Customer Reviews:
Get the whole series.......2007-05-07
Each Llewellen book has a cool introduction about the history of the holiday. I recommend all the sabbat books in this series - - they have a lot more information than in any individual sabbat book.
Raven Grimassi explains it all.......2007-05-05
May brings thoughts of celebration and embracing the power of nature. Many cultures today continue to hold May Day festivals that include a Maypole. We see it as a symbol of spring, but what does this tradition mean? Where did it originate and what is the purpose? Raven Grimassi explains it all, and so much more in Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore & Celebration.
Today's society is one that often shies away from coexisting with nature. Many are not even aware of the glory mid spring, blooming in its entire splendor, because they work in offices all day, or dwell in cities where little is seen of the signs. As a whole, we have gotten off track from our synchronicity with nature, and we can all benefit from trying to remedy this.
May Day celebrations, today, are a way of putting that honor for Mother Nature back into our lives. But it all began in ancient fertility festivals. May Day has a wonderfully rich history and this book explains it all, from the Maypole to the Beltane fire. So who were these festivals for, originally? In honor of many! The Green Man, a symbol of life, fertility and growth, is just one of the many spirits of May that are brought into the light here.
A spring evening bonfire wouldn't be complete without stories of little people, and Raven shares many for you to pass on. Hikes through ever greening forests just wouldn't be the same if we didn't imagine the faeries peeking from behind woodland blooms. The warmer weather turns our thoughts to Mother Nature's helpers, since ancient times. Here you will find many stories and legends that are delightful to read and reflect on. For those with green thumbs, the book includes lists of flowers and their meanings, trees and their associations to faeries and plants associated with goddesses. You will be well learned in the meanings behind your greenery and will be able to plant special gardens that are rich with lore.
What festival or even a quiet celebration would be complete without spells and recipes to try? Attracting love in spring is a tradition we cannot deny. "In the spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love," Tennyson tells us. Why not try it? A serenity spell might be just what is needed to face final exams. Recipes for custard and May wine are just the things to begin your own personal celebration. If you are new to the old rituals, complete instructions are provided to help you honor Mother Nature, either on your own or in a group, even including directions for decorations.
Beltane, or May Day, is celebrated around the world. There are many traditions to choose from. However you celebrate, Raven Grimassi's book can help you understand and enjoy the holiday, and embrace the warmer weather that everyone welcomes.
Traditions!.......2007-03-29
Raven Grimassi is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. He writes about many traditions and will show similarities to help you understand where and how these traditions began. Whether you're just researching or Wiccan, I would recommend this and any of this author's books. Yet another to add to your library.
Not best of the Llewellyn Holy Days Series.......2007-03-17
I have really enjoyed the other Llewellyn series books that I have read thus far. Unfortunately, I can not include this one in that group. I was really disappointed. The writer spent the first half of the book constantly repeating what he'd written in the sentence, paragraph, or page just before. He also spent way to much time going into discussions that would better be suited to an historical(only)study on the subject.
Very little of this book actually dealt with the Beltane/May Day holy day. The writer also spent a lot of time writing about the 'supposed' sacrifices, evils, etc. done by ancient pagans - something that took me by surprise, as Raven is actively involved in the Wiccan Ways.
I like Grimassi, no matter what he writes about.......2006-01-29
Grimassi usually tackles a much broader scope of subject matter and by limiting himself to Beltane he has undertaken a task that might seem outside his usual habits. But he pulls it off with good writing and capable research. By limiting himself to specifics of the Sabbat he is forced to narrow his focus more than is his wont, but what he does write about, he writes about well and thoroughly. To be honest, the entire Llewellyn Sabbat series has seemed kind of light-handed, so I can't call this Grimassi's finest hour, but it's still quite good for the kind of book it is.
Book Description
Spend a day with social workers in 54 different settings, and learn about the many career paths available to you. Did you ever wish you could tag along with a professional in your chosen field, just for a day, observing his or her every move? DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS allows you to take a firsthand, close-up look at the real-life days of 54 professional social workers as they share their stories. Join them on their journeys, and learn about the rewards and challenges they face.
Here are some of the social work practice settings and roles you will read about:
community and inpatient mental health
inner-city and rural schools
prisons
private practice
HIV/AIDS
hospitals
the military
hospice
public child welfare
community organizing
summer camps
international settings
youth centers
managed care
public policy
...and many more.
This book is an essential guide for anyone who wants an inside look at the social work profession. Whether you are a social work student, an experienced professional wishing to make a change in career direction, or just thinking about going into the field, you will learn valuable lessons from the experiences described in DAYS IN THE LIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS.
Customer Reviews:
not bad at all.......2007-09-24
I thought it was filled with useful information, considering the different fields described in each chapter. PERSONALLY, I would have liked to see even more examples, but if you're leaning towards the medical field in social work, I think this is a great way to get an idea as to what you will be dealing with.
I would recommend the book to anyone since it's always good to understand how varied the field of social work can be.
Absolute must read........2007-09-11
Days in the Lives of Social Workers: 54 Professionals Tell"Real-life" Stories From Social Work Practice is an absolutely must read for unexperienced social workers as for experienced social workers.
This book provides the unexperienced social worker with the duties and responsibilities that are expected of you in your chosen field of practice,as well as in other areas. It also provides the opportunity for you to judge for yourself whether you are performing duties that are expected of you in your specific practice, and allows you to compare what you are being asked to do, with what others are doing in the same practice area . Moreover, you will feel motivated to join with other associations, and to volunteer your services as a means for professional growth as you read how other social workers manage to include these activities in their days.
For the experienced social worker that might be considering changing from one specialty practice to another, this book will provide a feel for what you may encounter in your new social work job.
Insightful.......2007-08-08
If you are looking for a book that gives you information about the various specialties in the social work profession, then this is a very good start. I was looking for that and now I have a much clearer view of what areas I may want to study and eventually work.
Very Helpful.......2007-05-12
If you are thinking of pursuing a social work career, this is a VERY helpful book. REAL stories about what the jobs are like - and what jobs there are in social work. Reads very easily. Best book on the subject I have found so far.
My Students Love This Book.......2007-04-11
What do social workers do? Read this book. An excellent idea - my students love it. Highly recommended.
Book Description
The most recent advances in biblical, archaeological, and topographical scholarship have been incorporated into this long-respected work, bringing it up to date and making it essential for all students of biblical history.
Customer Reviews:
If you want to tour in the Bible, choose it!.......2007-01-03
No more explain about it!
See and Enjoy~
Oxford Bible Atlas.......2001-03-26
The Oxford Bible Atlas, edited by Herbert G. May, is a detailed, extremely useful book that will heighten anyone's general understanding of biblical geography. It contains more than maps as it delves into the history behind the maps, and the archaeology behind the history. It cites biblical sources but also cites apocryphal books unfamiliar to most Protestant readers. The end result is a colorful, informative work that helps place both Old and New testaments into perspective.
The book is divided into three sections, the first introducing the ancient world, then the several maps, and concluding with an archaeological overview. Part one blends seemingly incompatible topics of biblical and geologic history. It includes biblical and secular accounts of ancient history. The atlas does not attempt to expound too greatly on the "Holy Land" as being somehow superior in importance. In fact the Holy Land occupies an important crossroads between east and west more so than it stands as a regional religious center of its own merit. Those who held power such as David, Herod, or even Pontius Pilate were rarely more than a regional or even local rulers who paled in stature when compared to Alexander or any of the Roman Emperors.
The map section covers most of the primary locations mentioned in the Bible, and illustrates the vastness of the biblical lands. Many maps retain ancient place names, though the primary focus is on the Near East. There are some areas not covered, such as the city of Tarshish, Jonah's destination when he attempted to flee from his responsibilities, and the route of the Exodus does not take them across either the Red Sea, or either the modern Gulf of Suez or Gulf of Aqaba. But these apparent omissions do little to detract from the overall effectiveness of the maps.
The final section is akin to a primer on biblical archaeology. It introduces Carbon 14 dating, how a site is developed, and a brief history of archaeological efforts in the region. It shows how cultures are understood by what has survived through the ages, and helps fill gaps when written records are not available.
The end result is a very informative atlas that readers of many different backgrounds will appreciate.
Amazon.com
In his six-volume history of World War II, Winston Churchill deemed the year 1942 as "the hinge of fate," the year in which the German and Japanese armies began to be turned back. John Lukacs suggests that the last days of May 1940 were more important still in turning the tide of war in democracy's favor, for it was in those few days that Churchill convinced his cabinet that Britain should fight on, alone, if need be, against Adolf Hitler's regime. Even as a quarter of a million British troops were being evacuated from Dunkirk, Churchill struggled to reverse the British government's policy of appeasement. In this, he faced opposition from several quarters, including prominent figures within his own Conservative Party. Writing with evident admiration for Churchill--who, he points out, was not well liked, and who had been prime minister for only two weeks when war broke out--Lukacs gives his readers a fly-on-the-wall view of the heated conferences between such well-known participants as Harold Nicholson, Lord Halifax, Neville Chamberlain, and Alexander Cadogan.
"Churchill understood something that not many people understand even now," Lukacs writes in the closing pages of his book. "The greatest threat to Western civilization was not Communism. It was National Socialism. The greatest and most dynamic power in the world was not Soviet Russia. It was the Third Reich of Germany. The greatest revolutionary of the twentieth century was not Lenin or Stalin. It was Hitler." By convincing his government that his view was correct, Churchill afforded Western civilization a slim chance at survival--no small achievement, and one well worth honoring with this fine study. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
The days from May 24 to May 28, 1940, altered the course of the history of this century, as the members of the British War Cabinet debated whether to negotiate with Hitler or to continue the war. The decisive importance of these five days is the focus of John Lukacs's magisterial new book.
Customer Reviews:
It's caviar........2007-09-18
Several reviewers here don't appreciate scholarly writing. Lukacs (and his editor) didn't adulterate concise prose to produce a coffee table book. There are no fictions here; its conclusions are based on carefully and voluminously researched facts. Lukacs HAD to include concrete historical reference; his argument would have been incomplete without it, his conclusions unconvincing.
Yes, he's old fashioned, even Edwardian; he takes care to say only what he knows and nothing more. Yes, the form he insists on for each chapter erects a scaffold that detracts from his aedifice and might better have been removed after construction. His distinction between sentiment and opinion adds little to his argument. But his conclusion is unassailable and as formidable as a Roman arena. If he writes like a scholar, he is one. Those who object should remember that each of us is entitled to one's own style. To hold otherwise is to telegraph envy or confess to low standards.
He might well be the best living historian, for he's a master of his discipline. What he has done here is to write concisely about events that are exhaustively researched and confer new significance. That is what historians are supposed to do. He knows what he's talking about, and, when you finish reading, you know, too.
Wonderfully conveys the intensity of the situation.......2007-08-05
I bought this book some years ago and have read it twice, gripped both times by the situation Churchill and the UK were in, and by Lukacs' skillful writing. Lukacs succeeded in communicating the intensity of the situation whilst not being portentous. I came back to the book because of Ian Kershaw's latest book which includes as its first issue the same decision: whether or not to seek terms from the Hitler through Mussolini's mediation. I shall be intrigued to see if Kershaw can add anything to Lukacs' account.
John Lukacs is a unique intellect.......2007-03-20
A fascinating 'microscopic history' of larger-than-life personalities - Hitler and Churchill. The book gives the reader a real understanding of these few days where the world was held in the balance. A must-read for anyone more than casually interested in WWII.
Churchill, Halifax and Britain's Fate.......2006-12-31
Hardly anyone remembers the Earl of Halifax, but he had more support among Tory MPs in 1940 than Churchill did, and he probably could have become Prime Minister after Neville Chamberlain resigned. Halifax believed that some settlement between Britain and Germany was possible that would allow Britain to preserve its independence. Churchill knew that this was a dangerous illusion.
That's the central conflict of this book: How Churchill, the new PM, won out in the War Cabinet over Halifax, the Foreign Secretary, and brought the politicians and then the public around to the view that Britain could resist Nazism and fight for its independence. Churchill's leadership was far from preordained, and Lukacs shows how he established it.
His writing is superb, and his thinking is sharp. Even when I was unconvinced by one of his points, I found it worth thinking about. And he is excellent in establishing the atmosphere of May 1940, when Britain's future was darker than ever before or since. It's very hard for a historian to get away from presentism, the sense that what came to pass was inevitable, but Lukacs manages it well.
This is the best kind of popular history.
Great subject, lousy book.......2006-11-04
This book was a big disappointment. It's premise is that the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax was willing to consider a negotiated settlement with Hitler while Churchill thought that even consideration of a settlement would be the beginning of a "slippery slope" leading to conditional surrender. So far so good, but Lukacs tells the story with no drama and liberally pads it with boilerplate descriptions of the course of the Second World War in the first half of 1940. I suspect he lifted these from his other published works. The book just doesn't have enough original content to be worth reading.
Average customer rating:
- So much fun!
- My child loved this book and I did too!
- Hurray for Mayday!
|
On The Morn Of Mayfest
Erica Silverman
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book
 Humorous
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Early Reader
| Series
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
| A-Z Mysteries
| All Aboard Reading
| Amanda Pig
| Amelia Bedelia
| Andrew Lost
| Babar
| Berenstain Bears
| Bob Books
| Brand New Readers
| Clifford
| Dorling Kindersley Readers
| Dr. Seuss
| Early Step into Reading
| Elvis the Rooster
| Encyclopedia Brown
| Ernestine & Amanda
| Festival Readers
| First Stepping Stone Books
| Frances
| Frog and Toad
| George and Martha
| Green Light Readers
| Hello Reader
| High-Rise Private Eyes
| I Can Read Books
| I Spy
| Junie B. Jones
| Let's Read and Find Out Science
| Little Bill Books
| Little Critter
| Little Toot
| Magic Elements
| Magic School Bus
| Magic Tree House
| Marvin Redpost
| Max
| Minnie and Moo
| Nate the Great
| Puffin Easy-to-Read
| Ready For Chapters
| Real Kids Readers
| Rugrats
| Scooby Doo Readers
| Shredderman
| The Littles First Readers
| Viking Easy-to-Read
| Winnie-the-Pooh First Reader
| Young Cam Jansen Mysteries
Picture Books
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| General
| Animals
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0689806744 |
Amazon.com
"This is the lass / with hair like a nest / who walked in her sleep / on the morn of Mayfest." So begins the playful cumulative rhyme that propels this jaunty picture book to its celebratory conclusion--a spontaneous Mayfest parade! The dove flies after the lass (with hair like a nest), a huntsman fixes on the dove, a mouse frightens the huntsman, a cat chases the mouse... and so on. As the chain of events grows increasingly chaotic, so do Marla Frazee's splendid, detail-rich illustrations. At one point, with children and monkeys and jugglers and laundresses and sheepdogs and cats and mice, the page virtually explodes with life and color. At last, the sleepwalking lass awakes to announce that she is the Queen of May and invites the crowd to dance, frolic, play, make merry, and jest. From "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" to "The House that Jack Built," children revel in the rhythm and repetition of cumulative rhymes, and Frazee's wonderful illustrations make Erica Silverman's silly, snowballing story fun and easy to follow. On the Morn of Mayfest is best read aloud, as kids will love tracking the girl and the dove through their madcap May Day romp. (Ages 5 and older) --Karin Snelson
Customer Reviews:
So much fun!.......2003-03-08
This book is a joy to read. The text is light and airy and has a melodic sing-song quality. The pictures are so silly and fun, yet very detailed and beautiful. I love how the little girl wakes up and I love all the animals and people who join her on her impromptu May Day parade. This is a great spring-time or any-time book and I recommend it highly!
My child loved this book and I did too!.......2002-01-26
We borrowed this from the library and came to Amazon.com to buy it. My daughter (4) loved this book! She is in the early stages of learning to read, and has memorized the series of rhyme, puts words to the pictures and loves the story. The pictures are great and it is a fun book for parents to share with their children. I love this book almost as much as she does and I don't tire of reading it over and over.
Hurray for Mayday!.......1998-11-04
This was a delightful Mayday romp, with bright pictures and a lilting add-on story-rhyme. After I was done, I wanted Mayday to be today!
Book Description
Minneapolitan Mira James has been taking it easy since college graduation - too easy. Due to a dead-end job and a cheating boyfriend, the Twin Cities have lost their charm, and Mira decides to begin a new life in rural Battle Lake. Right away she is offered jobs as an assistant librarian and part-time reporter, and falls into an unexpected romance with a guy who seems to be the perfect man - until he turns up dead between the reference stacks her tenth day on the job.
Anxious to learn more about the man who had briefly stolen her heart, Mira delves into the hidden mysteries of Battle Lake, including a old land deed with ancient Ojibwe secrets, an obscure octogenarian crowd with freaky social lives, and a handful of thirtysomething high school buddies who hold bitter, decades-old grudges. Mira soon discovers that unknown dangers are concealed under the polite exterior of this quirky small town, and revenge is a tator-tot hotdish best served cold.
A hip, humorous, and gripping account of small-town murder, this novel is the first in a series of cozies featuring Mira James, an urban woman with rural Minnesota roots.
Customer Reviews:
A Wild and Fun Read.......2007-08-06
Mira James is a vulnerable and scarred gal on the run from her emotions. She winds up living in a friend's trailer in the very small town of Battle Lake, Minnesota, where she works as an assistant librarian and part-time journalist. But suddenly there is hope in Mira's life in the form of Jeff Wilson, a young man who is as wonderful as she thinks he might be, except that he winds up dead, throwing Mira into high gear to find out what happened to her maybe Prince Charming.
The real treat in this book is the wild and edgy ride the reader is given in the quirky head of Mira herself. Jess Lourey definitely has a way with colorful words and colorful characters. It's like finding multiple prizes in a box of Cracker Jacks.
Murder By Month Mystery Review.......2007-01-09
This was a very good book. It did start off a little slow for my taste. To be honest i didn't think i would read the next one. But the further i got into the book the better it was. The ending was great. I already have the second one (june bug) on my wish list. It isn't a hard core mystery but it is a good light hearted mystery. With some very interesting characters.
may day.......2006-12-18
I think this is a great mystery, and it's filled with more substance and better writing than most books in this genre. The book is short on dialogue, which annoyed me, but that's just a personal preference. One thing that really bothered me was the character of Keenie. She was supposed to have a Southern accent, but the author got it all wrong. I could barely discern what she was saying at times. By the way, y'all is not a 2nd person, singular pronoun. It's used in the plural sense, but I think the author may have been a bit confused on that matter. Alas, the book is set in MN, so what can I say?
But this is really a great mystery slash chick lit book, and I'm sure I'll read the second in the series.
Not your Momma's Minnesota Murder Mystery.......2006-05-02
This is not your Momma's kind of cozy murder mystery. Murder in Minnesota in May Day is more risque (in language, thought & deed) than that to which we are acccustomed in the genre but it's still a Minnesota nice kind of small town caper. Locals will like it more than those from "away." /TundaVision, Amazon Reviewer
Smart and laught out loud funny!!.......2006-03-22
Excellent read, smart, funny, witty. I was so sad for it to be over when I finished reading this book and can't wait for June Bug!
Average customer rating:
|
TWENTY-FIVE DAYS: The Rescue of the BEF from Dunkirk 10 May - 3 June 1940
John Masefield
Manufacturer: Pen and Sword
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
| Albania
| Ancient
| Andorra
| Austria
| Belgium
| Bosnia and Herzegovina
| Bulgaria
| Central Europe
| Croatia
| Cyprus
| Czech Republic
| Denmark
| Eastern
| Eastern Europe
| England
| Estonia
| Finland
| Former Soviet Republics & Siberia
| France
| General
| Germany
| Greece
| Hungary
| Iceland
| Ireland
| Italy
| Latvia
| Liechtenstein
| Lithuania
| Luxembourg
| Macedonia
| Malta
| Moldova
| Monaco
| Netherlands
| Norway
| Poland
| Portugal
| Romania
| Russia
| San Marino
| Scandinavia
| Scotland
| Serbia
| Slovakia
| Slovenia
| Spain
| Sweden
| Switzerland
| Ukraine
| Vatican
| Wales
| Western
| Yugoslavia
General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Naval
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World War II
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Naval
| World War II
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1844150372 |
Book Description
Very shortly after the miraculous rescue of the bulk of the British Expeditionary Force in late May/early June 1940, the Poet Laureate John Masefield wrote his account and impressions of the historic events. Twenty-Five Days was acclaimed as both an outstanding historic record and yet a very personal recollection by a great writer and records the extraordinary events of the 25 days between 10 May and 3 June.
Pen and Sword Books are proud to be giving this splendid book a new lease of life.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful portrait of the Land and People of Ireland.......1999-09-15
If you like anything and everything about Ireland, this book is an excellant addition to your collection. In the tradition of "Day in the Life of ...." books, this book is is a beautiful photographic montage of a culture and a people that has fascinated the world for centuries. You open the book to dawn of May 17, 1991 and enter the daily world of the lives of rural and city people throughout Ireland. Of parents getting ready for the workday, trying to get their kids off to school and the day off to a good start. The book travels through the day from dawn to dusk, unfolding the world of the Irish people and showing the Universal common thread of people around the world trying to live their lives and do an honest day's work. This book is a beautiful montage of color, humor and life and makes a excellant addition to the "Day in the Life..." books that been published in the past decade. Also a side note: The same time the publishers were organizing and executing the book, they also documented the work with a filmed documentary of the "Day in the Life of Ireland" for PBS. If you find a copy of this video, it will make a great companion to the book. You will take a great voyage as you journey through the book. Bon Voyage and Slainte!
Amazon.com
Cathy was the lively one--the bleached-blonde star of the nurses' aides' lunchroom--the one who enjoyed scripting an ever-changing soap opera from the lives of the nursing-home staff. Gwen was the pug-nosed newcomer with a little girl's dependency and desire to please: she doted on Cathy, and was honored to be chosen as her lover. They turned a respected Michigan nursing home into their playground for frivolous games and practical jokes. Then Cathy got worried that Gwen was cheating on her, so she suggested a love pact that would bind them together "forever and five days." Gwen carried out her wishes, and smothered five patients in their beds. It's a story with a large cast of characters--the employees of the nursing home, the individual patients and their loving families, the outsiders who wondered and worried. Lowell Cauffiel does a good job of letting us into their lives, and into the world of make-believe that allowed these murders to go unnoticed for so long.
Customer Reviews:
Now I'll just have to buy it.......2007-03-05
With all the bad reviews and remarks about the grammar and typos... I'll have to go buy the book now. The ones who are putting the book down because of the typos etc., come on.... you still understood what Mr. cauffiel was saying right? These comments make the person want to buy the book to see what the hype is all about. Great job bad reviewers... more sales for Mr. Cauffiel.
Keeps the Reader in Suspense.......2006-11-16
Although it is clear from the start that the two women are responsible for the murders of the nursing home patients, the author does keep back some details until the end. The shifting accounts from witnesses and interviews opens new thinking as the tale unfolds.
I had to really mentally shift gears at the end once all the details were laid out and even then I'm glad I wasn't on the jury.
Some of the incidents cropped up over and over, but I began to realize the different points of views given to each retelling. Sifting out what was real, what was staged, and who was covering for someone makes it a really complex case.
True crime readers will find it worth wading through.
I should know I was there........2005-11-23
Catherine Carpenter, that is how I know Cathy Wood. I know her personally because you see, I am the Debbie/David of her imagination. I am Debbie. Not David. I can tell you from experience, Catherine May Carpenter-Wood probably did the killings herself. One day while driving along in my car, she asked me if I ever wondered what it would feel like to stab someone, and that she wondered how it would feel as the knife cut into their skin. This gave me the creeps and after I dropped her off at her house, I never went back nor saw her again. She knew I was gay, she knew I was a girl and not a boy. I was out of the closet to my parents at the age of 13 and everyone that knew me knew I was gay. Lowell Caufield said in his documentary that he believed that Cathy made up a lot of things to cover up the fact that she was gay. He is right. She covered up the fact of my being a girl to her friends and family so that she would not be further mocked. Being a heavy girl, she got a lot of razzing from others. On my 28th birthday, my girlfriend and I were at the carousel bar. A drink was sent over to my table with a note on it saying "Remember me, Cathy". Of course I had no idea who it was from, it had been so many years later. Soon a large figure stepped in front of me as I was making my way up to the dance floor and it was her. I was in shock to say the least but she was smiling at me with that snear grin of hers as if to say Uh huh its me. She invited my girlfriend and I to her house and gave us directions. She said it was for an after the bar party. I didnt really want to go but my girlfriend said why not and maybe it would wake her up a little bit to be around others. We had to drive back home which was 85 miles north. When my girlfriend and I arrived, there wasnt anyone at home but Cathy herself. She led me down to her basement to "show me photos of her daughter". I believe that if it werent for the fact that I praised and showed admiration over her beautiful little daughter, I would have died in that basement with my girlfriend tired and sleeping out in our car. Gwen entered the house just as I was leaving. She was obviously drunk. She shot grim looks at Cathy and tossed her head in my direction. I saw Cathy shrug her shoulders and I as I looked back on that moment for years I knew that there was something that was suppose to happen in that house that night. I summed all of the nights events up to one thing. 1. No one was there but Cathy when we arrived. 2. Cathy led me to the basement to show me photos of her child. 3. The look that Gwen gave Cathy when she realized that I was still there or rather still alive. 4. The creeped out feeling I had the whole way home and conversed with my sleepy girlfriend about it in the car on the way back. I believe they conspired to kill me that night along with my girlfriend. I also believe that my girlfriend staying in the car to sleep was one part of the deal they hadnt counted on. I consider myself lucky to be alive. After hearing about their arrests on the news almost 4 months later, I knew in my heart that all my feelings about that night were real. Cathy is a brilliant, manipulative mind playing person and I believe that Gwen Graham and her should have switched places as far as sentencing. I dont believe that Gwen is Innocent but I believe with all my heart and soul that Catherine Wood is responsible for more than one of the deaths at Alpine Manor Nursing Home. The mind games she played were only a part of Catherine Wood. She also liked to play with people's lives by making up things about them to see the outcome of it all. I am hoping that the parole board sees through Cathy and decides to let her ride out the 40 years instead of parolling her this year. I can see the lies pour out as I watch her on the documentary. Only those of us who knew Cathy in person could actually tell when she was lying and when she was telling the truth. She tries to look you in the eyes when she speaks to you hoping that you will believe her. She told me that once a long time ago about lying to her parents. I hope that Cathy stays in therepy after her release for the sake of her child, and her family as well as herself. I feel for the families of all her victims. Coincedentally I worked at Alpine Manor for a day in 1984. I was horrified because I saw first hand some abuse that was going on and I immediately quit, but it was nothing as horrific as what these two women carried out. I could say more about this woman and tell you a lot of stories about how as a teenager she manipulated her friends and family, but I'll save it for my novel. Thank you Mr. Caufield for mentioning my telephone call to Ken Kolker in your book. I hope you will write a follow up book about all the mind games Catherine Wood has been playing while in prison. I'm sure she has and it would fill another book.
To the reviewer.......2005-04-27
This book was wonderful! To the reviewer from Australia that was turned off by the book's (grammer) that would be grammar!
Keeps the reader in suspense.......2004-08-04
Although it is clear from the start that the two women are responsible for the murders of the nursing home patients, the author does keep back some details until the end. The shifting accounts from witnesses and interviews opens new thinking as the tale unfolds.
I had to really mentally shift gears at the end once all the details were laid out and even then I'm glad I wasn't on the jury.
Some of the incidents cropped up over and over, but I began to realize the different points of views given to each retelling. Sifting out what was real, what was staged, and who was covering for someone makes it a really complex case.
True crime readers will find it worth wading through.
Books:
- Bitter Harvest : A Chef's Perspective on the Hidden Danger in the Foods We Eat and What You Can Do About It
- Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
- Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors at the Playboy Mansion
- C'est La Vie: An American Woman Begins a New Life in Paris and--Voila!--Becomes Almost French
- Cemetery Stories: Haunted Graveyards, Embalming Secrets, and the Life of a Corpse After Death
- Close Your Eyes (New York Times Best Illustrated Books (Awards))
- Cocktails In Tahiti
- Conviction: A Novel
- Coping with Prednisone (and Other Cortisone-Related Medicines): It May Work Miracles, but How Do You Handle the Side Effects?
- Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1950s: The Killer Inside Me / The Talented Mr. Ripley / Pick-up / Down There / The Real Cool Killers (Library of America)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Managing Assertively: How to Improve Your People Skills: A Self-Teaching Guide, 2nd Edition
- Finding Fish: A Memoir
- Builder's Guide to Accounting
- Chilton's Repair and Tune-Up Guide: Barracuda and Challenger, 1965-1972
- Enterprise Integration Patterns: Designing, Building, and Deploying Messaging Solutions
- Fear No Evil: A Novel
- Hacker's Delight
- Introduction to Accounting: An Integrated Approach : Chapter 14-25
- Created Unequal: The Crisis in American Pay
- The God Who Begat a Jackal: A Novel
Ostara: Customs, Spells & Rituals for the Rites of Spring
Midsummer: Magical Celebrations of the Summer Solstice
Candlemas: Feast of Flames
Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth
Autumn Equinox: The Enchantment of Mabon
