Average customer rating:
- Unbelievable In This Day and Age
- Real Life Horror
- No good ending here
- Lack of remorse in Oklahoma
- Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star...
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The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Doubleday
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0385517238
Release Date: 2006-10-10 |
Amazon.com
John Grisham tackles nonfiction for the first time with The Innocent Man, a true tale about murder and injustice in a small town (that reads like one of his own bestselling novels). The Innocent Man chronicles the story of Ron Williamson, how he was arrested and charged with a crime he did not commit, how his case was (mis)handled and how an innocent man was sent to death row. Grisham's first work of nonfiction is shocking, disturbing, and enthralling--a must read for fiction and nonfiction fans. We had the opportunity to talk with John Grisham about the case and the book, read his responses below. --Daphne Durham
20 Second Interview: A Few Words with John Grisham
Q: After almost two decades of writing fiction, what compelled you to write non-fiction, particularly investigative journalism?
A: I was never tempted to write non-fiction, primarily because it's too much work. However, obviously, I love a good legal thriller, and the story of Ron Williamson has all the elements of a great suspenseful story.
Q: Why this case?
A: Ron Williamson and I are about the same age and we both grew up in small towns in the south. We both dreamed of being major league baseball players. Ron had the talent, I did not. When he left a small town in 1971 to pursue his dreams of major league glory, many thought he would be the next Mickey Mantle, the next great one from the state of Oklahoma. The story of Ron ending up on Death Row and almost being executed for a murder he did not commit was simply too good to pass up.
Q: How did you go about your research?
A: I started with his family. Ron is survived by two sisters who took care of him for most of his life. They gave me complete access to the family records, photographs, Ron's mental health records, and so on. There was also a truckload of trial transcripts, depositions, appeals, etc., that took about 18 months to organize and review. Many of the characters in the story are still alive and I traveled to Oklahoma countless times to interview them.
Q: Did your training as a lawyer help you?
A: Very much so. It enabled me to understand the legal issues involved in Ron's trial and his appeals. It also allowed me, as it always does, to be able to speak the language with lawyers and judges.
Q: Throughout your book you mention, The Dreams of Ada: A True Story of Murder, Obsession, and a Small Town. How did you come across that book, and how did it impact your writing The Innocent Man?
A: Several of the people in Oklahoma I met mentioned The Dreams of Ada to me, and I read it early on in the process. It is an astounding book, a great example of true crime writing, and I relied upon it heavily during my research. Robert Mayer, the author, was completely cooperative, and kept meticulous notes from his research 20 years earlier. Many of the same characters are involved in his story and mine.
Q: You take on some pretty controversial and heated topics in your book--the death penalty, prisoner's rights, DNA analysis, police conduct, and more--were any of your own beliefs challenged by this story and its outcome?
A: None were challenged, but my eyes were open to the world of wrongful convictions. Even as a former criminal defense attorney, I had never spent much time worrying about wrongful convictions. But, unfortunately, they happen all the time in this country, and with increasing frequency.
Q: So many of the key players in this case are either still in office or practicing attorneys. Many family members and friends still live in the same small town. How do you think The Innocent Man will impact this community and other small rural towns as they struggle with the realities of the justice system?
A: Exonerations seem to be happening weekly. And with each one of them, the question is asked--how can an innocent man be convicted and kept in prison for 20 years? My book is the story of only one man, but it is a good example of how things can go terribly wrong with our judicial system. I have no idea how the book will be received in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, or any other town.
Q: What do you hope your readers will take away from The Innocent Man?
A: A better understanding of how innocent people can be convicted, and a greater concern for the need to reimburse and rehabilitate innocent men after they have been released.
Book Description
John Grisham’s first work of nonfiction, an exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry, is his most extraordinary legal thriller yet.
In the major league draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the State of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A’s, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory.
Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits—drinking, drugs, and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa.
In 1982, a 21-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder.
With no physical evidence, the prosecution’s case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row.
If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.
Customer Reviews:
Unbelievable In This Day and Age.......2007-09-30
I read this book thinking it had to be another Grisham work of fiction because if the story were true, America is in trouble.
This story is riveting, fast-paced and shows how truly horrible our justice system can be for those who can't afford a "Johnny Cochran".
I couldn't put this book down. The more you read the more you can't believe it really happened. Thank goodness for the pictures of the people in this story, it really brought home the fact that it's a true story.
Excellent job by Mr. Grisham.
Real Life Horror.......2007-09-29
"The Innocent Man" is a chronicle of Ron Williamson (former minor league baseball star), his life and ordeal as he was wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death row as a result. He was forced to suffer this horror for 11 years until finally the system began to work for him, but only through the diligence and persistence of attorneys assigned to him years later, Mark Barrett and Barry Scheck, his loving mother and persistent sisters, in particular, his sister Annette. The cruelties and disrespect by the officers and District Attorney Bill Peterson that were inflected on him were horrifying. The shabby police work and "junk science," as well as the district attorney's expert witnesses (a majority of them picked from men and women serving time for horrendous crimes themselves) and brought to the stand to testify against Ron, was not only incomprehensible in itself but the fact that the Judge allowed their testimony to stand and control a man's life sentence is abominable. Ron's hometown of Ada, Oklahoma completely turned on him and he was proven guilty without a shred of hard evidence as was his friend, a respected 7th grade Science teacher, Dennis Fritz, merely by association. The book goes on to tell Ron's sad story as only it can be told by such an esteemed author/attorney as John Grisham. I would highly recommend everyone read this true story; it is a real eye opener as to how our justice system can go astray with the wrong people serving in our trusted government positions.
No good ending here.......2007-09-27
I seldom read Grisham but found his first non-fiction work hard to put down. The story of Ron Williamson has no happy ending. Not for Ron nor the young woman who was so brutually murdered.
Grisham does an excellent job of drawing us into the story. If you have never experienced justice (or lack of) in a small town you need to read this book. Had Ron lived in New York City or even Dallas he may have gone unnoticed wandering the streets and babbling like a mad man. But not in Ada, OK.
Lack of remorse in Oklahoma.......2007-09-26
This story had a tremendous impact on me. I support the death penalty but was abhorred to see how flippantly it was applied in Ada Oklahoma. Read this book first and then log onto District Attorney Peterson's web site to read his defense of his actions that were the subject of the book. The first thing he displays on his website is the American flag. Then he has a lengthy and tedious defense of all the minor points in Grisham's novel. He provides statistics on the probability of innocent people being convicted of felonies as if this excuses him for almost sending an innocent person to his death. Peterson tries to blow off Grisham as an anti-death penalty advocate. I truly fear for the soul of Mr. Peterson and the good people of Ada Oklahoma - a bit of remorse and repentance for what they almost did to an innocent man would help them when they meet their Maker. Hiding behind the American flag might help now but certainly not later!
Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star..........2007-09-18
... but it's not. It only looks like fiction in bad taste. Instead, this truly happened as described.
I'm not summarizing the story as the editorial reviews and most reviewers before me are quite descriptive.
May I just say that I think that every judicial system has its share of faults and flaws, but what's revealed in this book is simply astonishing and unbelievable from beginning to end. I can only hope that it rattles a few consciences whilst increasing awareness to prevent disastrous consequences for those involved.
As it always happens when I read J. Grisham's books, I've appreciated and enjoyed the clear and well structured narrative, even more so on this occasion. Being a real-life story, I'm sure it must have been quite a task to extrapolate all the relevant facts from all the interviews and paperwork generated by this case during the years, in order to present them clearly to the readers.
Unless you already know the epilogue, try not to peek at the photographs published right in the middle of the book. Some are quite revealing for the yet-to-be-read rest of the story. They don't actually "spoil everything" -in fact, whatever unfolded after turning those pages kept me on the alert and as incredulous as ever- but I still think it would have been preferable to print them at the very end of the book.
A part from that, "The Innocent Man" is highly recommendable.
Book Description
Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction 4e is a clear, contemporary and comprehensive introduction to the study of criminology. Offering a thematic approach that contrasts the social responsibility and social problems approaches to crime theory, the book encourages readers to think critically about the causes of crime.
Introduces the field of criminology in the 21
st century with completely up-to-date coverage of sociological theories of crime, terrorism and white collar and high tech crime (including identity theft, cyber-terrorism, computer viruses, hacking and more). Contemporary coverage features breaking crime news pulled from today’s headlines. Part III: “Crime Causation Revisited” expands the coverage of historical and contemporary sociological theories of crime causation. Also features important topics such as (Ch. 3) Research Methods; ( Ch. 15) Criminology and Social Policy; and (Ch. 16) Future Directions.
For criminal justice practitioners or those in law enforcement.
Customer Reviews:
A must for CRJ majors.......2006-11-07
This book is really good and it explains criminology in a way that a normal person would understand it.
criminology book.......2006-02-23
This book is alright but the reading is kinda boring.The subject is very interesting and I think that there could be a better book to go with it. The author uses words that a lot of people don't hear very often. He uses the word hence alot.
Criminology Today.......2006-02-21
This book is as good as it gets on Criminology. We are using it for Criminology in college.
Nancy Caster
Book Description
It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .
Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.
This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.
Customer Reviews:
good book.......2007-10-10
The book was in good shape. The print was large enough to read comfortaby. I liked the book.
Insightful..........2007-10-10
It is a romance with a historic background...some would say the other way around, where the author talks about the 2WW thru the personal drama of this little girl, Liesel and her peculiar way of getting satisfaction on a life full of difficulties. What I most liked about it was the way the author talks about the 2WW using an unusual perspective.
Riviting and Emotionally engaging.......2007-10-10
I haven't been so emotionally engaged in a book in I can't remember how long. The only fault that I find is that reviews keep saying that the target audience for this book is teens! While I find the story and the historic significance important, I would argue that the reader who gets more out of this book is a reader who has experienced more out of life. I loved all of the figurative language and the perspective that Zusak wrote from. And although I was a bit annoyed that Death was a blabber-mouth, in the end it didn't take away from how I felt reading the last 80 pages of the book. This book was our community book for 2007 (a grant provides them at no cost to anyone who wants to read one). Everyone I've talked to has literally sobbed through the ending, feeling everything that Liesel does along the way.
Phenomenal. I recommend it to everyone.
Fighting against the Reich.......2007-10-08
Wow. First of all, my 12 year old daughter also read this book, and she cried for a while towards the end and after finishing it. I was already reading it also, but having several books going at once, I kept putting it down, until finally on a Saturday afternoon I plowed through to the end. So emotionally wrenching and heartbreaking, this book (and the book thief) deserves nothing less than your full and undivided attention.
A story of loss, courage and love, the subject of this book, while written for the "young adult" audience, is very mature. But it is subject matter we all need to be reminded of so we never forget it. The book thief is a young foster child, growing up with a new family after losing her parents to circumnstances surrounding the start of WW2 in Germany. Not all Germans were blindly following Hitler, as Liesel and her neighbors stand up to do the right thing for their neighbors and themselves. Her "Papa," Hans, is a WW1 veteran, who is prevailed upon by the son of someone who he knew back then for help, and Hans does the right thing; and then some. Liesel's best friend, the lovely Rudy Steiner and his family are the same. Brave people who know in their hearts what is wrong and right, and that listen to their hearts as well. Fear is rampant, but these are brave, enduring souls.
I don't want to give away the ending, but this is a book I am encouraging all my children to read, and I will also recommend it to my friends. I will never forget Liesel, Rudy and the Steiner family, Max or Hans and Rosa. A story with a bittersweet ending.
My truly favorite book of all time........2007-10-07
Simply and to the point, this is the most moving and beautiful book I can ever remember reading. I'll be buying this for many, many people.
Amazon.com
"Until one morning in mid-November of 1959, few Americans--in fact, few Kansans--had ever heard of Holcomb. Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in the shape of exceptional happenings, had never stopped there." If all Truman Capote did was invent a new genre--journalism written with the language and structure of literature--this "nonfiction novel" about the brutal slaying of the Clutter family by two would-be robbers would be remembered as a trail-blazing experiment that has influenced countless writers. But Capote achieved more than that. He wrote a true masterpiece of creative nonfiction. The images of this tale continue to resonate in our minds: 16-year-old Nancy Clutter teaching a friend how to bake a cherry pie, Dick Hickock's black '49 Chevrolet sedan, Perry Smith's Gibson guitar and his dreams of gold in a tropical paradise--the blood on the walls and the final "thud-snap" of the rope-broken necks.
Book Description
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.
As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy.
In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.
Download Description
With the publication of this book, Capote permanently ripped through the barrier separating crime reportage from serious literature. As he reconstructs the 1959 murder of a Kansas farm family and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, Capote generates suspense and empathy.
Customer Reviews:
Quite Cold, Indeed.......2007-10-06
It is a testament to Truman Capote's ability that he was able to take a small yet disturbing blurb in the New York Times and not only write a compelling book about it, but create a new literary form, the nonfiction novel, and also turn the story into an American classic. IN COLD BLOOD fully deserves the accolades that have been heaped upon it since its publication.
That newspaper blurb, of course, was about the mysterious murders of the Clutter family (father Herbert, mother Bonnie, and teenagers Nancy and Kenyon) in the small, isolated town of Holcomb, Kansas. At first, it was unclear why the family had been slaughtered and it was thought to be the work of a psychopathic killer. That such psychopathy flared up in America's heartland made the story all the more disturbing. After all, everyone knows all the weirdos and lunatics were supposed to live in New York or San Francisco. To think that they were right in our midst...
Capote's detailed (and controversial!) studies of the murders take us so deep into the story it is like we were really there. Using the techniques of fiction and applying them to a non-fiction story, Capote brings the real life tragedy to life a second time around. This is particularly disturbing with respect to the two men who committed the crime, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. IN COLD BLOOD probably is the first book of its kind to give the readers such an accurate portrait into the minds and personalities of such brutal killers.
What strikes the reader hard is that, of the two criminals, it is the actual trigger man, Perry Smith, who is the more tender and emotionally vulnerable. That Dick Hickock seems, by every measure imaginable, to be a harsher person than his compatriot is juxtaposed powerfully with Hickock's own complaints that he is the only person on death row who did not actually kill anyone. We now know, of course, that Capote developed some type of emotional relationship with Perry Smith while researching the book and so it is up to the reader to determine how much this might have clouded Capote's judgment and writings on him.
Despite the bleakness of the story, IN COLD BLOOD is written in a very feminine and flowery style. If Capote's homosexuality were not widely known, one could almost assume as much by this. Again, this creates a jarring juxtaposition for the reader, as he is confronted with the darkest corners of depravity.
Anyone who visits the true crime section of a bookstore is confronted with books basically reeking of schlock. A good writer, however, can turn the average, or even below average, subject and elevate it to new heights. This is what Truman Capote did. IN COLD BLOOD is very cold, indeed.
Read the book before the movie!.......2007-10-05
This was a wonderful book, but I made the mistake of seeing the movie and then I had a biased. I enjoyed this.
Capote's Masterpiece Is Full Of Thrills, Suspense, And Incredible Prose.......2007-09-24
When Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" was published in 1966, it became an international bestseller and was lauded by the critics. Now, over forty years later, "In Cold Blood" remains the crowning achievemt of Capote's career as a writer. Capote's skill as a journalist and natural talent as a writer combine to create the definitive American true crime book. Whether you prefer nonfiction or fiction, Capote's true account of mass murder and it's consequences is sure to please!
As Good as it Gets.......2007-09-19
In Cold Blood is incredibly well written. Unlike many of his short stories, the prose is clean and not overly adorned. Without moralizing, he simply tells the story of one of the most random and nonsensical murders of his time. In my opinion, Capote wrote one great book, and this is it.
A compelling read.......2007-08-23
Because I practice criminal law, I walk around in a world with stories like this one everyday. So I didn't really see the big deal until I finished reading Capote's In Cold Blood. Capote makes a nonfiction account read like fiction. That may not sound like much, but it impressed the hell out of me. Usually nonfiction has a dull feel to it. It just doesn't pop like fiction does. But Capote is able to cut right through that and make this story every bit as compelling as fiction without giving it a corny, Court-TV "true-crime" feel.
Book Description
CRIMINOLOGY: THE CORE, Second Edition takes a concise look at criminology and criminological theory, offering a briefer, less expensive alternative to other criminology texts on the market. Carefully structured to cover relevant information in a manageable format and in a presentation that is interesting and contemporary, renowned author Larry J. Siegel continues to incorporate his hallmark balanced and unbiased presentation of theory, policy, high-interest examples, and cutting-edge and seminal research. This market-leading brief Criminology text is also the best value for your students! CRIMINOLOGY: THE CORE, Second Edition now includes the most student-friendly and useful technology package available, including a FREE Student CD-ROM and robust Companion Web Site.
Customer Reviews:
Not Bad .......2007-08-19
Book was easy to read. It was nice that the author gave us really big margins so we can write notes in there if we needed to. Would recommend for other classes if there is not another book that is better. I would prefer to look for another book before using this one, but it was not too bad to use.
Criminology: The Core.......2005-07-25
This book is easy to read and understand. The exercises at the end of each chapter are very helpful.
Average customer rating:
- Courtesy of Teens Read Too
- Gotta have it
- Pretty Good...
- Heart of Glass
- Heart of Glass
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A-List #8, The: Heart of Glass: An A-List Novel (A-List)
Zoey Dean
Manufacturer: Poppy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0316010960 |
Book Description
The New York Times bestselling series about the scandalous lives of rich and famous teens in Beverly Hills, California.High school is officially over and that means one thing for the A-List: time to party! But the celebration is cut short when unlikely pair Anna and Cammie find themselves in an even more unlikely situation--caught trespassing on a celeb's beach estate--and are forced to don steel handcuffs along with their Tiffany tennis bracelets.Luckily, the girls are spared a summer stuck in tacky orange jumpsuits when their hotshot lawyer lands them a cushy community service gig: helping plan a fabulous charity fashion show! But while it may seem like a plush job, Anna and Cammie are in for a challenge. Can the girls handle the pressure of the vicious fashion world? Or will they fall to pieces faster than a cheap Louis Vuitton knockoff?
Customer Reviews:
Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-05-31
In the last book in the A-LIST series (American Beauty: An A-List Novel (A-List #7)), the gang had finally graduated while discovering some juicy secrets. Cammie had discovered more information on what really happened to her mother. Sam was finally reunited with Eduardo, and Anna met Caine, who was nothing like her boyfriend, Ben. And Ben's dirty little secret wasn't a secret any longer.
The A-Listers are back again in HEART OF GLASS, and this time with a little twist.
Anna and Cammie have to work together - that's right, together - on a charity fashion show. But they got off easy, since this little community service project was the result of getting caught trespassing on a celebrity's estate. No worries, these two can work together, right?
Anna and Caine are getting a little closer, while Ben doesn't seem to worry so much. While Adam and Cammie are trying to make things work, we're hoping that opposites really do attract. Sam is still trying to adjust to living with Poppy, and maybe trying to get rid of her at the same time, while making sure nothing goes wrong with her and Eduardo. And Dee, well, she's Dee, trying to get back on her feet.
The gang is back and it's going to be one sizzling summer.
Eighth in the series, HEART OF GLASS is still filled with secrets, lies, and plenty of drama. The best thing about this series is that the material is never old and it still keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat. The cast is still great and you just love Anna more and more after each book. Lets just say that HEART OF GLASS is more appealing than another episode of a certain teen drama on a new network - at least I'm experiencing something I haven't seen before!
Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen
Gotta have it.......2007-05-24
I am crazy over this series ... i think that this book had to be the most mouth dropping one ... i almost feel like zoey can't write these books fast enough ... i feel like i can identify w/ every character on one level or another ... zoey dean delivers everytime you read one of her books
Pretty Good..........2007-05-17
I've been following the A-List novels since they came out a few years ago. There were tons of these book series floating around--the rich, cliquey girls who seemed to be mean and exclusionary--there were the Gossip Girls, the Clique... you get my drift.
Of all the books of that sort, A-List was the one that caught my eye. I followed it religiously for a while, but I got to one particular book in the series and almost gave up on it. The name-dropping and overall snobbery frustrated me to the point that I almost didn't give a flying ice cream cone about Anna and Ben or Dee's increasing psychosis.
Dean has redeemed herself with this last one, though. The characters are proving to be much more dimensional than first thought, and although they still tend to get themselves into outrageous situations, they are handling them with class and the kind of assertiveness I wish I'd had as a teenager. I really enjoyed this last book and I am looking forward to the "next juicy A-List novel."
Heart of Glass.......2007-05-14
Gabriela R. 5/11/07
Heart of Glass, Zoey Dean, ISBN: 0-316-01096-0
If you like Drama, Fashion, and Love then the Heart of Glass is the book you want to read. The main characters are Anna, Sam, Cammie, and Dee! Anna and Cammie got arrested for trespassing on a beach estate, but since their dad's hired really good lawyers they only got community service. Which is to help plan a charity fashion show. Since Anna started hanging out with Caine. Cammie decides to go and hang out with Ben hers and Anna's ex-boyfriend because Adam is camping and she just wants to have a little fun! Cammie finds out what really happened to her mother.
Sam suspects that Poppy her step-mother is cheating on her father the famous Jackson Sharpe so she gets her friend Parker to flirt with her so she can see if Poppy would really cheat. Anna and Cammie have to work with a girl named Champagne on the fashion show, but everyone says that she is a thief! Anna see Caine at a place call the Firehouse dancing on stage with no shirt on, she figures out that he is just like Ben always keeping secrets from her! But Ben is determined to fight for Anna!!!
Right before the fashion Show a dress is missing, everyone thinks it is Champagne but Cammie is on the case to find the real thief...will Sam find out if Poppy is really cheating on her dad... who will Anna choose Ben or Caine?
I really liked this book it was a page-turner because you want to see what will happen next. I recommend this book to girls 11 and up because this book talks a lot about fashion and girl problems!
Heart of Glass.......2007-05-14
[...]
If you like Drama, Fashion, and Love then the Heart of Glass is the book you want to read. The main characters are Anna, Sam, Cammie, and Dee! Anna and Cammie got arrested for trespassing on a beach estate, but since their dad's hired really good lawyers they only got community service. Which is to help plan a charity fashion show. Since Anna started hanging out with Caine Cammie decides to go and hang out with Ben hers and Anna's ex-boyfriend because Adam is camping and she just wants to have a little fun! Cammie finds out what really happened to her mother.
Sam suspects that Poppy her step-mother is cheating on her father the famous Jackson Sharpe so she gets her friend Parker to flirt with her so she can see if Poppy would really cheat. Anna and Cammie have to work with a girl named Champagne on the fashion show, but everyone says that she is a thief! Anna see Caine at a place call the Firehouse dancing on stage with no shirt on, she figures out that he is just like Ben always keeping secrets from her! But Ben is determined to fight for Anna!!!
Right before the fashion Show a dress is missing, everyone thinks it is Champagne but Cammie is on the case to find the real thief...will Sam find out if Poppy is really cheating on her dad... who will Anna choose Ben or Caine?
I really liked this book it was a page-turner because you want to see what will happen next. I recommend this book to girl 11 and up because this book talks a lot about fashion and girl problems!
Customer Reviews:
For those who work in the prison system.......2007-09-21
It is an entry level book that informs people how to work in the prison system with the inmates. The information offered in the book is kind of stale and old; however, if one has never worked in the prison before, this book might be very useful.
Excellent book !!.......2007-06-27
I work in a minimum security prison and found many of the suggestions helpful. This should be read by anyone prior to being hired into that setting!
Good for everyday encounters with people.......2007-02-27
I have had this book for 20 years and keep it by my bedside as a quick reference when I need to assess the strangers that I encounter in my everyday life. You don't need to have a job where you work with criminals to need this book. Every citizen needs this book to know the con-games that are used by crooks. Just because they haven't been convicted yet doesn't mean that they aren't criminals now. I have loaned this book to many friends. They all eventually bought their own copy.
A Real Eye Opener!.......2007-01-10
I've been a Correctional Officer for over 2 years now. And on my own I've picked out bits and peices of games that were attempted on me. But with the help of this book I was able to see the big picture much clearer. One just never knows how intricate and detailed the games criminals play until they learn how to spot the signs. This book is a must for new officers as well as seasoned vets of the profession. My father has been with the department for over 17 years and my mother almost 7 years. Both of them found this book very helpful. I have recomended it to several of my coworkers and they have all found it very useful. This book may be a little old, but as the author says, "The Games never change, only the players".
Games Criminals Play: How You Can Profit by Knowing Them.......2006-12-05
This is an excellent book. It was recommended at the Police Training Institute I attended. After reading it, I loaned it to my Sergeant. My Sergeant recommended that the entire squad, both long-time and new officers, read it. The book is now being passed around among the correctional facility staff. Officers need to know how easily they can be manipulated into placing their careers and their very lives at risk.
Book Description
Providing coverage of modern management theory, this text emphasizes the application of management techniques appropriate to each area of the criminal justice system. By focusing on the "how's" as well as the "why's," this text prepares students for dealing with real management issues. CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS is known for being thorough, approachable, and practical. It is praised for having strong pedagogical features, such as "Work Perspectives" and "Case Summaries".
Customer Reviews:
Great!!.......2005-09-19
I was very very happy with the book I received and the quick and prompt shipping of my book. I have had lots of problems with ordering books online and this was by far the BEST service I have ever had. The book arrived in perfect condition, it looked brand new, the price was great, and I received it quickly. Great Service.
Average customer rating:
- Nice!
- FREEDOM RULES OR RULES FOR FREEDOM
- Super discussion starter!
- Disappointed
- What It All Means.....
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We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0142402761 |
Amazon.com
Sooner or later, just about every American kid is required to memorize the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. And until now, it was one of the more boring, meaningless assignments. But artist and political cartoonist David Catrow (Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon) has changed all that with his witty, clear-as-a-Liberty-Bell picture book. For him, the Constitution is "a kind of how-to book, showing us ways to have happiness, safety, and comfort." With laugh-out-loud cartoony illustrations, and the actual words of the Preamble as the only text, Catrow depicts a camping trip taken by a diverse, bumbling group of friends, demonstrating the rights and responsibilities the Constitution places on all Americans, young and old. In one especially winning picture, the kids' long-nosed, long-eared pooch provides "for the common defense," keeping lackadaisical guard over the camp as the three human friends yuk it up in silhouette inside the tent. Readers will never yawn at mention of the Constitution again! (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
A long time ago some smart guys wrote the Preamble to the Constitution. You have probably read it before, but do you know what it means? And did it ever make you laugh? Now it will! Perfect for inspiring discussion in classrooms and around kitchen tables, this fun-filled and cheerfully illustrated look at the Preamble provides an accessible introduction to America's founding ideals for citizens of all ages.
Includes a glossary of terms and a foreword by the artist.
Customer Reviews:
Nice!.......2006-01-05
I haven't read this book in a long time, but I plan on picking it up on my next visit to the library!
I love the illustrations, so funny! The kids on the cover, too!
If you like this book, I suggest The Kennedy White House, 1961-1963!
FREEDOM RULES OR RULES FOR FREEDOM.......2005-09-17
As a librarian, I recommend this book for everyone from 5 to 105. All right, this is actually a picture book that depicts some wonderful insights into our freedom and basic tenets of this great nation from a child's viewpoint. The hilarious illustrations by David Catrow will delight readers of all ages and will be fun for those who are not even studying the Constitution. For those students who are studying the Constitution, this book would be a great visual aid to memorizing the Preamble. I have not met a teenager who didn't enjoy a quick read in a great children's picture book. Teachers: Why not reduce your stressed out students and let them begin their studies with this light-hearted look into some very serious words? Buy a couple of copies and circulate them through the class. Everyone will love them. For the younger reader, ESL or special ed student there is one page explaining the basic meaning of these words and another page and a half explaining why anyone bothered to write the Constitution of the United States. It's ALL GREAT!
Super discussion starter!.......2003-05-18
This fun book helped me to reach my fifth grade class in a way their social studies text never would have! Catrow finds a way to take the elegant (and sometimes difficult to translate into kid-talk) language of the Preamble and not only make it simeple to understand, but really helps put the kids right in there.
He makes it clear that this is a document for all Americans, not only including kids, but maybe especially for kids.
His buddy 'Bubbs', is pictured throughout so even the less than interested can be drawn in by finding the dog...
So glad I found this!
Disappointed.......2003-04-03
My husband who is off fighting for the Constitution sent this book to our daughter. If he had not sent it, I would want a refund. My daughter and I sat down to read the book together. She thought the drawings did not match the words and thought the author still did not like the Preamble. (HE makes mention in the begining that he was forced to think about the Constitution). There was no inspiration from this book and she hasn't picked it up again. The pictures are not exciting to children and only vaguely connect to the words. She loves the Freedom Rock version of the Preamble and and really enjoys Lynn Chaney's "America A Patriotic Primer", so I understand why he made the purchase, however it is not inspiring or uplifting or interesting.
What It All Means............2002-08-07
As David Catrow tells us in his introduction, "...For me, the Constitution is a kind of how-to book, showing us ways to have happiness, safety, and comfort...", and he uses his immeasurable talents as an artist and cartoonist to teach an inspirational and unforgettable lesson that is sure to open interesting discussions at home and school. Following a glossary of what the actual words in the Preamble of the Constitution mean, (e.g. "IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION: To come together and make things better for everyone who lives in our country. INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY: To make sure we can all have a nice life and get along with one another. TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY: For kids, parents, other grown-ups, and all the people born in our country after we are."), Mr Catrow details the meaning of these important ideals, phrase by phrase, using his marvelously bold and busy cartoon illustrations. Each two page spread is a clever feast for the eyes, rich in engaging details, manic energy, and droll humor. Perfect for youngsters 8-12, We The Kids is a witty and memorable treasure, and one of the real winners of 2002 that shouldn't be missed.
Book Description
In this work of grave beauty and searing powerone of the most widely praised pieces of investigative reporting to appear in recent yearswe follow 26 men who in May 2001 attempted to cross the Mexican border into the desert of southern Arizona, through the deadly region known as the Devils Highway, a desert so harsh and desolate that even the Border Patrol is afraid to travel through it, a place that for hundreds of years has stolen mens souls and swallowed their blood. Only 12 of the men made it out.
Customer Reviews:
The Devil's Highway - a must read!.......2007-08-26
As a long-time resident of Tucson I was fascinated and horrified by this book. I thought that I knew a lot about "entrants" and the problems of our southern border but this book really opened my eyes. Such a complicated issue!
The book is well-written, absorbing, amusing, informing and very readable. Anyone who is at all interested in our immigration and border policies, or who has an interest in the desert and borderlands, should by all means read this book! Or, read it just because you like a good (true) story.
Urrea's Masterful Narrative.......2007-06-13
Touching story about everyday life at the border.
The Rabbit.......2007-02-20
Once upon a time, there was a rabbit and he was rather licious. lol...Good review...Don't strangle the chickens or choke them.
An Everyday Tragedy in the Southwest.......2006-11-11
As a resident who has lived in Yuma, Arizona for the past nine years and read the daily paper and watched the nightly news giving scant details about one or two bodies found here or there, presumed to be those of "illegals" -- Urrea brings to the reader the faces and lives of the human beings behind the numbers. I often think of the deceased that are briefly mentioned in these news blurbs and wonder where they came from, whom they have left behind and what dreams of theirs did the desert kill? And is the desert what really killed them? Or was it some errant Border Patrol agent or a frustrated and pissed off Minuteman? Just what are they so pissed about, anyhow?
Regarding the immigrants and their motivations for leaving their beloved behind for the north, Urrea certainly answered some of my questions. No, America, they are not all criminals, drug runners or people out to get your top jobs! They just want to make enough to feed their families and if they're lucky, save enough to buy a little building material for a house or to start up a small business. I have yet to hear any of my friends or acquaintances get excited about applying for jobs in agriculture or plucking chickens!
This book should be recommended reading for our government leaders, the INS, and ALL law enforcement agencies - they might just be able to figure out a plan for immigration reform! Just be sure to read the interview of Mr. Urrea in the Reading Group Guide at the end of the book -- the numbers (profits) will amaze you. As this book painfully demonstrates, fences are not going to do anything but make death in the desert an even more certain fate for crossers.
Thank you, Mr. Urrea, for giving the world a clear and concise picture of what is really going on in our corner of the country and our part of the globe, for that matter. As I drive along I-8 going to either San Diego or Phoenix and offer my usual prayer for those who have died so close by, I can promise that the names of Edgar, Abraham, Jose and Reymundo will not be forgotten. I will even have a prayer for Mendez.
Great personal view of immigration.......2006-11-02
Urrea brings us up close and personal by sharing the real lives of those who risk crossing the border and the Border Patrol officers that try to stop them. A painful story, well told.
Books:
- The Journey of the Lost Boys: A Story of Courage, Faith and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called "The Lost Boys of Sudan"
- The Mailman
- The Marcelli Princess (Marcelli Sisters)
- The Name of the World: A Novel
- The Quickening
- The Scarlet Letter (Penguin Classics)
- The Secret (Unabridged, 4-CD Set)
- The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership
- The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
- The Sugar Solution: Weight Gain? Memory Lapses? Mood Swings? Fatigue? Your Symptoms Are Real - And Your Solution is Here
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