people in the ways Carnegie instructs will help you personally as well as professionally.

This book is a classic because Carnegie teaches timeless truths in timeless ways.

About the Author
Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) described himself as a “simple country boy” from Missouri but was also a pioneer of the self-improvement genre. Since the 1936 publication of his first book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, he has touched millions of readers and his classic works continue to impact lives to this day.

An Abundance of Katherines Description:

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type happens to be girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. He’s also a washedup child prodigy with ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a passion for anagrams, and an overweight, Judge Judy-obsessed best friend. Colin’s on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which will predict the future of all relationships, transform him from a fading prodigy into a true genius, and finally win him the girl.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11624 in eBooks
• Published on: 2009-11-09
• Released on: 2009-11-09
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

Customer Reviews:

A quirky coming-of-age novel with an original plot!
Since I’ve always been a fan of Young Adult and Juvenile books–love to read them, love to write them–I just had to see what all the fuss was about with author John Green’s coming-of-age novel. What sets it apart from others in the genre?

I started reading and quickly found out: it’s an original concept, a laugh-out-loud funny story, complete with satire and an American road trip that’s unlike any road trip I ever took. I’m enamored with this book and Green’s main character, Colin Singleton, a loner with a quirky fascination for anagrams, math and odd facts. His main problem is that he has a hard time making friends, but NO problem with finding girlfriends.

But keeping them is another story!

At the end of his senior year of high school, “Katherine the Nineteenth” dumps him … only the latest in a chain of rejections. As a result, he becomes indecisive about his future and begins to question his identity, his future.

What is Colin’s problem? Why can’t he keep his friends? When his friend Hassan suggests a road trip, what happens when the boys take off? What does a cemetery in the middle of rural Tennessee have to do with him? And who’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand? Will Colin and Hassan fulfill Colin’s quest to understand why he is always being dumped by his girlfriends?

Since Colin is a fading prodigy whose hobbies include making anagrams, memorizing odd historical facts, mathematical equations, and dating girls named Katherine, what mathematical equation does he formulate to explain why so many dump him? And just how many Katherines make an “abundance?”

You’re invited on Colin’s journey to find the answers to all those questions, but I can tell you one thing without spoiling the plot: you’re in for one hilarious road trip!

An Abundance of Katherines has a little bit of everything: adventure, humor, math, verbal games, little-known historical facts, and humorous tales of boy/girl relationships as the boys begin to learn more about the opposite sex.

Green is such a masterful storyteller with a talent for creating believable characters, I couldn’t put this book down. I hope he writes a sequel because I’d like to have some more fun adventures with Colin and Hassan.

This hardcover version was published by Dutton Juvenile in 2006, but the paperback is due for release in August 2008. Since it’s to be listed at $3.99, I suggest waiting until then to read it. What a bargain!

A final note: This is one of those YA books geared for adults too. I’m not the only one who enjoyed it; many of the rave reviews are from adults. I would have given it five stars, but in a few places it was not as smooth as it could have been.

Film rights to John Green’s Printz-award-winning first book, Looking For Alaska, were acquired by Paramount Pictures, with production in its early stages.

Reviewed by: Betty Dravis, 2008
author of: The Toonies Invade Silicon Valley

smart and funny
From third grade through his senior year of high school, Colin Singleton, child prodigy, has dated nineteen girls. All of them have been named Katherine (anagrammed in the rake; ie, her tank), and all of them have dumped him. Not for the same reasons, and not in the same way. Katherine XVIII dumped him in an email, for example. And K-19 dumped him immediately after graduation. Now, faced with a Katherine-less summer, Colin and his best friend, Hassan, decide to take a road trip. They are short-stopped in Gutshot, Tennessee, home to Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s grave, with a job offer. Since there are no Katherines in sight, only Lindseys and Katrinas, the two boys settle in for the summer to interview textile workers, and, in Colin’s case, come up with a mathematical formula for predicting the end result of a romantic relationship — his Eureka moment. Layered with fun and funky characters, anagrams, formulas, flashbacks, and footnotes, this complex yet easy-to-read novel is not only compelling, but one of the smartest novels I’ve read in a long time.

Girls, Math, and a Road Trip
An Abundance of Katherines is about many things: Heartbreak. Friends. Family. Math. Most importantly, it is about a young man who takes a road trip to find himself. The literal journey works well for the metaphorical one, of course, and is a familiar storytelling device. Author John Green has made it his own - or rather, Colin’s own.

Colin Singleton used to be a prodigy. Used to be, because now he’s a recent high school graduate, and what means “gifted prodigy” at age 2 means simply “smart” at age 18. Not only that, but his girlfriend Katherine just dumped him. In his lifetime, Colin has dated 19 girls named Katherine - never Kathy, never Catherine, always Katherine - and been dumped by every single one.

Stuck in that between-time, between boy and man, between high school and college, and positively heartbroken, he goes on a road trip with his best (and only) friend, the blunt and unabashed Hassan. They end up in Carver County, Tennessee, in a little place called Gutshot. There, they meet a kind girl named Lindsey Lee Wells, and her mother, who opens her home to the two boys.

Colin wants to have a Eureka moment, to make an amazing discovery. He also wants something more personal: to matter. When he vocalizes this, things change for him. He changes. This means that when his Eureka moment does occur, it signifies something other than what he predicted. And that’s a good thing.

The same can be said for this book. The book jacket summary and title may make readers initially assume that the story will detail each of Colin’s relationships in turn. Instead, they are anecdotes that he shares, stories that he tells, memories that he has. They don’t fuel the story; they fuel the character. In other words, this book moves beyond what readers expect to find, and impresses them and surprises them in new ways.

This is not unlike Lindsey Lee, the girl in Gutshot, the self-proclaimed chameleon who changes how she sounds and how she acts depending on who she is talking to at the time. She never wants to leave her small town, yet she seems more worldly than Colin. She acts tough and thinks she’s the opposite of Colin, but the characters learn that they have more in common than either of them could have imagined.

Fans of John Green’s Printz Award-winning novel Looking for Alaska will not be disappointed by his sophomore effort. Though the stories themselves are vastly different, with Abundance being much lighter in tone than Alaska, both novels boast intelligent writing and memorable characters.

An Abundance of Katherines is more than heartache and theorems. Colin asks if love is graphable, and he finds out that life is unpredictable. What really matters? How can a person matter? Whether or not your name is Katherine, pick up this book, and Colin will share his discoveries with you.

From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up–This novel is not as issue-oriented as Greens Looking for Alaska (Dutton, 2005), though it does challenge readers with its nod to postmodern structure. Right after intellectual child-prodigy Colin Singleton graduates from high school, his girlfriend (who, like the 18 young women and girls whom he claimed as girlfriends over the years, is named Katherine) breaks up with him and sends him into a total funk. His best friend, Hassan, determines that he can only be cured with a road trip. After some rather aimless driving, the two find themselves in Gutshot, TN, where locals persuade them to stay. There, Colin spends his spare time working on a mathematical theorem of love, hypothesizing that romantic relationships can be graphed and predicted. The narrative is self-consciously dorky, peppered with anagrams, trivia, and foreign-language bons mots and interrupted by footnotes that explain, translate, and expound upon the text in the form of asides. It is this type of mannered nerdiness that has the potential to both win over and alienate readers. As usual, Greens primary and secondary characters are given descriptive attention and are fully and humorously realized. While enjoyable, witty, and even charming, a book with an appendix that describes how the mathematical functions in the novel can be created and graphed is not for everybody. The readers who do embrace this book, however, will do so wholeheartedly.–Amy S. Pattee, Simmons College, Boston
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 9-12. Green follows his Printz-winning Looking for Alaska (2005) with another sharp, intelligent story, this one full of mathematical problems, historical references, word puzzles, and footnotes. Colin Singleton believes he is a washed-up child prodigy. A graduating valedictorian with a talent for creating anagrams, he fears he’ll never do anything to classify him as a genius. To make matters worse, he has just been dumped by his most recent girlfriend (all of them have been named Katherine), and he’s inconsolable. What better time for a road trip! He and his buddy Hassan load up the gray Olds (Satan’s Hearse) and leave Chicago. They make it as far as Gutshot, Tennessee, where they stop to tour the gravesite of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and meet a girl who isn’t named Katherine. It’s this girl, Lindsey, who helps Colin work on a mathematical theorem to predict the duration of romantic relationships. The laugh-out-loud humor ranges from delightfully sophomoric to subtly intellectual, and the boys’ sarcastic repartee will help readers navigate the slower parts of the story, which involve local history interviews. The idea behind the book is that everyone’s story counts, and what Colin’s contributes to the world, no matter how small it may seem to him, will, indeed, matter. An appendix explaining the complex math is “fantastic,” or as the anagrammatically inclined Green might have it, it’s enough to make “cats faint.” Cindy Dobrez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Fully fun, challengingly complex and entirely entertaining. — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Laugh-out-loud funny… coming-of-age American road trip that is at once a satire of and tribute to its many celebrated predecessors. — The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

Saved by Her Enemy: An Iraqi woman’s journey from the heart of war to the heartland of America Description:

For her entire life, Rafraf, a devout Muslim, had been told that Americans were the enemy. Her understanding of the world, of her place in it, and of the United States had been steeped in the culture of Iraq under the rule of Saddam Hussein. Yet, in the midst of insurgents attempting to kidnap and kill her, she found herself on the receiving end of lifesaving help from those she considered her enemies.Rafraf suddenly finds herself living with a Christian family in the Bible Belt of America. Nothing had prepared her for this new reality—the life of a college student in a vastly foreign culture, in a community as far from her expectations as she could have imagined, and in a family that opens their hearts to enfold her.Saved by Her Enemy is a riveting journey of two very different people from opposite sides of the world, of faith, of experience, and of expectations. The dramatic intersection of their lives and their journey together is an inspiration to those who have ever felt there was more to life than the world they knew. A young Iraqi woman, an American war correspondent, and a true tale of friendship, faith, and family against the backdrop of war and the collision of culturesThis is a story of a very unlikely friendship—between American war correspondent Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak, an Iraqi college girl who won a job as a translator for NBC during the early months of violence in the wake of the American invasion of Iraq.While covering a story together, the two were nearly killed by a bomb, an experience that created a bond between them that led them down a path neither could have imagined.What follows is a story of transformation, as Rafraf—from a devout Muslim family—becomes the target of terrorist threats to kidnap and murder her. Don and his fellow correspondents mobilize to help save her life and suddenly Rafraf finds herself on the receiving end of an offer for safety and a new life in the United States. Dramatically transplanted from the streets of Iraq to the Bible Belt of middle America, Rafraf finds everything that she knew—or thought she knew—about herself, her values, her world, even faith and family, turned upside down. Meanwhile, Don; his wife, Kiki; and their children discover they’ve embarked on an adventure with Rafraf that reshapes their lives. This captivating story inspires us all to join Don and Rafraf in discovering that there is far more to life than the world we know.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34771 in Books
• Published on: 2010-03-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 321 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781439159101
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding and Compelling Book! A Must Read!
I was fortunate enough to read a pre-released copy of this book. Authors Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak write a compelling and moving story that transcends all cultural and political boundaries. This book is important and timely to the world in which we are now living. The book made me cry and also laugh out loud as I was reminded that no matter who we are or where we are, we are called to love.

Janee Tomlinson

An Amazing and Uplifting Journey!
If you have been a viewer of network news over the past decade, you are more than likely familiar with the reporting of Don Teague ([…]). He is currently a correspondent for CBS News, and appears regularly on the `CBS Evening News with Katie Couric,’ `The Early Show,’ and `Sunday Morning’; prior to that network, he was employed by NBC, and appeared regularly on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (and Mr. Williams’ predecessor, Tom Brokaw), the Today Show, and NBC’s cable news network, MSNBC.

Don Teague is the coauthor, with Rafraf Barrak, of the new release, `Saved by Her Enemy: An Iraqi’s Woman’s Journey From the Heart of War to the Heartland of America.’ This interesting book tells the amazing story of Ms. Barrak, who was born in Baghdad, Iraq. She was the fifth child in a family that would grow to ten children. Rafraf’s interesting first name was bestowed upon her by her father. He found the word in the Koran; she would be named after one of Allah’s promises - the paradise to come. She was a student at Baghdad University until the time that the university had to be shut down (due to the war), then was employed by NBC as a translator. Mr. Teague worked with her when he was assigned as a war correspondent there in 2004. Ms. Barrak was raised as a Muslim, although she did have a rebellious streak (don’t we all?!).

Rafraf and Don developed a strong bond after they survived a bomb attack at a school in Baghdad on February 16, 2004. One of the bombs detonated; the one nearest them had a faulty detonator - sparing their lives.

Mr. Teague interprets the events of that day this way:

“I supposed it could have been luck, but to me the incident at the school had God’s fingerprints all over it. I believe he can and does intervene in human events. I don’t pretend to understand his timing or his ways, but I believe God allows some things for a purpose.
But what purpose? I thought to myself.” (p. 174)

As time went on, and Mr. Teague returned to the United States, the Iraqis who worked in concert with Americans were in danger on a more and more regular basis; it was a matter of vengeance to the insurgents. Don promised Rafraf that he would do what he could do to help Rafraf gain entry into the United States. She ultimately did arrive in the United States, and was welcomed into the Teague home as a member of their family by Don and his wife Kiki and their daughters, Rachael and Madison. They truly exemplified the love of Christ to this young Muslim woman who had been indoctrinated by the Iraqi culture to think of Americans as being evil and vengeful toward her people.

I found this book to be very well-written; it had a conversation tone to it. The parts which were written by Mr. Teague were in the first person; the sections written about Ms. Barrak were written in the third person. I came away from this book admiring both of these people. Don and his family lived out their faith, and Rafraf displayed an intelligence and confidence that were beyond expectation when you consider her background.

One paragraph that is particular poignant to me is this:

“We [Don and his wife, Kiki] both believe what we do on earth matters, but what’s most important is what happens next. Where does your soul go? For us the answer is accepting Jesus. He is the way to God and he paid a price we could never afford. He loved us so much that he came down to walk with us, show us love and mercy and demonstrated through the cross that he had victory over death and that he wanted us to be with him forever in heaven. All we had to do was believe and accept the gift.” (p.
279)

I was amazed and intrigued by this book for several reasons. For one thing, I was so happy to see that Don Teague, with his high profile, is so open about his faith in Jesus Christ. It is heartwarming to me that, in this postmodern age, he is willing to share his faith in such a public forum as this book. And I am grateful that Rafraf discovered the ultimate truth and love and salvation of Jesus Christ; His Holy Spirit met her right where she was! If we never have the opportunity to meet on this earth, I look forward to rejoicing with them in heaven! And I will continue to pray that they will be blessed in their endeavors to share their story.

This book was provided to me by Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., for review purposes.

Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea - […]

Amazing Page Turner with Action, Hope, and Love
This was an incredible book with unexpected turns on every page. I couldn’t put it down. If it weren’t for a busy week last week I would have finished it in a day! I highly recommend this (sometimes too) real picture of an iraqi’s perspective on America and the things that we as Americans could never understand!

I’m thankful and enlightened after reading this story. It left me wanting more!

I HIGHLY recommend this book!

About the Author
Don Teague is currently a correspondent for Early Show and CBS Evening News.  Prior to that, he served NBC News as a correspondent for NBC News as a correspondent and has covered a wide range of stories, from Hurricanes along the Gulf coast, to wildfires in Southern California, riots across France, and the war in Iraq. Teague won an Emmy Award for his reporting from New Orleans in the chaotic aftermath of hurricane Katrina. His contributions to NBC’s Katrina coverage also earned the prestigious Peabody and Edward R. Murrow awards. Teague has received other awards, including several national Emmy nominations, three Edward R. Murrow awards, two National Headliner awards, two regional Emmys, seventeen regional Emmy nominations, and several Associated Press Broadcasters awards.

Rafraf Barrak was born into a Shiite Muslim family in Baghdad, Iraq. As a student at Baghdad University, she had pursued a degree in English Literature until the University was closed due to war. Her knowledge of the city of Baghdad and her skills in English won her a job as a translator for NBC war correspondents. She is now a student in the United States and lives with the Teague family in Texas.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

PROLOGUE

EYE CONTACT

Ibrahim looked at me through the rearview mirror. We both expected a burst of gunfire to riddle the beat-up Suburban at any second, but it never came. Instead there was a moment of eerie silence as our SUV careened down the dirt road? trying to put as much distance between us and the school as possible. Our army convoy had left us to fend for ourselves; the protection of their turret-mounted machine guns was nowhere in sight.

How many were dead? We had no idea, but seconds before the explosion, the street had been filled with children. Now there was only chaos and rage. We were completely unable to defend ourselves, two SUVs carrying a half dozen frightened journalists and our British security adviser, Rupert.

Young Iraqi men lined the road, some running toward the still smoking aftermath of the blast, some watching us race away in stunned silence, others shouting and raising their fists in anger.

Rupert rode shotgun. His pistol would be worthless in the expected ambush. It never left his holster.

?They bombed the bloody school,? Rupert shouted into a handheld radio. ?Repeat! They bombed the school!?

There was no answer.

?Don?t slow down,? I told Ibrahim, ?no matter what.?

?Go!?

The Iraqi driver floored the accelerator.

The Suburban bounced and bucked as our makeshift convoy roared down the dirt road past the squatty concrete homes that dotted the landscape of western Baghdad. The residents knew enough to stay inside; the roads were empty save for a few stray dogs and goats.

Somewhere ahead was a left turn that would lead us to a busy road. The risk of ambush would be smaller if we could just make that road, but our chances of getting there seemed remote. We managed to put half a mile between the school and us, but none of us could relax. Not yet.

In recent weeks, insurgents had modified their tactics. No longer content with simply bombing foreigners, they had begun ambushing survivors with AK-47s as they tried to run. And we were running for our lives. Our unarmored vehicles would be no match for bullets, much less another bomb.

I turned and looked out the back window. The school was receding into the distance, the crowd outside still visible even through the dust cloud left hanging in the air by our racing convoy.

For the first time in the last?what had it been, three minutes??I caught my breath, the adrenaline replaced by a sudden wave of nausea. I recognized the feeling from the last time I was almost killed; it would pass. That?s when I noticed Ibrahim, looking at me in the rearview mirror. He was telling me something with his eyes.

I suddenly became acutely aware of Rafraf. She was sitting on my right, closest to the door. But she wasn?t sitting as much as lying down half across my body. She seemed tiny and frail, even wrapped in what was supposed to be my body armor. I could feel her body rise and fall with each breath. I could feel her tears on my arm.

And there was Ibrahim again, looking at me in the rearview mirror.

Rafraf was twenty-three years old. She should have been in school, but Baghdad University had been closed for more than a year. So instead of enjoying her last semester as a college student, Rafraf was putting her English skills to work doing the most dangerous job in the most dangerous city on earth. She was working as a translator for NBC News, which currently meant trying to survive the ride back to our hotel.

?What about all the children?? she asked, her voice barely above a whimper. ?There were children everywhere. Don?t they care??

?Maybe the children knew in advance,? I said. ?Maybe they had warning. I didn?t see any bodies.? It was the most I could offer, but I wasn?t convinced.

Rafraf sobbed, ?There were so many children.? I felt her body shudder.

I squeezed her hand, and for the first time realized I was holding her hand, my right arm draped around her for protection. I loosened my grip to allow her to sit up, but she didn?t move. I became aware of the scarf that covered her head and most of her face, aware, in fact, of all that meant.

Rafraf was a Muslim woman in a culture that demanded separation between men and women. In the weeks I had worked with Rafraf I had never actually touched her? not even a handshake. Now here I was with my arm wrapped around her body.

Ibrahim spoke little English, but in this case he didn?t have to. He had been sending me a message with his eyes? perhaps a warning: RAFRAF IS ONE OF US, NOT ONE OF YOU. DON?T TOUCH OUR WOMEN.

I gently nudged Rafraf back to her upright position and let her go.

?It?ll be okay,? I said weakly. But I knew it wouldn?t. I also knew deep down this wouldn?t be the last time I tried to save Rafraf.

? 2010 Don Teague

McGraw-Hill’s Conquering the ACT Math Description:

“WE WANT TO HELP YOU SUCCEED ON THE ACT* MATH SECTION If math is the hardest part of the ACT for you, we’re here to help. McGraw-Hill’s Conquering ACT Math has been specially designed and created by experienced ACT coaches. They’ll give you test-smart strategies for answering every kind of ACT math question. You’ll also get intensive practice with every question type to help you build your test-taking confidence. With McGraw-Hill’s Conquering ACT Math, you’ll have everything you need to get test-ready-and achieve your best ACT math score. Includes: 5 full-length practice ACT math tests with complete explanations. Hundreds of sample questions just like those on the real test. Strategies for answering every question type: factors, ratios, percents, powers, basic algebra, geometry, functions, probability, and more. Glossary of mathematics terms and formulas. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.”

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74179 in eBooks
• Published on: 2008-01-08
• Released on: 2008-01-08
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

Customer Reviews:

Love this book but a bit easy
I think this is a great book for ACT math prep. It has 5 practice tests that all seem well written. It breaks down the math section into major topics (pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, trig, etc), then covers specific types of problems within each major topic. There are mini-tests over each category too, which I think is really helpful. I’ve pretty much used the book cover to cover. I have found 2 errors though and it doesn’t cover every math topic you need to know for the test.

March 2010 update: I now think this book is a little too easy, especially for those looking for a top score (say, 30 and up). I still think it’s an ideal book for those looking for scores in the mid to maybe upper twenties (or below) though. The questions aren’t quite as hard as those in the recent official ACT preparation booklets, so I think the scaled scores from here would be a little inflated.

a great resource!
preparing for the ACT? this is a great book to get, as the math section of the test is where one can improve most by studying. the questions on the practice tests mirror those from real tests (from the official ACT guide) - yet the explanations are far superior to those in the official guide. they are concise, straightforward and easily understood - so much so that my son wished he had this book as a study guide for his math classes.

the glossary alone is worth the purchase price - as it highlights all the formulas one should know for the exam. the book also contains a section that covers the concepts the ACT will test - so one can quickly discover their weak areas and focus their efforts most productively. even after the exam, the book will retain its value as a quick and easy math reference.

if you buy only one prep guide - this is it. mcgraw-hill also offer a book with ten practice full tests, that i would recommend over the official guide that only contains three tests.

good luck to all test-takers!

Wonderful!
I purchased this book because math is my weakest subject on the act. I was scoring a 16 on the act test, I need a 20 for the promise scholarship in WV, it pays for your tuition. I just read some of the tips, and nothing else and it raised my score 1 point to a 17. Finally this summer I have used this book almost weekly, to get ready for the ACT test in September.

When I took the first diagnostic exam in the book it said an 16, I am on my second test and I received a 20! i am so excited because there is 3 mores tests to go and I think I will be able to raise it to maybe a 22, that way I feel like I can get at lest a 20 on the real test. In September I will tell you how it went.

Not only did I use it to practice fort the ACT but I also used it to practice for the COMPASS Math Test, I started with a 17 on the COMPASS, and raised it to a 44, I no longer would have to take a non credited math class in college. In my high school I need a 49 on the COMPASS test to taker College Algebra, I think with a little more practice I will get it before school starts.

I strongly suggest this book.

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Steven W. Dulan is the founder and president of Advantage Education, which offers live test prep classes at high schools and colleges as well as distance-learning programs over the Internet.

Frommer’s 24 Great Walks in Barcelona Description:

Discover Barcelona’s most colorfulneighborhoods—one step at a time.

Follow Frommer’s for an up-close and personal look at Barcelona’s most culturally rich areas, from famous places to lesser-known gems. Filled with color photos, easy-to-follow maps, clear route directions, and helpfulcommentary, this guide makes it easy to find your way around.

Let Frommer’s take you to:

• La Rambla, Barcelona’s most famous stroll, with its vibrant cafésand colorful flower standsa

• The Gothic Quarter and its intriguing maze of narrow streets andtiny squares

• The Picasso Museum, featuring thousands of works by the Spanish master

• The architecture of Gaudi, including his unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Família

• Montjuic, the stunning park with the best views of the city

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20848 in Books
• Published on: 2009-05-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780470453735
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews:

Great as a supplement, especially if you like to walk cities
I just returned fm Barcelona and brought 5 guidebooks (Fodors See It Barcelona, Frommers 24 Great Walks in Barcelona, Frommers Barcelona day by day, and Time Out Barcelona, and MapEasy Barcelona) because none of them really filled the one-stop-shop I was looking for.

This book was one of the best. It did exactly what it set out to do, which was a perfect guide to allow us to explore each area on foot. Each walk was accurate, and usually encompassed one of the sights we wanted to see, so it combined two items into one. Additionally, the recommended eating spots were pretty good too. The mini maps for each walk worked well once you figure out where the map is relative to everything else.

Some minuses were that the book needed a larger map to index the smaller ones. We sometimes found it difficult to align the mini walks with the larger maps. Plus, I also thought they should have put the Metro marks on the mini maps for each walk.

The bottom line is that this book was our go-to once we figured out what we wanted to do that day, then we looked up the walk associated with that sight and off we went. If Frommers put the best of both of their books together, it would be perfect.

My recommendation is that if you have only 3 or fewer days in BCN, get Frommers Barcelona Day by Day. If more, then also get the Frommers 24 walks, which we used quite a bit, but only as a supplement.

Here is my summary reviews

Frommers Barcelona day by day - 4*
See It Barcelona - 3*
Frommers 24 great walks in Barcelona - 5*
Time Out Barcelona - 2*
EasyMap Barcelona - 1*

No Turning Back A Witness to Mercy Description:

Many who know of Fr. Donald know him because of his conversion story. He has spoken of it at conferences, on television, radio, online, and wherever he can spread the message. This book finally captures in print how Divine Mercy, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, touched his life. In his own words, No Turning Back recounts Fr. Donald’s personal story of conversion after reading a book about Our Lady. Though today he is a devout Catholic Marian priest, Fr. Donald’s early years were no indication of what was to come. Before his conversion to Catholicism, he was a high school dropout who had been kicked out of a foreign country, institutionalized twice and thrown in jail multiple times. Discovering a book on Our Lady led to his conversion and ardent love of Mary and the Church.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3368 in Books
• Published on: 2010-01-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 262 pages

Customer Reviews:

I Was A Witness To His Mercy
My name is Donald Calloway, and I’m in the book. I’m in the book because I’m Father Calloway’s adoptive father who just happens to share Father’s first name, and not by accident either, I believe. Even though I’ve known Fr. Calloway since he was 8 years old, I can honestly tell you there are things in the book that were surprising even to me. Oh yes, his mother and I knew he was having trouble coping with a lot of things, things like our family’s frequent moves and his changes in schools, given that Fr. Calloway is the son of a retired military officer; but, we really didn’t have a sense of the depth of his waywardness. I can assure you all of the things you will read about in this book are factual. And, I should know because I lived it. As for my experience reading Father’s book, I will tell you it was an absolute page-turner from beginning to end. I simply couldn’t put it down. Father keeps the reader in suspense from chapter to chapter, wondering just what will happen next. From a spiritual perspective, Father Calloway’s book is certainly going to save many souls for Jesus Christ. If you have a son or a daughter who is experimenting with many of the evils of this secular world we live in, or they’re already caught up in these things and need help, this book can be your answer. You’ll just have to read the book to understand the how and the why. I recommend that you buy a copy of Fr. Calloway’s book and hide it under their pillow, or put it in their school backpack or in their car. You’ll understand that too when you read the book. If this book teaches you nothing else, it should prove to you that no child is a throw-away child, that is, a child whose parents and society have given up on them, because there is always hope and there is always mercy, God’s divine mercy. Father Calloway’s life was transformed through the infinite mercy of his loving heavenly Father, through his Son and His immaculate mother, Mary, who is the Mediatrix of all graces. May God bless you through Father Calloway’s compelling conversion story.

MUST READ!!!
Warfare - spiritual combat on full display - in one of the most striking personal narratives of our age. Because so many themes emerge in this story, they are more clearly grasped by topic: courage and tragedy, adventure and mishaps, drift and decisive action, surrender and triumph. Father Donald Calloway’s conversion from rebellious teen to Catholic Priest speaks to the heart in a style reminiscent of the great epic heroes of a past age, an age of Knights and Chivalry who pledge their lives to defend the honor of their Lady.

It is a sad fact that many of us rebel as teens, turning away from God in pursuit of one’s identity. The world with its MTV culture is all too willing to offer a fix for the itch of adolescence - drugs, the Grateful Dead, and promiscuity. There are occasions when the “normal” teenage rebellion amplifies into a self-wounding journey into darkness and despair. This fascinating and daring spiritual biography should be required reading for parents, teachers, and all teenagers because in its pages one finds a reflection of those interior struggles so prominent in our culture today. The glamour of hedonism, the lie of atheism, and rampant self-absorption collide with the saving truth of the Holy Gospel through the mediation of the Great Mother of God Mary Most Holy. The message of Divine Mercy soaks each page as the spiritual battle unfolds.

Catholics will discover a lasting treasure of conversion and redemption through Father Calloway’s riveting prose and a resource for evangelization and outreach to those who may be trapped in the damp chill of sin.

Above all, this is a story of heroic love that conquers the heart.

Bravo, Father Calloway, bravo!!!

Should be a movie!
I loved this book from start to finish, including the great cover shot. It’s well written and down to earth so it has the ability to draw the reader into every scene.
Fr. Calloway’s story gives people hope, especially those who have relatives who are lukewarm or fallen away.
It’s great to see a priest be a real man. I was happy to see the link that takes you to his website for information about his upcoming speaking events and more. […]

About the Author
As a priest in the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. Donald has completed advanced studies in Mariology and strives to share his own love of Mary. Currently Fr. Donald is the House Superior of the Marian House of Studies in Steubenville, OH, and Vocation Director for the Marians.

First Degree Description:

No one can separate defense attorney Andy Carpenter from his golden retriever, Tara, and she returns his affection, standing loyally beside him through every investigation, no matter how dangerous or puzzling-and he is about to be confronted with one of his most difficult cases yet.

When a cop’s body is found burned and decapitated, the last thing Andy expects is for a stranger to waltz into his office and admit to the crime. For the wisecracking millionaire attorney suffering from “lawyer’s block,” the case looks like a no-brainer, until the cops pick up another suspect: Andy’s lead P.I., Laurie Collins, who happens to be the love of his life. Soon Laurie’s case is looking bleak and Andy is becoming increasingly desperate. All he had wanted was a case to sink his teeth into. Now he gets one that’s a kick in the head . . . and the heart.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6091 in eBooks
• Published on: 2007-07-31
• Released on: 2007-07-31
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

Customer Reviews:

Don’t miss this fast & funny legal thriller
The Edgar Award nominee for his first novel, Open & Shut, has penned another winner. Andy Carpenter, loveable lawyer (no, that’s not an oxymoron,) is back and suffering from a severe case of “lawyer’s block.” When you’ve inherited $$$ million dollars, it takes away your incentive to represent any old criminal who walks through the door. But things change when a cop of questionable ethics is killed. The same cop, Alex Dorsey, that Andy’s lover, PI Laurie Collins, turned in when she was on the police force. Then a man strolls into Andy’s office, confesses, and asks Andy to represent him. Meanwhile the police have arrested someone else, someone Laurie is sure is innocent. One suspect after another fizzles out until Laurie becomes the chief suspect. Circumstantial evidence abounds, and Andy finally has a client he can get behind. It’s personal now and the stakes have never been higher as Andy has to find the real killer and exonerate Laurie. Somehow the laughs keep coming as tension mounts and the bodies pile up, no easy feat but a sure testament to Rosenfelt’s skill. This fast, funny read will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you wanting more.

Entertaining and well-paced…
I read too much and too often. I picked up this book and was not familiar with Rosenfelt’s previous work. I was hooked from the first page.

There are many detective books that rely on humor that often falls flat. This is not the case. Many times, as I read into the night, I found myself laughing out loud and then quickling stifling that laughter so as not to wake up my wife.

The lead character, Andy Carpenter, is engaging and enjoyable. You find yourself wanting him to meet up with different people to see how he reacts and what he is thinking about.

The plot is smooth, interesting and entertaining. It is also enjoyable to see how Carpenter is going to handle new evidence or how he is going to figure out the answers. I enjoy Evanovich’s books, but I find Rosenfelt’s plot, characters and situations to be even better. When you read this book, you will get good action, great lines and a good, albeit short, read. You will not be disappointed.

No Sophomore Jinx Here!
David Rosenfelt’s second novel, “First Degree”, pretty much picks up where his highly acclaimed and immensely enjoyable debut, “Open and Shut”, left off. Back is wise-cracking defense attorney Andy Carpenter, “Law-dromat” lawyer Kevin Randall, investigator/girlfriend Laurie Collins, and of course Tara, Carpenter’s golden retriever. Even Willie Miller, the death-row inmate Carpenter defends in his first book, is back starring in a mostly unnecessary sub-plot. But if you enjoyed “Open and Shut”, you’ll certainly find the pace, style, and settings of “First Degree” comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that reading “Open and Shut” is almost prerequisite, at least if you want to have any clue to the source Carpenter’s mysterious inheritance and the imprisonment of his Senator ex-father-in-law which are frequently referenced in the new story.

“First Degree” gets off to a fast start with the gruesome discovery of the headless and charred body of Alex Dorsey, a Patterson police lieutenant with a shady history. Shortly after the murder, a mysterious visitor shows up in Andy’s office, confesses to being Dorsey’s killer and, in the process, drops some clues regarding the murder that only those responsible for the crime would know. This leads to a series of events that ends in the arrest of Laurie Collins for the murder of Dorsey. Laurie indeed may have a motive: as a former Patterson cop, she blew the whistle on Dorsey’s unsavory activities, but was unsuccessful in making the charges stick. With Laurie now in the hot seat, Andy and Kevin team up again, defending her against what appears to be a carefully concocted frame job. What follows is some compelling courtroom drama, spiced Andy’s bizarre but now-legendary defense antics, paced with a satisfying blend of humor and cynicism. It is a well crafted who-dun-nit, with enough suspense and thrills to keep the pages turning. Like “Open and Shut”, this is fast reading, and the sheer adrenalin will keep many reading cover-to-cover in a single setting. My only real criticism of “First Degree” is the ending. The book could have ended very successfully on page 224. Instead, Rosenfelt adds another seven pages - I guess he felt the need for one more twist - that falls flat in a wholly unbelievable “second” climax that was not only unnecessary, but casts a pall over an otherwise terrific story. Nonetheless, Rosenfelt has avoided the sophomore jinx, and turned out another first-rate crime novel. I’ll look forward to his third, “Bury the Dead”, to be released in June.

From Publishers Weekly
Clever plot twists, deft legal maneuverings and keen wit boost Rosenfelt’s accomplished follow-up to his Edgar-nominated debut, Open and Shut (2002). Newly wealthy and no longer in need of cases to sustain his legal practice, Paterson, N.J., attorney Andy Carpenter is free to pick and choose his clients. The glib, amiable Andy certainly would not choose the character who comes into his office confessing to the grisly murder of corrupt police officer Alex Dorsey. The bad end of a bad cop has almost endless ramifications. After successfully dealing with one complication arising from this surprising visit, Andy is faced with an even worse one when his lover, PI Laurie Collins, winds up accused of Dorsey’s murder. As the net of overwhelming circumstantial evidence tightens around Laurie during the judicial process, every lead Andy and his team pursue seems to result in either a death or a dead end. The author adroitly maintains a fast pace while switching gears effortlessly between the courtroom and the investigation. As satisfying as the nuts and bolts of the case are, it’s the sheer likability of Andy and the odd assortment of his friends and staff that lifts the story from merely enjoyable to genuinely delightful. Rosenfelt should win a unanimous verdict: first-rate.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Readers who enjoyed Rosenfelt’s sparkling debut novel, Open and Shut [BKL My 1 02]–and that should include pretty much everyone who opened it–will be eagerly awaiting this second in the series starring New Jersey defense attorney Andy Carpenter. The $22 million Andy inherited from his father in the first book has helped make him extremely selective in choosing his clients. Here he insists–against the pleas of his lover, ex-cop Laurie Collins–on coming to the defense of the man who has been arrested for the murder of a notoriously corrupt cop. Matters grow considerably more complicated when Laurie herself is later charged with the crime. As before, Andy’s present-tense narration, peppered with self-deprecating humor and a rather large dose of cynicism, carries the story. This one might not quite equal its predecessor, but it’s very good, indeed, and it confirms that Rosenfelt will be a force in the legal-thriller world for a long time to come. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
“…smartly balances his hero’s…charm with a fast-paced plot, sophisticated courtroom techniques and…colorful sidekicks…” — New York Times Book Review, 6/8/03

Basic Butchering of Livestock And Game Description:

Have you ever been at a loss as to how to butcher your prize game? This is the book for anyone who hunts, farms, or buys large quantities of meat. Mettler takes the mystery out of slaughtering and butchering everything from beef and veal, to venison, pork, and lamb. Basic Butchering of Livestock & Game tell you everything you need to know: at what age to butcher an animal, how to kill, skin, slaughter, butcher and how to dress out game in the field, salting, smoking, and preserving as well as tools, equipment and set up are reviewed. This book doesn’t stop there. Also included are more than thirty recipes using all kinds of meat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture calls Mettler’s book “a must-have book for anyone who is slaughtering.”

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11880 in Books
• Published on: 1986-01-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780882663913
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews:

It’s all here
Put bluntly; killing and butchering animals is not a pleasant business. Anyone who has hunted or helped slaughter on a farm can attest to this. You just have to jump in and do it.
Ironically, or perhaps most fittingly, this book was written by a veterinarian. I had a couple of chuckles about that fact.
This is a very “how to” book, so is really not meant to be casually read. The information provided is practical and well presented to make the process easier.
The author handles what some may consider a sensitive subject with honesty and straight-forward thinking. He also provides numerous tips and how-tos when it comes to handling and butchering several different kinds of animals.
While every hunter may not need this book, it sure provides a lot of help and suggestions. If you are going to be butchering a wide variety of animals (pigs, cows, deer, etc.), this is definitely the book for you.

Very beneficial for the self suficiency minded person!
It helped me expand my knowlege of butchering wild game, namely venison! I could recommend this to the somewhat seasoned butcher as well as the novice! He also included some great idea’s I can’t wait to try for preserving different meats! My only complaint would be that the author did not explain the different quality of the cuts of meat(ie. tenderness) as well on the wild game as he did with the domestic animals. However, overall this book is well worth the cost and should be in any self-suficiency minded person’s library!

Where is the button for 10 stars?
Every now and then you come across a book which is right on the spot. It’s written by someone who is willing and capable to share his/her wealth of knowledge in a CLEAR way. This is one of those few books. From beef to rabbit, from pork to deer it teaches how to butcher. I read it a few times, I bought a whole lamb (with hide and guts) and I butchered it. I wouldn’t say I made a work of art but all the cuts are there: back legs roasts. racks, riblets, roasts, trimmings. Don’t expect instruction on fancy cuts: it’s not the purpose of this book. The need of a power saw is slightly understated, though. If you butcher a large animal and you are not Hulk-sized, you may want to get one … Absolutely recommended.

Review
“Provides clear, concise, and step-by-step information for people who want to slaughter their own meat.” — Mother Earth News

From the Publisher
An Outdoor Life Book Club Selection

From the Back Cover
This is the book for anyone who hunts, farms, or buys large quantities of meat. The author takes the mystery out of slaughtering and butchering everything from beef and veal, to venison, pork, and lamb. The text is clear and easy-to-follow. Combined with 130 detailed illustrations by Elayne Sears, the reader is provided with complete, step-by-step instructions.

Here is everything you need to know:
— At what age to butcher an animal
— How to kill, skin, slaughter, and butcher
— How to dress out game in a field
— Salting, smoking, and preserving
— Tools, equipment, the setup
— More than thirty recipes using all kinds of meat