Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
Average customer rating:

Book in good condition and delivered quickly

Political Conversational tool

Absolutely Fantastic! Unfortunately

A Must-Read for any American

Lies My Teacher Told Me

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
James W. Loewen
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
Study & Teaching | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0684818868

Book Description

Winner of the 1996 American Book Award and the Oliver Cromwell Cox Award for Distinguished Anti-Racist Scholarship

Americans have lost touch with their history, and in this thought-provoking book, Professor James Loewen shows why. After surveying twelve leading high school American history texts, he has concluded that not one does a decent job of making history interesting or memorable. Marred by an embarrassing combination of blind patriotism, mindless optimism, sheer misinformation, and outright lies, these books omit almost all the ambiguity, passion, conflict, and drama from our past. In ten powerful chapters, Loewen reveals that:

The United States dropped three times as many tons of explosives in Vietman as it dropped in all theaters of World War II, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Ponce de Leon went to Florida mainly to capture Native Americans as slaves for Hispaniola, not to find the mythical fountain of youth
Woodrow Wilson, known as a progressive leader, was in fact a white supremacist who personally vetoed a clause on racial equality in the Covenant of the League of Nations
The first colony to legalize slavery was not Virginia but Massachusetts

From the truth about Columbus's historic voyages to an honest evaluation of our national leaders, Loewen revives our history, restoring to it the vitality and relevance it truly possesses.

Customer Reviews:

Book in good condition and delivered quickly.......2007-09-28

I enjoyed this book - all history people should read it! thank you for the quick delivery

Political Conversational tool.......2007-07-31

Although at times unsettling, the purpose of this book is to encourage the questioning of the indoctrinated a one-sided viewpoint of American History.

If you have a cultural diverse group of friends this book may help you understand their indifferences with American History.

A true American accepts both positive and negative parts of history. We don't have to make facts disappear. Acceptance doesn't mean liking, enjoying or condoning. In accepting the truth we can evolve as a nation, but by denying facts we will forever be stuck in cultural wars.

Not a page-turner, not to crazy with the writing style, but interesting.

Absolutely Fantastic! Unfortunately.......2007-07-25

Great book on how the history classes in elementary and high schools have been watered down to the point where they are meaningless. You've always heard people say "those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it". It wasn't until I got to college that I was truely able to see why that is so, when our history classes went beyond "dates and facts". In this book, he makes his points about the dumbing down of history by discussing people, events and facts that have been poorly covered, or ingnored. Sometimes what is taught is just plain wrong, and KNOWN to be wrong by the people writing the books!! This is generally done to avoid controversy and hide distasteful events, or avoid tough questions that have no easy answer. History that is inaccurate, without explaining the context of the times and it's effects today is useless for anything OTHER than propoganda. History is abused (and made into propoganda) by liberal and conservative alike. They ignore facts or context to paint either an overly harsh, or overly rosey picture of our past. This book gives some insight on the damage that causes, especially to minorities whose history is glossed over or just plain inaccurate. This leads to a sense of shame that they somehow haven't contributed to the greatness this country has acheived. A note to the people claiming this is revisonist history. The history you studied in school IS revisionist history! Most people who claim this is revisionist do not support their claims with facts, just claims that it's revisionist because the facts he presents make them uncomfortable. Seek the truth, and let it make you free.

A Must-Read for any American.......2007-07-17

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong is a fresh look at the process of U.S. History textbook creation and adoption. Having written a history textbook himself on Mississippi, author James W. Loewen provides a unique and insightful perspective on this process and how frustrating it can be. Leading readers through case after case of major figures and events in American history including Christopher Columbus, Hellen Keller, the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, and the Civil Rights Movement, Loewen systematically debunks the ideas of progress and heroification. He uses well-cited primary source documents to do this. By removing the historical halos surrounding these and other important people, Loewen hopes that students of American history will discover the inner conflict within those "heroes". Moreover, he desires for American history to be more than a mere memorization of names, dates, and places; he asserts that by exploring the past with more depth and specificity through primary source documents, one can better understand the forces that have shaped it.

As I began to read this book, I was immediately captivated by the suggestion that I had missed out on important truths regarding our country's past. Believing my high school education to be excellent, I wondered what my teachers whom I held in such high regard could have taught me incorrectly. The book starts with Helen Keller, the blind and deaf woman who learns to communicate with the help of a mentor, Anne Sullivan. Honestly, this is all I really knew about her from the film The Miracle Worker. Loewen reveals that learning to live with her handicaps was only a point of departure for Keller, who became a radical socialist who was a member of the Socialist party and lauded the rise of communism in Russia. While some might find this information troubling, it made sense to me. Keller, reliant on a community of others to support her, experienced a life that required a quasi-socialist structure. The remainder of this chapter discussed how Woodrow Wilson, the man who called for the creation of the League of Nations in his Fourteen Points for Peace following World War I, had already invaded many countries in Latin America and provided troops for the Russian Civil War. These aggressive military actions don't seem peaceful at all. By this point in the book, I was fascinated and ready to learn more.

As I continued through the book I realized that even though I agreed with most of Loewen's assertions, I still found bias in them. I can see why many reviewers of this book found it to be overwhelmingly pessimistic; from a particular viewpoint, it could ruin the images of many American "heroes" by disclosing embarrassing information about them. I would assert that even though I don't know anything about Loewen, I would bet that he is socially and politically liberal based on his commentary on his findings. Even the topics covered in this book support ideas that are essentially progressive: that America is an amalgamation of Native American, African, and European cultures rather than a transplanting of European influences, that non-Europeans played significant roles in the history of America, and that many of our white heroes possessed great flaws.

Acknowledging these things, I must admit that I am fairly liberal myself and found both pleasure and academic stimulation from Loewen's progressive stance. He validates suspicions I have always had about many of these historical figures, that they couldn't be perfect people possessing morals, intellects, and abilities greater than people today. In addition, I've often believed that America's "democratization" of the world was more in the interest of hegemony rather than benevolence. Seeing Woodrow Wilson's military campaigns in other countries, our treatment of communist and socialist countries like Russia, Cuba, and North Korea, and our violent actions in the Vietnam War supports that belief.

While the first six chapters of the book seem to present only Loewen's revisionist stance, the last six chapters do a better job at presenting alternate viewpoints. In his discussion of social stratification in textbooks, for instance, he suggests critical theory could be at play, omitting facts and ideas that would illuminate the schism between the upper and lower classes in America. He then provides a counter-argument, citing Eyes on the Prize, Who Rules America Now? And Savage Inqeualities as subversive and revealing books published by elite-controlled publishing houses; he also cites exhibits of this type at large American History museums run by the upper class.

That history can be viewed through different sociological, economic, and cultural lenses reveals how "truth" is in the eye of the beholder, a notion this book supports. I've often said, "Those who want to believe in God will find him and those who don't will not." This concept is salient in determining truth in history. American history textbooks purposely omit information and whitewash mistakes of our forefathers because they will not get published or adopted if they offend a certain interest group or state adoption board. The "vanilla America" represented in these books support the idea of progress--a sentimental notion that despite our flaws, America is better off now than it was a hundred years ago and will continue to improve in the future. How can this be when the gap between the richest and poorest peoples of the world is larger now than ever before? Those who want to believe that America is the greatest country in the world and that America is and has always been the leading proponent of freedom in the world will seek sources that substantiate those ideas. Likewise, they will reject sources that suggest otherwise. Loewen's findings show that not only has America failed to be a benevolent harbinger of liberty and hope, but it also continues to sow hegemony throughout today's global community.

Ultimately, those who believe in American domination and the myth of progress will not like this book. American history textbooks produce citizens who will believe in these ethnocentric superlatives. This is wonderful for the perpetuation of the status quo of American economic and military supremacy. However, books like Loewen's will produce Americans who can see how our country truly developed, confirming another one of my sayings, "The fact that the world is the way it is doesn't mean that's the way it should be." This realization will create a different kind of citizen, one who realizes that flawed people can still do great things, understands that contemporary society is a plethora of historical forces at work, and believes that despite our country's mistakes, we still have much to be proud of.

Lies My Teacher Told Me.......2007-07-03

This book is a must read for anyone that is tired of reading history as written by the "victor" as most history is. Of course there's the victors side, however the vanquished side and the truth or an unbiased side are also angles of history which we would do well to know about. Here one gets an eyefull of what the "others" side of the story is. With the victor writing everyting it's all so biased, how can anyone make an intelligent decision on what happened or what and how to improve culture and government if we're not even fully aware of what really went on? Even though this book has been around for quite a while it seems to be a lot more up date then all the existing history books that are so concerned with making things look good, whitewashing things ad infinitum.

Average customer rating:

DELIGHTFUL
another quirky romance
Funny
disappointing
A Great Read

Thanksgiving
Janet Evanovich
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Manhunt

ASIN: 0060598808
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Book Description

When Megan Murphy discovered a floppy-eared rabbit gnawing on the hem of her skirt, she meant to give its careless owner a piece of her mind, but Dr. Patrick Hunter was too attractive to stay mad at for long. Soon the two are making Thanksgiving dinner for their families.

Customer Reviews:

DELIGHTFUL.......2007-07-23

This book is fun and delightful and charming and cute! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it as fun reading!!

another quirky romance.......2007-06-17

A little to quick of a read like her other romance novels, though I can appreciate that it would have been more average in length if her love stories were erotica instead of her fade-to-black style

Funny.......2007-05-12

This is a good love story and laugh. Try not to laugh... it's impossible.

disappointing.......2007-04-06

This is an early work of J. Evanovich. It is a pretty simple romance novel.

A Great Read.......2007-03-16

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a sweet & simple story. No real big plot, but just a sweet old fashioned story that you don't find anymore. I enjoyed it being a Thanksgiving themed story, you could almost smell the turkey and stuffing, it was just a fun book to read and reminds you of the whole falling-in-love process.....

Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House #27)

Average customer rating:

Jennifer's review
MY BOY LOVES READING IT
It's an okay book
Boring, Boring, & Thanksgivingnesh
The Magic Tree house

Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House #27)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0375806156
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Book Description

The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to the eve of the first Thanksgiving. There they meet the Pilgrims as well as Squanto, a Native American who helped them. The story offers an age-appropriate, in-depth picture of what life was really like for early settlers, as well as the usual Magic Tree House adventure and excitement.

Customer Reviews:

Jennifer's review.......2007-02-02

Jack and Annie travel back in time to the year of 1621,the time of the Pilgrams.Jack and Annie was sent by Morgan Le Fay to find the art of magic. Jack and Annie were in a forest and spied on the pilgrams when they got there, but Annie saw a dog which scared Jack and alerted the pilgrams. Jack told this fib to Squanto and the pilgrams. After the fib, all of the kids went hunting and gathering while Jack and Annie went into the water, in search for eels and clams in the ocean. After, they went to a house and cooked turkey for the feast. Jack ruined the turkey and felt horrible. It was all right and they had a feast outdoors. Jack and Annie returned home after finding the magic of community.

MY BOY LOVES READING IT.......2007-01-07

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

It's an okay book .......2006-11-07

Thanksgiving on Thursday is an okay book because it is about a boy (Jack) and a girl (Annie) that go back in time to the first feast of thanksgiving. They help a woman prepare for the first Thankgiving dinner. They had to gather some of the food for the harvest. Jack gets caught in a snare set for an animal! Read it--it's okay!

Boring, Boring, & Thanksgivingnesh.......2006-10-31

All this book is about how the Indians and Pilgrims started Thanks giving. I read thi book when i was 8. It was alright back then.

BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU READ THIS BOOK !!!!

The Magic Tree house.......2006-06-12

The story startes out when Jack and his little sister Annie are on their way to a place called Plymouth. At first they had no idea where they were until Jack was hung after he accidently steped into a trap; they finally found out where they were.

First, this story takes place during the time of the pilgrims coming to the United States from England on a ship well-known as the Mayflower. The story's sequence startes when Jack and Annie are introduced to all the pilgrims and an indian; his name Squanto. Sooner on in the story Jack and Annie learn how to hunt and fish for there own food. While in a women's house Jack learned how to cook over the fire. But, they run into a problem; they didn't know how things ran around there. But a women nice enough told them just that. Her nam was Prinscilla.

Last in the story they have wonderful and unforgiving diner. Also known as the First Thanksgiving Feast. Jack and Annie enjoyed their time in Plymouth because they have learned as much as I did.

I thought that this book was an awesome experience for me because I have learned alot about the pilgrims and what it was like back in the day.

Magic Tree House Collection Volume 7: Books 25-28: #25 Stage Fright on a Summer Night; #26 Good Morning, Gorillas; #27 Thanksgiving on Thursday; #28 High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House Collection)

Average customer rating:

Love these stories
Higher numbered books are longer
Why only 4 books
Why only 4?

Magic Tree House Collection Volume 7: Books 25-28: #25 Stage Fright on a Summer Night; #26 Good Morning, Gorillas; #27 Thanksgiving on Thursday; #28 High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House Collection)

Manufacturer: Listening Library (Audio)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0739338765
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Book Description

Stage Fright on a Summer Night
The show must go on! That's what Jack and Annie learn when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to Elizabethan England. There they meet William Shakespeare who’s having a hard time with some of the actors in his latest show. Are Jack and Annie ready to make a big entrance? Or will it be curtains for Shakespeare?

Good Morning, Gorillas
Gentle giants or giant monsters? That's the question Jack and Annie have about gorillas when the Magic Tree House sweeps them to the mountains of Africa. There they meet a group of amazing and sometimes frightening gorillas. Will the gorillas be able to teach him some special magic?

Thanksgiving on Thursday
It’s a time for giving thanks when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to 1621 on the first Thanksgiving Day. The Pilgrims ask them to help get things ready. But Jack and Annie don't know how to do anything the Pilgrim way. Will they ruin the holiday forever? Or will the feast go on?"

High Tide in Hawaii
Catch the wave! That's what Jack and Annie do when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to a Hawaiian island of long ago. They learn how to surf and have a great time - until strange things start happening. Jack and Annie soon discover the cause: A tidal wave is headed their way! Can they help save their new friends in time?

Customer Reviews:

Love these stories.......2007-08-25

My son loves these stories and he learns a little about each destination. The only problem I have with the books is that proper sentence structure is not always used. Did the editors not notice? These books are for beginner readers, so it is confusing to them not to have proper "subject/verb" sentence structure.

Higher numbered books are longer.......2007-07-17

I have the audio CD versions of every story 1-24 and 29-32. I can tell you that the stories 29-32 are much longer than any of the books in the first few sets.

For example, books 17-24 have a total play time of almost exactly 5 hours compared with books 29-32 with a total story time just over 5 hours. So, you get 50% less "books", but the same story reading time.

I am just purchasing this set 25-28 now, and I do not yet know the running time of these stories. But.. you should evaluate the hours of audio enjoyment, not just the number of books when making your comparisons. Perhaps Amazon will add this information to the details, or perhaps I just missed it.

Why only 4 books.......2007-06-01

I agree with the other comment 100%. I am dissapointed at such a blatent marketing ploy to charge more money for less content. Done in the best "bait and switch", new and (not) improved tradition. I'll buy it for the same reason, but it is frustrating.

Why only 4?.......2007-03-23

Why are there only 4 stories on this set for nearly the same price as 8 on the previous three audio CD releases? I'll buy it because my daughter loves them, but I can't say I'm thrilled with paying only $2 less for half the content.

Average customer rating:

Better than 5 stars

Thanksgiving (Williams-Sonoma)
Michael McLaughlin , and Noel Barnhurst
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0743225023
Release Date: 2001-11-01

Amazon.com

Williams-Sonoma, purveyor of choice gourmet products and kitchenware, has also created a collection of succinct yet comprehensive cookbooks. Part of the series, Thanksgiving offers 40 recipes that reflect the company's signature good taste. From traditional and "new" holiday starters like Butternut Squash Soup and Mixed Greens with Bacon-Wrapped Figs to desserts including Creamy Pumpkin Pie and Ginger-Pear Torte, the book offers delicious options for a hearty, homemade feast. Main-course birds, dressings, breads, and other accompaniments are represented with the likes of classic roast turkey and Hickory-Smoked Roast Turkey with Horseradish-Apple Sauce; Cornbread Dressing with Oysters and Ham; and Cranberry Sauce with Cider and Vinegar, while a chapter entirely devoted to potatoes provides exemplary "mashed" formulas as well as Candied Yams and a knockout Two-Potato Gratin with Cheese.

Accompanied by color photos that show the dishes in all their glory, the recipes are completely doable, and will appeal to a wide range of cooks. Throughout, sidebars (like "Biscuit Savvy") offer useful information on techniques and ingredients; a glossary and basics section are also helpful. Though small in size, the book provides an inclusive store of superior recipes and instruction. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

No other holiday captures the spirit of home cooking the way Thanksgiving does. From the perfect roast turkey with wild rice and chestnut stuffing to a rich, old-fashioned pumpkin pie, good food shared with family and friends is what makes this day so special.

Williams-Sonoma Collection Thanksgiving offers easy-to-follow recipes you will want to include in your own holiday menu year after year. In these pages, you'll find inspiring first courses and a tempting variety of side dishes and desserts as well as some new ideas for the main course. This vividly photographed, full-color recipe collection will become an essential addition to your kitchen bookshelf.

"Whether it's your first time preparing a Thanksgiving meal or your twentieth, I hope these recipes make your feast enjoyable."

Customer Reviews:

Better than 5 stars.......2005-08-10

From Williams-Sonoma, "Thanksgiving" has 40 essential recipes that you can count on to be delicious. Thanksgiving is all about the experiance of enjoying home cooking. Learn to make a no fail classic roast turkey, or Hickory-Smoked Roast Turkey with Horseradish-Apple Sauce if you want to get fancy. All the side dishes are here and maybe some new ones too including wild rice and chestnut stuffing, butternut squash Soup, dressings, breads, cranberry sauce and more. A whole chapter is dedicated to the important staple "potatoes" and they varied ways you can prepare the humble spuds. Sweet Candied Yams are here too. Desserts are not forgotten such as Creamy Pumpkin Pie
One of the nice things about this company is that they include large color photos of their completed dishes, and these help with presentation as well. The recipes are accessible and easy to follow for any level cook. You will rely on this book every year, a worthwhile investment. And it looks prettier on the shelf than most cookbooks I have seen.

Fanciful Paper Projects: Making Your Own Posh Little Follies

Average customer rating:

Cute ideas
Cute & Fun Projects..
Cute and useful too
Where's the CD?
Like Crack for Crafters and Scrapbookers!!

Fanciful Paper Projects: Making Your Own Posh Little Follies
Sandra Evertson
Manufacturer: Sterling/Chapelle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1402727526

Book Description

New in Paper
The beauty of vintage paper is at the core of the absolutely captivating projects that author Sandra Evertson calls "Posh Little Follies." She has created a unique selection of enchanting little theaters, bandboxes, ornaments, and art dolls. Best of all, Sandra makes it fun for everyone else to craft them, too. The instructions are easy to follow and the elements can be color-copied straight from the book--even the actual rare papers she used. Some of the items feature embellishments such as ribbon, while others glisten with rhinestones and beads. Among the charming projects: a Prima Ballerina doll; Theatre La Rousse, complete with a Pierrot; Cupcake Papier Mache Box; and paper posies with fanciful faces to "plant" in pots.

Customer Reviews:

Cute ideas.......2007-08-18

I bought this book to do some paper art crafts with my daughter. Although I won't follow the artist's step by step instructions (which she gives great detail)it inspired me for my own projects. My only complaint was that she wrote the book in third person "...the artist prefers...." Why couldn't she say, "I prefer to use...." it was annoying reading---almost like she needed to pretend that someone was writing a biography on her.

Cute & Fun Projects.........2007-03-30

This is a fun book for "crafty types" and the templates are very cute. I especially liked the fairy one,in fact I made several of them and didn't closely follow the one shown in the book,which is what I reccommend once you get the hang of making these little projects. Yes,a CD would be nice,but I didn't pay much for the book itself,so,overall I'm pretty happy with it.

Cute and useful too.......2007-01-12

At first the photography attracted me. Then I appreciated the detailed instruction that explained how to make little boxes that will stand up on their creepy little legs. Fun reference I can see myself going back to for years.

Where's the CD?.......2006-11-15

This is a great book, full of inspiration and feel-good eye candy. It seems rather antiquated, though, to include lots of clip art that needs to be photocopied at a specified enlargement. To accomplish this copying, the book needs to be taken apart. Also, most home printers do not print on paper larger than 8.5 by 11 inches, so some images are cut off while others are being enlarged. Why not just include all the images on a CD (that costs, what, about 25 cents to produce?) Most of the other books in this genre seem to be including CDs now. That's my only problem with this book.

Like Crack for Crafters and Scrapbookers!!.......2006-09-15

I am constantly buying craft books to add to my collection. This book is beautifully illustrated with patterns, ephemera, papers and instructions for completing the projects.

In response to the fear of destroying the book to make the crafts I have some suggestions to offer.

1. Buy two copies if you are worried about wrecking the spine or cutting up the book. It is DEFINITELY worth the investment if you are a serious crafter.

2. Tracing paper is good for tracing basic patters. Find a good craft store that carries a selection of patterned papers and transfer the tracing to the paper. In Washington state I frequent Michael's, Jo-Ann Fabric, and Ben Franklin which all carry a large selection of different papers.

3. A good scanner and a photo editing program are another good way to copy the items without spending alot of money on color prints. Of course a printer also helps. This method is helpful if you want to resize images to fit a particular format.

4. If you are good with a vector program like Freehand or Illustrator you have opened up even more possibilities for tweeking these designs to fit your needs.

As for the downside to this book? I'm not the writer raking in the cash for it! This is truly one of the best "how to" crafting books I've seen on the market yet! It truly is, as one reviewer put it, a visual feast! Enjoy!

The Many Blessings Cookbook: A Celebration of Harvest, Home, and Country Cooking

Average customer rating:

The Many Blessings Cookbook: A Celebration of Harvest, Home, and Country Cooking
Jane Watson Hopping
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Little Pilgrim's Progress: From John Bunyan's Classic (The Message)

Average customer rating:

Little Pilgrim's Progress: From John Bunyan's Classic (The Message) by Helen Taylor
character qualities
Pleased with availability
OutSTANDING Book!
My children found it gripping

Little Pilgrim's Progress: From John Bunyan's Classic (The Message)
Helen Taylor
Manufacturer: Moody Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802449247

Book Description

Fifty-five years ago, Helen L. Taylor took John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress and simplified the vocabulary and concepts for young readers, while keeping the storyline intact. The result was a classic in itself, which has now sold over 600,000 copies. It’s both a simple adventure story and a profound allegory of the Christian journey through life, a delightful read with a message kids ages 6 to 12 can understand and remember. A new look and fresh illustrations for today’s children enlivens the journey to the Celestial City.

Customer Reviews:

Little Pilgrim's Progress: From John Bunyan's Classic (The Message) by Helen Taylor.......2007-07-12

This is a great book for children to get the message of "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan. It is written so they can understand it and gets them caught up in the adventure and stories in the book. I use it to teach lessons on Sunday at my church. We read it together and then discuss what the story might mean to them and how they can use what little Christian learns in his life lessons.

character qualities.......2007-05-21

we used this as a read aloud with our kids ages 4-11 they love it. 2-3 page chapters make it a great bed time story. We talked about christian characteristics and worldly charateristics these things are rarely taught. Great Book!

Pleased with availability.......2007-05-14

I used this book for VBS 15 years ago and pulled it out of the mothballs to persuade a new cluster of churches to give it a try so I was gratified that I could still get plenty of copies for the directors and actors.
Beth Snyder, Brownstown Presbyterian Church, Brownstown, IN

OutSTANDING Book!.......2007-02-11

We are reading it for homeschooling and are really enjoying it! My 6 year old son is completely into it and loves to describe the characters.

My children found it gripping.......2007-02-09

I have strong memories of this book from when I read it as a child, very different from other books, and fascinating, one of my favorites, couldn't get it out of my mind. When my children were young, I remembered this book and obtained a copy. The first time I read it to them, they were only 3 1/2 and 5 1/2. I knew they were young, so was amazed at how much they liked the book and would beg me again and again to read "just one more" chapter. (I would still suggest this book for slightly older children, maybe in the younger elementary years.) But it really is an amazingly gripping book for children, with lots of important lessons that can be learned and discussed. My son, after reading about the character "Help" early in the book, asked whether could change his name to "Help"! (We suggested that he have it as a second middle name). Then later he wanted to add the name "Greatheart". Anyhow, I will end with saying I strongly recommend this book.

How Many Days to America?: A Thanksgiving Story

Average customer rating:

How Many Days to America by Cindy L
A wonderful and touching story
Is illegal immigration justified?
How Many Day's to America
Fabulous! A must read for Thanksgiving!

How Many Days to America?: A Thanksgiving Story
Eve Bunting
Manufacturer: Clarion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0395547776

Product Description

Reading level: Ages 9-12 Paperback: 32 pages Publisher: Clarion Books (October 1, 1990) Language: English ISBN-10: 0395547776 ISBN-13: 978-0395547779

Customer Reviews:

How Many Days to America by Cindy L.......2007-03-21

How Many Days to America
By Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Beth Peck

Do you wonder how many days it took this family to get to America? Mom and Dad and the boy and girl are coming to America in a big boat. There were many families in the boat. It was a hard trip. Some times they did not have food and they also got scared. Then the thieves took their money and jewels. They finally reached to a new place. They celebrated Thanksgiving with the people in the new country. I think they don't have to be afraid of new things. I think this book is good for people who were coming to America. This book is like my story I felt very sad even though I was with my sister just like the little girl. In the story I started to be happy when I saw my mom and dad. The illustrations gives an idea of what it was like coming to America. If you are one of those people who are new to America read this book you will enjoy it. By Cindy L

A wonderful and touching story.......2001-01-17

The first time I read this book was to a third grader. When it finished she sat in silence. Then, with an amazing amount of concern and compasion, she asked if it was a true story. The way the book touched her (and me) was amazing. It is a great book to help children (and adults) see the hardships many immigrants face. It is a wonderful book that can be used in the classroom as the center of a integrated lesson, or just read and discussed. This book is one everyone should read, around Thanksgiving or any time of the year.

Is illegal immigration justified?.......2000-01-21

Eve Bunting seems to hold the opinion that breaking the laws of this country can be justified. I would not read this book to my third graders. In the case of illegal immigration, the end does not justify the means. In her book, Ms. Bunting portrays a family fleeing a Cuba-like country for a Florida-like destination. After enduring a harrowing journey in a rickity, leaky boat, the family arrives in America and is greeted by their fellow countrymen in time to celebrate Thanksgiving. Sorry, but this book does not warm my heart. The problems and responsibilities thrust upon the United States by uncontrolled immigration is too serious an issue to gloss over.

How Many Day's to America.......1999-12-18

This book was interesting because it showed how people travelled when they immigrated to America. Somebody from our school had the same travel experiences as the family in the book. It was a sad story because some people got sick, but the conclusion was very hopeful.

Fabulous! A must read for Thanksgiving!.......1998-11-23

Eve Bunting outdid herself again! This story left both my second grade students and I teary eyed! A fabulous read when discussing Thanksgiving! We have alot to be thankful for in America!

The Ghost at the Table: A Novel (Shannon Ravenel Books)

Average customer rating:

a bit fizzly
Great family dysfunction novel; so-so historical novel
Intelligent Dysfunctional Family Story................
DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY AT THE HOLIDAYS
Wonderful, insightful book

The Ghost at the Table: A Novel (Shannon Ravenel Books)
Suzanne Berne
Manufacturer: A Shannon Ravenel Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1565123344

Book Description

Strikingly different since childhood and leading very dissimilar lives now, sisters Frances and Cynthia have nevertheless managed to remain "devoted"—so long as they stay on opposite coasts. But with the reappearance of their elderly, long-estranged father they find themselves reunited for a cold, snowy Thanksgiving week—a reunion that awakens sleeping tensions and old sorrows.

Frances envisions a happy family holiday with her husband and daughters in her lovely old New England farmhouse. Cynthia, a writer of historical fiction, doesn't understand how Frances can ignore the past their father's presence revives, a past that includes suspicions about their mother's death twenty-five years earlier. Adding to her uneasiness is her research for a book on Mark Twain's daughters, whose lives she thinks eerily mirror her own and Frances's.

As Thanksgiving day arrives, with a houseful of guests looking forward to dinner, the sisters continue to struggle with different versions of their shared past, until a warning issued by Cynthia's friend Carita, that "families are toxic" and "blood is bloody," proves prophetically true.

The Ghost at the Table reveals what happens when one person tries to rewrite another's history and explores the mystery of why families try to stay together even when it may be in their best interests to stay apart.

Customer Reviews:

a bit fizzly.......2007-06-10

This book begins with a very engaging premise, and seems very cleverly written. There are many red flags raised about the condition of the narrator's sister, whom she is persuaded to visit for Thanksgiving, but ultimately, fewer are resolved. The plot takes some strange turns getting to the end. Some interesting parallels between the narrator's family and Mark Twain's are alluded to, of whom the narrater is writing an historical fiction novel for young readers, but those are not totally thought out either. For me, an unsatisfying resolution.

Great family dysfunction novel; so-so historical novel.......2007-05-28

The part of this novel I loved was the family-dysfunction-at-Thanksgiving stuff. The domestic dramas, the interplay between the two adult sisters, the mother and teenage daughter, the husband and wife, etc. That was fun, interesting, and we can all relate.

The part of this novel I liked less was when she veered off into Mark Twain history. Huh??

Got the feeling that, after Ms. Berne had spent ALL THAT TIME researching Mark Twain for this book, she was not going to waste all that work, so--into the book went every single obscure fact she had learned. Zzz. (Sometimes facts are obscure for a reason.)

I paged through those Mark Twain history sections, skimming. And it took nothing away from my enjoyment of the novel, which was considerable. I think a more tightly edited book--leaving most of the Mark Twain stuff on the cutting room floor--would have been a better book.

Intelligent Dysfunctional Family Story.......................2007-04-20

Suzanne Berne is a gifted writer and THE GHOST AT THE TABLE is a good read of much higher quality than the usual "chick lit". Her characters and the situations they find themselves in are believable but like some other reviewers have said by the end of the story it felt like some vital piece(s) of information had been left out and I too paged back to see if I had just been a sloppy reader. I did enjoy the author's device of comparing the fictional contemporary family with the real life historical sisters from famous families. The book misses being five star from me because the first part of the book led me to believe I would get a more satisfying conclusion than was provided.

DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY AT THE HOLIDAYS.......2007-01-26

I liked the idea of setting the story in my old haunts. Massachussets, especially the Cape, and West Hartford were well related in text. I especially liked the insights into Mark Twain and his family's secrets. BUT, the parallels with the family in the novel hit you over the head. No subtle references there!However, I expected to have some sort of resolution to who really killed momma. The housekeeper? The dad thought the middle daughter did it. The middle daughter thought the youngest sister did it. The daughter thought the dad did it. I really wanted to like this book.But, it fell short.Depressing as anything.

Wonderful, insightful book.......2007-01-10

Suzanne Berne's novel, "The Ghost at the Table" is a sensitive and honest portrayal of family. She writes with humor sharp edged observation. The book is engaging and has stayed with me in the many months after I read it.

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