The Ultimate Gift (The Ultimate Series #1)

Book Description

What would you do to inherit a million dollars? Would you be willing to change your life? Jason Stevens is about to find out in Jim Stovall's The Ultimate Gift. Red Stevens has died, and the older members of his family receive their millions with greedy anticipation. But a different fate awaits young Jason, whom Stevens, his great-uncle, believes may be the last vestige of hope in the family. "Although to date your life seems to be a sorry excuse for anything I would call promising, there does seem to be a spark of something in you that I hope we can fan into a flame. For that reason, I am not making you an instant millionaire." What Stevens does give Jason leads to The Ultimate Gift. Young and old will take this timeless tale to heart.

Customer Reviews:

life enhancing experience.......2007-10-10

A close friend gave me the book and the minute I opened it I knew I would not be able to put it down. It is a very fast read and it is packed full of valuable insights. As soon as I finished it I went on line and ordered a copy for each of my adolescent grandchildren. I believe there is something to be gained from each chapter. The book held my interest to the end.

Read the book, watch the movie - both will inspire!.......2007-10-01

I received this book as a gift shortly after watching the movie by the same name - I was greatly impressed with the movie and anxious to read the book (since everyone knows that the book is always better than the movie). This book is no exception to that rule - an outstanding read and it was as easy to read as the movie was to watch. This is a novel, a work of fiction that drives home some real life points! The premise of the book is about what's really important in life - is it what we build with our hands or the money and worldly success we achieve, or is it something more than that, something that isn't tangible and can't be bought or sold for any amount of money? In his final will, a dying wealthy man tries to communicate from the grave the true meaning of life to a family member who up until this point hasn't got a clue!

I would think that this book could probably be read to children in upper elementary school and could be read by 7th or 8th graders on their own. The book should be read by parents first so that they can engage their children in conversation along the way. While the book isn't overtly Christian, you'll find that the lessons taught in this novel are very similar to the wisdom shared in the Book of Proverbs and throughout Scripture. Stovall isn't preaching, but he sure can drive a point home with this story; and these twelve "gifts" passed from one generation to the next are essential for each and every one of us to learn as well.

While some say that the movie isn't as good as the book, I say that they are a pretty good compliment of each other. The movie takes various liberties with the book to get this message on screen, but you won't be disappointed with either. The book is written to provoke thought and discussion and families should use them as tools to teach valuable life lessons to their children - Red Stevens would have wanted it that way!

The Ultimate Gift DVD.......2007-09-27

The Ultimate Gift you sent me was a total disaster. I ordered the movie edition and you sent me a book and a promotional DVD. I did not receive the movie edition of the Ultimate Gift. Unfortunately I had ordered it to take on a bus trip that I was directing and I had not taken the time to watch what you sent me, thinking it was the movie edition. When I put it in the DVD player with everyone on the bus eager to watch the movie there was only the promotional disc. Needless to say I was embarrassed and not too happy. Fortunately along the way I was able to purchase the DVD that I thought I was buying from Amazon at a much higher price. I have ordered from Amazon before and have been very pleased but not this time.

A Timely Gift.......2007-09-24

Several copies of The Ultimate Gift were placed on a table at my workplace. A handwritten note read, "Take one and pass it on." The title was intriguing and never one to pass up something free or an opportunity to read, I took one.

Having gained knowledge of most of these gifts through the ups and downs of life, I enjoyed the validations, while unfortunately identifying with Uncle Red's mistakes. I am grateful to the person who made it possible to have a copy of the book.

I titled this review 'a timely gift' because I received in time read it and mail it to my son as a gift for his 26th birthday. Like Uncle Red, wishing to provide, I robbed my children of many of the gifts. I am hoping the book will make a difference in my son's life as he is not a happy person even though he has many blessings. When and if I am in touch with my prodigal daughter, I will share The Ultimate Gift with her, also. It is my goal to share copies of The Ultimate Gift with many, many young persons.

Good , but not terrific.......2007-09-19

The reviews I read promised an inspiring book. It was not to be. It was an interesting premise and story. But the lack of detailed story left me disappointed. Reading the story from the lawyer's view did not give us an opportunity to really travel the road to enlightenment. I felt I was reading the summary, not the story.

A movie of the book is coming out soon. I dare say, I see an immense opprtunity for the movie to outshine the book.

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

Average customer rating:

Amazing !!!
Loved it!
Read, Roll Eyes, Continue
BRAVO Elizabeth!
Exhibit "A"

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
Elizabeth Gilbert
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Authors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Water for Elephants: A Novel
A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Secret
The Glass Castle: A Memoir
Suite Francaise

ASIN: 0143038419

Book Description

This beautifully written, heartfelt memoir touched a nerve among both readers and reviewers. Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali. By turns rapturous and rueful, this wise and funny author (whom Booklist calls “Anne Lamott's hip, yoga- practicing, footloose younger sister”) is poised to garner yet more adoring fans.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing !!!.......2007-10-11

I have to admit that this is the best book I've read in years !! Very good job !!

Loved it!.......2007-10-11

Not much else to say! I walked into a bookstore at an airport looking for a good read, and the owner suspected I'd enjoy this book. She was correct! I highly recommend it!

Read, Roll Eyes, Continue.......2007-10-11

I work at a bookstore, and this book has been flying out. I picked up a copy to see why. You've gotta admit, it's funny in parts. I don't expect it to have any "weight." But if you can keep moving over the speed bumps of neurotic self-indulgence, you can definitely get a few laughs. I'd say it's a quick and enjoyable read, unless you're expecting something with more meat on its bones. Borrow it from a friend: there are plenty of copies out there.

BRAVO Elizabeth!.......2007-10-10

I thoroughly enjoyed this book start to finish and plan to pass it on to my daughter and nieces. It was very disheartening to read the "slams" this author got from other women. I admire Ms. Gilbert; you don't get to where she is by being a slacker. That woman is well-educated and very disciplined. Writing a book is damn hard work and if any of the naysayers ever attempted one like this they would be eating their words. It also takes sheer guts to step out of the box like she did and brave foreign countries (alone, no less).
Don't knock it until you've tried it! (and succeeded)!

Exhibit "A".......2007-10-10

To those who can find mostly fault in this book and little good, I have included in this post a small but absolutely beautifully written passage from Ms. Gilbert's work that totally made me want to read the rest of EPL. It appears early on in the book, after her husband has finally signed the divorce papers after a protracted, hostile standoff, and she has arrived in Rome. To me it doesn't read like someone who is all about "ME" but rather someone who is aware enough to get to the heart of emotions that afflict all of us at one time or another.

"Depression and Loneliness track me down after ten days in Italy. I am walking through the Villa Borghese one evening after a happy day spent in school, and the sun is setting gold over St. Peter's Basilica. I am feeling contented in this romantic scene, even if I am all by myself, while everyone else in the park is either fondling a lover or playing with a laughing child. But I stop to lean against a balustrade and watch the sunset, and I get to thinking a little too much, and then my thinking turns to brooding, and that's when they catch up with me.

They come upon me all silent and menacing like Pinkerton Detectives, and the flank me--Depression on my left, Loneliness on my right. They don't need to show me their badges. I know these guys very well. We've been playing a cat-and-mouse game for years now. Though I admit that I am surprised to meet them in this elegant Italian garden at dusk. This is no place they belong.

I say to them, "How did you find me here? Who told you I had come to Rome?"

Depression, always the wise guy, says, "What--you're not happy to see us?"

"Go away," I tell him.

Loneliness, the more sensitive cop, says, "I'm sorry, ma'am. But I might have to tail you the whole time you're traveling. It's my assignment."

"Id really rather you didn't," I tell him, and he shrugs almost apologetically, but only moves closer.

Then they frisk me. They empty my pockets of any joy I had been carrying there. Depression even confiscates my identity; but he always does that. Then Loneliness starts interrogating me, which I dread because it always goes on for hours. He's polite but relentless, and he always trips me up eventually. He asks if I have any reason to be happy that I know of. He asks why I am all by myself tonight, yet again. He asks (though we've been through this line of questioning hundreds of times already) why I can't keep a relationship going, why I ruined my marriage, why I messed things up with David, why I messed things up with every man I've ever been with. He asks me where I was the night I turned thirty, and why things have gone so sour since then. He asks why I can't get my act together, and why I'm not at home living in a nice house and raising nice children like any respectable woman my age should be. He asks why, exactly, I think I deserve a vacation in Rome when I've made such a rubble of my life. He asks me why I think that running away to Italy like a college kid will make me happy. He asks where I think I'll end up in my old age, if I keep living this way.

I walk back home, hoping to shake them, but they keep following me, these two goons. Depression has a firm hand on my shoulder and Loneliness harangues me with his interrogation. I don't even bother eating dinner; I don't want them watching me. I don't what to let them up the stairs to my apartment, either, but I know Depression, and he's got a billy club, so there's no stopping him from coming in if he decides that he wants to.

"It's not fair for you to come here," I tell Depression. "I paid you off already. I served my time backing New York."

But he just gives me that dark smile, settles into my favorite chair, puts his feet on my table and lights a cigar, filling the place with his awful smoke. Loneliness watches a sighs, then climbs into my bed and pulls the covers over himself, fully dressed, shoes and all. He's going to make me sleep with him again tonight, I just know it.

1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List

Average customer rating:

1,000 Places to Go Before You Die
Pure Conde Nast
No what I was expecting....
I don't agree
Disgraceful Bias and Shameless Slant

1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List
Patricia Schultz
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

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1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die
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Unforgettable Things to Do Before You Die

Accessories:

Panasonic ES4815S Pro Curve Compact Mens Shaver With Double Blades, Blue/Silver

ASIN: 0761104844

Book Description

Around the World, continent by continent, here is the best the world has to offer: 1,000 places guaranteed to give travelers the shivers. Sacred ruins, grand hotels, wildlife preserves, hilltop villages, snack shacks, castles, festivals, reefs, restaurants, cathedrals, hidden islands, opera houses, museums, and more. Each entry tells exactly why it's essential to visit. Then come the nuts and bolts: addresses, websites, phone and fax numbers, best times to visit. Stop dreaming and get going.

Customer Reviews:

1,000 Places to Go Before You Die.......2007-09-28

This book is the "real" deal, as indicated by the multitude of authors who mimic even just the title! It is well researched, well written and an awesome undertaking by Ms. Schultz. The destinations chosen are what I, as a traveller, dream of seeing and experiencing.The factual tidbits about each of the locations satiate the curious. How the Grand Tetons were named, for example, or that the "Medieval Europeans popularly believed it (Iceland) to be the threshold of the underworld.." are interesting facts that required research and outstanding editing.
1,000 Places to Go Before You Die is an excellent resource for planning a trip. Bravo, Ms. Schultz!

Pure Conde Nast.......2007-09-27

Each of the 1000 "sights" is accompanied by a resumee. The first section of these is entitled "What" (others are "How" etc) - time and time again the entry is "Site and Hotel". Have the Hotels paid to be mentioned? I know not but even the most magnificent Natural and Cultural sights seem to get associated with a hotel!
If you want to see the world a la Conde Nast then use this book as your bible. If not then start your lifetime plans with the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Despite its undoubted "Western bias" it gives Africa and Asia a better shout than this book.

No what I was expecting...........2007-09-25

I know that in order to cram 1,000 different places in the world into one book, you are going to have to be as brief as possible, but still present enough details so that people reading the book might be interested in visiting a particular location. Well--the book gives great ideas for places to see, but just not enough information to keep you from having to go other places to do more research for your trips. Overall--not great, but not terrible either.

I don't agree.......2007-09-20

I've done a lot of world travel, and I most certainly do not agree with many of the author's choices. Almost half of the destinations are in the United States, and certain countries in Africa and Asia are completely overlooked! Luckily I just borrowed this from a friend and did not waste my money.

My advice: If you are a true blue world traveler and don't like the typical touristy stuff - you will be disappointed with this book.

Disgraceful Bias and Shameless Slant .......2007-09-17

This is a slanted politically-biased listing with gaping omissions that are simply shameful and unacceptable. For instance, it lists no sites worth seeing in Lebanon, a country that contains 6 of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites; by comparison, for instance, the list includes 10 sites in Israel, a country that contains 6 World Heritage Sites as well (counting the one in Jerusalem as being in Israel, which is disputed still). I frankly can't think of a reason for the glaring discrepancy other than political bias. You'd think a fair and balanced list (not ala Fox News) of 1000 must-see sites would at least include the World Heritage Sites (the total of which is 851 properties "forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value").
I recommend instead the gorgeously photographed "Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die" or Lonely Planet's far more comprehensive "The Travel Book".

Average customer rating:

My favorite book of the decade
Very clever story
Creative and entertaining - not much more
huh......?
An intellectually stimulating unique story of enduring love

The Time Traveler's Wife
Audrey Niffenegger
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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The Kite Runner
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
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The Secret Life of Bees
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel

ASIN: 015602943X

Book Description

A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant.

An enchanting debut and a spellbinding tale of fate and belief in the bonds of love, The Time Traveler's Wife is destined to captivate readers for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

My favorite book of the decade.......2007-10-11

This book was amazing. After reading it, I have bought copies for at least 2 other friends and recommended it to many others. I loved the book and really related to the characters. I highly recommend it! While it did take a chapter or two to understand how the time traveler concept worked, the story is heartfelt and I really became emotionally connected with the characters.

Very clever story.......2007-10-09

I got this book as an audio book for my ipod, and listened to it during my my daily commute to and from work. I honestly thought it was great. It was the kind of story you can get lost in. The subject matter is interesting, and despite what a lot of the people here who didn't like the book think, I found the character development to be very engaging. I disagree completely with people who didn't like the end of the book. I felt that it was completely appropriate. Some people just want an expected, "happy" ending I suppose. If they're going to judge this book based on one aspect, that is their right...but I recommend it completely.

Creative and entertaining - not much more.......2007-10-08

Story is about a man who mostly involuntarily travels through time. He has numerous interesting encounters. He meets his wife when she was a child. Time travel is never logical if you think hard about it, but this author does a fantastic job making it as believable a possible. Despite all the time travel back and forth the story is not confusing at all and easy to follow. It is very creative and I genuinely had fun reading it.

On the downside, the character development is poor. You don't really care about the main characters. The love story is unconvincing and not particularly romantic. Go ahead and read it specially if you like science fiction but don't expect to be moved.

huh......?.......2007-10-08

I have no idea why folks are gushing over this book! Why all the hype over this drivel?
I personally adore reading anything that has a time travel story line in it, but this story was total garbage. I will admit that the first couple chapters had me intrigued but it never......well...that's just it. It never amounted to anything. The backbone of the story could have been fantastic. This book was anything BUT. Such a disappointment.

An intellectually stimulating unique story of enduring love.......2007-10-06

5 out of 5. I read this book over 18 months ago, so I need to refresh my memory. But, if you can get over the time traveler's visits to his current self, and perhaps the older man spending time with a young girl, then you will find it a rare book that leaves you wanting a love like that. Imagine meeting your true love -- and being able to share in that love before that shared love existed. A story that will evoke laughter as well as tears.

The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success

Average customer rating:

Won't quickly forget this book...
Great Reading for the Dentist's Office
I like this book so much; I keep giving my copy away.
I received a gift.......
Reminder that Attitude and Thoughts Change Everything

The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success
Andy Andrews
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Motivational | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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The Traveler's Gift Journal

ASIN: 0785273220

Book Description

A unique blend of fiction, history, allegory, and inspiration, The Traveler's Gift has motivated tens of thousands since its release in late 2002. Now this wildly successful parable is available in an affordable trade paper edition.

David Ponder's lost his job, his confidence, and his will to live. And just when it seems that things can't get any worse, they do: his only child falls ill, and he's involved in a serious car accident. But a divine adventure that includes encounters with seven of history's most inspirational characters, among them Anne Frank, Abraham Lincoln, and Christopher Columbus, leaves him with a glimpse of life's big picture, and seven bits of wisdom with which to confront his future.

This thought-provoking book encourages readers of all ages to reach their full potential using these simple keys to success.

Customer Reviews:

Won't quickly forget this book..........2007-09-15

My boss at work knows that I devour books, and dropped this one off at my desk a short time back... The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success by Andy Andrews. I read it straight through yesterday (it's short), and the first thing I'm doing after this review is ordering my own copy. This is a book I'll not quickly forget...

"Gift" is a personal improvement book that's written in story form, similar in nature to a parable. The main character, David Ponder, is 46 and has hit rock bottom (or so he thinks). Deep in debt, fired from a menial job, and concerned over a sick child, he considers taking his own life so that the family can collect on the insurance policy. As he comes to after the car wreck, he finds himself transported back in time, into the office of Harry S. Truman during the Potsdam conference. Truman is the only person who can see him, and Ponder's appearance was expected. Truman's job is to present Ponder with a written "decision", a statement that David must internalize and live out. Once the paper is read, Ponder is moved on to the next person and time. This time travel happens seven times, giving David 7 pieces of wisdom that will change his life if he lets them. Before he's brought back to reality, he's offered a glimpse of the future of his home town, a future that was possible with the seven decisions that Ponder internalized then shared with the world.

The cynical reader will likely see this as a bunch of happy talk fluff that isn't realistic. But I would counter that it's more realistic than most other philosophies and self-help books you'll ever read. The people used in the story are perfect matches for each of the learning points, and you realize that a single decision *can* have consequences that reverberate down through history and time. And the people who make the decisions are often ordinary individuals like you and me. The only difference is that they *made* the decision rather than accept the status quo.

The path to success isn't easy, but it's a matter of decisions you make on a day-to-day basis. Andrews captures this truth in a style reminiscent of Og Mandino's writings. I loved this book, and will be revisiting it on a regular basis...

Great Reading for the Dentist's Office.......2007-09-11

This book was given to me as a birthday gift, so it's not my normal reading fare, even though I do like self-help books. The story here is hokey: a guy (David Ponder, can you begin to see the symbolism yet?) is down on his luck, just lost his job; he has no money, a beater for a car, and sick kid; he just wants to end it all. (Can you feel the cliches coming?) Well, as his car spins out of control on a slippery bridge, he goes on adventure in which different (real) historical figures (like Abraham Lincoln or Anne Frank) each give him a message about living successfully.

Why do self-help books always have 7 messages? Anyway, the messages are helpful reminders of living the good life, stuff that probably wouldn't hurt anyone to be reminded of: Remember the buck stops with you; be a person of action, happiness is a choice, that sort of thing. There are no startling revelations, and the book and its messages struck me as self-evident and simplistic. One of the real advantages of the book is that it is short. So, if you are ever stuck in an airport, doctor's office, or somewhere else with poor reading material and you need to kill a little time, you might even enjoy it. Recommended reading by "Good Morning America" if that means anything to you.

I like this book so much; I keep giving my copy away. .......2007-08-29

There is no new knowledge in this book, and there was perhaps a little literary license taken with the historical vignettes; however if the overall objective was to communicate a series of points on how to take control of your life, then Andy succeeded.

The seven things that you need to do to change your life are: Take personal responsibility, Educate Yourself, Be a Person of Action, Make decisions and move forward, Choose Happiness, Forgive others, Persevere without exception.

I can't see any argument that any of these actions, done individually, will help you improve your life. We've all been told these or very similar things since before grade school.

Andy uses an old and quite effective teaching technique. He wraps the information in a story. And Andy is a great storyteller. So while there is no new information in this book, the information is presented in fresh and efficient manner.

I received a gift..............2007-07-14

I was given a gift about 12 months ago, the audio CDs of the Traveler's Gift, and have listened to them countless number of times since. I loved the story so much, I decided to purchase the book to compliment the audio CDs. The Traveler's Gift is profound and thought provoking. The messages are clear if you choose to see them. This story has changed, and continues to change, the way I see myself and my role in this world. If you're asking yourself 'why me?' then read this book.

Reminder that Attitude and Thoughts Change Everything.......2007-07-03

I've been on a reading frenzy lately because I've been in a funk and needed to snap out of it. I had been allowing my mood to let circumstances stop my progress toward my dreams. Then I picked up this book my brother had highly recommended well over a year ago. I had bought it immediately on Amazon.com and then put it on my shelf. Last night I read it. Andy Andrews, thanks for the research on 7 great human beings. Thanks for taking the time to inspire me and I'm sure countless others. You did a great job of waking me up. The buck DOES stop here. No matter how dire our circumstances, we still have the choice of what to do right now, in the midst of it, and that decision will affect our future and the future of others. This book gives 7 secrets to living the life you always dreamed of but kept missing out on. We all have a purpose. Isn't it time we lived it and stopped letting other people and other things give us excuses for anything less than greatness?

Average customer rating:

Harrowing account of a seemingly normal young man,
Life Changing Read
Into the Wild is Wild - Must Read
DYING IS EASY. IT'S THE LIVING THAT'S HARD.
Great read!

Into the Wild
Jon Krakauer
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0385486804
Release Date: 1997-01-20

Amazon.com

"God, he was a smart kid..." So why did Christopher McCandless trade a bright future--a college education, material comfort, uncommon ability and charm--for death by starvation in an abandoned bus in the woods of Alaska? This is the question that Jon Krakauer's book tries to answer. While it doesn't—cannot—answer the question with certainty, Into the Wild does shed considerable light along the way. Not only about McCandless's "Alaskan odyssey," but also the forces that drive people to drop out of society and test themselves in other ways. Krakauer quotes Wallace Stegner's writing on a young man who similarly disappeared in the Utah desert in the 1930s: "At 18, in a dream, he saw himself ... wandering through the romantic waste places of the world. No man with any of the juices of boyhood in him has forgotten those dreams." Into the Wild shows that McCandless, while extreme, was hardly unique; the author makes the hermit into one of us, something McCandless himself could never pull off. By book's end, McCandless isn't merely a newspaper clipping, but a sympathetic, oddly magnetic personality. Whether he was "a courageous idealist, or a reckless idiot," you won't soon forget Christopher McCandless.

Book Description

In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter.  How McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild.

Immediately after graduating from college in 1991, McCandless had roamed through the West and Southwest on a vision quest like those made by his heroes Jack London and John Muir.  In the Mojave Desert he abandoned his car, stripped it of its license plates, and burned all of his  cash.  He would give himself a new name, Alexander Supertramp, and , unencumbered by money and belongings, he would be free to wallow in the raw, unfiltered experiences that nature presented.  Craving a blank spot on the map, McCandless simply threw the maps away.  Leaving behind his desperate parents and sister, he vanished into the wild.

Jon Krakauer constructs a clarifying prism through which he reassembles the disquieting facts of McCandless's short life.  Admitting an interst that borders on obsession, he searches for the clues to the dries and desires that propelled McCandless.  Digging deeply, he takes an inherently compelling mystery and unravels the larger riddles it holds: the profound pull of the American wilderness on our imagination; the allure of high-risk activities to young men of a certain cast of mind; the complex, charged bond between fathers and sons.

When McCandless's innocent mistakes turn out to be irreversible and fatal, he becomes the stuff of tabloid headlines and is dismissed for his naiveté, pretensions, and hubris.  He is said  to have had a death wish but wanting to die is a very different thing from being compelled to look over the edge. Krakauer brings McCandless's uncompromising pilgrimage out of the shadows, and the peril, adversity , and renunciation sought by this enigmatic young man are illuminated with a rare understanding--and not an ounce of sentimentality. Mesmerizing, heartbreaking, Into the Wild is a tour de force. The power and luminosity of Jon Krakauer's stoytelling blaze through every page.

Customer Reviews:

Harrowing account of a seemingly normal young man,.......2007-10-11

Excellent book about a fascinating, very intelligent, young man who decides to give up everything that he owns, and take off on an incredible journey, and how a few miscalculations did him in.
Beautifully written. The only time that I lost some interest in it was when Krakauer decided to put a detailed account of one of his expeditions into Alaska seemingly to fill pages.
Other than that, and excellent read

Life Changing Read.......2007-10-10

This book is an inspiring read. The letter to Mr. Franz is enough to move someone if not the whole book. Some people may think Chris was ignorant in trying to live in the Alaskan wilderness, and may have made some mistakes, but he did something he had been dreaming about, and I admire his rejection of society and living independently for 2 years. Yes, his wild adventure cost him his life, but I think he was happy in the end, and I think that's all that matters!

Into the Wild is Wild - Must Read.......2007-10-10

I just finished reading this book again after 10-years. With the movie release in Sep 07, I wanted to be current on the book so that I could compare mental notes with the movie. I particularly enjoyed sharing the mindset of the main character through Jon's careful research into his life. Before judging Chris' actions you should remember that he is young, and to put yourself back at his age. If you like this book, you may also enjoy the accounts of TJ Burr in "Rocky Mountain Adventure Collection". TJ's book is similar to "Into the Wild" as an account of a young person's love for the wilderness and high country adventure. It is getting harder to find copies of this book, but some are still available.

DYING IS EASY. IT'S THE LIVING THAT'S HARD........2007-10-10

I have sympathy for a life wasted and it's cost to those who loved him, but this kid should have read the poems of Robert Service.

How about this from "Lost"

Somebody seemed to whisper: "Fight to the last, my boy."
Fight! That's right, I must struggle. I know that to rest means death;
Death, but then what does death mean?--ease from a world of strife.
Life has been none too pleasant; yet with my failing breath
Still and still must I struggle, fight for the gift of life.

Robert Service wrote about real ordinary heroes-that is ordinary men who struggled and fought for life in that very same wilderness.

Great read!.......2007-10-08

This was one of the best stories I've read in years! I totally related to Chris and his quest. It was thought provoking and I couldn't put this book down. I read it 3 times in a row!

1,000 Places to See Before You Die Traveler's Journal (Travel Journal)

Average customer rating:

Nice journal
Nothing special
Before You Die Journal
1,000 Places to See Before You Die Traveler's Journal
Good Addition

1,000 Places to See Before You Die Traveler's Journal (Travel Journal)
Patricia Schultz
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

Blank Books | Journals | Accessories | Formats | Books
Similar Items:

1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List
1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die
100 Things to Do Before You Die: Travel Events You Just Can't Miss
Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die
1001 Natural Wonders: You Must See Before You Die (Barron's Educational Series)

ASIN: 0761138323

Book Description

Inspired by the roaring #1 New York Times bestseller with more than 1 million copies in print, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die Traveler's Journal is perfect for giving--it's specially designed for people who love to travel and want an elegant place to record their experiences. Scattered throughout the journal are traveler's lists ("Unforgettable Destinations for the 'Been There, Done That' Crowd"and "10 Experiences Guaranteed to Give You the Shivers") and quotes that will spark insight and provide writerly inspiration. At the back of the diary is helpful nuts-and-bolts info: time zones, conversion charts, telephone codes, mini-translation guides, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Nice journal.......2007-07-30

I quite like this book, though I bought it in a store, so I knew what it was when I purchased it. Yes, it's a journal with blank pages to write on. But what I liked about it is the interesting lists of places to see that pop up every 10 pages or so. It also has a quote about travel on each page. The cover is not a hardback, but not a paperback... somewhere in between. It has an attached ribbon bookmark, and a pocket in front that I would use to store receipts on the trip. I would have liked it to be spiral bound to make it easier to write in, so I may take mine to Kinko's and have them cut the binding off and spiral bind it for me.

Nothing special.......2007-06-18

Not sure what I was expecting but I think you can get the same thing from a cheap journal without the fancy name

Before You Die Journal.......2007-05-14

The book, while constructed of good quality is not exactly filled with information. It is more like a daily travel journal for your personal observations and notes of sites you seen during the travel. The book also is a checklist of places to visit/see. The checklist portion of the 1000 sites has a brief description of the location.

1,000 Places to See Before You Die Traveler's Journal.......2007-02-04

Very informative and easy to use.

Good Addition.......2006-11-03

This book is high quality and a good addition to "1000 Places To See Before You Die," but not really necessary. Has good trivia interspersed throughout it and between whatever you write in it during your travels.

The Smart Traveler's Passport: 399 Tips from Seasoned Travelers

Average customer rating:

Smart Traveler's Passport
Great Travel Tips
Great little guide book to keep you in the know.
Gee, I didn't know that!
Wonderful book

The Smart Traveler's Passport: 399 Tips from Seasoned Travelers
Erik Torkells , and the readers of Budget Travel
Manufacturer: Quirk Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Reference | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Tips | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Budget Travel | Specialty Travel | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Traveler's Tool Kit, 3rd
The Packing Book: Secrets of the Carry-on Traveler (Packing Book: Secrets of the Carry-On Traveler)
Smart Packing for Today's Traveler
Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're over 50, 2005-2006 (Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures ... Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're over 50)
The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel: The Art of Cultivating Preferred Customer Status (Travelers' Tales)

ASIN: 1594741778

Book Description

Budget Travel magazine isn't just about the best travel experience at the lowest price it's also about traveling "the right way." Their philosophy, "Vacations for real people," has led them to their readership for guidance, and this collection of their readers' best 399 travel tips is an essential addition to any traveler's library. In The Smart Traveler's Passport, you'll learn:
13 different uses for Ziploc bags
How dental floss can double as a tape measure
Where to find the best street food in cities worldwide
How a digital camera can help you find your rental car
Why clearing your Web browser's cache will lead to lower prices on airfare and hotel reservations
How to avoid long lines at the world's most popular attractions

Designed to look and feel like an actual passport, these tips on planning, booking, packing, flying, safety, security, and getting around make the perfect bon voyage gift!

Customer Reviews:

Smart Traveler's Passport.......2007-09-26

The Smart Traveler's Passport: 399 Tips from Seasoned Travelers (Purchased on 08/26/2007)

I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Great Travel Tips.......2007-09-03

This book is packed with lots of great travel tips, and includes chapters on planning your trip, before you go, on the journey, safety and security, home away fro mhome, getting around, spending wisely, out and about, and personal connections. I am quoted in the book too! This little book would be a great gift for the first time traveler or seasoned traveler.

Great little guide book to keep you in the know........2007-08-24

A lot of this book is stuff you already know, but what you don't know can save a lot of money and headache in the future. If you are a frequent traveler (like I am,) this is a great book for you.

Gee, I didn't know that!.......2007-07-23

This book is a compilation of reader-submitted tips from the 20 Travel Tips feature in Budget Magazine. A tip of mine appeared in their February 2007 issue, unfortunately I think it was a little too late to be included here. So, yes, I think I'm a little biased, but there are some cool ideas here. It's nicely divided into sections based on all parts of your trip. The safety section is particularly good and important, of course. It does tend to focus more on foreign travel, so if you only take two trips to grandma's house a year, it might not be worthwhile for you. But otherwise, give it a shot!

Wonderful book.......2007-07-21

This book has so many tips that will be handy on future trips abroad. It has something for everyone!!

50 Best Girlfriends Getaways North America

Average customer rating:

Well written and organized
for my mom...
Girlfriend Vacation "Must Have"
Who did the research?
More than a travel guide

50 Best Girlfriends Getaways North America
Marybeth Bond
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Girlfriend Getaways, 2nd: You Go Girl! And I'll Go, Too
Fly Solo: The 50 Best Places On Earth For a Girl to Travel Alone
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Girlfriends Getaway: A Complete Guide to the Weekend Adventure That Turns Friends into Sisters and Si
Gifted: 1,000 Gift Ideas for Everyone in Your Life

ASIN: 142620051X
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Book Description

This engaging, information-packed guide presents ten categories of Best Places for women to go. The wide-ranging chapters have something for everyone. "Best City Getaways for Girls Who Just Wanna Have Fun" focuses on San Francisco, Miami, Quebec, New York City, and New Orleans. "Where to Celebrate Big Birthdays" suggests Las Vegas, Northern California wine country, and Savannah. "Best Places for Adventure Escapes" includes rafting the Colorado, heli-hiking the Canadian Rockies, and kayaking or canoeing in Maine. "Best Bonding Vacations" recommends Ashland, Oregon, Rocky Mountain National Park, Chicago, and Lake Chatauqua, New York, while "Best Places to Heal When You've Been Dumped" sends you to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and to Hershey, Pennsylvania, for its sumptuous chocolate baths. Other chapters offer suggestions for golf getaways, pampering retreats, artsy getaways, and great retail therapy.

The book is filled with practical tips on roommate etiquette, safety, packing, budgeting, and other specific advice for the growing number of women—young, old, single, married, divorced, and widowed—who are hitting the road. Short, true stories about women's experiences open each chapter, and quotes from all types of women travelers broaden the appeal—further inspiring readers to pack up their bags, call a girlfriend, and say "let's go!"

Customer Reviews:

Well written and organized.......2007-10-01

The book is well written, and organized to help make travel planning easy. Haven't traveled yet to rate the experience, but loaded with great ideas!

for my mom..........2007-09-06

I bought this for my mom and she's found some really great things to do with her gal pals in it...I think I'll borrow it eventually.

Girlfriend Vacation "Must Have".......2007-08-18

This is an interesting and informative book. If you need a girlfriend's getaway, you are sure to find the perfect place. I especially like the breakdown of places to go, see, visit, eat, etc. You won't be disappointed in this purchase.

Who did the research?.......2007-08-02

As a former resident of San Diego, I can name the two most touristy, and therefore useless, shopping venues in the city. And yet, these are the exact two places the author lists in the "shopping" category of the San Diego section. These are places that the tourist buses unload, food prices are jacked up, and the stores hold the same useless "made in China" knicknacks that you can get anywhere in America. Had the author done some research, she would have steered you to Cedros Design District in Solana Beach, home of SOLO and Zinc Cafe, or at least, for those looking for more traditional shopping, to Fashion Valley. When I go to another city to go shopping, I'm looking for something a little different, something I can't find just anywhere. This particular listing in the book makes me doubt the usefulness of the rest of it!

More than a travel guide.......2007-06-28

50 Best Girlfriends Getaways is a great travel guide - but much more. Not only does it recommend places to indulge every kind of interest, from spas to bargain hunting to athletic challenges (and lots of good eating), but it tells the stories of women who have found that traveling with other women - be it a sister, a daughter, a mother, or simply friends - can bring a unique kind of fulfillment. These stories are the sort that define the female experience. Marybeth is a long time expert in women's travel, and her guide is unbeatable for planning that special trip to celebrate a friend's big birthday, a daughter's graduation, or whatever occasion you can dream up.

Average customer rating:

useful
It will be the bible for our trip on route66 !
Chicago to LA
Route 66 EZ Guide
EZ? Not So Much.

Route 66: EZ66 Guide for Travelers
Jerry McClanahan
Manufacturer: National Historic Route 66 Federation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

World | Atlases & Maps | Reference | Subjects | Books

Here It Is! The Route 66 Map Series
Route 66 Dining & Lodging Guide - 12th Edition
Route 66 Adventure Handbook: Updated and Expanded Third Edition (Route 66 Series)
Route 66: The Mother Road 75th Anniversary Edition
Route 66: Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion

ASIN: 0970995148
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Product Description

The EZ66 Guide For Travelers is the ultimate guide for finding and exploring the Route 66 driving from the WEST or the EAST. Its maps and directions are comprehensive yet easy to follow. The spiral bound guide stays open to the pages you are reading while you are driving. Also includes attractions, tips, other sources, and games. Convenient 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", 200 page format. The guide is updated regularly.

Customer Reviews:

useful.......2007-09-19

This book has a great deal of useful tips and facts, very interesting. I do find it a little confusing in spots. I am going east so I have to start at the back of the book and go forward. I don't know how it could have been done better but I do find it confusing at times. One spot in particular is thru NM with the jumping from page to page.
All in all I have found it useful for helping to map my trip.

It will be the bible for our trip on route66 !.......2007-08-23

that is easy to follow going both directions. The maps are simple yet concise and a joy to use. This is the guide we have been waiting for.

Chicago to LA.......2007-07-11

We have just returned to the UK after driving Route 66 from Chicago to LA. This book is the Route 66 Bible as far as we are concerned. The directions it gives avoid as much of the Interstates as possible & guided us through loads of interesting places with turn by turn instructions. It told us about the history of Route 66 & loads of interesting things to look out for along the way. My wife navigated the whole route with the help of this brilliant book, we could not have seen all of the things we did see without it.

Route 66 EZ Guide.......2007-07-06

We are 1/2 way through our trip on old route 66. We would have been lost in the first 20 miles if we hadn't purchased this fantastic guide. It gives turn by turn instructions and road side history to look for. We were on the interstate very little because we had this helpful book to lead the way. Enjoy the Ride!

EZ? Not So Much........2007-06-27

This guide has a lot to recommend it, and McClanahan deserves our thanks for chronicling easy-to-overlook delights along the path of the Mother Road, but let's not confuse "EZ" with "Small." The same information displayed on pages large enough to permit juxtaposing it with the strip maps would be much more user friendly. It's very EZ to lose your point of reference on any given page, which requires forward and backward thumbing through the text to retrieve the corresponding map, and the celebrated spiral binding actually contributes to this. It's interesting to note that several of the reviewers rated it five stars without actually having used it, which speaks more to the cuteness of its appearance than its practicality. McClanahan's syntax and terms of art also can be fairly frustrating. The route instruction "Stay Ahead" not only lacks any intuitive meaning, it's also misleading because whereas "staying ahead" implies going straight ahead, it doesn't rule out the need to watch carefully for required turns. In the intro, he says "Stay Ahead" means "do not turn off the road you are traveling," but is that the street name, the route number or the pavement? Rally nomenclature is much more instructive, e.g. "Turn onto Jones Road and follow," where "follow" is the operative term meaning "stay on the road marked Jones Road until instructed to leave it." Based on last week's real-world experiences using the guide from Oklahoma through Arizona, I would strongly recommend studying each section thorougly before entering it, and using color-coded highlighters, Post-Its or other such devices to facilitate quick cross referencing. I wish I could gush over this work as other reviewers have because I truly appreciate the work McClanahan has done to improve awareness and appreciation of this once-lost natural treasure. Good info? Absolutely. EZ? Not so much.

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