Average customer rating:
- A must for any little girl!
- Printed in China XXXXXX
- A very "posh" book!
- MISSTELV
- "I LOVE this book!"
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Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy (Fancy Nancy)
Jane O'connor
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Fancy Nancy
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Pinkalicious
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Fancy Nancy Loves! Loves!! Loves!!! (Fancy Nancy)
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Someday
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Priscilla and the Pink Planet
ASIN: 0060542136
Release Date: 2007-03-27 |
Book Description
Fancy Nancy is back! And when her family decides to get a dog, she's certain she can be fancier than ever. After all, a papillon—a small, delicate, fluffy dog—is the ultimate accessory. But her family wants a large, plain dog. How unglamorous!
With Fancy Nancy's trademark humor and warmth, Nancy discovers that real fanciness does not depend simply on appearance but more on a genuine joie de vivre, which is a fancy phrase for having lots of fun.
Customer Reviews:
A must for any little girl!.......2007-10-02
I got my daughter her first Fancy Nancy book when she turned 2, and now everything that is girly she calls fancy Nancy, shoes, purses and anything sparkley! Great to read for bedtime too. I can't wait for the next books to come out!
Printed in China XXXXXX .......2007-09-26
I Can't understand why the first book was printed in the USA and this one is printed in CHINA! Is there lead in this book like many of their toys??
I think Amazon should list this if this is the case
A very "posh" book!.......2007-09-26
I purchased Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy to go along with the original Fancy Nancy book for my 5 year old granddaughter . . . I had them sent directly to her house while I knew I would be visiting so we could open them together and start reading. My granddaughter loved them and I had to read them several times during our first sitting! The story is very cute and age-appropriate, and the illustrations and colors are perfect for little girls her age. I wish these books had been out when my girls were little! I love the word "posh" because I was born in the country where it's most popularly used.
MISSTELV.......2007-09-25
I bought this for my 4 year old grandaughter. She loves to dress up and play she is Fancy Nancy. The book is simply written and wonderful illustrated. I highly recommend it!
"I LOVE this book!" .......2007-09-15
That title is the opinion of my six-year-old granddaughter. She and her mom re-read it every night.
Book Description
Meet Nancy, who believes that more is ALWAYS better when it comes to being fancy. From the top of her tiara down to her sparkly studded shoes, Nancy is determined to teach her family a thing or two about being fancy.
How Nancy transforms her parents and little sister for one enchanted evening makes for a story that is funny and warm -- with or without the frills.
Customer Reviews:
book "Fancy Nancy".......2007-10-02
WOW - the book came in just a few days. Great service. The book was in good shape and packaged well. THANK YOU!
Great Read.......2007-10-01
My 3 year old absolutely loves this book. The first time we checked it out from the library I didn't really think she cared for it much. But, then I happened to order it for one of her little friend's birthday and she was sooo excited! She ran around saying, "it's Fancy Nancy mommy!" It took some convincing to be able to wrap it up for her little friend. Everybody needs a little "fancy" in their life.
Great children's book.......2007-09-30
I bought this book for my four year old grandaughter and it is now her favorite book. We are now going to have a 'fancy' party at a local restaurant just like Fancy Nancy did. Well written with nice illustrations.
A very "fancy" book.......2007-09-26
I purchased two of the Fancy Nancy series for my 5 year old granddaughter - she loves them! When the book arrived, along with it's counterpart "Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy", she couldn't wait for us to read them together. She loved the story and the illustrations, and was attracted to the "girly" colors and the "before" and "after" drawings of Fancy's Nancy's bedroom! I think my granddaughter may be a "fancy" girl at heart!
I love it.......2007-09-16
I love this book. I don't know who loves it more. Me or my 2 and 4-year old daughters
Average customer rating:
- Indian
- Enchanting and riveting, this story will stay with you
- Island Of The Blue Dolphins!
- May be too adult for 10 or 11 yr olds
- good
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Island of the Blue Dolphins
Scott O'Dell
Manufacturer: Yearling
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Binding: Paperback
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Bridge to Terabithia
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A Wrinkle in Time
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From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
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ASIN: 0440439884
Release Date: 1987-02-01 |
Amazon.com
Scott O'Dell won the Newbery Medal for Island of the Blue Dolphins in 1961, and in 1976 the Children's Literature Association named this riveting story one of the 10 best American children's books of the past 200 years. O'Dell was inspired by the real-life story of a 12-year-old American Indian girl, Karana. The author based his book on the life of this remarkable young woman who, during the evacuation of Ghalas-at (an island off the coast of California), jumped ship to stay with her young brother who had been abandoned on the island. He died shortly thereafter, and Karana fended for herself on the island for 18 years.
O'Dell tells the miraculous story of how Karana forages on land and in the ocean, clothes herself (in a green-cormorant skirt and an otter cape on special occasions), and secures shelter. Perhaps even more startlingly, she finds strength and serenity living alone on the island. This beautiful edition of Island of the Blue Dolphins is enriched with 12 full-page watercolor paintings by Ted Lewin, illustrator of more than 100 children's books, including Ali, Child of the Desert. A gripping story of battling wild dogs and sea elephants, this simply told, suspenseful tale of survival is also an uplifting adventure of the spirit. (Ages 9 to 12)
Book Description
In the Pacific, there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea birds abound. Karana is the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Hers is not only an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery.
Customer Reviews:
Indian.......2007-10-01
White people found her people and took them off island with lie of freedom. She escaped and remain on island with brother. Wolves eat brother. She walk alone and with a special wolf who is kind to her. one day she enter a water cave, found out the truth about her people fate. her people died and she survived. one day white people return to the island once again, she finally allow herself to join them. she became famous and she is buried in california. her clothing is in museum in Italy. wonderful story of her courage life.
Enchanting and riveting, this story will stay with you.......2007-08-27
I have to smile when reading these other reviews that say this book was one of their favorites as a child. It also was mine. I've read so many books, that most times the memory of the details within them grow dim, but not with "Island of the Blue Dolphins". I can still picture the breathtaking beauty of the island where Karana spent her growing years. I still remember her joys and trials of living alone for so long, after everyone had left. Her ingenuity and strength still amazes me. I can't wait until my children are old enough so I can enjoy this Newberry book with them. It's definitely one in a million.
Island Of The Blue Dolphins!.......2007-08-19
When I was on vacation at Martha's Vinyard I went to the book store and bought Island Of The Blue Dolphins for myself and I loved it!! I love it so much because of it's beautiful discriptions and details that I can picture in my mind. This book is beautifully written and has wonderful detail of natural survival of hunting, and making friends (Rontu and Rontu-Aru and the English girl Tutok, the fox and Won-a-nee the otter). How many wonderful and beautiful adventures of exciting survival can one indian girl have? I am 10 years old and recommend this book to whoever loves reading and is a fan of detail and beauty!!!!!!!!
May be too adult for 10 or 11 yr olds.......2007-08-15
My 11 yr old enjoyed this book but says it was too sad for her taste. Kids!
good.......2007-08-13
THIS BOOK WAS FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTER. She liked it very much. I am looking for some other books for 7th graders do you have any suggestions?
Amazon.com
As CEO at accounting giant KPMG, Eugene O'Kelly was so immersed in his job that over the course of a decade, he managed to have lunch with his wife on weekdays just twice. His travel schedule was set 18 months out. Once, he was so obsessed with impressing a potential client that he tracked down the man's travel schedule, booked the seat next to him on a flight, schmoozed the guy all the way to Australia, landed the account, and flew immediately back to Manhattan. His Type-A ways vanished when, at age 53, a top neurosurgeon in New York told him he had late- stage brain cancer. "His eyes told me I would die soon. It was late spring. I had seen my last autumn in New York." [p.7]
There are no TV-movie-style miracle treatments or extensions of his life expectancy; he's told he has maybe 3 months, and he doesn't spend any energy hoping for a cure. True to his CEO style, he creates goals for himself, lists of friends to visit for the last time; he meditates; he tries to create as many "Perfect Moments" that he can, during dinner or phone conversations with friends, and realized how few rare those moments of connection and joy were in his "previous life."[p116] "Chasing Daylight" is as much a self-criticism of his job-before- family ways as it is a meditation on time and a transition to a tranquil, spiritual state utterly foreign to him as a CEO. O'Kelly's absolutely more fulfilled by the soul work that he finishes in 100 days, compared to his 30 years of corporate promotions and accolades, and he utterly convinces readers to ponder their own situation, whether "in the gloaming" of life as he was or not.--Erica Jorgensen
Book Description
“Must the end of life be the worst part?
Can it be made the best?”
At 53, Eugene O'Kelly was in the full swing of life. Chairman and CEO of KPMG, one of the largest U.S. accounting firms, he enjoyed a successful career and drew happiness from his wife, children, family, and close friends. He was thinking ahead: the next business trip, the firm's continued success, weekend plans with his wife, his daughter's first day of eighth grade.
Then in May 2005, Gene was diagnosed with late-stage brain cancer and given three to six months to live. Just like that.
Now a growing darkness was absorbing the bright future he had seen for himself. He would have to change his plans, quickly, and capture what he could of his last diminishing days.
Chasing Daylight is the account of his final journey. Starting from the time of his diagnosis and concluded upon his death less than four months later, this book is his unforgettable story.
With startling intimacy, it chronicles the dissolution of Eugene O'Kelly's life and his gradual awakening to a more profound understanding. Interweaving unsettling details of his battle with cancer with his moment-to-moment reflections on life and death, love and success, spirituality and the search for meaning, it provides a testament to the power of the human spirit and a compelling message about how to live a more vivid, balanced, and meaningful life.
Inspiring, passionate, deeply insightful, Chasing Daylight is a remarkable man's poignant farewell to a beloved world.
Customer Reviews:
Living While Dying.......2007-09-10
Few people have written about the steps they had taken to live while waiting to die. Few of us know when our deaths will come come and we live paying little attention to others and how precious the time we have is to ourselves. The author of this book takes us with him in ways that teach us how to live better in our own time that is left. This a one of the best legacies an author has ever provided.
Tragic story but short on learnings ..........2007-07-09
Not what I had hoped for or even expected. I feel for his family, especially his 14 year old daughter, who he only talked about a relationship to the end. It is well documented and I believe authentic and sad to me. Even when facing death he had to be the CEO telling people what they should feel and deciding on his 'three' eulogies and who should give them and in one case even writing part of it. Sad for his family who he admits he was always traveling for his beloved company. If there is a message in here it is that he may be the first guy to say 'if I just had one more day at the office.' The entire book to me is centered on the fact that he talked of his love for his daughter all the while saying his good byes for three weeks to business associates and in the end never took the trip he promised her before he died. I guess there are some learnings but not what he intended to write. Disappointed for sure.
Death of a Planner.......2007-07-05
This book is incredible from many viewpoints and is an honest and authentic account of what he went through when he was confronted with death. Death is something that we all have many pre-conceived notions about, but is something that we truly don't understand consciously. This book shows his struggles to embrace death. From that point of view, it is an authentic account.
The rest is plainly my judgment and should only be read as such. This book is not spiritual in content and it is clearly evident that had he not been diagnosed, the author would not also have any inclination to consider death. This memoir can be viewed as an account of someone who built up an identity and then even in the moment of death, could not let go of that identity. It is a memoir of someone who was struggling and trying to control their death. It was someone who was trying to create some meaning out of their death as the meaning for which he had lived his life was now broken in pieces.
I mean no disrespect in stating the above, but it is simply an honest observation. However, I did not expect the work to be any different than it was or to expect it to be better than it was. It was what it was because the author was what he was. I rate this book with 4 stars for its authenticity.
You can skip this one.......2007-07-02
Although it was a touching story I'd hate for people to sympathize with O'Kelly. He lived a fast-paced life as a CEO. I think he realized he had developed more business relationships than truly close, personal ones. He spends 3 weeks `unwinding' with people described merely as `business associates'. His family dealt with this even through his last weeks of life.
Not only did the family relationship annoy me but the fact that I don't think he really learned anything. Sure, he became less business-like and more relationship-based. Still, he seemed to be desperately making up for lost time (and failing).
There were a few good take-aways: he finished his life peacefully and ready to "transition", he tried to make the best of a bad situation, he was fortunate to be healthy and lucid in his final days. He was lucky... sort of.
He admittedly missed most of his daughter's life growing up. With a CEO schedule, no wonder. Plus, he died before he had the chance to take her on their final vacation together (she was 14) to Prague.
Probably because he was spending his time closing up relationships with his `associates' early on...
A businessman's struggle to live in the present.......2007-05-21
I recommend this book even though it didn't give me what I was looking for: an understanding of death and dying. The book may help some people. Many of the reviewers said that it did. But to me it lacked depth. Perhaps because I've faced so many deaths this past year, one of them being the death of a child, I suppose I was searching for and needing more than a book can give. If you want a book to help you accept your own death or the impending death of a loved one, this isn't it.
Yet, it DOES help to collect various perspectives on death and dying to piece together your own conclusion--in this case, one from a CEO, a Type A businessman and his struggle to live in the present. At one point O'Kelly writes, "You'd think that with only three months to live, I'd be pretty good at enjoying every moment, of staying in the present. You'd think."
A previous reviewer suggested that human beings aren't "hardwired" to live in the present. Maybe so. But I think it's a case of social conditioning. As Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do. . . . Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular way. You become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions."
Perhaps we become present-moment thinkers when we practice it every day. This is precisely what O'Kelly learned. After 30 years of scheduling his calendar 18-months out, he struggled to stay focused on living in the present. To him, it became a matter of exercising a "lax muscle." So he practiced, step by step, to achieve Perfect Moments. In the end he found that the best moments were the "days that unfolded without planning," he concluded. "What would my life have been," he asks "if I had let spontaneity play a greater part?"
For this, I recommend the book. And I'm grateful to O'Kelly for allowing us to accompany him on his journey into the Shadow of Death. But I ached for him to tell me more. More of what he was thinking. Really thinking. More of what he expected death to be, and more about what a dying person wants from those close to him who look on helplessly.
Finally, I thank him for showing me the error of long goodbyes. He includes a quotation from a book by Elizabeth Bibesco,
"It is never good dwelling on goodbyes. It is not the being together that it prolongs, it's the parting."
O'Kelly appreciated one of his friends just saying goodbye and hanging up the phone after the conversation, rather than lingering on.
Make your goodbyes short and sweet. A wonderful lesson.
Book Description
In this revised edition of The NIV Adventure Bible, kids 8-12 will discover the treasure of God’s Word. Filled with great adventures and exciting features, The NIV Adventure Bible opens a fresh new encounter with Scripture for kids, especially at a time when they are trying to develop their own ideas and opinions independent of their parents.
Designed to spark curiosity, look for these in-text features:
? “Life in Bible Times” helps kids understand what it was like to live in Bible times. For visual stimulation, each box includes a color picture.
? “People in Bible Times” helps readers to sort out Zechariah from Zephaniah, Jehoshaphat from Joash.
? “Words to Treasure” highlights popular Bible verses for kids to memorize.
? “Did You Know?” points out many of the interesting facts and figures found in the Bible.
? “Let’s Live It!” suggests activities, such as acting out a story or drawing a cartoon to reinforce the Bible lessons.
? Dictionary/concordance for those tricky words.
In addition to these great features, check out the Book Introductions for basic facts about each book of the Bible (who wrote it, where it took place, and why it was written), and full-color pages throughout with more interesting information about the Bible and what it means to be a Christian.
With all these great components, no wonder The NIV Adventure Bible is one of America’s best-selling classics—2-million in print—now updated and improved for ages 8-12!
Customer Reviews:
child-friendly.......2007-09-26
I purchased this as a first bible for my 6 year old son. There are bursts of fast facts and passages paraphrased to make it easier for browsing. My son enjoys reading these and even for adults like myself, the background informations are helpful.
The generous amount of illustrations captures his attention and aids in his comprehension of certain passages of the bible.
I can surely say this is the best thing I've bought for my son.
Adventure Bible.......2007-09-23
We give this Bible to our third graders each year at our church. My son uses this Bible also. It is in easy to understand format which I really like. I sometimes use it for Sunday School teaching also.
Children Bibles.......2007-07-09
Great product for childern to learn Gods word and to get them to read the greatest book they will ever read..
Wonderful source of auxiliary Bible information.......2007-06-11
To clarify some things -- I am the daughter of the owner of this amazon account. I, however, felt obliged to write a review of this Bible. I was given this Bible as a gift when I was years younger, but I probably only read several pages. At that time I do remember feeling that the editors overly simplified things for children (As a child, I disliked anything directed to children--I had distaste for the Bible immediately when I saw the title, "The Adventure Bible"), but I had no understanding of the Bible, and I did not know what was truly written in it. Now, however, I enjoy reading this Bible, because I have matured to where I am not bothered by the graphics and wordings aimed toward children, but can apply it to my own life. I am 16 (I started reading the Bible at 15), and I find that much of the supplementary information is very helpful in my overall understanding of the entire Bible. It has allowed me to grow in many ways. It provides information on the meanings behind the Hebrew words, cultural trends of the age, shows facts about Biblical research, including dates, measurements, places, individuals, etcetera. . . It also gives advice by taking examples from the Bible.
In first chapter of Genesis, it says in a 'Did You Know?' section that the Bible word create means to make or to begin something new. I find that that there is a wealth of information. Let me give you another example: in Matthew chapter 23 there is a 'Life in Bible Times' section at the bottom of the page that says, "When Jewish men prayed, many tied special boxes containing Bible verses to their arm and forehead. These were called phylacteries (fa-LAC-ter-eez). Jesus criticized men who did this as a way to make people think they were especially holy."
This is referring to Matthew 23:5, where it only says "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long. ." I would not have understood if not for the commentary. It is truly great Bible! It is also my aunt's favorite Bible. In almost every page there is something they add that efficiently helps the reader learn and understand. It is just as much for adults as for children.
Inviting and educational.......2007-06-01
I bought two copies of this NIV children's Bible for my 7 and 10 year old kids. They were immediately excited about all of the "extras" found throughout this Bible. It has all of the regular text found in an NIV edition -- but little key facts/history on each page, along with information on each key leader/king named in the Bible, even saying how their reign was (good or bad). I highly recommend this Bible for 5th-7th graders. I think that it may be too difficult for younger children. The only problem is that the product picture on this website shows three different colors and I didn't see a choice of colors -- both of our Bibles are blue.
Amazon.com
In the spring of 1988, Boston Globe reporters Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill set out to write the story of two infamous brothers from the insular Irish enclave of South Boston: Jim "Whitey" Bulger and his younger brother Billy. Whitey was the city's most powerful gangster and a living legend--tough, cunning, without conscience, and above all, smart. Billy, president of the state Senate, was a political heavyweight in Massachusetts. These facts alone make for an intriguing story, but as Lehr and O'Neill found out, this was only the beginning.
John Connolly, a rising FBI agent and fellow "Southie," had known the Bulgers since boyhood when Whitey rescued him from a playground fight. After investigating organized crime in New York, Connolly was reassigned to the bureau's Boston office in 1975, and was determined to make a name for himself by relying on his old connections. He succeeded in a big way by lining up Whitey as an FBI informant in an effort to bring down the Italian Mafia--a major coup for both the FBI and Connolly. In exchange, Bulger received protection. Though heavily involved in extortion, intimidation, assassination, and drug trafficking, Connolly's "good bad guy" did not receive so much as a traffic infraction for over 20 years. In time, however, the deal changed, and information began flowing the other direction, with Bulger manipulating Connolly and a small group of corrupt FBI agents to further his nefarious network. The criminals and the lawmen eventually became virtually indistinguishable.
Black Mass expertly details the twists and turns of this complex story, painting a vivid portrait of Boston's underbelly and its inclusive political machine, as well as exposing one of the worst scandals in FBI history. It's also an examination of loyalty--to family, home, and heritage--and "a cautionary tale about the abuse of power that goes unchecked." As a final favor, Connolly tipped off Bulger that he was to be indicted on racketeering charges in 1995, allowing him time to go on the lam (he's reported to have access to secret bank accounts across the country). He was added to the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted List" in 1999. --Sharon M. Brown
Book Description
John Connoly and James "Whitey" Bulger grew up together on the streets of South Boston. Decades later, in the mid 1970's, they would meet again. By then, Connolly was a major figure in the FBI's Boston office and Whitey had become godfather of the Irish Mob. What happened next -- a dirty deal to being down the Italian mob in exchange for protection for Bulger -- would spiral out of control, leading to murders, drug dealing, racketeering indictments, and, ultimately, the biggest informant scandal in the history of the FBI.
Compellingly told by two Boston Globe reporters who were on the case from the beginning, Black Mass is at once a riveting crime story, a cautionary tale about the abuse of power, and a penetrating look at Boston and its Irish population.
Customer Reviews:
Perfect.......2007-03-14
This item was exactly what i ordered in the exact condition that i ordered it in. Would definitly do business with seller again! Thank you
The First Book.......2007-02-23
This book was the first book to be written on the Bulger/FBI scandal. For those who don't know; James "Whitey" Bulger ran Bostons Irish mafia for almost 20 years. He also was a Top Echelon Informant for the FBI. As such, they let him get away with all types of crimes, including murder. Making matters worse, his younger brother Billy was the Senate president of the Mass. state Senate. Another brother, Jackie, was a juvenile court judge. This family took corruption to new heights. Eventually they fell. Whitey is now one of the top 10 fugitives. This book by two Boston Globe reporters, details the Bulger brothers, their history, Boston politics, and how they all came together. This is a good book. The only problems are because it was written in 1998-1999, some things have changed ( For example, Bulgers partner in crime, Steven Flemi, has pleaded guilty to several murders, and is doing life without parole ). Also, there wasn't enough written about the Top Echelon Informant program and all the problems with it. I'd recomend getting 2 other books along with this to get a complete picture. 1 is Dangerous Alliances by Ralph Ranelli; the other is The Brothers Bulger by Howie Carr. All 3 books should give you a complete view of this scandal.
Frightening account of corruption.......2006-10-20
Black Mass is an unbelievable account of the illicit relationship between two Irish mobsters from South Boston (Whitey Bulger and Stevie Flemmi) and their FBI handlers (John Connolly and John Morris).
The book begins with background on South Boston and the "us against them" mentality of the residents. As a young boy, John Connolly looked up to and admired Whitey Bulger, a local gangster, and left an indelible impression on Connolly one day when Bulger rescued Connolly from a fight. Years later, when Connolly was assigned to the Boston FBI office, he sought out Bulger to turn him into an informant, hoping to make a name for himself. Bulger's younger brother was president of the state senate and Whitey by this time was head of the Irish mob in Boston, both highly regarded in their own circles.
Though Connolly may have begun the relationship with good intentions, it very quickly turned corrupt, and the information Bulger supplied Connolly was self-serving, and Connolly, never having grown out of his idolization of Bulger, did all he could to keep Whitey's record clean. The Irish and Italian mafias had a tenuous relationship, so for Bulgur, informing on his competition got them out of his way, and as long as he worked with the FBI, he was untouchable. Bulger's partner in crime, Stevie Flemmi, as it turned out, had been an informant for several years before Bulger. Rather than the FBI handling them, Bulger and Flemmi cultivated a bond with Connolly and Morris to ensure that they could do anything without fear of punishment. Reports were made up, lost, or taken; phone calls from other law enforcement agencies were ignored; Bulger and Flemmi's importance was inflated; and they were always one step ahead of a sting. Under the protection of the FBI, Bulger and Flemmi were involved in racketeering, gun running, drugs, and over a dozen murders - and got away with it.
What amazes me is that supposedly Connolly and Morris only benefited by $7000 during the two decades that Bulger and Flemmi were informants. Initially I believe that Connolly just wanted notoriety, but he is also flamboyant and likes living the high life, which it appears he did.
Eventually Morris' conscience bothered him enough to start talking, but it still took several years before Bulger, Flemmi, Connolly and Morris were indicted. Connolly warned Bulger, enabling him to escape. Flemmi, on the other hand, still thought that Morris would tell the court that this was all a mistake, and get Flemmi off as he had done for so many years.
As far as I know, Bulger is still a fugative and on the 10 Most Wanted List. I hope that regulations are now being followed to ensure FBI handlers are accountable for their action or inaction, and that the chain of command is aware of what the agents are doing. This was a well-written and engrossing story.
Incredible Book.......2006-08-19
I've had an interest in Boston and the organized crime around Boston for a while. I've actually had a big interest in the mafia in general. This is a great book with a lot of information that is very useful in understanding how corruption in the system allows organized crime to become more powerful and almost unstoppable.
More to come??.......2006-08-05
One might ask after reading this excellent book whether 2 kids,say brothers, were groomed to follow in the Bulger's footsteps but perhaps something went awry??
I know of 2 brothers from Massachusetts. Both were raised in state care during Bulger's reign. The older brother went into the army and a couple years later the younger was being harassed by activities a man who bore the same name in the same town, as if the younger brother had another identity created and which was made to look bad to hurt him in the identity confusion following. It is speculated the older brother set up the younger brother, both from Woburn,Mass and that the older brother after a name change went into FBI service at his younger brother's constant expense.Wherever the younger brother went the older followed and bad thingsalways happened to the younger as a result. There is a lot that went on but it looks as a duplicate of the Bulger's good guy/bad guy pairing for controlling different levels of influence was going on.
Customer Reviews:
Classic.......2007-05-11
Now that I've read everything by O'Connor (including works that were part of her thesis for her degree in writing) I am still amazed and inspired by her work. I'm not from the south or Catholic and I was not alive during the eras of which she wrote, but her writing transcends region and time. My favorites remain A Good Man is Hard to Find, Everything That Rises Must Converge, and Revelation, but I love all her stories, although I find the novels a bit more challenging - I think short story was her finest form. Her ability to mix desperation and violence with comedy is amazing, and often when I read her I think: "I shouldn't be laughing at that." I often wonder what additional work she would have produced if she had not died so young. Highly recommended.
Great literature in great binding.......2007-01-16
I am thoroughly enjoying this authoritative collection of O'Connor's writings. The writing speaks for itself as truly great and unique. This particular book is very classy and well put together; an excellent choice for someone with a significant interest in O'Connor.
Amazing Grace.......2006-01-21
How sweet the sound that saved this wreched human race. O'Connor writes of God's love and redemption of humanity. She uses exaggeration to make her point. Her characters are so very silly, obtuse, bigoted, loathsome they become cartoons, yet there is a deep integrity to their shallowness. She's not making fun of them, but giving them the justice of a pitiless description. Indeed they do not seem judged, but naked -- the fruits of their stupid, misguided ideas and actions on display. And these children of God do shocking things to others and themselves. And yet . . ..
And yet God allows them to live and learn, or not learn if that is their inclination. He gives them this freedom. He loves them. How can this be? How?
I love O'Connor for her art, her convictions, her courage, and her love. She is so very true and honest.
In addition to her novels and a thorough selection of short stories, there is a chronology of her life and a selection of her letters which are rewarding reading. The book itself is a wonderful object. The pages are of fine paper. The binding is such that you can lay it open on a table without breaking its back, and the pages will not move unless a breeze or you do so.
a lovely book.......2004-12-23
Oh yes! I adore her, and so do my mum and dad. They talk about her all of the time, and so I grew up with the prose ringing in my ears. I am so pleased to be reading her now.
Just Read It All.......2004-09-02
The complaints about the poor organization of the collection can be overcome by simply reading it from front to back. Surely it is that good.
My foray into the works of Flannery O'Connor, a southern, gothic author of darkly humorous novels and short stories came via a recommendation in Harold Bloom's, "What to Read and Why." As it turned ot, I had read one of her short stories, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," in a collection somewhere and had been surprised and shocked, by the turn of events and ending of the story, so much so, that I remembered it instantly, even though it has to have been thirty years since I read it. I enjoyed everything, short stories, novellas, and even her letters. She writes about southern Christ-haunted people, most backward, all damned, but many redeemed. Bloom says that according to her, we are all damned but one should put that aside and simply enjoy her beautiful, grotesque, and wonderful comedic stories. Her protagonist is often a woman, forced to take on a role and duties she didn't sign up for but resignedly and with no illusions playing and discharging both out of a sense of morality or necessity; those women are usually the most superior beings in her stories.
Many of her insights stick with me months afterwards. For example, O'Connor says in one of her letters, "...Hazel's integrity lies in his not being able to do so. Does one's integrity ever lie in what he is not able to do? I think that usually it does, for free will does not mean one will, but many wills conflicting in one man. Freedom cannot be conceived simply. It is a mystery and one which a novel, even a comic novel, can only be asked to deepen." That brought tears to my eyes -- perhaps because it is so beautifully put.
Book Description
In response to the interest of millions of Patrick O'Brian fans, here is the final, partial installment of the Aubrey/Maturin series.
Blue at the Mizzen (novel #20) ended with Jack Aubrey getting the news, in Chile, of his elevation to flag rank: Rear Admiral of the Blue Squadron, with orders to sail to the South Africa station. The next novel, unfinished and untitled at the time of the author's death, would have been the chronicle of that mission, and much else besides. The three chapters left on O'Brian's desk at the time of his death are presented here both in printed version—including his corrections to the typescript—and a facsimile of his manuscript, which goes several pages beyond the end of the typescript to include a duel between Stephen Maturin and an impertinent officer who is courting his fiancée.
Of course we would rather have had the whole story; instead we have this proof that O'Brian's powers of observation, his humor, and his understanding of his characters were undiminished to the end.
Customer Reviews:
Closure.......2007-09-12
After spending countless hours with Aubrey and Maturin, this book provides the little bit of closure necessary to walk away without total sadness and frustration. The untimely, but inevitable death of Patrick O'Brian leaves us with longing and wonder about Aubrey and Maturin's ultimate fate. However, viewing the author's actual hand written manuscript somehow leaves one with a connection to the characters and the author. Get this book, read what there is left of these two unforgettable characters, and realize in life there is "not a moment to lose."
Only for afficianados.......2007-07-20
The book only gets started and part of it is reproduced script from O'brians hand. It is quite hard to read. This book is a must have for died in the wool Aubrey/Maturin fans, but casural readers would enjoy other of the series more.
The Final Voyage.......2007-06-28
Truely Patrick O'Brian's final voyage. After reading the 20 book set I went into mourning while reading the 21st. I have never been so attached to a group of characters as Aubery and Company and of course to their creator. The 21st book, O'Brian's hand written draft was very personal... and very sad. It is one of my most treasured books.
Deserves a better ending!.......2007-05-17
Having recently read all of the Aubrey/Maturin Series, I was glad to have the opportunity to read the unfinished draft. Like many others, I wished that the last number of pages were typed. It was obvious that Mr. O'Brian had plans for many more episodes and I regret that his fans will not see more of Aubrey/Maturin. I will miss Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. I have on occasioned thought that I would not want to die before finishing an exceptionally good book. Now I know what that might be like!
Loss of two friends. .......2007-05-12
I wasn't sure I wanted to read the last book knowing that it was unfinished, but I'm glad I did. I found Patrick O'Brian's hand writing very hard to read to I didn't read those very far. I do feel the sadness of not knowing how Captain Jack and Dr. Maturin turnout, maybe it's the best. It is a peaceful thought to think that they are still sailing out there some where and maybe I'll see the HMS Surprise on the horizon from my boat some day. I still suggest stopping at book 20 and the good news that it ends with.
Book Description
Winner of the National Book Award
The publication of this extraordinary volume firmly established Flannery O'Connor's monumental contribution to American fiction. There are thirty-one stories here in all, including twelve that do not appear in the only two story collections O'Connor put together in her short lifetime--Everything That Rises Must Converge and A Good Man Is Hard to Find.
O'Connor published her first story, "The Geranium," in 1946, while she was working on her master's degree at the University of Iowa. Arranged chronologically, this collection shows that her last story, "Judgement Day"--sent to her publisher shortly before her death—is a brilliantly rewritten and transfigured version of "The Geranium." Taken together, these stories reveal a lively, penetrating talent that has given us some of the most powerful and disturbing fiction of the twentieth century. Also included is an introduction by O'Connor's longtime editor and friend, Robert Giroux.
Customer Reviews:
31 stories of violent grace, madmen, prejudice, and fierce redemption. .......2007-09-28
Thirty-one stories and 550 pages rest within this collection. Each story has its own merit, but I would like to take a moment to describe the ones that have best remained powerfully glued to my mind.
Revelation - This tale deals with a smug, pious church-goer (of which many of O'Connor's find similarity). The woman is happy she is not black or white-trash, and thinks herself a candidate for the front of heaven's lines. Of course, O'Connor has a tasty ending for her in the story's last pages.
The Lame Shall Enter First - A story about loving when it's too late. The last words of this tale still haunt me.
The River - A young boy wishes to find the kingdom of God but finds tragedy instead. I think O'Connor was attacking how some things are best not taught to children because they will not be able to comprehend them.
The Peeler - A pre-teen searches for cleansing after his first experience with lust.
Wildcat - an old black man's greatest fear ominously grows closer and closer to him with each new night.
The Enduring Chill - the Holy Ghost, depicted as a purifying terror, descends madly upon a reluctant intellect as he waits for death.
A View of the Woods - an old man is not above the things he hates as he turns on the one thing in the world he swears to protect: his ten year-old granddaughter.
A Late Encounter With the Enemy - a Civil War veteran finds that his moment in the sun is actual nothing more than his first day among the devils.
Good Country People - considered a classic by most, this tale deals with the ironies of a devious mind and those who fail to recognize it.
The Comforts of Home - a female nymphomaniac is taken off the street by a kind-hearted old woman. The old woman's son, however, refuses to accept the new house guest and sets a plan in motion that will destroy everything he holds dear.
O'Connor's stories are often filled with fringe-lunatics in the raw pursuit of grace as they battle pious church-mice, the racism of the day, and their own feeble place in the world. She exposes the harsh prejudice of those who claim an outward perfection, and often times the righteous and smug are given over to the very things they claim to be above. O'Connor takes on a literary trip that features corruptive minds, freakish hermaphrodites, hopeless nymphomaniacs lurching for any form of grace, and wild-eyed country folk who doubt both faith as well as admire it from afar.
She spares us nothing and when it's all said and done, what we have witnessed are the rawest forms of grace being sprinkled on those who most would never imagine worthy, while those who seem to have it all together are thrust into their own personal hells. If you are interested in grace for the rugged, vexed, slob and slut, her tales are for you. Enter with an open mind and you will unearth something more intriguing than you can imagine.
DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF PICK-UP TRUCKS AND HOLY WATER.......2007-07-29
Todd Sentell is a Georgia native and author of the social satire, Toonamint of Champions
Dear Flannery,
Forty-three years after you died too young, a Georgia historical marker was stuck in the ground across the highway from the end of Andalusia's driveway. On a boiling hot Friday morning in July, in the shadow of the Badcock & More furniture store sign, just before the dedication ceremony started, a suntanned fellow in a red pick-up truck drove past and honked his horn. For an instant, I thought Parker was back.
The mayor of Milledgeville spoke about you in his Milledgeville accent. And then, a priest with an Irish name in a huge white robe from your old church, Sacred Heart, got up in front of everybody and moved his hands around and read some things from out of that book that's not exactly the Bible. He said some things that a few of your fellow Catholics repeated with him and then the priest flicked the historical marker, while it was still covered with an official Georgia historical marker blue cover, with holy water. He flicked his wood water wand six times. I counted. The first time he flicked it at the cover you could see the cover quiver but it never did again. If there was a moment you would have loved the most, other than that redneck in the pick up truck blasting the earnestness out of the hot air, it was that holy water business. I'm not Catholic, but these were some moments I deeply understood anyway, especially since we were across the street from where you made literary history because of those hard, perpendicular intersections you designed in your stories and two novels ... the perfectly timed crashing together of personalities and religion in all its strange forms ... and its haunting aftermath. We were having some near crashing together of religion and personalities right there ... right by a loud highway in a modern time as we quietly stood in the grass that belonged to your marker and a discount furniture store.
After that priest blessed your marker, the fellow who's in charge of the Georgia Historical Society got up there and said he was pretty sure that was the first time in the history of Georgia historical marker dedication ceremonies that one's been flicked with holy water. Everybody laughed and nodded at each other. God ... did I think of you right then. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who got the literary and personal importance ... to you ... of that moment. I saw you smiling down at this one, too: after everyone stopped laughing I wanted to shout out, like Hazel Motes would at discovering a blasphemer ... that the feller who's in charge of the Georgia Historical Society is wearin' a tie covered with the logo ... of the state of South Caroliner!
After the roadside ceremony, we were invited to come across Highway 441--very carefully--for a reception in the main house. Your house and yard were populated with people speaking in only Southern accents and they were talking about how they knew you and when. Or how and when they knew your mother. On your front porch an old woman grabbed my arm and asked me if I was in church Sunday ... that she saw me. I said I wasn't ... I live one hundred miles from here ... but if my evil twin was there then good for him. The lady, tottering on feeble pegs, told me her name but I didn't get it because she spoke in an accent so rich her words came out like syrup. She said she had moved onto the farm when she was fifteen and that you and her were opposites. She said she lived in that building over there. She pointed at it with a crooked finger ... at the old shed where Andalusia's caretakers keep an old donkey named Flossie. I wondered if she was drunk. Who cares. We were all drunk on you. Standing in your bedroom doorway gawking at your crutches, your bed, and your writing table. I'm sure you think that's repulsive--a bunch of people crowded at your door like that. But I'm a respectful hick. I gawk with misty eyes but I don't point.
I'm not going to go on about the condition of the house and the buildings around the property. Just to say they'll be back in better shape soon. There's a man in charge and a foundation has even been developed and the man in charge works hard to preserve you ... your place.
Heading back home up Highway 441 in my truck, I passed a couple of Georgia roadside markers of another kind--those homemade crucifixes people stick into the ground near where a family member was killed in a car or truck or motorcycle accident. You never know. When you see one, and you see a lot of them in the South, all you know is that death happened right there and somebody wants you to by-God know it.
But it's never at that intersection you write about. You always see those crosses on some long, straight stretch of highway or country road. I think of you as I travel my long stretch of road and across fields of living fire, sometimes in a straight line and sometimes real crooked ... as your voice strikes up in my mind ... your voice climbing upward, on key, into a starry field ... and those who love you so much come to that moment of your grace on that road sooner rather than later if we're paying attention and we thank you for it ... battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs and those who have always had a little of everything and the God-given wit to use it right ... we honk our truck horns in your honor ... and shout hallelujah.
Todd Sentell is a Georgia native and author of the social satire, Toonamint of Champions
Wonderful Writer.......2007-06-20
I have never before spent all that much time with O'Conner's work. I was pretty damn impressed.
Her observations on race were spot on--not dated in the least. Compared perhaps to certain writers who write of an experience that is only (most often) echoed today. There seems to be a certain timelessness to O'Conner's perception. Similar in ways to Twain, and perhaps to a lesser extent, Faulkner. I wonder if her Catholicism has anything to do with it, and the fact that she was a woman--these markers giving her an insight and subtlety of understanding that Protestant white men wouldn't necessarily have.
It was interesting that both O'Conner and Richard Yates do not shy away from multiple points of view in a short story. Many if not most of the Yates stories shift POV. I have always inclined toward shifting POV, but was warned (scolded) away from it in my first writing workshops. I tend to like the way O'Conner handles shifts, it is more seamless than Yates. In O'Conner's work it is almost imperceptible (I am thinking particularly of "The Artificial Nigger" and the shifts between the grandfather and the boy). Yates tends to use paragraph breaks and will give entire sections of a story to a particular character's POV. O'Conner moves from perspective to perspective through brief paragraphs, shifting within the narrative line of the story without pause.
And I have a soft spot for the gothic. I appreciate O'Conner's use of the physically maimed and the mentally disabled. I like her use of religion. Some of her stories read almost as twisted parables--sort of a Biblical Twilight Zone or Old Testament Alfred Hitchcock.
But for my own work, I paid especially close attention to the intimacy O'Conner creates between her characters. I am thinking at the moment of "Good Country People." She does such a brilliant job of showing the tension, desire, misinterpretation and intimacy between Joy/Hulga and the Bible salesman. O'Conner holds Joy/Hulga's anger and ugliness and even her intellectual aggression in contrast to the unexpected vulnerability she shows the Bible salesman. It does indeed bring life and complexity to her character. And then of course when the Bible salesman reveals his motivation and his true desire, something really remarkable happens--it is as though in these moments I can see the story take a breath.
"Good Country People" is such a good story--there are so many elements of craft, elements that I am working on in my own writing. O'Conner does a spectacular job not only with complexity of character, but also with complexity of circumstance. She creates a situation in which a seemingly immobile Joy/Hulga is poised on the precipice of change. The reader feels as though she really could--or might not--fall in love with the Bible salesman. There are moments of living possibility when anything (or nothing) can happen.
There are many remarkable stories in this collection that demonstrate similar mastery of craft--The Barber, The Life You Save May Be Your Own, Greenleaf, Everything That Rises Must Converge, A Good Man is Hard to Find...
And along with these excellent stories, there are others that do not quite shine, stories that read as slice-of-life vignettes, interesting and pleasant enough to read, but not quite living: Wildcat, The Crop, Turkey, A View of the Wood, Revelation.
I would like to read O'Conner's novels. And I am sure I will reread her short stories. And should I ever have the chance, I would love the opportunity to introduce her work to students.
What was that about?.......2007-06-04
Someone wrote, I read it in 12th grade and didn't `get it', but was blown away. I think that was her point. Catholic existentialism, as I see it. There is a similarity to Walker Percy, although she is in a different league. When I finish a short story, I laugh- what was that about? Yet at the same time, I think I know...
Not what I expected..........2007-05-14
A group of seniors from our church were planning a visit to the author's childhood home. I thought it would be a great idea to purchase this book as a little prize for the trip.
I read a couple of the short stories and found them to be a bit disturbing. Not at all what I expected. I do not need to have a "happy ever after" ending to stories but I read as an escape into anothter world. I did not enjoy visiting the world through Flannery O'Connor's eyes. Sorry.
Book Description
The new school year brings standardized testing to every school and Miss Malarkey's is no exception. Teachers, students, and even parents are preparing for THE TEST-The Instructional Performance Through Understanding (IPTU) test-and the school is in an uproar. Even though the grown-ups tell the children not to worry, they're acting kind of strange. The gym teacher is teaching stress-reducing yoga instead of sports in gym class. Parents are giving pop quizzes on bedtime stories at night. The cafeteria is serving "brain food" for lunch. The kids are beginning to think that maybe the test is more important than they're being led to believe. Kids and adults alike will laugh aloud as Finchler and O'Malley poke fun at the commotion surrounding standardized testing, a staple of every school's year.
Customer Reviews:
Fun book.......2007-05-19
This book was a hit in my class. I pokes fun at standardized testing in a way that the kids can understand and find humorous. It is great to read before major testing starts. It helps get past the serious nature of all the tests and helps the students relax. Cute story and the pictures are great.
The I.P.T.U. Review.......2007-04-28
Everybody is freaking-out about "the test" in Ms. Malrky's class. the principal looses his wig over No.2 pencils. It is mass chaos because of the I.P.T.U. but in the end everybody figures out that "the test" wasn't even that hard. in my opinion this book is a major comedy about testing anxiety. I recommend this book for all ages.
Testing Miss Malarkey.......2007-04-28
The book Testing Miss Malarkey is a very funny book about how people react before,and after tests.I think the book encourages you to do good on tests.It will also make you laugh too.In the book it tells you about how people are reacting to the test.Their teacher is biting her nails,their principal is getting very mad about things like number two pencils and their lunch lady is giving tmem food to make their brains bigger.Coaches are making them meditate ,and parents are practing kids at night.Many people would like this book espially testers and teachers,because it would help you for a test.
The I.P.T.U. Test.......2007-04-27
"Oh no!"says the children of Miss malarkey's classroom. Why? Well, they have a big test coming called the I.P.T.U. test. Miss Malarkey tells the class not to worry but strange things begin to happen. Things such as the teacher making them play educational games during recess or the gym teacher making practice yoga,even the lunch lady does not allow chips to be served to the children they only were served fish because she thought fish was brain food. Evetualy the test day came and happened to become somthing that they never thought they would become. I am not going to you,you do have to read the book you know. I also think there is a moral to this story and I am not going to tell you but I will give a hint the C.R.C.T. So now that you know what this book is about make it your goal to read Testing Miss Malarkey as your next book.
The I.P.T.U. Test.......2007-04-27
"Oh no!"says the children of Miss malarkey's classroom. Why? Well, they have a big test coming called the I.P.T.U. test. Miss Malarkey tells the class not to worry but strange things begin to happen. Things such as the teacher making them play educational games during recess or the gym teacher making practice yoga,even the lunch lady does not allow chips to be served to the children they only were served fish because she thought fish was brain food. Evetualy the test day came and happened to become somthing that they never thought they would become. I am not going to you,you do have to read the book you know. I also think there is a moral to this story and I am not going to tell you but I will give a hint the C.R.C.T. So now that you know what this book is about make it your goal to read Testing Miss Malarkey as your next book.
Books:
- Flying High (My Secret Unicorn)
- Forever a Hustler's Wife: A Novel (Nikki Turner Original)
- From Hell - New Cover Edition
- God Save the Child
- Goodnight Moon
- Grace Under Fire: Letters of Faith in Times of War
- Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
- Harem: A Novel
- Here Be Dragons
- Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths
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