"If I were an Eagle Book One" deals with teenage pregnancy and secrets. When a young girl (Karen Quincy) loses her virginity for the first time, she is later faced with pregnancy. In addition to her pregnancy, Miss. Quincy struggles to hide it from her strict parents. She knows that she cannot hide the secret too long since she would soon begin to show.

This story takes place deep in the Tennessee Mountains. It will keep you reading with each turn of the page. "If I were an Eagle" is a gripping and emotional story with many twists and turns. At times, you may laugh, and other times you may cry. The characters that Mr. Hale has created in this book are very realistic.

I enjoyed Mr. Hale's book very much. He done a wonderful job writing the story and developing his characters. I believe that "If I were an Eagle" has the potential for a movie. It is one that you're sure to remember even after you have put it down. I give Mr. Hale five stars for wonderful writing, a memorable plot, and great character development. This is one you just have to read!

Highly recommended

The first installment of a trilogy, IF I WERE AN EAGLE tells the story of Karen Quincy. A vivacious, attractive young lady, Karen yearns for popularity and love, filling her needs in the arms of her boyfriend. She uses friends, lies and opportunity to escape her strict home and spend time with Hank. But when he goes off to college, Karen finds herself left behind.

Karen's family reflects the strict morality and staunch religious fervor of her era. Dancing, dating, and especially public shows of affection are forbidden. Karen's rebelliousness leads to a break with her family when they learn of her pregnancy. Hank has disappeared from her life, leaving her to face devastation alone. She decides upon an abortion during a time when it was both illegal and very dangerous. Following her doctor's referral, Karen makes the arrangements. Since the novel begins with her labor, she obviously has second thoughts.

Author David Hale enriches the background and people of IF I WERE AN EAGLE with his own intimate knowledge of the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. With the crispness and clarity of a snapshot he captures the attitudes and the nuances indicative of this novel's time and place, especially the deep spirituality governing the attitudes of Karen's family. Karen's rebelliousness is aptly portrayed not as a deliberate flaunting of her family's morality, but as restlessness and sincere for something "more" that allows the novel to speak to the universal truths that drive some children away from their families even as others remain close under the same circumstances. Hale's crisp writing style and complexity of characterization promises great things ahead for this talented author. IF I WERE AN EAGLE comes highly recommended.

If I Were an Eagle--Book One
D.L. Hale

In his riveting first novel, If I Were an Eagle, David Hale takes us on a journey through the life of a young girl coming of age in the mountains of Tennessee. In Southern Appalachia in 1948, there wasn't much for a spirited young woman to do, besides going to church and to school. And for Karen Quincy, daughter of devout, Southern Baptist parents, there wasn't a soul she could talk to about her dreams and desires. But she was a beautiful young girl, well endowed for her age, and it wasn't long before she attracted the attention of the most popular guy in school.
By the time Karen discovered that she was pregnant, her boyfriend headed off for college, leaving her behind to bear the burden of her condition all alone. Hale spins a tale of woe, for not since the Perils of Pauline has so much misfortune befallen a young damsel, in so short a time. But it was 1948, and the good folk of Karen's rural community, were either piously unyielding in their adherence to what they understood about the teachings of the Good Book, or they were too hypocritical and haughty to let on that they'd ever been anything but perfect. Then there was Frank, who took advantage of her situation to use and abuse her; and Harvey Beason, whose good heart would not see Karen utterly cast down.
The plight of Karen Quincy was not unlike that of many young women in the rural south-- betrayed as much by their own carnal awakening as by the young studs and dirty old men who seduced and abused them.
Worse than a scarlet letter, Karen had to endure the knowledge that she was carrying an illegitimate child, and that she would bring shame and embarrassment to her family. When she went to work in Frank's diner he exploited her vulnerability and raped her. She suffered in silence, telling no one of her pain and humiliation.
Harvey Beason offered her a job in his hardware store, and once again, she found a modicum of happiness, but when her parents discovered the irrefutable truth of her pregnancy, she was turned out of the house-- sent packing down a dark, dusty road on Christmas Eve! What irony.
Beason came to the rescue again, this time, sending Karen to live with his Aunt Flo until she delivered, But fate intervened again, and the house caught fire, stranding Karen on the upper floor. While Aunt Flo succumbed to the smoke and the fumes, Karen jumped from the second floor to the ground in a desperate attempt to save her child's life, if not her own.
David Hale skillfully weaves the details of Karen's bleak existence in this story with a foreshadowing of events to come that leaves the reader anxiously anticipating what might happen next, And that makes for a good read every time.

David L. Hale's The Liberal Masters is a political satire cloaked and colored in the imaginative trappings of adroitly written science fiction. When planet Tyrannia, home to the "superior" Liberal Tyrants, invades and enslaves America, only two people are left standing in their way. Exposing the flaws of some contemporary liberal viewpoints and perspectives, The Liberal Masters a "socially relevant" science fiction adventure in the tradition H.G. Wells. The Liberal Masters makes for a wry and intriguing, tongue-in-cheek read.

If you enjoyed "2084: The Year of the Liberal" by New England author/humorist David L. Hale, then you're in for another hilarious treat with "The Liberal Masters."
On the surface, "The Liberal Masters" is a variation on such science-fiction fare as "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "Independence Day." However, Mr. Hale's latest novel is closer to Jonathan Swift than Robert Heinlein, as his politically conservative wit and insight skewers liberal-minded philosophies and its present-day patron saints. He successfully combines the trappings of sci-fi potboilers with melodramatic farce, thereby creating a work of fiction that will stay in your memory for a long, long time. If you can imagine "Star Trek" a la The Marx Brothers, then you'll have a good idea of what to expect in "The Liberal Masters."
Furthermore, Mr. Hale's writing is, at times, unabashedly and endearingly sentimental. Throughout "The Liberal Masters," he expresses a genuine affection for the pre-"politically correct" United States, and this old-fashioned stance perfectly complements his no-holds-barred approach to satire.

This is the second book by this author I've read and this one is even better than his last (2084: The Year of the Liberal) which was a great book in its own right.
David Hale obviously has fun writing his books and I enjoy reading them. Though he goes for the jugular, he does it with humor--and style. Bravo.

Books on the origins of English words, generally agree the word 'garden' comes from the old German for an enclosed safe space where living things including vegetables, flowers and children can be safely grown. Modern dictionaries expand the meaning a bit, but for the most part gardens remain places of safety, nurturing, repose, and reflection. The huge fields containing monocrops grown by large commercial interests, where nothing survives except the cash crop of interest, are the antithesis of the garden, which is literally and figuratively the source of life.

According to the Christian Bible (and the Jewish Torah), the original garden (Eden) contained the tree of life. MONASTIC GARDENS, by Mick Hales, is about the importance of gardens for the well being of bodies, minds, emotions, and eternal souls. The places he visited and photographed in the U.S. and Europe reflect the lost paradise and the paradise to come. Many of the gardens contain a tree as a focal point in remembrance of the Garden of Eden.

In addition to setting an example of the life well lived, providing a place of refuge for the weary soul, and working for their own sustanance, the most important good deed the monks and nuns who tend the living spaces in monastic gardens do is to contribute to the preservation of the diversity of life humankind at times seems bent on obliterating in it's mad quest for "perfection". Around the world other spiritual/religious groups are similarly engaged in this very important work. One can think of the Amish who live in the mid-Atlantic areas of the U.S. as like-minded souls who understand the modern obsession with "perfectionism" is a deadly illusion if not downright sinful.

Hale's photographs and text encourage meditation. Cloister walks and clipped box mazes reflect the paradox of life as a journey of the soul toward the infinite. An orchard where a fallen Quince stained with a bit of decay lies in the sunlit grass reminds one of her own mortality. All these photographs reflect the work of the creator who is the divine spark that sets the monks and nuns on their daily rounds.

MONASTIC GARDENS is a beautiful book of prayer and meditation. Forget for a moment the strife and hatred of those who do not know love, and focus on the words Hildegard Bingen who said, "greening love hastens to the aid of all.." This is not a book about the life of priviledge. This is a book that points the way for all.

This book is a unique find. I have never seen a book before that explores monastic life in this way. The gardens are both functional and glorious. The photos are absolutely stunning. Oftentimes I have read books where the photos take center stage and the text is an afterthought. This book is an exception. It is a very rich story that compliments the brillant photos. After reading the book, I felt like I had joined the author in his travels and explorations. I will defintely be looking for more books by him in the future!

The book contains spectacular photos and brilliant descriptive text illustrating diverse monastic gardens. Takes you places you never have been - but wish you had.

Great gift -- for any garden, travel or spirtual adventurers. Coffee Table Book raised to the power of 10! Fantastick find - never seen a book like this before.

I enjoyed a childhood rich in literature and have attempted to give my boys the same. If I were to rate one book from my earliest childhood as that which I recall most fondly, it would have to be Orlando, A Trip Abroad (1949). When I found this book in my late mother's belongings, I brought it home and it became an immediate favorite of my sons'. My younger son (age 7) and I were delighted to find republications of this exquisitely illustrated series by Kathleen Hale while in London this summer. The art, alone, makes the books worth purchasing and the stories are humorously charming in a manner that captures and holds the attention of even a not so young boy.

This book is fabulous. We have read it over and over and never tire of it. The story is wonderful and the illustrations are fabulous. We first read Orlando when the boys were 3 and 6, and 3 years later they still love it!

We do quite a bit of library and bookstore browsing and I hadn't run into this collection of books previously. As former owners of a much loved and now departed marmalade cat, we were particularly taken with the main character. The artwork is vivid and and story is rambling; about the commonplace events of the cat family -- told in a style similar to the 'Babar' collection. My girls who are aged 4, 4, and 6 loved this book.

Lucretia P Hale's, The Peterkin Papers is as wonderful today as I'm sure it was in 1880, when it was originally published. Meet the Peterkins, a nineteenth century family, totally lacking in common sense and enjoy their troubles and adventures as they muddle through life's challenges. For example, what do the Peterkins do when their daughter, Eliza Elizabeth's piano is delivered and set in front of the living room window backwards. They solve this problem by simply opening the window and she sits outside, on the porch playing and practicing. This is all fine during the summer, but when fall and winter arrive, it becomes too cold for her to sit out, even in her winter coat. Enter the lady from Philadelphia...she's so wise that she always has a quick solution to these tough Peterkin problems. "But why don't you turn the piano 'round?" And the Peterkins are always amazed that they didn't think of that. As Mrs Peterkins says, "What shall we do when the lady, from Philadelphia goes home again?" This is a delightful book of short chapters, each detailing a glich in the Peterkin's lives, that will charm and amuse your family, as it has families for many generations. The Peterkin Papers is an American classic and the perfect read-aloud book the whole family can share together.

Ask the lady from Philadelphia -- a classic line -- one that is often quoted -- the book has been read by five generations in my family -- it is just as relevent today as when written

The basic Peterkin formula: the Peterkins are stupid, yetlogical. They are completely devoid of common sense. Theyget into complicated situations and try to work their way out by adding complexity. Eventually they consult the wise old lady from Philadelphia, who always has a sensible, commonplace, wise, BORING answer. The stories are also an unforgettable picture of daily life in what seems to be a suburb of Boston in the early nineteenth century, almost an Eastern version of "Little House on the Prairie." And somehow there is an impression of a _slightly_ dysfunctional family that manages to muddle through, through with warmth, affection, and mutual tolerance. Stories are just the right length for reading aloud. Anyone eight years old or older will appreciate the humor.

I bought this collection for my nephew's children, and almost kept it myself. It is a total of 384 pages including the table of contents and indexes. It has poems by a wide range of English and American writers. Like all collections, the editor had to pick and choose. There is nothing by Robert Service, for example, but she has included poems by some lesser known writers. The editor has included short notes about the poets, many of whom died young, e.g., Emily Bronte at 30, Robert Burns at 37, Joyce Kilmer at 32 (at the Second Battle of the Marne), Edgar Allan Poe at 40, etc.

The poetry ranges from Poe's "The Raven" to Kilmer's "Trees" and Longfellow's "The Village Blacksmith," among others. It includes many poems that are well known, intermixed with many that are lesser known. The choices are not always the ones I personally would have chosen, but tastes vary from reader to reader. In some cases the editor has included a full poem where most readers are only familiar with a single verse.

I am really enjoying reading this to my children. It's a wonderful collection of poems and verse, some classics, some lesser known, covering a broad range of subjects (seasons, weather, children, animals...). Many are really cute, clever and funny, and many are beautifully written with evocative imagery. It's a great way to show children the power of language and words, and, like the best cartoons, it's a pleasure to share the experience.

My six-year-old son begs me to read from this collection every evening--and he asks for poems by name. He asked for Tiger, Tiger (William Blake), and we have also shared Walt Whitman, Maya Angelou, Shel Silverstein, Emily Dickinson, among others. The reason I bought this book is that it has an incredible selection (more than 400 poems) at a great price. (list @$13.). My son howls with laughter, and recites lines back to me. While his four-year old brother does not share this infatuation, I find this to be a marvelous collection for someone just learning to read and understand how words work.

Fantastic book. I rec'd a 3rd degree burn and found this book a great resource. After the injury I had no idea what to expect or what to base health care decisions on. This book explains the healing process, skin grafting, burn garmets and much more. I felt I could make much more informed decisions after reading this book.

This book, is definitley rated a five star in most burn survivors views, there simply is no better guide anywhere, at least that I personally know of, and I have searched. Congratulaaation, thank you, you are fantastic,and an asset. SEVERE BURNS, should be a requirement that every burn survivor should be in reciept of.

I found this book to be a great resource for information on Burns and Recovery.

John Whitefeather is a hero who will linger in your imagination long after you've finished reading Whitefeather's Woman. Using the perfect balance of strength and vulnerability, Deborah Hale has created John Whitefeather, a man who has his own secrets and prejudices, yet finds room in his heart for shy, emabttled Jane Harris. Jane wants to start a new life in the wild west, far from the frightening world she's escaped. Her plans don't include falling in love, yet John's gentle ways are exactly the balm she needs to heal her wounds. Make room on your bookshelf for Whitefeather's Woman. You'll want to read it more than once.

When it comes to romances, it's always about the guy for me. Oh, I want a well-drawn heroine, but my enjoyment hinges largely on whether the author has created a hero I can fall in love with. Deborah Hale has done it here with the gentle-natured, blue-eyed Cheyenne leader, John Whitefeather. Handsome, strong, gentler of wild mustangs and flighty maidens.... But Hale's heroine is no slouch, either. She has come west to Big Sky Country to escape violence at the hands of her erstwhile fiancé. A city girl, she's a fish out of water, but she's a quick study. Whitefeather himself is no stranger to violence at the hands of the more powerful, which gives him a profound bond with Jane. But how can either of them be sure Jane's need for him is not borne solely from her need of a protector? Another emotionally rewarding story from Deborah Hale.

From the very moment Jane Harris meets incredibly sexy John Whitefeather I was enthralled.

Without exception, Deb Hale's knack at writing intricate stories of love and desire capture my complete attention. The scenery and characterization is so vivid and complete, you'll be drawn into this story right away.

Whitefeather's Woman is absolutely heart-rending. Schedule some time to read this one, you won't be able to put it down.

There are several books of photographs of Central Park on the store shelves. This one stands out. The photos in 212 Views are stunning. You feel as if you are standing right there, you imagine you will feel the fresh air on your face as you turn the page! The text is like a well-informed friend who accompanies you, the reader, through Central Park, sharing select details about the history and design of the Park and adding layers of depth to your immediate sensory appreciation of the Park. Whether you are a frequent user of Central Park, an occasional visitor, or an arm chair stroller, experiencing the park only through the pages of the book, I highly recommend 212 Views. It's a great gift for the holidays, too. (I bought copies for my exercise partner who loves fast-walking in the Park and for my mother!)

New York residents and visitors will treasure these vivid photos and charming essays infused by a love of the city and its showcase park. "Views" will entertain and educate readers, and encourage their explorations. Enjoy!

Janice Hale has made a significant contribution to assisting educators and others in understanding the cognitive style of African American children. In her book, she covers the concepts of emotive style (especially as it exists historically in the Black community), relational vs. analytical learning styles and some solutions for how to better reach (and teach) African American youth.

Her writing is timeless, as valid today (in 2000) as it was when I first read it (in 1993) and when it was first published (1986, I believe). This book is a "must read" for anyone interested in gaining insight into how schools (and teachers) can better serve the educational needs of African American youth, particularly in understanding the emotive style of communication most African American youth are exposed to in church and family gatherings. While not a validation for "Ebonics" -- which I do not support -- this book definitely makes the case that the relational style of learning and emotive communication style are vital parts of the African American community's legacy, tradition and uniqueness.

THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG TEXTBOOK IN THE FIELD OF BLACK CULTURE. IT IS SIMPLE AND CONCISE, YET COMPREHENSIVE IN ITS COVERAGE OF THE EXTANY RESERACH ON THE SUBJECT. THE ORGANIZATION AND STYLE OF THE BOOK MAKE IT USER FRIENDLY FOR CULTURE AWARENESS AND AN EXCELLENT TEACHING TOOL.