As a kindergarten teacher, I was excited to find this book in time for the schoolyear to begin. What a wonderful way to introduce the alphabet to a group of wide-eyed children. This is a must-have for all pre-school and primary teachers.

The story is charming and simple. Before the letters of the alphabet can go off to school to become "Charley's Alphabet", they are delayed by the loss of the lower case i's dot. All of the letters must help to find the missing dot ... or find a way to make the dot return so that they may get to school in time for Charley, the boy who needs them.

Bruce Wood is the illustrator on this book and he has continued the family legacy of producing bright, captivating illustrations which are just begging the reader to look more closely. Indeed, there is a story in the pictures alone. My own eight-year-old daughter read the book and then immediately went back through and looked at the pictures, pointing out little details in each illustration. This is a wonderful book. I can't wait to introduce it to my class.

Bold and captivating, this alphabet concept book is a must have for the beginning reader. Not only is the story of the missing dot on the "i" appealing, but children can learn and enjoy the letter characters and detailed illustrations. This book would also be great for library story times and back to school themes. Another jewel from the ever-popular trove of the Wood family!

What a wonderful collaboration! The story of "Little i" by Audrey Wood and the illustrations by son Bruce are wonderful. This is an imaginative introduction to the alphabet for even the youngest child. The illustrations are colorful and BUSY. My children love this book!

I don't have kids and I'm well beyond the target age group for this book. I do think sausage dogs are adorable, though, and thus received this as a Halloween present.

The illustrations are cute, the story is fun, and the puns are hilarious. The sausage dog is named, of course, Oscar; scrutinizing the family mailbox reveals their last name to be Meyer. When Oscar shows up in his Halloween costume (a hot dog on a bun), the book remarks that he looked "quite frank."

A few minutes of laughing and a smile on your face for six bucks? Can't beat that!

Oscar is a young dog with a problem. Being a "wiener-dog," he looks different from all of the other dogs in obedience school, and consequently the others like to make fun of him. His mother doesn't help matters when she calls him her "little Vienna sausage." And worse, when Halloween rolls around she expresses complete lack of understanding when she buys him his ultimate nightmare of a costume. However, this short-legged dog has a big heart, and when the chips are down the other dogs get to learn just what Oscar is made of!

This book is absolutely hilarious! The story is funny and educational. The text was not challenging for my eight-year-old son, but he is on the extreme range of the recommended level. However, he did love the story, and read it through three times in the first sitting! So, we both highly recommend this book.

Please be sure to watch the cats in this dog book, they come close to stealing the show!

It doesn't matter how many children I read this to, it always cracks me up. I mean, when you read about a dachshund named Oscar, you know you're on a roll...hey, was that a pun? This story has lots of wordplay. It's a Halloween tale, or is that tail, about a well-loved dachshund kid whose mother dresses him up in a costume that gets him ridiculed by the other dog kids. His trick-or-treat adventures will have you howling with laughter and in the end everybody including poor Oscar likes his silly costume. The cartoon-like illustrations are clever and subtle so make sure you and your youngsters take time to enjoy them and please check out the classroom scene...it's a scream. This book is so much fun with its bright colors and zany text you just can't help but love it.

A nuclear warhead is missing, a terrorist is faxing detonation threats to the white house, and William Harrison's family insist on living the most frightening scenes of American society! Welcome to the "The President"! This is the second novel from Parker Hudson and as you can see it is a page-turner. Set in the not to distant future, this novel boldly addresses the issues of social crisis facing our country on its current course of godlessness. Despite the weight of the subject and the length of this novel, Hudson's work demands attention and will keep you begging for more until the very last page!

Parker Hudson uses the typical American family (The Harrison's)to weave his tale of social immorality, repentant cleansing, international terrorism, and political potential. "The President" challenges the typical reader comfort zone and forces critical examination throughout. Be ready to get angry, frightened, and overjoyed through these incredible pages.

This book may not be appropriate for younger readers due to the honest look at homosexuality, adultery, violence, and pre-marital sex. Adults see these topics just as the Harrison's do in Hudson's novel; they are everywhere!

Any citizen concerned about the course of American government should definetly read "The President". You will be challenged, rewarded, and inspired to let God lead you as he did "The President".

Readers of Christian fiction will be touched by the spiritual journey of several of the characters in this book, including a fictional future President of the U.S. The characters are well developed. The author in story form presents two major world views - a God centered world view and a humanistic (or man) centered world view. This is accompanied by a series of several interwoven plots that come to an exciting climax as the characters wrestle with their choices, and their belief systems. I hope that readers who do not normally read Christian fiction will consider this title. I think they will be pleasantly surprised by the sensitive and sincere tone of this book. Readers may wonder, so I will mention that this book does not promote a political party. Thank you

This book is one of the best I've ever read. What would happen if a president elected on a liberal platform became a Christian? And then attempted to govern the United States as the founding fathers intended...with a Christian foundation? Parker Hudson does an outstanding job relating the issues facing our nation today, from terrorism, (a forboding prediction of 9/11), to abortion, sex education in the schools, and homosexuals in the military. Although a fictional story, I felt like I was reading the newspaper on the issues covered in the story. I have found myself constantly referring back to the historical quotes from the founding fathers used as lead-ins to each of the chapters, especially with current decisions from the courts regarding the Ten Commandments and now the Pledge of Allegience (removing "under God"). This book has opened my eyes on the importance of becoming more involved as a Christian in the political decisions being made for us. When you buy this book, be prepared to sacrifice the time to finish it, because once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down.

I am blessed to work with the author of this well written novel. I am an avid reader and was given a copy of "On the Edge" by another co-worker. I took the book home and immediately started reading it and from the onset, I found it a book that I absolutely couldn't put down. I don't want to give away any of the contents or storyline, however, I will say this, if you are struggling or if you are challenged in your christian daily walk and just can't explain some of what goes on in your life, this book will OPEN YOUR EYES to the tricks/schemes/wiles of the enemy. Parker, thank you for allowing God to use you to write such a powerful book. It's an eye-opener and a life-changer, indeed.

This book is absolutely amazing! Until I read it, I didn't truly have God in my life. I always felt so unworthy and it was beyond my comprehension that God would forgive me of all of my sins and except me as one of His chosen. My sister who was finding so much joy in knowing God was at the library one day and saw "On the Edge". She'd already read it and, on a whim, decided to check it out for me to read. My family and I went on a cruise about a week later and I took it along. All I can say is it totally changed my life! It just clicked for me, I gave my life to the Lord aboard that ship and slowly I began to change in ways I didn't even know I needed to. I truly started to understand it was real when my family noticed the huge difference in me and I began to find pure joy in studying His Word and having a personal relationship with Him. That was five years ago and just recently God led me back to it, I ordered it online and it was even sweeter reading it the second time. God has truly gifted the author in being able to relate to the soul and I will forever be appreciative of His gift through F. Parker Hudson.

This is one of the best books I've read about the reality of the spiritual realm and the impact of prayer (of lack thereof!) on the salvation of souls. The Sullivans and the other characters in the book are incredibly realistic - I could have been reading about any number of people I know. The author gives us a realistic glimpse of the way blinders are kept on unbelievers minds through "anything goes", "just this once", "everyone is doing it", and "it's not THAT bad"....the deadly impact of NOT knowing God or His word and having any foundation on which to base decisions.
He also very well describes the serious the consequences of God's own people failing to pray. I've definitely taken a hard look at my own prayer life and how I can better help the lost souls around me: be there for them as a friend, speak up, and PRAY! The book is biblically based and very solid in Christian theology. Really makes you think, and keeps your interest all the way through!!!

The single biggest reason to watch this movie is that the star himself was in fact the single most decorated war hero of World War Two, and he is convincing here playing himself with dignity, sincerity, and humility, which, of course, Audie Murphy always had in spades. The movie was adopted from his best-selling autobiography, which my Mom let me read after blackening out all of the four letter slang (as she called it). Perhaps it shows that he was my childhood hero, and I still have a personalized autographed photo somewhere reading "Thanks, Barry, for being my fan" that a friend's mom got for three or four of us ten year olds at the time this movie was released in the mid 1950s. It was the first movie I saw ten times. And I wasn't alone; Murphy was a national icon.

The movie truly is a classic; tightly directed, poignant, honest, accurate, and showing gripping combat without being gory or maudlin. It sometimes decends into travelogue movie-theater type newsreel moments, but these are thankfully rare and forgiveable. On the other hand, this is an interesting and absolutely true story of a common and uneducated boy from rural Texas who wanted more than anything to be a soldier and serve his country, and his subsequent deeds and patriotism above and beyond the call of duty inspired a whole generation of us who wanted to imitate his call to country. Unfortunately we walked into another time and the miasma of Vietnam. But that's another story for another time. Escape back to a time when the moral choices were clearer, and a real live hero was available to act his way memorably through an accurate recounting of his extraordinary if abbreviated military career. He may be gone too soon, the victim of a plane crash in the early 1970s, but his lifetime admirers remain. Enjoy!

When are you ever going to see a great hero playing himself in his greatest moments? If "Saving Private Ryan" was too gory for you, here's a movie that shows the glory and pain of WWII, but without the gore. If your grade-school kids want to know about the soldiers of WWII without them having nightmares, have them see this film. Audie Murphy is great in this role -- even though it is his story, it becomes the story of ALL the soldiers (although Audie does have the best moments). The fight scenes are gripping, and it really does feel 'real' rather than 'staged'. I would also recommend that you read Audie Murphy's book of the same name to get the whole story. Definitely Audie Murphy was the greatest U.S. soldier in the 20th Century!

I first read this book as a young man before entering high school. The book and Audie Murphy became a symbol of not only what one man can do, but what one man can stir in the friends and comrades around him.

Murphy's acts, thoughts, and efforts described in this book make him an absolute hero not only during the war, but should be displayed for generations to come as a man that believed in our country and the American Cause. It is the ideals that he fought for, and the American people that he believed in that make this book a must read for all types of people that would want to feel good about the United States of America and to be personaly uplifted and moved by the challenges that this soldier endured and overcame.

Once is the book read by many top collegiate distance programs across the country. Cassidy represents all runners who seek to be the best. This is not a book for the happy-go-lucky "Runner's World" readers who think a 35 minute 10k or running on the treadmill when it rains outside is what running is about. A true runner runs when he doesn't want to, has quirks that come out when doing it, and puts his heart into it--just as Quentin Cassidy. An inspirational book for those that laugh when people ask them the Secret to running, why they run, and other things only runners understand. Miles of Trials. . .

Hello All!

I run Divisin III Cross-Country and Track for Colorado College in Colrado Springs, CO. I have been running since 7th grade, yet somehow I managed to miss reading ONCE A RUNNER until this summer. This is the premire running novel! It is the cure all for those days when you are having a hard time getting motivated. After 10 months of training, it is easy to get a little burned out. After reading the Interval Workout chapter, I remain inspired to dedicate my life to the sport. For all runners out there (and those trying to understand us) you can't find a better read!

Once a Runner is the best running book I have ever read. Unlike training guides or running stories that spend far too much time explaining the beauty of running and trying to introduce people to the wonders of jogging around, Once A Runner really goes into the life and mind of a runner (though the book uses fictional characters, they are easily recognizable and realistic). It describes the dedication, hard work, and goofiness that is required to be successful and what makes runners a very unique, though cetainly interesting breed. The story itself, of a young college-aged runner and his quest to run the fastest mile he could while in school and after he got kicked out, is extremely well paced and smootly written, just as a good race. It is a fantastic book and I would highly recommend it for beginners, enthusiasts, or someone who just needs a little motivation.

Most 'serious' reviewers of Robert Parker's Spenser books will argue that "A Catskill Eagle" is the best of the series. I won't disagree that it's very, very good, but I think Spenser (and by extension, Parker) is at his best in "Early Autumn".

Primarily, through the books, Spenser has deep relationships only with Susan, and to a lesser extent, Hawk. We really don't know much about him beyond the front he puts up for his clients and his opponents. "Autumn" is the exception to that; we see him treat Paul in much the same way he must have been treated as a child and the same way he would have treated a child of his own, if he'd had one -- with respect and decency. He drags the 'real' Paul out of the shell Paul had constructed to protect himself from his parents and the world and provides him with a sense of worth, teaching him, as Spenser says himself, "what [he] knows" -- boxing, running, carpentering and standing up for something.

The end of the book always gets me. I've always been glad, too, that Paul makes further appearances in other books: Widening Gyre and Playmates, among others. It's interesting to see the relationship between Spenser and Paul grow and develop. It deepens Spenser as a character and gives us one more reason to like him.

This is the seventh novel in Robert B. Parker's Spenser series and by now it is quite clear that whenever you start one of these stories the question is what is the new twist this time around. You can never call one of these novels an unconventional Spenser novel because they all tend to be unique in some key way. in "Early Autumn" our hero is hired by Patti Giacomin to find her son Paul, kidnapped by his father. Spenser finds Paul almost immediately and it quickly becomes clear that neither parent really cares about the boy, who is just a pawn in the wake of an ugly divorce. Paul needs someone to teach him, well, just about everything (except how to shrug; the kid does that really well in response to every question asked by Spenser). "Early Autumn," a metaphor for a 15-year old kid who has to grow up really fast, finds Spenser talking more than any of the previous books, although at the end his detective skills will again come into play. A large chunk of the book is Spenser and Paul talking about a whole bunch of different topics. In doing so, Spenser explains his view of the world, a task usually left to Susan Silverman. There is also an unforgettable twist as Hawk lends a hand at a key moment. As always, Parker's novels are quick reads, perfect for commuting or nice hot baths.

This is one of my two favorite Spenser books (The other is A Savage Place.) Early Autumn was the first Parker book I ever read and also the first suspense/mystery. My parents and brothers all read Spenser but I shunned them, preferring scifi. I was desparate for a read one summer night and my mother pressed this on me, saying "You'll like this if you just give it a chance" I was 15 and I read it that night, reporting back to her bedroom and saying, "Next Book! More! More!"

This book is about Spenser's surrogate fathering of a lost 15 year old boy named Paul who is a pawn in his own life. It is sort of a coming of age novel, but really not because it is told from Spenser's perspective like all the Spenser books.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I highly recommend it to any Spenser fan or to any one who remembers 15 and that lost in your own life feeling.

Roger Parker displays a solid grasp of internet marketing fundamentals. His unique style presents not only the trends and best practices for relationship marketing on internet, but he also gives detailed implementation information.

After reading his book, I have already taken steps to change the approach we are using in several sections of our corporate web site. I also found his discussion of how to engage the customer at each stage of the buying cycle very valuable. For those considering email marketing, this book is a must read.

The last section of the book presents a large number of case studies for various types of businesses. Detailed examples of how to use your web site and email at each stage of the customer relationship are included. Best of all, this book [is] a real bargain!

I found Roger Parker's book to be excellent for the small to medium size business owner who is serious about making their company's website a serious business tool.

Too many businesses simply post a website expecting customers to come running to them.

Relationship Marketing on the Internet gives in-depth, practical solutions to transform a business website from a on-line brochure to a tool that will attract new customers and streamline business operations.

The book is well laid out, easy to read, and gives many small business case studies that make it applicable for just about any business owner.

"Strategy" may be a terribly overused word, but it certainly isn't a used-enough practice when it comes to creating and managing an effective Web site. The vast majority of Web sites out there are just that--"out there," with no clear purpose, no specific goal, no compelling attraction to turn visitors into customers.

They lack a strategic plan.

Solid, thoughtful help has arrived for businesspeople, especially those with small businesses, in the form of Roger C. Parker's "Streetwise Relationship Marketing on the Internet." Parker spells out in great detail, and with very practical supporting tips and worksheets, what he calls the Customer Development Cycle. It's a five-step strategy that maximizes one's Internet efforts while also putting them in the greater context of one's overall (offline) business goals and strategies.

By studying his easy-to-read strategies one can turn a Web site that is currently not much more than a highway billboard (with cars speeding by it) into the most interactive business tool since the face-to-face meeting.

Speaking of interactive, Parker also assigns e-mail its deserved central role in creating loyal customers. In tandem with a Web site's own information ("meaningful content" in Parker's words), the exchange of information is a vital component often lost on businesses on the Internet.

I highly recommend Parker's book. Even though his many examples and 29 case studies do not include my own field--publishing--I found his unique perspective of combining relationship marketing and the Internet very helpful in developing and fine-tuning a profitable Web site.

While this book is very well written, provides answers to many important questions, and the real life stories of women are particularly insightful, I am disappointed that I did not receive the "Revised Edition". I was specifically looking for the most up-to-date book available regarding gynecologic problems and placed an order for this book after reading excerpts from Dr. William Parker's web page "A Gynecologist's Second Opinion Online". I had read most of the book before reaching the question "If you need a hysterectomy, should you also have your ovaries removed?" Knowing that Dr. Parker had changed his opinion on that topic, it became apparent that I did not have the revised edition. As much as I enjoyed the book's format, I feel as though I was duped into buying an older book (the 1996 edition as opposed to the 2003 edition) that I would not have purchased otherwise. That said, I'll probably still shell out the extra bucks for the Revised Edition -- if I can find it soon!

I am not one to put my opinion out publicly unless I feel strongly about that opinion and this book is wonderful (that is my strong opinion). This book is a comprehensive overview of Women's Gynecology. It is a very easy read. It can be read by pertinent sections and/or from start to finish. The information in the book is very helpful and useful to everyone. My husband even found this book to be very informative. I am extremely pleased with this purchase and would recommend this book to all women.

A week ago I had a hysterectomy, with removal of the ovaries and "plumbing" repairs, all related to pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence. I had ordered this book months ago, in preparation for the planned surgery. So, now that I have planned for and actually had the surgery, I am in a position to give an opinion on this book. YOU MUST READ IT! It is full of all of the questions, and more, that you would want to ask, and it is written in a very understandable way. Now that I have actually experienced the surgery, I have gone back to read the sections specifically on surgery and my problems, and the book is right on target! Everything from the description of what it is like to go into the operating room, to anesthesia, nursing care, etc., is clearly and directly stated right here for you. The book has additional chapters on other topics which weren't relevant to my current medical situation, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I am holding on to this book for future use, as it is so comprehensive. I would unconditionally recommend it!

Dorothy has a possession of the english language that is almost demonic, and coupled with her insight into the weaknesses of human nature (not to mention her own), her prose and poetry are witty, cutting and hilarious. Her poetry is short and quotable and her short stories explored the mundane and ridiculous of American Life far earlier than most writers. My favorites, however, are her book and play reviews. They are genius, and can leave you rolling on the floor. This is my favorite collection of Dorothy's work. I have found that collections of only poetry or short stories soon became tedious and extremely depressing (I wonder if Dorothy on Prozak would have produced such great work). This is an excellent volume for those just discovering Dorothy, and great to keep handy for a "little read."

This is the one you want. The sum of it all, or at least, the bulk of Dorothy Parker's best stuff. Buy this book first, read it, then read it to your friends. Then buy them a copy.

Read to your friends her gloriously articulate rips into her peers' books, her acidicly cynical (but humbly honest) poetry about her relationships, and her well-crafted stories about a moment in life. Pour some coffee, then read some more.

You probably know her quote about 'horticulture' and might be familiar with what she said about the girls from Yale. Maybe in high school you read her famous poem, "Resume" ("Razors pain you/acid stains you..."). Now, introduce yourself to her other work. Her poems and other turns-of-phrase are never raunchy, but somehow, in her brutal clarity, some still fill in the not so naive reader with plenty to laugh at.

Her stories helped found the New Yorker Magazine, where she was an editor. Her book reviews are on the insightful, smirking level of Mark Twain's review of "Last of the Mohicans." Her ability to insult a book or play is more than just witty, but more than often intensely accurate. She wasn't just making fun of a writer, but educating them. She tore them apart and had them happier for it.

Brendan Gill's intro will give her writing context, helping you see why she wrote the way she did.

I learned from Parker how to take a few minutes and see the complex subtleties and find a story it (read "A Telephone Call" as an example). Her craft is masterful, allowing her wit and sense of social nuance show through.

Fans of Flannery O'Connor, Joyce Carol Oates, and even the short stories of Ernest Hemingway will love her.

I fully recommend this book.

Anthony Trendl

Every non-cheerleader, adolescent female should have a copy of this anthology. To quote George Bernard Shaw, "The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." Dorothy Parker specializes in acidic humor. From Resume to Unfortunate Coincidence to her short story the Waltz, Parker presents acerbic wit at it's best. This anthology helped me survive high school. You don't have to be depressed or pessimistic to appreciate Parker's poems and stories. Her humor is reminiscient of Shaw, Fielding and others: it's biting and casts no illusions over life, but presents the negative with humor. Also an excellent book for those who are single on Valentine's Day. ;)