This current book of MS Braun's is different from her past works. This endeavor has a different feel to it. There is a dark and brooding mood. Gone are the older characters that imparted the charming small town feeling. The bantering between Polly and Quill is missing, as are the cats. Though they do make an appreance, most of the cat in The CAT Who.. is absent. Gone also, is the humor. If you had to skip one book in the series, this would be the one. It does not continue the story line in the old familary way. Reread one of the first three books, and wait for the next one.

I am a big fan of the Cat Who mystery series. The Cat Who Sang For the Birds was the first new book in the series to come out after I had begun reading the series. Therefore, it was all rather fresh to me, and I found both the book and the style quite interesting. I think part of what makes this series so great is that it's not so much murder mystery as a nice, well-connected tale. The Pennant Race (spelling bee) is a nice extra, and so are some of Qwill's pursuits. On further reading of the book, after reading some of the others, I find that it could be more interesting and exciting. The humor however is there, and so are the cats! Let the cats live on forever!

Although a lot of diehard fans argue that this is the first "The Cat Who" book that may provide evidence that Lillian Jackson Braun is no longer writing the series, I honestly think that "The Cat Who Sang for the Birds" is a wonderful book. It is a great addition to any "Cat Who" collection. The characters in this book are given much care and thought, and it is a definite page turner. It was this book that made me wish for a real Pickax, so that I could go live among these wonderful people. Qwilleran becomes more compassionate in these pages, Polly loses her constant doubting attitude, and the rest of the residents of Pickax become more than just "characters" in Qwill's life. If Lilian Jackson Braun did indeed pass on her pen, then the author of this book would be an excellent successor. Long live the Siamese!

This is the story of one of America's smartest men. Written in a seemingly desultory manner, Franklin tells about his life from his beginnings in Boston to his contributions to science and the enlightenment. I was a little disappointed though because there was no writing about the American revolutionary war or the drafting of the American Constitution-two things that Franklin is known for. In addition we don't get a detailed account of his discoveries in electricity (at least in the Dover edition, other editions might include other writings by Franklin). However, this book does shed light on the American spirit. He talks about how he came one day to Philadelphia with only enough money to buy some bread, and ended up years later as one of Philadelphia's most respected man.

This books is colored with enjoyable stories and anecdotes from Franklin's life. Every page is full of little aphorisms and maxims in witty tales about events in Franklin's life. I'd recommend this book for the quality of Franklin's wisdom. Even if he wasn't so important to the birth of the United States, this book would still be cherished by the American people.

The prevailing conception of the American character found its apotheosis in the persona of Benjamin Franklin. In early American culture Franklin was considered the typical American whose life philosophy exemplified American attitudes towards life, wealth, and happiness. The proof of this philosophy was found in Franklin's life and both are interwoven in his autobiography.

Certainly Franklin became omnipresent in American history (the greatest president who was never president, as I recall) partly because of his own efforts at self-promotion, of which "The Autobiography" is a prime example along with the constant reprinting of "Poor Richard's Almanac" (see the preface to the last edition in 1758 entitled "The Way to Wealth," which presages the autobiography). Franklin was first and foremost a moralist concerned with the personal, social, and civic improvement of his fellow citizens. The book opens with a letter, written to his son William in 1771. Of course, William, the Royal Governor of New Jersey, is forty years old, so the advice being offered is not to his literal (illegitimate) son but rather to any and all "youth." The book is intended as an exemplar for moral action and virtues.

Part I has Franklin describing his ancestry and lineage, covering his precocious childhood where he learned the virtues and morals that would serve him in good stead as an adult. Indeed, the story of Franklin becoming a successful businessman and important citizen in Philadelphia is a series of anecdotes in which he uses his intelligence and wit to solve any and all challenges. As autobiography we know this account to be flawed, for Franklin recreates his life to suit his purpose, but as rhetorical exemplar it is impressive. Part II reinforces this point by beginning with a pair of letters from Abel James and Benjamin Vaughn, who praise Part I for having celebrated the frugality, industry, and temperance necessary for a man's character to develop as a prelude to success. This section was written ten years after the first, when Franklin was in France. Here Franklin discusses moral perfection and the importance of industry and frugality in achieving success. Part III was written when Franklin returns home to Philadelphia in August of 1788, and continues the detailing his long career of public service, from publisher "Poor Richard's Almanac" to becoming Postmaster of the United States. Part IV is something of a fragment devoted to an episode in London in 1747 when Franklin became an early proponent of American rights. Ironically, this section, which would have contained the autobiographical information we would most want to hear with regards to the fight for Independence, is the briefest.

Ultimately, what becomes most important about "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" is that it serves as the genesis of the aristocracy of merit in the United States. Franklin's life is the model for the stories of Horatio Alger a century later and instantiates the idea that America is the land of opportunity where it is by merit that we can earn success. That idea has been expressed in countless ways since this book was first published in all its myriad forms, but the life of Franklin is the font from which it all springs.

This "Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" does not contain the type of finished material one has come to expect in a finished coherent autobiographical writing covering the whole life span of the individual written by single author over a continuous period of time. This is really source material partially written over distinctly separate periods of time wherein the author, Benjamin Franklin, wrote on two different continents without access to the other parts of his text. With that said, I still think that this book is a wonderful and enlightening piece of work. It should, in my opinion, be considered for placement in every high school and college library, and it should perhaps be wise to consider it for required reading in those institutions. The book tells of the life and times in which Mr. Franklin lived, the attitudes of the colonists and of the British and the ways that things were accomplished in colonial America. It is truly amazing to me to hear first hand how a single individual with only two years of formal education can educate himself as this man did and to rise to make such truly great contributions to society, science, engineering, and politics. I highly recommend this book.

Northanger Abbey is an overwrought, underpaced book - terribly dull by modern standards. The satirization of the novel of manners and the gothic novel forms is almost entirely lost on the modern reader who is unlikely to have read a single one of the 18th century popular novels Austin is constantly referring or alluding to.

The only thing that saves this book from the dreaded one-star rating is the strong characters. This was one of Austin's earliest attempts at a novel, but already she shows her knack for creating fascenating characters that would reach its zenith in Emma. The three main characters of Catherine, Belle, and Henry really come alive and actually manage to extract some genuine concern from the reader by the end of the novel.

What holds the characters back however, is the incredibly tedious pacing. The plot develops VERY slowly by modern standards. The first 150 pages are used mostly to describe a bunch of society balls and carriage rides, with only very gradual character development - the sparks don't start flying until volume II.

The bottom line is, Northanger Abbey may have been a *decent* novel for its time, but these days it should be read only by true Austin Addicts who are beyond all hope of recovery ;-)

The story describes the development of a young girl, Catherine Morland. She is the daughter of a clergyman, not very rich nor especially handsome or clever. At the age of seventeen she is allowed to go with Mr. and Mrs. Allen to Bath, were all the upper class of England spends the holidays. She meets there a plenty of young people, for example John and Isabella Thorpe, Eleanor Tilney and her brother Henry. They all become friends, but John and Henry take a deeper interest in Catherine. She has to make up her decision: The young student John or the earnest reverend Henry, and soon it's clear. Catherine goes with Eleanor and Henry to stay for a visit at the abbey where they are living with their father, Captain Tilney, while Isabella ingages with Catherines brother James. As Catherine has read many novels about misteries (f.e. "The misteries of Udolpho") she expects to find something puzzling and amazing in this old abbey. Everywhere she looks for a strange thing, but never finds anything. Even Henry tells her once how stupid she is to believe in such things, and now Catherine has a more realistic vue to the world around her. But then she receives a letter from her brother James where he writes that Isabella has left him, and moreover Catherine has to leave the abbey because Captain Tilney has found out that she isn't as rich as he thought and because of that not adapted to become Henry's wife. Through all these experiences Catherine grows up, and at the end of the story she is a very different woman than at the beginning.

Jane Austen was arguably one of the best writers of her time; however, only she took the bold leap into poking fun at the books of her time. Northanger Abbey brings Catherine, the heroine (on whom, among other things, Austen periodically comments from afar) through the joys and troubles of being an eligible young lady with a probing mind and endearing naivete, acquired from none other than the countless novels she has read. The elegance, and at some points speed, with which Austen plays out and then reconciles her young heroine's difficulties is at the very least extremely amusing. The foolish suspense and embarrassed relief which center around the Abbey are no less entertaining when one considers this book against darker novels where the papers in locked drawers have slightly more bearing. Catherine's friend Isabella, her vain (and in-vain) suitor John, and Mr. and Miss Tilney are brilliant foils for her character's development. Overall, I think this book rates as one of the true gems of the 19th Century.

"If you build it he will come", an unfamiliar voice softly whispers in through the cornfield. These few words change Iowa farmer, Ray Kinsella's life. From minimal instruction Ray tears up a part of his precious corn crop on a hunch. In its place he builds a baseball field for his long dead idol. Shoeless Joe brings together the love a son has for his father, and the power of belief in a legend. The book also has a movie that was introduced in 1989, and it stars Kevin Costner. Although the movie definitely made history, the book brings a lot more things to the reader's attention. For example the movie never says anything about his long lost twin brother Richard, who left home early in life never to return until Ray builds the field. The wind like voices and the baseball field are on the beginning to the real adventure, and I would definitely suggest this book to anyone who wants to return to their pastime.

Daydreams, visions, and hopes all come together in the magical novel Shoeless Joe, written by WP Kinsella. In Kinsella's compelling novel, Ray Kinsella, an Iowa insurance agent turned farmer, is changed from a dreamer into a creator. At first, he is a dreamer, hoping to keep his farm while not making enough money off of it to pay off the mortgage. His brothers-in-law constantly attempt to buy his farm from him in order to complete a scheme to make them a load of money. Regardless, he keeps his farm and hopes for a way to pay for it. There, he enjoys life with his wife Annie and his daughter Karina. Annie and Karina support Ray throughout the book, giving him good advice and lifting his spirits when he needs it most. His love of baseball, dreaminess, and determination send him on a journey to both past and present to search for the greatest baseball game that he will ever see. It starts when, one summer evening, Ray hears an incorporeal voice say, "If you build it, he will come." Ray immediately knows that 'he' is Shoeless Joe Jackson, a man banned from baseball for life as a result of the infamous Black Sox scandal of 1919. The 'it' is a baseball field, to be constructed in Ray's cornfield. With care and diligence, Ray builds a stadium, with left field (Shoeless Joe's position) a veritable heaven. He waits for Shoeless Joe to appear, and in time he does and plays ball there every night. Then Ray perfects the rest of the field, and the other members of the Black Sox come to play for him. The fantasy appeared perfect, but it didn't last. Then, "Ease his pain." Ray hears those words from the immaterial voice after his completion of the stadium. Instinctively, he knows that the 'pain' is that of JD Salinger, the famous yet hermit-like author of Catcher in the Rye. He realizes that he must go cross-country and get Salinger to come with him to a baseball game, getting Salinger to stop being a hermit and go back to loving baseball. Ray effectively kidnaps an unwilling Salinger and takes him to Fenway Park for a game. Though at first stubborn, Salinger comes around, finally agreeing to go with Ray back to Iowa to see the magical field. On the way back to Iowa, other characters are encountered. They are Archibald 'Moonlight' Graham, a baseball player for the New York Giants (albeit only as a defensive replacement for an inning), Richard Kinsella, Ray's twin brother who has not been seen by Ray for many years but has been drawn back to Iowa by some freakish coincidence (or is it a coincidence?), and Eddie Scissons, an old man who loves to tell tales of his 'baseball days' with the Cubs, and how he will be buried in a Cubs uniform (although he never played for them). Both Scissons and Graham are former ballplayers who succumbed to everyday life, and all of the above men have something that they need to do; something that only Ray's ballfield can do for them. Through Ray and his field, they can regain a bit of the past, and part of their lives is reopened to them. From Salinger's invitation to visit with the phantom ballplayers to one of Ray's lifelong family dreams coming true to the revealing of Eddie's secrets to the transformation of Graham, each character has a unique and important role. Kinsella writes in detail about the characters, their problems, journeys, and successes. He mixes in trivial details with the important information and makes the book seem shorter than it really is. With clever imagery and a gripping storyline, Shoeless Joe is wonderfully written. It reads like a true story that happens to have some elements of a novel. This book is one of the better ones that I have read, because of both the great characters and the plot. Ray's dreams and journey stick with you after you have finished reading. One scene that captures the feeling of the book is this, at the end of the story; "On the porch, we turn to look at the silent, satiny green of the field. I press the switch, and, like a candle going out, the scar of lights disappears. Above the farm, a moon bright as butter silvers the night as Annie holds the door open for me." It shows how Ray loves the field, and how Annie has been a strongly supporting member of his family for him. The passage also shows how WP Kinsella describes with words (the silent, satiny green of the field) the beauty of the field and without words (as Annie hold the door open for me) how Annie has supported Ray throughout the book. By reading Shoeless Joe, one can understand what true baseball fandom is about, and how dreams can fade into reality.

Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella is an inspiring story of Ray Kinsella, a not-so-typical farmer from Iowa who just loves baseball. One day while he's out in his cornfield, he hears the voice of a baseball announcer say, "If you build it, he will come." Like a vision from a crystal ball, he realises and sees that "he" is Shoeless Joe Jackson, and "it" is a baseball field. Although he's called crazy by the rest of the town, his daughter and wife stand beside him. The voice, and Shoeless Joe keep him motivated as they lead him on a journey all across USA to fufill his dreams.
Shoeless Joe is a beautifully written story about going for your dreams, the American way, and remembering true values of life. It's a great book, and it's truly inspiring. I recommend you to BUY BUY BUY!

This book provides some interesting and many uninteresting details about Intel's history. Though well-researched, it is of little educational value and reads more like a soap opera. Worst of all, unlike what the title would suggest, the book discusses Andy Grove very little and provides few insights into the reasons for success of Intel. In fact, much of the book is dedicated to Intel's petty & vindictive spats with former employees.

Tim Jackson has produced a masterfully clearly and actionable rendition of Intel's evolution. In the early chapters, Jackson paints a tangible picture of the early leadership decisions (e.g., decision to assign Grove to Operations and Noyce & Moore to strategy, marketing, and R&D). Jackson effectively follows the evolution of these early decisions through to present while highlighting critical trajectory changing events along the way.

For example, when Bob Noyce initially invited Roger Borovoy to join Intel as legal counsel, Borovoy declined joking that Intel wouldn't need a lawyer of his horsepower for some time. Borovoy eventually accepted the offer three years after the company went IPO and stayed with Intel for eight years. The excellence in Jackson writing is seen later when he attributes Borovoy's departure to a Grove's decision to have three or four people reporting to him. Borovoy was asked to report to Larry Hootnick instead of directly to Grove. Borovoy left as the result.

Excellent development of critical decision threads over Intel's evolution!

In regards other Amazonian comments to the effect that Jackson does not try to be objective!!!? What book WOULD be interesting if it was objective! We are not reading technical specifications. This book is about history and how Intel shaped it!

I think Jackson did this Tim Jackson has produced a masterfully clearly and actionable rendition of Intel's evolution. In the early chapters, Jackson paints a tangible picture of the early leadership decisions (e.g., decision to assign Grove to Operations and Noyce & Moore to strategy, marketing, and R&D). Jackson effectively follows the evolution of these early decisions through to present while highlighting critical trajectory changing events along the way.

For example, when Bob Noyce initially invited Roger Borovoy to join Intel as legal counsel, Borovoy declined joking that Intel wouldn't need a lawyer of his horsepower for some time. Borovoy eventually accepted the offer three years after the company went IPO and stayed with Intel for eight years. The excellence in Jackson writing is seen later when he attributes Borovoy's departure to a Grove's decision to have three or four people reporting to him. Borovoy was asked to report to Larry Hootnick instead of directly to Grove. Borovoy left as the result.

Excellent development of critical decision threads over Intel's evolution!

In regards other Amazonian comments to the effect that Jackson does not try to be objective!!!? What book WOULD be interesting if it was objective! We are not reading technical specifications. This book is about history and how Intel shaped it!

I think Jackson did this brilliantly clearly!

This book is excellently written!! With personal knowledge of the Grove style to personnel management, Mr. Jackson couldn't be more accurate. There were MANY things written in this book regarding the early history that were hazy to me but now I understand much more clearly. It's a great and innovative company in which many people devote themselves and their families too. Unfortunately, it definitely does take it's toll on family lives. One mistake or disagreement in the eyes of someone with power and your long lasting successful career at Intel is doomed for a short life. If you've lost your family along the way as well........then when the shoutings over - you are on you own, literally. Mr. Jackson did a wonderful job of writting such an accurate book with only a few interviews and court documents. This is journalism at its best. A recommended read for anyone who works in the integrated circuit industy (especially at Intel). I think most [people] will be surprised to see how this large Corporation conducts in external and internal business. Intimidation is the key word and burnt out employees are becoming more and more common.

Personally, I think that Sense and Senibility was a good book, but lacks the wit that was constantly present in Pride and Predjudice.

While there was conflict in Sense and Sensibility (both in the sister's jealousy and the the scorn from their lovers later), Austen didn't allow her characters to really address the conflict directly. (For example, why didn't Willoughby explain himself to Marianne, as opposed to using Elinor as a go-between?)

While this may be the subtle temper which reflects Austen's style, it also makes it more difficult for the reader to discern any true sense of feeling.

The plot is "okay" - boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy scorns girl. In Sense and Sensibility, it's done twice, in parallel. The only difference between one and the other is how each girl copes with it. But, from reading several of Austen's books, I've found that plot development wasn't the author's strong suit.

Jane Austen's real strength lies in character development. Her major characters are well developed and dynamic. An interesting aspect of Sense and Sensibility is how Elinor, the logical and practical sister became more emotional, while the ever-feeling Marianne developed a more practical view of her situation by the end of the book.

This isn't one I would recommend for folks that have never read Jane Austen before (read Pride and Predjudice first), but it is a book I would recommend it to anybody who likes Jane Austen's style.

Did anyone else feel a distinct sense of disappointment at the revelation of the mercenary, materialistic nature of the otherwise handsome and dashing Mr Willoughby's character? However, I think Marianne's heart-break was eased by the stead-fast and loving Colonel Brandon. I love this novel. I had been forever avoiding experiencing any other Jane Austen novels for fear they would not live up to the high expectations created by the fabulous "Pride and Prejudice", however, when hearing of the imminent arrival of the fabulous Emma Thompson's adapted version at local cinemas, I decided to take the chance and read this book. I'm glad I did! This is another Austen gem. Elinor and Marianne are wonderful characters, as are all the others. If you are like I was and are afraid of spoiling your first Austen experience with another, don't be. "Sense and Sensibility" is another Austen triumph. Marriage, society and class are again given a unique Austen work over!

Anyone who gives this book a bad review has no class. Jane Austen is one of the most celebrated writers in history. You just have to get past the fancy words. Beneath that is a classic and romantic story. Sense and Sensibility is the best romance novel I have ever read. I would recommend watching the movie first, though, if your Old English vocabulary isn't very strong.

Don't get me wrong, this book is by all means exhastive. My main problem is that throughout the book Jackson seems to prance around the sensitive issues so as to not piss off the members of the inner circle of the band. And even though he documents Garcia's drug problem, in every case he includes some sort of disclaimer like, "although it's not really clear whether it had a negative impact on the music or not, there were still stellar shows," blah blah blah. The fact is, drugs, mainly heroin, ruined Garcia's life and at least part of his career. We were all there in the early-mid nineties when Jerry was catatonic on stage, giving embarrassing performances slumped over his guitar. The serious problem he had was ignored or at least tolerated by those close to him throughout his life; for Jackson to downplay the negative impact drugs had on Garcia in anyway is ireesponsible. And for that I think the book can be nothing more than mediocre.

The Dead were Garcia and Garcia was The Dead. They are inseparatable. Jackson's book digs deeper into Garcia's life and that of the band than any other book on the same topic. Reaction to the dead was binary -- you either loved them or you hated them. This book is clearly for the former. The latter won't care and won't get it. We all still miss Jerry and The Dead. Jackson has forged an earnest and winning attempt so that we can remember him, and them outside their music -- which will live forever.

This biography of Jerry Garcia, called Garcia: An American Life, by Blair Jackson, is a great accountment of Jerry Garcia's life and death. His life mainly took place in California in the 60's and 70's and on tour with the Grateful Dead (and his various other bands) until 1995. The Grateful Dead with Jerry as lead guitarist, made Garcia legendary along with the band. The Dead's following in the hippie era, led to many problems and addictions, ones that cost him his life. Jerry received his first electric guitar for his birthday at the age of 13. This was the same year that he was also introduced to pot. He felt that drugs was a way to "leave all his troubles behind." Soon after Jerry turned 16, he ran away from home and moved to Palo Alto, which is just south of San Francisco (where he grew up). Apparently Jerry was unhappy with his life and Jerry seemed to only express himself through his music. Later on, Jerry got into bluegrass music and bought a banjo. Although Jerry soon realized that bluegrass wouldn't get him anywhere, so he turned back to the electric and acoustic guitar and formed a band, the Grateful Dead. With the Dead, Jerry began using phsycidellics such as LSD, shrooms, and other acids. With "no troubles" and the ability to express himself, Jerry's life went easy. The author, Blair Jackson, informed, persuaded, and entertained his readers throughout the whole book. He focused on Jerry Garcia's interesting life which was expressed through the music of Jerry and the Grateful Dead. Unfortunately, he died from a heart attack (due to his diabetes) in 1995 at the age of 53 (although it is said that he ate too much pizza!). It is a shame that he had to die so young, but his legend lives on. This biography is "A wonderfully balanced, insightful life story of one of rock's most enigmatic heroes" (~Robert Santelli) and I deeply recommend this book to anyone that is interested in the 60's or the Grateful Dead. I give this insightful book a 10/10.

PAGES READERS GROUP - Hot Johnny And The Women Who Loved Him. The book is a myriad of tales that intertwine themselves around the main character, John "The Baptist" Wright. Obviously a man who's ability to capture the heart and mind and soul of each woman he encounters in his life, past and present.

Almost like some of those heavyweight title fights from years ago, the vote on this book was a split-decision. Those that enjoyed it found that it dug into the heart and soul of a many on a serious venture to save the life of his daughter, Beauty

The other side did not find a "flow" and agreed that the lack of it made the story complex and some characters, insignificant to the story. You could really never get a true sense of why these women liked him so much, other than the short description about "having Smokey Robinson" eyes.

In short, reading this book is an aerobic exercise on the mind, while others may find some pleasure in having to work to enjoy it!

Please don't mistake this novel for a romance novel because of the cover which I personally love the original cover the one with the beautiful chocolate sister. It is however a wonderfully written story with characters that are complicated. Johnny comes into the path of each of their lives and the puzzle of his life and the reason for his crossing into their lives is intense and wonderful! I felt as if I were sitting and having coffee with each one them I understood why each of them loved and hated Hot Johnny. The author's poetic language captivated me in each chapter I would find myself laughing because the characters were bold & crazy. You must be patient with this story it isn't a quick pageturner the chapters are long but very interesting. This title is not for amateur or readers who can't stick with a storyline or various characters. It's not fast paced but once you enter into one of the characters lives you won't want to put the book down you will want to finish each story...but then you must put it down and digest it. I enjoyed this title very much and have chosen it for my bookclub selection for July 2001.

What can I say? Hot Johnny was written by a TRUE writer at the top of her game. Not one of these fly-by-night authors who can't tell a metaphor from a meteorite. The story was so textured and and deliciously layered with the best in literary form and structure, I found myself gobbling up each chapter and racing on to the next. There is no comparison between Ms. Jackson-Opoku's writing and that which is currently flooding the African-American commercial market. Writers on this level include, Gloria Naylor, Bernice McFadden, and very few others. Most of the people out there penning novels (myself included) wish they COULD write with such style and finesse. Many readers and so-called reviewers give praise (and 5 stars) to a lot of the poorly written and trashy work of today, but as a developing writer I recognize pure talent when I see it, and Hot Johnny is written proof that anyone with enough money or the right connections can be an author, but it takes something very special, something Ms. Jackson-Opoku has in abundance, in order to call yourself a writer. Congrats, Ms. Jackson-Opoku, for a literary gem that is thoroughly enjoyable.

Hardcore mystery fans may find it a bit of a stretch, but if your taste runs to expertly written and very light fiction, you can't do better than Lillian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who..." series. Her detective, reporter James Qwilleran, investigates crimes with the aid of his Siamese cats--and the solutions to the crime inevitably rest more upon intution than actual deduction. While the premise sounds farfetched, Braun's work is actually less fanciful than you might expect, and she presents her eccentric characters and stories with great charm.

THE CAT WHO SMELLED A RAT finds Moose County, a place 500 miles north of everywhere, in the midst of a serious winter drought: lack of snowfall has turned the county into a tinderbox, and mysterious fires of uncertain origin have the residents on edge--but when a fire-spotter is murdered while on patrol Qwill begins to suspect there is more going on than juvenile-inspired arson. In addition to a few new characters, RAT features all the characters fans of the series have come to know and love, and as usual Braun makes our visit with Qwill & Co. a thoroughly enjoyable diversion. Recommended for fans and newcomers alike.

Everyone in Moose County, 400 miles north of everywhere, is waiting for the Big One, the first gigantic snowstorm of the season. It has been a hot dry summer with many brushfires occurring, especially near the stack houses aligning the ten abandoned mines.

Newspaper columnist and philanthropist Jim Qwilleran thinks it is strange that the fires seem so concentrated in one spot. His two felines, Koko and Yum Yum agree. Koko always uses her extrasensory abilities to alert Jim before a catastrophe occurs. The cat has already predicted two of the fires and gives out a howl when someone shoots a fire patrol volunteer. When a volunteer on fire patrol watch is murdered, Jim and his associates begin to investigate.

Fans of "The Cat Who" mysteries will want to read Lilian Jackson Braun's latest cute cozy, THE CAT WHO SMELLED A RAT. This novel targets an audience who wants no graphic violence in their literature while the felines' antics will warm the hearts of pet lovers. The twenty-fourth novel in this long running series retains the preciousness of all its predecessors and hopefully the author will provide her audience with another twenty-four novels.

Harriet Klausner

I was astounded when, in reading the covers of Lilian Braun's latest episode in her tales of James Qwilleran that "The Cat Who Smelled a Rat" was Volume 23. I went to her shelf and, sure enough, I had read them all. While they really are mystery stories, I don't really read them for that. Rather, over the history of the series, I have become addicted to life in the far north town of Pickaxe.

I love wandering through the town with Qwilleran, meeting the many quirky characters, sharing in the gossip, reading Qwill's columns over his shoulder and, above all, interpreting the mystic messages of Koko the detective cat. As, I'm quite sure, will any mystery lover who needs a break from the noir fiction that makes up so much of modern mystery writing.

This time Pickaxe is in the throes of an autumn drought, trying to prevent brush fires and waiting impatiently for 'The Big One', the first big snowstorm of winter. When a volunteer fire watcher is murdered at one of Moose County's famous mine shafthouses the mystery begins. Be prepared for an Haiku contest, an elopement, curling and many delicious meals consumed at Pickaxe's seemingly inexhaustable supply of restaurants and inns.

Of course, the real heroes of all Braun's stories are Koko and Yum Yum, Qwill's faithful Siamese sidekicks. Koko, by virtue of superior intelligence and wit, works dilligently to provide Qwilleran with the clues needs to discover the villain and reveal his nefarious scheme. Koko limited to growls and 'Yows' resorts to plant destruction, apple hockey and general chaos in order to keep Qwill on track.

If you've been following this series for as long as I have you will need no encouragement to read this new volume. For those of you who have never travelled to Pickaxe before, prepare for a lot of fun - all 23 volumes are well worth reading!!

I don't think you could really call this a book--it's more like a scrapbook or photo album. I learned perhaps 2 things about AJ that I hadn't heard before. It is definitely NOT the tell-all book it has been hyped to be--which is probably a good thing. The pictures are great--obviously mostly from her personal collection, as there are pics of Backstreet Boys sleeping, and at family celebrations. Very precious and priceless picture of Brian and Nick in younger years sound asleep on a couch. There is one picture of AJ in the bathtub--not too revealing--thank goodness. All in all, not a big price to pay for some really great pictures, but not much of anything else.

It was'nt at all that I expected by any account. Although it was a nice memoir and showcased A.J. in a most sweet & sincere light, it left much to be desired. The book is very thin, with little insight into the real trials & tribulations of being a "Backstreet Girl". But on the bright side, it was'nt a sleezy tell-all like some thought that it would be. But the pics are nice (of course anything with A.J. is nice!:) My final comments: ONLY DIE-HARD A.J. FANATICS would consider this one a keeper.

I thought that Loving AJ was a great book! she didn't bash aj at all like many thought marisa would! instead she made me love aj even more then i had before i readthis book! i loved the pictures, the whole book really showed the true aj and that he is a romeo at heart! i wish i could have been in marisa's shoes and experience these things! i recommend this book to all BSB and AJ fans! thanks!