"Parenting with Purpose" is an absorbing overview of parents' goals and means of achieving them. It is so relevant I found it hard to put down, but because of its thorough organization and comprehensive table of contents, I regard it as a very accessible reference, too. Dr. Madison highlights the wondrous accomplishments achieved in the first four years of life with refreshing perspective on the motivation of young children and acknowledges the hard work that parenting often requires. She reminds us of the investment for life that we make when we take the time to give care and attention to our youngsters. An inspiring guidebook, to be sure!

As a former social worker and a parent and step-parent myself, I've looked at lots of books about parenting. Dr. Madison's book is thoughtful and well organized in its approach to parenting. She includes not only the "how-tos" but also the underlying developmental issues. Loaded with real-life examples that resonate with today's parents. I immediately sent a copy to my brother, a first-time parent of a 2 1/2 year old who still awakens her parents 2-3 times a night! He asked for help, and this book served as a life-line!

This book will help you find your parenting philosophy, your "purpose", and gives you sensible tips that have worked wonders in our household (2 year old and 4 month old). It emphasizes the importance and responsibility of parenting, and shows how you can be successful, while still maintaining your sanity. After reading this book, we both feel more comfortable as parents, and our daughters have responded.

"Ronnie" reminds me of how I was in college. The characters of Veronica & Jared are so lovable & I enjoyed reading about their journey down the path of love & self-discovery. The first time I read it, I couldn't put it down. The next few times were just as enjoyable. Great read!...& not JUST for girls!!

Any girl who's ever been in love will relate to what "Ronnie" goes through. And any guy who's ever had a girl in love with him will relate to this story. Get ready to laugh at mistakes we've all made...but don't forget your kleenex!!

Madison Scott immediately invited me into the life of Ronnie. This book isn't too long, yet is packed with the roller coaster experiences and emotions of a college girl. It is full of deep thoughts, true love, and great conversation. Each time I picked up the book, I was transported into Ronnie's life. It pulled me through each one of her emotions and I even cried with her. I'd love to read a sequel to "Ronnie".

Madison Finn is a lot like my cousin Amy. This is what I think should end the story: When they go to Nikki's concert, Madison thought she saw Hart. I liked this book because I also like teenagers, like Madison. Bye Bye Madison, I hope you get to 8th grade next year.

Madison Finn is SO excited to go on her first field trip in 7th grade, but things change when her mom starts dating, and one of her best friends, Fiona Waters, gets injured on the field trip. Suddenly she's worrying too much and stressing herself out. Will Madison calm down and allow herself to enjoy 7th grade?

This a great book for teenage girls. You can relate to this book,it's also by Laura Dower a great Author. By far the best book I've ever read. I hope you enjoy this book as I have enjoyed this series

Bell's ninth novel is a stunning accomplishment; alternating between the explosive language of Baltimore's drug culture with the meditative qualities of Tae Kwon Do, he examines race relations, hope and compassion, and most specifically, the moral dilemma of doing and not just saying. The novel takes places in modern day Baltimore, both in the suburbs of upper middle class, as well as the inner city urban homes.

Mike Devlin seemingly has it all, a successful psychiatric practice, a nice home in one of the wealthier suburbs, a loving wife and a daughter getting ready to go off to the college of her choice in a year. He is also a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and as the top student in his Master's school, Devlin is sent to start a new branch. This branch is set up in the inner city of Baltimore. It is here that the rest of our cast is introduced.

We meet many inner city youth at his school: Trig, Gyp, Kool-Whip, Freon, Sharmane, Tamara, Buster, D-Trak, Clayvon, Stuttz, amongst others. Here we see the opposite life to Devlin's; those with nearly nothing. Living in projects, one or maybe no parents, and children way before they were ready.

There are virtually no minor characters in this novel besides maybe some of Devlin's patients. They are used to foreshadow some events and to allow the reader the possibility that Devlin is not satisfied with his current life. Over half of the dope dealers and those residing in the projects are fully realized. We understand what they do, how they do it, and sadly, why they do it.

Bell is one of the few authors out there seriously writing about race issues. It's as if he needs to do so, as if his writing about the problem will help him come to some conclusions. In lesser writer's hands, this set up could lead to a very cliché book. In the hands of Bell it becomes anything but. His use of language is true; as the story alternates between various narrators (including an omniscient third person narrator), the language takes on the structure and vocabulary expected.

To the outsider, as Devlin gets more involved in his school, he begins acting strangely. To some it would appear as some sort of a mid-life crisis. Even his wife, an ex-social worker with some professional acumen, feels he is sliding down a tunnel of depression and warns him he won't drag her along. He even struggles himself at times to come to words for what he is doing, but before his final actions he comes to a realization.

He is not succumbing to the notion that one individual can't make a difference. He is following the words of his Master and doing what he says, not just saying it. He is getting involved in lives, trying to make a difference. For an hour a day, he is fairly successful. It is the other 23 that put him to the test.

There is plenty of action throughout the novel; both in and out of the Tae Kwon Do school. Bell does a great job of describing hand to hand combat. His writing allows the reader to visualize each action, almost well enough to believe he or she is learning Tae Kwon Do, banging along with the characters, or watching Devlin's patients describe their lives.

You won't soon forget Devlin, his daughter Michelle, Trig or any of the other characters in this book; their efforts, actions and plight will stick with readers for awhile. Amazingly enough, Bell published this book in between volumes I and II of his Haitian trilogy. With ten novels in print now, and two short story collections, Madison Smartt Bell has enough to keep you busy reading for a long time. Take advantage.

I'm not much of a reader. As a matter of fact, I used to avoid books like the plague. Ten Indians is a book that I had to read during summer school last year in college, and I am glad that I did. The author did a wonderful job of grabbing my attention and keeping it throughout the entire novel. Basically, this review goes for all you non-readers out there, if you have to read a book, read this one.

Madison Smartt Bell does a masterful job of contrasting inner city and middle-class life through speech, thought, and experience. A good read...compares favorably with Richard Price's "Clockers"

Lt. James Madison Page was captured by Confederate forces in 1863 and eventually was shipped to Andersonville Prison. There he observed Major Henry Wirz firsthand as well as life in this famous Confederate prison for Union prisoners of war. After the war, Major Wirz was tried by military tribunal, found guilty of "war crimes" and hanged. Forty years later, in 1908, Page wrote his memoir to tell "the true story of Andersonville," which was quite different from the popular view, namely, that Wirz and those in his command were deliberately cruel to their captives. Page explains how the prison was designed to hold, at most, 10,000 prisoners at any one time, and then only temporarily while awaiting prisoner exchange. When the exchange was stopped, the prison population quickly swelled to 30,000 prisoners, overwhelming the South's ability to feed, clothe and house the Andersonville prisoners. Although the North advanced many self-serving reasons for stopping the exchange, the real truth was later admitted by Ulysses S Grant in his memoirs, i.e., that the Union POWs were expendable, and that exchanging them for Rebel soldiers would prolong the war by reinforcing the Confederate army. This was a legitimate and understandable strategy of war, one that undoubtedly brought the war to a faster close. In 1865, however, it would have been political suicide to tell the truth to grieving families, that their sons and husbands and fathers were not exchanged because they were considered expendable. The story as Page saw it, was that Wirz was made a scapegoat to appease the wrath of the Northern people over the Andersonville dead (13,000 POWs died out of 45,000 prisoners due to disease and diet).

Page tells how many Northern myths about Andersonville simply aren't true, e.g., that the Confederate guards would get a 30 day furlough as a reward for shooting a prisoner, or that the reason the prisoner exchange between North and South was stopped was because of the North's protest against the South's refusal to exchange black Union POWs -- the truth was that blacks were a miniscule number of Union POWs and the exchange was stopped before there were any black POWs.

Page describes the trial and the accusations against Wirz, and refutes them convincingly. The trial, as described by Page who was there, was a sham. The prosecution could call any witnesses it wanted, but the defense could only call witnesses approved in advance by the prosecution! The prosecution's key witness was a perjurer who claimed to be former Union POW "Felix de la Baume," but was actually a deserter from the 7th NY infantry named Felix Oeser who was paid off for his false testimony with a job in the Dept of the Interior. Oeser had never even been to Andersonville.

James Madison Page's book closely jives with Confederate sources, like the memoir of Confederate guards and officers, who say the same things. Page ends his narrative with "I am just as committed to the preservation of the Union today as I was in 1861, but after forty years we can at least afford to tell the truth." This book wasn't popular in 1908 nor will it be popular in 2001 with those who don't want to hear it.

James Madison Page was my husband's great grandfather and we own a copy of the original edition. Mr. Page went on to be a Montana pioneer and surveyor. The book was very controversial when it was published, but to his dying day Mr. page stood by what he had written. It is quite a contrast to the generally accepted view of Andersonville Prison. Possibly, the prison conditions were not uniform at all times or in all places of the prison. The rather antiquated, but clear, prose alone is reason to read the book and get a taste of the past.

This book was written by a union soldier from a Michigan unit, as the subtitle indicates. He wrote this as a "Defense of Major Henry Wirz." Unlike many of the books written about incarceration in southern POW camps, this soldier was rather positive in terms of the treatment he received by Confederate soldiers during his inprisonment at Belle Isle and Andersonville. He had several personal interviews with Major Wirz, the Commandant of Andersonville prison, petitioning for better conditions for his fellow prisoners. He claims that the Major was as gracious to his requests as the limited supplies of the Confederacy would allow, considering the Union blockade of all supplies including medical. He also includes some information in what appears to be transcripts and letters relevant to Major Wirtz's trial that led to his hanging, which are quite revealing in terms of Secretary of War Stanton's, vendetta against Jefferson Davis and other prominant leaders of the defeated South.

This was an eye opener for learning how many options were considered and how many compromises were made to resolve the regional and economic differences of the fifty-five delagates. Very sobering, to consider how close the USA came to making very different choices. Highly reccommended for all! This is real history, as recorded by Madison, exactly as it evolved.

This was an eye opener for learning how many options were considered and how many compromises were made to resolve the regional and economic differences of the fifty-five delagates. Very sobering, to consider how close the USA came to making very different choices. Highly reccommended for all! This is real history, as recorded by Madison, exactly as it evolved.

This factual account from the mouths of the women and men who lived (and still live) with racism is an important record. This book should serve as an eye-opener for smug northern individuals who feel that segregation and racism are artefacts of "the South" alone.

This book takes you into the homes and hearts of African Americans growing up in post-WWII Madison, Indiana. "All We Had Was Each Other" details the pain, the hard work, the persistence, and most of all the faith these people displayed in God, themselves, and their community. The firsthand accounts this author has collected will tear at your heart. This book is a must-have; the author has made wonderful use of primary sources, and the issues he raises are as real today as they were before the Civil Rights Movement.

I have enjoyed this author's earlier books, The Murder of Frau Schutz, White Rook, and Red Knight. These books always seem well-researched and accurate in detail. This, in turn, adds greatly to the reader's being able to engulf himself or herself in the plot. Carl, the protagonist, is a so familiar story of big dreams clashing with reality and forces beyond his control. It is easy to see many real people like him daily. Very few lounge singers started out with that result as their dream. An excellent read.

I like angels, especially their Angel food cake. It is yummy in my tummy

This book is a great companion while traveling to Prescott. It has historical insights, beautiful photographs and is very detailed with interesting facts about the Prescott area.

This book is a wonderful guide to both well-known and less popular points of interest in the Prescott area. The historical detail has obviously been well researched and is very fascinating, making the book an invaluable, must-have companion. The accompanying photographic documentation is also very complete.

This is worth reading even if just for "Customs of the Country," a work of tremendous sadness, sensitivity, and restraint, one of the great American stories of the last 25 years.

This is a collection of short stories by a great writer. My favorites were "Petit Cachou" about hustlers and marginal types on the French Riviera and "Move on Up" about relationships among street people in New York. Absolutely first class