In 1995 I fell in love with a strongly believing girl and she gave me several books to read. "Run, Baby, Run" was one of them (it was written in Czech) and one should admit that I enjoyed the book. Nicky Cruz's gang was really very violent, fighting with policemen often and many people there were drug addicts. But a preacher introduced Nicky to Jesus Christ one day and then everything changed...

I recommend this book to any reader and nonreader because i am sure they will all enjoy this book. I have just recently finshed reading it (I only wished I had read it earlier)and wanted to know more so next best thing was to read David Wilkerson's book's (the little skinny preacher) that did wonders for Nicky. It is just incredible how the Holy Spirit works wonders through someone else. I do hope Nicky will write another book, (or has he,I like to know)(as I am in Downunder and get second hand news)as I would like to know lots more.

A very compelling story: A Nicky Cruz autobiography of growing up without knowing the true meaning of the word "Love". Growing up in the streets of Brooklyn, struggling and battling to survive, his fiercest battle is with his innermost demons. He is able to discover with the help of a preacher that everyone is worthy of God's love no matter how much evil is in their past. I first read this book about 25 years ago at 13 years old and the book still to this day has a impact on me. I'm going to refer this book to my son of 15 years so that he can read this story of great inspiration.

I read this book years ago and picked it up agian. The story of Kiernan and Jesse is very touching.

Kiernan and Jesse grew up together and Keirnan has always loved him so she is devestated when the war between the states causes Jesses to choose the side of the blue instead of the grey. Finding this unforgivable Kiernen turns her back on her love and marries another. As the war goes on Kiernan becomes a widow and is responisble for her husbands brother and sister and just when things are getting real bad Jesse rides up and saves the day (or at least the Plantation).

The story is strong and a lot of past history is woven in throughout between all of the characters. From a historic stand point there is a lot of historic fact but not so much that it gets heavy.

One Wore Blue is the beginning of a great trilogy. Don't miss it.

Definitely a keeper. Great story, never a dull moment, lots of love. I agree there's nothing like a good civil war story with love mixed in. And this one is a powerful one to read. Don't pass it up! I am now looking forward to getting
And One Wore Gray!

You have to love historical romances. It is one hot book! And the other 2 are just as good which I know is unusual in a series. But you must read And One Wore Gray, & And One Rode West. The three books are about 2 brothers that are on the opposite sides of the war and the sister that was left to tend to the plantation. There is also 3 other books in a series that was written by Sandra Brown. Texas! Lucky, Texas! Chase, and Texas! Sage. Again 2 brothers and a sister. Great books. But don't start them unless you have lots of time. You won't want to put them down.

The part interested me most is the relationship between Billy Graham and the presidents of the United States from Dwight Eisenhower to Bill Clinton, which takes one third of the book and covers half of the century of the U.S. history. He talked their charactors and family lives. Only Billy Graham has this kind of experience. You will learn those presidents from a different angle, a Christian leader's point of view. It is a very unique book. Regarding Christianality, if you do not have time to read the whole book of 735 pages, you can read the last chapter, chapter 40: The Best is Yet to Be, which concludes his faith and philosophy. It touched me that someone asked him if he thought God was unfair, allowing him to have Parkinson's disease. He answered: "Suffering is part of the human condition, and it comes to us all. The key is how we react to it, either turning away from God in anger and bitterness or growing closer to Him in trust and confidence."

I found Just As I Am captivating from the moment I picked it up, and was unable to put it down. I read Just As I Am while I was convalescing at home for four days after an ankle injury at work. This was four of the most enlightening days I have ever experienced. Starting from the quaint surroundings of a North Carolina farmhouse, I was soon taken on a journey around the world, as Mr Graham described his many fascinating travels and crusades. Rev Graham not only describes his experiences for us, but by each chapter's end he capsulizes the lesson's he has learned during his trips and meetings with people of all walks and stations of life around the world. I was struck time and again by the depth of meaning Billy Graham finds in each of his life's experiences, his clarity of vision, and his ability to poignantly and keenly express what he has seen and learned. It becomes readily obvious why he has been taken into close company by many heads of state for the past 50 years of his ministry. This is a book not to be missed by any serious thinker.

Billy Graham's latest book offers a fresh and personal insight to his life and his life's work. It is truly amazing how God has worked in this wonderful and dedicated man's long life. Yet, he continues to wonder "why"? Why would God take a young man from Charlotte, NC and transform him into the greatest evangelist since Paul? Most interesting is his relationship with his wife, his family, those he worked and works with, presidents and leaders throughout the world. It is facinating to read of his burden of countries closed off from outsiders, yet, in time, God opened the door to Billy Graham to spread the Gospel in those same countries. In this day of dishonest and insincere TV evangelists, it is refreshing to read of one so intent on giving God alone the glory. At seventy-eight he admits that he will not be here much longer. I will miss him even more now having read his book. May we all follow his example

It's a sweet story of a 'simple' stuffed rabbit amidst the more 'complex' modern toys in a boy's "toy collection". The rabbit starts to believe that in order to get the love of the boy, he needs to appear 'real', or be able to zoom about like the motorized toys...
(And I'm not going to tell you the end hahahahaha!!!)
It was great having that read to me, while I was hugging my stuffed animals in bed.
But -- in a way, at first glance it looks like a simple story, but it is actually a surprisingly complex story. Leave it on your child's bookshelf as he/she grows up and he/she will reread it again and again as he/she questions issues such as "who am I?", "what does it mean to be 'real'"?, "what is my role in this world?", and even "what is death"?

I make sure I use this book with each class I teach--3rd and4th graders. They always get it--that love makes us real, too. Theymake the connection between the Skin Horse becoming shabby and people getting old. I always bring in my stuffed velveteen rabbit I bought years ago and it starts making the rounds and popping up on different children's laps. It is a pleasure to see them become attached to the rabbit instead of "mechanical toys that were very superior, and looked down upon everyone else." They also relate to the lessons the Velveteen Rabbit learns from the Skin Horse about how becoming real is a painful process sometimes and can take a long time.

This book is a simple work of art. Its beauty in itself is virtually indescribable. When I was little, it was my favorite book. In fact, I've had it ever since I was born. It is about a boy who owns a stuffed rabbit, and longs for it to be real. Eventually, because he loved the rabbit so much, his wish was granted. The book is so well written that it brings tears to my eyes almost every time I read it. It is definitely one of my all-time favorites.

Even if you have not read One Wore Blue or One Wore Grey, the charcters and the story line hold together to give the reader a comprehensive story. We are familiar with the trials of Americans in the east after the conclusion of the Civil War, Miss Graham gives us an interesting look at the west. Chirsta Cameron is a fitting ending to the entire "Cameron Saga" begun in Sweet Savage Eden!

Heather managed to pick up where 'One Wore Gray' left off and moved the Camerons' sister out West with a marriage of convenience between Christa and Jeremy. Jeremy is strong, determined but considerate and unusually caring, while Christa's defiant 'die hard' confederate attitude constantly clashes with Jeremy's ability to 'forgive and live' attitude toward the aftermath of the Civil War. If you enjoy reading about the Civil War and the American West, then you'll enjoy reading 'One Rode West'.

Ms. Graham's trilogy of the Cameron family is well-researched, and beautifully written. I thoroughly enjoyed One Wore Blue, and One Wore Gray, and loved And One Road West! Don't miss this grouping! Ms. Graham's understanding of the heartache of the Civil War and its aftermath is reflected in her characters, and Christa proves to be one of the strongest women Ms. Graham has created. Thank you, Ms. Graham!

Off the Record is an interesting and beautiful book about a variety of music (not just Graham Nash's music-his song Our House is only 1 of 25 featured songs).

The book includes handwritten lyrics by the songwriters-some are incredibly beautiful. Also, I like "American Woman" which looks like an American flag.

Also, the book is very colorful and has a lot of pictures and interesting interviews. Ben E. King tells how he got kicked out of choir for having a loud voice. Thank goodness he still went on to use it!

Anyone who likes songs like "Never My Love", "I Feel the Earth Move", Do You Believe in Magic", What a Wonderful World", "Stand By Me" and more will enjoy this book.

I can't say enough good things about this book. It's a one-of-a-kind must-have for anybody who loves music. A real class-act. The pictures and layout are fabulous, and to read interviews of writers talking about how they created some of some of your favorite songs is enlightening. But the CD's---the audio interviews with these wonderful creative people---are truly amazing. I especially loved hearing Graham Nash talk about Joni Mitchell and "Our House"---but all the interviews are super. You feel like you've been invited into the writer's living rooms and are sitting right there while they share their trials, tribulations, and victories. What can I say, I just loved the whole experience...reading, listening, looking. If I could afford it, I would buy this book for every one of my friends. As it is at least two of them will find this under their trees this Christmas.

If you have a music lover to buy for, you can't beat this great book by music legend Graham Nash! The best songwriters have submitted their originals and drew pictures which they associate to the songs! All your favorite songs and songwriters are in this book!!...

This book, long out of print, introduces Pratchett's best heroes, Sam Vimes and Carrot, and sets up the adventures to come. To my surprise, the plot in here holds its own against those in later Vimes novels, and the large space given to the supporting cast is a delight to those who know Colon and Knobby, Vimes' deputies, from later books where they share the guardhouse with a much larger cast. I read the Guards book out of order, and now feel like I should re-read them in order. The whole subseries, even the anticlimactic "Fifth Elephant," stand out from the rest of the Discworld books. Discworld is almost always good. Vimes is even better.

G!G! is the brilliant introduction to Sam Vimes and the Night Watch (eventually the City Watch) of Ankh-Morpork. Fencing (sort of), fighting (rather one-sided), torture (only a little bit), revenge (maybe some), giants (my, but Carrot certainly is tall), monsters (dragons and trolls count, right?), chases (when the Night Watch runs away), escapes (see previous), true love (sort of), miracles (one in a million chance)...
Sam Vimes and Carrot Ironfoundersson are my two favorite characters on the whole Disc, after Death. I just have to love this book, mostly because it gave us the characters. It sets the stage for the later books, and the City Watch subseries is the most dedicated to internal consistency and continuity among all the Discworld books. This is an essential book to see the beginning of the rise of the Night Watch and Sam Vimes, and it really sets the character of Carrot. The literal-mindedness of Carrot in this gives one an even deeper appreciation of some of the later jokes surrounding him.

The reason, I think, that Pratchett has managed to keep Discworld viable after over two dozen novels while other series seem to fade after four or five is that Pratchett continually introduces new characters and new tracts in his Discworld books -- Rincewind, Granny Weatherwax or Death, for instance.

"Guards! Guards!" is the first book to follow the adventures of Captain Vimes, and is easily as good as any other Pratchett has written. Our stalwart quartet of well-meaning bufoons provides an incredibly entertaining satire of medieval sword 'n sorcery epics -- you know, the kind where the boy finds a magic sword or slays a dragon and is therefore crowned king, regardless of any actual qualifications he may have.

I am attempting to work through the Discworld novels chronologically, so I don't know if Vimes, Carrot, Nobby and Colon show up again in this series. But I certainly hope so. Pratchett has rapidly ascended my all-time favorite authors list.

Only once before in my life have I read a book cover to cover. Although I am generally not that fond of science fiction, I found this book to be very worth while. Entering Tenebrea avoids the techno babble and unrealistic alien cultures that usually make up the meat of sci-fi stories and instead focuses on character development and a deliciously unpredictable plot. This book is a real gem, even for those who don't like Star Trek.

It was a stroke of brilliance for Roxann Dawson to collaborate with the consumate science fiction (SciFi)author Daniel Graham. The result was science fiction at its very best. Entering Tenebrra is a "must read" for any lover of quality SciFI. Like Daniel Grahams award winning SciFi novel "The Gatekeepers," "Entering Tenebbrea" simply captivates the reader with a combination of drama, suspence, romance, and excitng thrills. It is none stop fun!

The main character, Andrea Flores, will no doubt become the female counter part to Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. Fans will be eagerly waiting for the next book to enjoy her exploits. Her quest for revenge over the murder of her family plunges her in to an intergalactic war. Admiral Hal'Rin, himself an interesting alien character and father like figure to Andrea Flores, trains her in the special operations that is at the core of this noval. Her exploits are simply thrilling. How any learned reader and conisuer of quality science fiction could rate "Entering Tenebbrea" as anythng other than exceptional "five star" quality science fiction is hard to imagine. The writng is incredibly good. Don't miss this one folks. Treat yoursleves to the very best!

Wow is the first word out of my mouth when I finished this first book of the trilogy!! I couldn't put it down! I immediately wanted the story to continue so I could see what happens next!! I read the entire book in one day!! I was lucky enough to buy the book when Roxann was signing them at a convention. If you like military and sci-fi stuff, you will love this one!! Bravo to both Roxann and Daniel for such an entertaining and thought-provoking piece of work!! Can't wait for the next installment coming out soon!!

In March I visited Cuba and had the chance to meet with Elian Gonzalez' father and grandparents. I took along some Spanish children's books for them to read with Elian when they were reunited, and at the top of the pile was Harry the Dirty Dog (in Spanish). What better story to help with the healing of this little boy than Harry, who goes away from the family, returns almost unrecognizable, but is still loved, and returns to himself through his family's love and care. A comfort for all children.

Late last summer I was at a loss for what to get a 4 yr old for a birthday present. I did not know the child well but had been invited to a party (I am 33). I went to a bookstore since I decided books were pretty safe. I thumbed through lots of books but Harry... was the first one that I got sucked into and read cover to cover. I found lots of other fun books but some of them concerned me in that they may not be "P.C." in the family of the intended recipients. Harry was just the best choice. I bought about 15 kids books that day to have on hand for gifting. I bought multiples of Harry and now I need to replenish my stock. The last kid I gave it to asked me to read it to him. I did and he loved it (plus his mother remarked that she had the Harry books as a kid and loved them as well).

I love the Harry the Dirty Dog series! A great story for kids and adults who like to read a good children's book.

Harry is an adorable white dog with black spots (as is repeated throughout all of the Harry books)... and he's always getting dirty. His entire family loves him and he loves them right back. Even when he's dirty, Harry is still family... which makes a great parable for parents explaining to their children that while they may not be happy when their kids mess up, they are still loved nonetheless.

The illustrations of this happy dog frolicking around are absolutely precious. The story is endearing and I have my copy sitting on my coffee table.

After years without picking up a novel by Dickens (memories of starchy classes at school), I decided to plunge into "Bleak House", a novel that had been sitting on my bookshelf for about ten years, waiting to be read. Although I found it heavy going at first, mainly because the style is so unfamiliar to modern readers, after about ten pages I was swept up and carried off, unable to put the hefty tome down until I had finished it. This book is a definite classic. The sheer scope of the tale, the wit of the satire (which could still be applied to many legal proceedings today) and the believable characters gripped me up until the magnificent conclusion. One particularly striking thing is the "cinematic" aspect of certain chapters as they switch between different angles, building up to a pitch that leaves the reader breathless. I can't recommend "Bleak House" too highly. And I won't wait so long before reading more Dickens novels.

This is the second book by Dickens I have read so far, but it will not be the last. "Bleak House" is long, tightly plotted, wonderfully descriptive, and full of memorable characters. Dickens has written a vast story centered on the Jarndyce inheritance, and masterly manages the switches between third person omniscient narrator and first person limited narrator. His main character Esther never quite convinces me of her all-around goodness, but the novel is so well-written that I just took Esther as she was described and ran along with the story. In this book a poor boy (Jo) will be literally chased from places of refuge and thus provide Dickens with one of his most powerful ways to indict a system that was particularly cruel to children. Mr. Skimpole, pretending not to be interested in money; Mr. Jarndyce, generous and good; Richard, stupid and blind; the memorable Dedlocks, and My Lady Dedlock's secret being uncovered by the sinister Mr. Tulkinghorn; Mrs. Jellyby and her telescopic philanthropy; the Ironmaster described in Chapter 28, presenting quite a different view of industralization than that shown by Dickens in his next work, "Hard Times." Here is a veritable cosmos of people, neighbors, friends, enemies, lovers, rivals, sinners, and saints, and Dickens proves himself a true master at describing their lives and the environment they dwell in. There are landmark chapters: Chapter One must be the best description of a dismal city under attack by dismal weather and tightly tied by perfectly dismal laws, where the Lord Chancellor sits eternally in Lincoln's Inn Hall. Chapter 32 has one of the eeriest scenes ever written, with suspicious smoke, greasy and reeking, as a prelude to a grisly discovery. Chapter 47 is when Jo cannot "move along" anymore. This Norton Critical is perhaps the best edition of "Bleak House" so far: the footnotes help a lot, and the two Introductions are key to understanding the Law system at the time the action takes place, plus Dickens' interest in this particular topic. To round everything off, read also the criticism of our contemporaries, as well as that of Dickens' time. "Bleak House" is a long, complex novel that opens a window for us to another world. It is never boring and, appearances to the contrary, is not bleak. Enjoy.

"There is little to be satisfied in reading this book"?? I couldn't disagree more. Bleak House left a profound impression on me, and was so utterly satisfying a reading experience that I wanted it never to end. I've read it twice over the years and look forward to reading it again. Definitely my favorite novel.

I don't know what the previous reviewer's demands are when reading a novel, but mine are these: the story must create its world - whatever and wherever that world might be - and make me BELIEVE it. If the novelist cannot create that world in my mind, and convince me of its truths, they've wasted my time (style doesn't matter - it can be clean and spare like Orwell or verbose like Dickens, because any style can work in the hands of someone who knows how to use it). Many novels fail this test, but Bleak House is not one of them.

Bleak House succeeds in creating a wonderfully dark and complex spider web of a world. On the surface it's unfamiliar: Victorian London and the court of Chancery - obviously no one alive today knows that world first hand. And yet as you read it you know it to be real: the deviousness, the longing, the secrets, the bureaucracy, the overblown egos, the unfairness of it all. Wait a minute... could that be because all those things still exist today?

But it's not all doom and gloom. It also has Dickens's many shades of humor: silliness, word play, comic dialogue, preposterous characters with mocking names, and of course a constant satirical edge. It also has anger and passion and tenderness.

I will grant one thing: if you don't love reading enough to get into the flow of Dickens's sentences, you'll probably feel like the previous reviewer that "...it goes on and on, in interminable detail and description...". It's a different dance rhythm folks, but well worth getting used to. If you have to, work your way up to it. Don't start with a biggie like Bleak House, start with one of his wonderful short pieces such as A Christmas Carol.

Dickens was a gifted storyteller and Bleak House is his masterpiece. If you love to dive into a book, read and enjoy this gem!