For your first time published, I'm no literary critic, but you can have my vote for a bang-up job.

It was an interesting story line and it kept my interest up, good character development. I felt that I would know Tyrel, John, Tug, Mitchell, Jackson and all the rest of the characters.

If Cotton Smith has written other Westerns of this quality, I would like to read them, short or long stories. Also, is he planning to continue writing more Western novels? I certainly hope so. I'm looking forward to it. It would be interesting to have some of the characters of "Dark Trail to Dodge" in the next story.

After reading all the great reviews on Dark Trail to Dodge, how could I not read it? It was great from page one. I'm a huge fan of Kirby Jonas books, and he'll always be my favorite--better than Louis L'Amour. But Cotton Smith is not far behind. With Cotton Smith and Kirby Jonas and maybe Elmer Kelton, you really don't need anyone else! If you like this book, try Legend of the Tumbleweed, by Kirby Jonas.

Dark Trail to Dodge is full of everything that makes a western great -- horses, guns, good guys, bad guys and more horses. The story would make a good screenplay, harkening back to classic movies like Winchester '73 and Man From Laramie. In the characters of John Checker, Tyrel Bannon and Dan Mitchell, author Smith brings to life the hardship and kinship of life on a cattle drive. After reading this book, anyone who has ever dreamt of "riding the range," will long to saddle up and ride the Dark Trail to Dodge. I hope we don't have to wait long for more works from Cotton Smith.

This book had nearly everything I had been looking for. I've had it for a good while and have made things from it. The patterns and instructions are clear and easy to understand. Since it was published in England there are some conversions that sometimes need to be done but the only disappointment I had was in how few crochet projects there were in the book. Even so, it inspired me to invent my own. Everything else is covered, from drapes to carpets, cushions to bed hangings. A really excellent book.

After having looked for well over 6 months for just the right book, this book fulfills all my wishes. It has wonderful detailed instructions and patterns for everything from drapes to needlecrafts AND beautiful room settings in color. Just perfect!

Dear Sir, I want to revieuw some of your books but in my owm laguage:DUTCH or FLEMISCH! I read many books on crafts end hobby,but my Englisch writing is very beat ! How ever I understand the books end can make the things I find in them. For the peaple in the Netherlands end Belgium I like to revieuws your most interesting books.May be they can contact me on the world wide web for discussion end tips.You now my emailadress,plaese contact me. If you are interesting in my 'curriculum vitae',you will see that I learn thil my 27 year en theak courses even from PLAID end other firms al over the world.

Accolades to Mr. Woodworth and Ms. Hanson and Solo. Mr. Woodworth has managed to capture and transform the words of these woman singers/songwriters (Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Osborne, Lucinda Williams, Jewel, Suzanne Vega just to name a few) into a dynamic first person narrative that brings you face to face with your favorite artist. The accompanying pictures by Ms. Hanson are stunning. I have yet to see such revealing, sensitive and poignant pictures of these artists published anywhere else. This book is pure energy and art that rivals the vitality of the women it portrays. When I read a good book or am inspired by a song I hear, I react to it physically and emotionally. In this moment of reaction it becomes art. I want to talk to that author/songwriter about their work. I want to discover the impetus behind their thoughts and ideas. Solo takes me to that place. It takes me to a place were stories are layered in astonishing depth. It is no less than an opportunity to sit with your favorite singer/songwriter and hear their ideas, insights, dreams, and fears. You are welcomed into their living spaces to find out what they think about their careers and music. Sometimes when I am reading a chapter about one of my favorite singers/songwriters, I put their music on and listen. Deeper meanings emerge, and I hear them speaking to me. This is an enlightening and excellent read.

SOLO: Women Singer-Songwriters In Their Own Words is just that: a compilation of 'collected wisdom' from some of today's female singer-songwriters. Each piece is accompanied by striking black and white photographs by Emma Dodge Hanson, and the essays themselves are written ina laid-back conversational style that makes it easy to curl up on the couch on a cold winter's day and read the book.

Editor Marc Woodworth has done a fine job of presenting these outstanding women as intelligent and wise -- or perhaps it could be said that they didn't need any help from Woodworth to come across that way? Woodworth has given each songwriter a clean slate to talk about themselves and their work, and ech artist shines. The end product is a compendium of "selected wisdom", if you will, that flows fluidly from the pages. To the reader, it feels as though one were listening to each artist chat about life, over a coffee at the local cafe. Gone are the cliched phrases and anecodtes that all too often mar books about artists in the music industry.

The remarkable thing that Woodworth has managed to accomplish is to present these women as human beings, not just as songwriters. While they talk about their craft a great deal, each comes across as being very experienced (or embattled!) in matters of the heart. Very often a given artist chats about her upbringing, how they got into music, and their various influences, topics that I found very interesting. Each artist is very honest about mistakes they have made, not only on a practical level but on a emotional one as well, information that I suspect would be difficult to glean from male singers!

Because the book reads like a "book of conversations", and not a "book of discussions about each artist's individual style", I found even the writings of artists I don't like to be very interesting. For example, I'm not a huge fan of Mary Chapin Carpenter, but she had some very intelligent things to say. Someone else who I don't recognize writes that "I realized it's okay to feel multiple ways about a certain thing," a concept that struck me as being very true and very human. The book is full of these little observations about life and human behaviour.

Overall, I was very impressed with the content of the book and the way in which it was assembled. The layout is very aesthetically pleasing and the photos are beautifully done. Thanks to Marc and Emma on a job well done.

"Solo" is a refreshing, absorbing read. What makes it so interesting is that all of the excerpts are written by the artists themselves, all brilliant yet human artists whose experiences are lucidly and effectively related throughout the book. As a singer-songwriter myself, it was a pleasure to gather inspiration and encouragement from these women, most of whom have travelled the long and lonely road in search of artistic and spiritual breakthrough. Each entry is very intimate and personal, and I felt like I was having coffee with each artist! The accompanying photographs by Emma Dodge-Hanson are lovely and introspective, showing thoughtful, quiet sides of each dynamic woman that are often ignored in the glossy images of magazines or music videos. I often return to "Solo" to draw out words of wisdom from my favorite artists. I can only hope there will be a companion book to follow! *****

When I got started off on DataWarehousing , the first book I turned to was Ralph Kimball's The Data Warehouse Lifecycle Toolkit.

That was a good backgrounder.
But primarily being an Oracle guy and with experiences on OLTP systems I wanted to get a holistic view of how the DW fits in.

And this book just does that.

To Oracle professionals who aspire for more information DW related implementation I also recommend going through the Oracle DW manual....

Uses clear examples to demonstrate the best techniques for designing, building and administering efficient data warehouse solutions using Oracle. This book will give you the information you need to make your data warehouse successful. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.

This book has everything: a brief, high-level, overview of oracle "concepts" like background processes, sga, init parameters, etc. and, ultimately, as its name implies, a good, solid overview of 8i features, tools, and enhancements to make designing, loading, monitoring, and querying large Oracle databases (I think the term "data warehouse" is something of a misnomer) almost, well, FUN. I highly recommend it over Oracle's own, fragmented, documentation and immediately proceeded to partition my large, date-stamped, tables. Mr. Dodge, et al, have raised the bar for successful database projects. Kudos all around.

I had read Mr. Dodge's book of short essays and thoroughly loved it. I purchased this book at NorthLake College where I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Dodge speak. My father died of colon cancer a year ago and spent a month in dementia at the end, and my mother has recently moved my 94 year old grandfather into her home. Due to these circumstances I could really appreciate Mr. Dodge's experiences dealing with his mother's situation - and understand the stress. But the beauty - and the mystery - of the story is his search for his father's identity. I kept turning pages because I couldn't wait to see what information he would discover - or extricate from his mother - next.

Oedipus Road by Tom Dodge is wonderfully engaging. I think I read it in three sittings. Normally I don't find mysteries my cup of tea, but when they are about birth rather than death and occur on a spiritual-emotional plane rather than a physical one, the drama changes entirely; this tea is just the right cup and just the right flavor.

The narrative's subtitle, "Searching for a Father in a Mother's Fading Memory," captures a basic irony of this tale with its classical allusions and provides the basis of its form. The author, stubbornly searching for his lost father in his mother's lost memory, begins each chapter with a candid recollection of his mother in her own voice -- setting the tone for her son who recalls his own childhood in parallels that oddly match his mother's memories on some level. However, Plato and Sophocles hover behind this story of small town life in Cleburne, Texas during the fifties with its insistence on knowledge, especially self-knowledge. In a sense, the author travels the long read that we all travel from the time we're old enough to question our identity. How can we make wise choices unless we know who we are? His mother, a victim of Alzheimer's disease, would seem to be little help on his path; however, the past is as vivid to her mind as the present is dim. Her lively language fairly vibrates off the page as she recalls her own childhood, evoking yet another generation, that of her beloved parents, in whose home the author is reared. We see life spanning generations, socially, politically, economically -- a history of the United States for three generations on a personal level.

As the author outlines his struggles with his mother's mental deterioration and his search for his father, we get not only only a book of changing times but one of morals and mores also. Unlike Jocasta, the author's mother knew who his father was, but as he says of his mother and gradmother: while they could bear any tragedy, scandal was indefensible. And thus never mentioned, ever. Dodge says he was the scarlet letter his mother refused to wear. It's not a bitter story, however. Despite the author's pain and ever-present anxiety, he recalls the pleasure of his small-town doings with nostalgia, great fondness and affection. And always there to guide him, like the chorus in ancient Greek plays, were his grandparents, his aunt Bernice and his mother's husband, kind beacons along the way.

Finally this mystery, aptly begun on Mother's Day, is solved, but it's a who-done-it until the very end. I was breathless by the end of one of the last chapters when the author has led the reader to believe that, if ever, it will be now, and his mother, like a character in a badly dubbed foreign movie, says the name for which so long he has searched. And oddly there is no blame. Because Dodge has allowed his mother to speak for herself, his story is her story too. Tragedy bequeaths itself only because it is inevitable, not because someone is to blame. Thus it is that Oedipus Road does what the best stories do: teaches us compassion and affirms life without ignoring its tragedy or folly.

I met Tom Dodge in 1980. He was the somber, bearded, denim-clad intellectual who collected and sold vintage books in his relaxed little store downstairs from my wholesale office in a restored 200 year-old jailhouse in Waxahachie, Texas -- a great place to work and to hang.

On balmy afternoons, when business was slow, I would venture downstairs, browse the bookshelves, drink some coffee, and swap a few stories. I did most of the talking. Our conversations would round many curves, some serious, many amusing, but none very invasive in a personal sense. When we laughed, I noticed that Tom's demonstration was subdued, as if a gnarled hand from deep in his soul had reached up, pained his features, and choked his laughter.

One day, I felt confident of his trust, so I asked him about his parents. He was forthright, but hesitating. He described his mother and her life in sparse detail. He tried to share some insight about the person whom he thought was his father. Finally, he confessed that he really did not know who his father was. I cannot recall our finishing that point, because I had to take a phone call upstairs. We continued our visits, Tom's justified preoccupation with a recently injured son diverted me from trying to "get into his head."

My company closed the Waxahachie office in 1984, and I relocated my work to Dallas. Although we did see each other occasionally, Tom and I really did not keep in touch until 1995. One afternoon, I gave him a call; he was talkative and enthusiastic, in the middle of writing another book -- a personal account, this time. By then, Tom was trying to "manage" his mother -- not only her home and finances, but also the aftermath of some of her bizarre behavior in and around town, the result of a diminishing mental capacity.

I found out that, while growing up, Tom had shoes, clothes, shelter, and food. And, he had the love of his mother's parents, who raised him. But, all through his life, he wanted -- needed -- to know who his father actually was. But, Tom's mother could not tell him -- especially as he grew to adulthood -- because he represented a shameful indiscretion with someone to whom she was not married. He tried to reach out to her, but she was running too fast, pursued by ghosts from her past. They never had a deep conversation; it was just too risky for her. Time was running out; Tom's mother would not be able to tell him, because she was losing her mind. One great day, however, Tom got his answer -- a simple, straight answer. His world changed after that.

Oedipus Road is an interesting book in which Tom Dodge deals with his frustrating journey into self-realization in a sensitive, but dignified, way. He does not try to pull the reader into a maelstrom of grief; Tom, himself, is too reserved. Rather, he takes you along on a sensitive, realistic tour of time and life in a couple of small towns in Texas; he guides us with reflection and awareness. Oedipus Road involves the reader through a captivating story and empathy for a man seeking significance.

There are over 120 designs and so many wonderful ideas. Patterns are included for 11"-25" dolls both modern & antique including undergarmets & accessories even shoes. The book makes great reading & has lots of color photographs. I am very impressed & can't wait to try some of the designs!

Venus Dodge's lavishly illustrated *The Doll's Dressmaker* is more than a collection of sewing, knitting, and crochet patterns: it's also a how-to book suitable for both experts and beginners, as well as a good read. The book is clearly organized in sections for every conceivable item of clothing, from diapers, underwear, shirts, dresses, and pants to sweaters, shawls, hats, shoes, and trimmings. Patterns are given for dolls from 11 to 25 inches. Want to make a puff-sleeved, round-collared, full-skirted dress for an 18" doll? You simply take the doll's measurements, compare them to those of the appropriate pattern pieces, and put the elements together, guided at every step by Dodge's crystal-clear instructions. She includes every possible bodice style, sleeve, collar, cuff, and skirt, tells you how to sew each, then sets you free to combine them however and in whatever fabrics you wish. For the uncertain sewer, she suggests suitable fabrics; often, she bases her suggestions on what would be historically accurate for a given style. That so many styles are possible makes this book an excellent bargain. With Dodge's patterns, one may duplicate ready-made doll's clothes, including that sold in upscale catalogs, at a fraction of the price, and, with fabric store remnants, in much better fabrics. One can even duplicate a child's clothing so she and "dollie" can dress alike! I've had this book for a couple of years, used it many times, and can honestly say that my daughters' dolls are better-dressed than I am.

The subtitle of 'The Dolls Dressmaker' by Venus A.Dodge is The Complete Pattern Book. The subtitle says it all. This comprehensive guide to making antique reproduction to modern baby-doll clothes has interchangable pattern pieces. Therefore, any of the dresses or other clothing items can use almost any style sleeve, collar or bodice in any length. The photographs of her beautifully executed examples, make you want to re-dress every doll you own. The patterns fit the dolls that they are intended for. This book allows the experienced and novice seamstress to make just the right frock. I highly reccomend this book

The Absolutely True Story' is about two twins, a girl named Alison and a boy named Lewis, that have an unforgettable vacation with their new next door neighbors. Early in July the Rupes, a family from San Francisco, moved in to the empty house across the street from Alison and Lewis. The family included a boy about the age of Alison and Lewis named Harry, his mom, dad, and two younger siblings, Ariadne and Billy. After about a week, Lewis and Harry became good friends with Alison tagging along sometimes but mostly she played with Ariadne and Billy. At the end of July when the boys had grown very close, the Rupes invited Lewis and Alison to drive to Yellow Stone Park with them. They invited Lewis to come along just for fun, but they said Alison must be willing to baby sit the younger kids once in a while. Alison was delighted and said she wouldn't mind at all baby sitting the kids. Right as the Rupes were pulling out of the driveway to drive for four days to get to Yellow Stone Park, two men from the motor home company stopped them. The two men said there Mr. Rupe was so mad that without warning he just backed up and drove off leaving the two men standing in their driveway. After a few days, Lewis and Alison noticed that the two men from the motor home company had been following them. More days pass and Lewis and Alison begin to become scared because they saw the men snooping around the motor home. Each day the twins became more frightened and they had a good reason to be. This simple trip to Yellow Stone Park will turn into a vacation they will never forget.

I feel as though I could be the Alison in this story. I have a brother though he is older than I am, and I have a younger sister. We both have to baby sit younger children. (I baby sit my sister and she baby sits Ariadne and Billy). In the book Alison sometimes feels overwhelmed by her responsibility for taking care of Ariadne and Billy and I sometimes feel the
same way about taking care of my sister. I also relate to Alison because I have a friend, whose mom lets her eat anything and everything she wants, to say it plainly she is very spoiled just like the Rupe's kids.

The Absolutely True Story' is a very good, exciting, and mysterious book. I had a great time reading it. My favorite part of the book is when the two men from the motor home company were following the Rupes and snooping around their campsite. I kept asking myself "What on earth are they looking for?" This was a mysterious, funny, and very frightening part of the book. If I could change a part of this book I would probably change the scenery. I would have the Rupes, Alison, and Lewis take a plane to France to see the sites and have people from the motor home company follow them around Paris where it is more exciting and much larger.

I recommend The Absolutely True Story' because it is a well-written, mysterious, and adventurous book with lots of funny and scary scenes. I'd also recommend it because it actually relates to everyday life in the real world. I'd recommend it to 10-12 year olds because it would be hard for a younger kid to comprehend all the words in this book but the book might be a little boring for kids over 12. The Absolutely True Story' is a very good book. I really enjoyed reading it, and I recommend it to anyone from 10-12 looking for a great, mystery book.

This book was really fun to read. The plot was great, and the characters were easy to identify with. It was suspenseful, and the ending was fun. I liked how the characters worked together to solve this despite their differences. It was really neat.

This book is about a very "lucky" boy who gets invited to go to Yellowstone Park with the Rupes! There's just one thing,he doesn't know what's going to hit him! It all begins when Mr. Rupe can't drive worth beans in the 4 parking space long R.V!The things in are normal life probably wouldn't even be close to this but not including that it was a "very very" good book!

Blue Moose is an excellent short book for kids to learn on. I first read it at the age of 12, when I was reading quite well, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I haven't met any other Blue Moose fans other than my friends and myself, and that disappoints me.This book should definitely be reprinted. I am not a tame moose!!!

THIS BOOK MUST BE REPRITED! I remember having a teacher read this book to my class and it was really funny. Who would ever dream up about a blue moose who does the things that he does except Pinkwater. We need more books like this one! I would love to have a copy of this book and of THE BLUE MOOSE RETURNS. Everyone should read this book.

Someone before mentioned the line "I AM NOT A TAME MOOSE!" I, too, am prone to saying that--it's got to be my favorite line. My mom read this story to me many, many, many times when I was little. Now I'm 19, and I still make her read it to me. Everybody should read this book!

Fup is a wonderfully funny and bittersweet book that really should be read outloud, I read it to my son when he was ten - carefully editing the few obscenities - and we roared with laughter. Dodge is an honerable heir to Vonnegut (my son , now 12, extremely enjoyed "Stone Junction")- the tales are so goofy , and the charactors are quite endearing. As a previous reviewer said, this should be a must-read for teen-agers . Not a slight to adults , but a recognition that Dodge is - like Vonnegut - a neat introduction to the conflicts of identity and choices that maturity encompasses

The first Jim Dodge book I ever read was "Not Fade Away" and it was the only book that made me laugh out loud while I was reading it. Fup continues Jim Dodge's literary genius and masterful gift. I've bought more Jim Dodge books for other people than I can count and gift giving never felt so good.

I found Fup in a thrift shop, it cost me less than a dollar. It was money well spent and I am gong to buy Jim Dodge's other books when I get the chance.

Dodge's story about Fup, his friends Grandpa Jake and Tiny bought tears of sorrow and laughter to my eyes.

Even Lockjaw the rampaging homicidal boar made me chuckle. It is an easy read I would recommend it most heartedly, especially if you're someone who likes to read when they are eating. Just be careful, you might choke on some of the funnier moments, but its worth every cough and splutter.

The Ancient City: LIfe in Classical Athens and Rome is a good book because it has a good description of the two civilizations. Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece are two different periods, and the book divides the two with clarity and nice colorfull pictures. It will give you good information that you can't find in a encyclopedia.

I wanted a basic overview text on Greek and Roman civilizations. Luckily I stumbled upon this book by Connolly and Dodge. The book is terrific. The layout is excellent. The writing is succinct and the text moves along smoothly. I now have a basic knowledge of Greek and Roman eras. I got a lot more out of this book by also reading Edith Hamilton's The Greek Way. However, I must confess, this book is far more interesting and keeps one glued. A joy to read. Very highly recommended.

Having returned from my first visit to Rome I was looking for answers to many questions about how the Coloseum was built used. The 27 pages here devoted to the Colosseum are far more informative than other books more specifically focused on the subject. The architectural illustrations throughout are outstanding.

Many other aspects of daily life, food, plumbing, politics, marriage customs (Ancient Athens had wedding cakes), idioms (the origin of "deus ex machina"), philosophy and the arts are richly told and illustrated.

We have been more strongly influenced by Athenian and Roman culture than we usually realize.