I was handed Writing Down the Bones two years ago by a librarian friend of mine, because all of a sudden I realized I couldn't live fully unless I wrote the story that had been rattling around inside my head for six long years. Nathalie Goldberg inspired me--yes, I WAS a woman low on self-esteem in regard to my writing, and Nathie's style was so open and warm and encouraging to me. So what's wrong with that? I don't know, but some reviewers here seem to think that's a bad thing. It wasn't a bad thing for me! At any rate, I enjoyed the book greatly, respected Nathalie's warmth and honesty in what she knows as a writer, and I appreciated her getting back her "beginner's mind," to help many a hesitant writer bite the bullet and live their dreams. I don't find I write a lot by hand in notebooks (writing practice, as Nathalie calls it). I don't find that I can get in touch with my story any better if I do that. I just sit and I write my story, read good authors who encourage and discuss the PROCESS, and I've been very pleased with what I've been able to accomplish. I don't have too many writers around me (tho I have the honor of meeting with two very talented local women during the summer months) and Nathalie's book(s) give me a boost when I feel all alone in my love of the craft. For those who want more detailed, nitty-gritty explanation on bogged down story lines, dealing with editors, etc AND a BIG dose of encouragement, I also HIGHLY recommend "Dare to Be a Great Writer," by Leonard Bishop. As for Nathalie's Zen focus, I'm a Christian (and considered quite conservative by all accounts) but I didn't find her religious expression dominated or ruined the book for me.

.....much encouragement for beginning writers. Goldberg's primary piece of advice is to "keep your hand moving", i.e., let yourself keep writing and let your thoughts keep flowing. This exercise is crucial to removing the internal censor within that seeks to control what we attempt to write. It's this "going with the moment" and loss of control over our thoughts that Goldberg says will "free the writer within" as the book's title suggests.

And I agree with this basic premise and have found that it works in my own writing. Goldberg emphasizes how much of oneself a writer offers to his/her writing and it is clear that this self is not to be tapped without the effort of practice and letting your thoughts come through. Once the novice writer has this basic concept down, Goldberg offers helpful hints to actually improve the quality of the writing. She offers examples (often in the form of sharing her own personal experiences as a writer) of how to trust yourself as a writer, how to make your writing more detailed, how to show what you are trying to say (instead of merely telling), how to be specific, among numerous other tips.

I have read many books on writing technique and I believe that what Goldberg offers that many others don't is an acknowledgment that the meaningful events we seek to share and write about can be found deep within us. They merely must be appropriately tapped, which is attainable through some of the exercises she offers. This process gives writers the encouragement they need to actually initiate their writing and will form the basic foundation upon which the writing develops. I recommend this book particularly for those novice writers that have trouble "getting started".

Just finished reading the book and I have begun to write as of yesterday in this purple notebook with a kitty on the front. You just couldn't write anything bad in a purple kitty notebook! Ms. Goldberg's work was encouraging and enlightening, a very personal mini course in writing.

This is a book you will want to share with your friends so buy them a copy for a birthday present, as you won't want to be without yours! Filled with information and ideas on how to approach writing it will help you deal with the various phobias as they arise along your writing path. She challenges you to make time in your life to write, to think and to become one with the written word in a Zen fashion. It is the most helpful book I have read on the subject of writing. Thank you Natalie, you are an inspiration, I hope someday to be able to go to a workshop that you teach!

I have nothing against "fluff" novels and am in no way trying to hold this book up against weightier peers. However, even in the fluff genre, this book was disappointing. I have to admit that I read this book because I really enjoyed Greyson's second book, The Observatory, which was much stronger overall and less predictable. This book felt contrived from the beginning: a man shows up in Abby's office with a briefcase and a story to tell. Plus, the whole novel is supposed to take place while Abby is sitting in her office listening to Martin's tape of his story of eternal love, but the narration is not written anything like a recording. In other words, this book is no "tape" -- it is just a novice author's attempt at trying to come up with a novelistic device to narrate a story in typical prose very much unlike a tape.

Although the devices used have a pre-packaged feel, I did enjoy much of the plot. Who doesn't take some joy in the rich boy overthrowing his autocratic parents (talk about stereotyping though!) and moving to Europe where he achieves his lifelong goal of becoming a famous chef? If you are looking for a quick read and a nice story, you won't be disappointed. I would recommend Greyson's second book though much more strongly than this one which I found dull by comparison.

What a wonderful book. It is very revealing. I can totally relate to this book. It explores the love and devotion to family and to the person who shares the soul. Anyone who has had that one true love will adore this book. The characters are very real and the author did a wonderful job of bringing everything to life. I had so much empathy for Claire and Martin as they faced many difficult choices. This book lingers on long after the last page has been read. It is so true to life and the words still haunt me. I would recomend this book to anyone. It has many great messages and is very thought provoking. It will go on my list of favorites, as I can see myself as Claire and my true love as Martin in many places in the book.

What a special story, it confirms that there truly are such things as "love at first sight" and "everlasting love and devotion" This is the kind of book that gives us all hope for mankind and human emotion. I plan to recommend it to all my friends because it definitly has something for every one, we all can relate to the emotions of the characters. I look forward to more work from Emily Grayson.

I love the idea of this cookbook! I am not much of a cook and when I want to cook my cupboards are not filled with many ingredients required for most recipes. This cookbook seemed perfect for me.

When I got the cookbook home, I immediately tried the dishes. For a few weeks I cooked, cooked and cooked but was never happy with the outcome. Most of the recipes lacked flavor... I ended up adding my own spices (I enjoy more flavorful meals). One recipe for an artichoke appetizer actually tasted more like an omelet than a cracker spread. I suppose that with only four ingredients per recipe I should not expect Martha Stewert taste. Needless to say, I switched back to my more complex cookbooks where the taste was much more appreciated.

I am a 28 year old military wife who is NOT a good cook. I have been known to ruin even the "easiest things" like instant pudding. I got this from my mom because she knew of my kitchen related frustrations. I had it for two years and then OPENED it. OH MY LORD. I use it constantly. Let me tell you something, this cookbook is still the ONLY one I own. Not only did it get me IN the kitchen, it also made me proud to serve what I made to my family. It was wondeful for me because it used ingredients that are on hand, inexpensive, and easy to locate nationwide. The taste and the color of these dishes are amazing. Sometimes, I put two recipes together (making it six or eight ingredient) to get some other dish that I have had to write in. I feel this book is fantastic to get that "mot so rich" or "fearing another failed recipe" cook to a become successful. It is THAT good.

What a fantastic book! The recipes are fast and easy to make with "normal" ingredients that you would have on hand. The dishes are delicious and the variety is wonderful! This is a fun book for all cooks; children learning to cook, young people just starting out, working families short on time and retirees who want simple but good. This would make a great gift item for any or all of the above. Thanks Coffee and Cale for a great treat!!!

After having read all the previous Mrs. Pollifax books I had been looking forward to reading this one, but found it rather disappointing. While the plot sounds like that of the other books the execution of the story is not up to the usual standard. It lacks the potential to identify with the characters, and even worse Mrs. Pollifax and Farell are both fairly flat characters. The new characters (Amanda and Joe) are a bit more lively, but still two dimensional. And the usual bunch of minor characters that give the other books their liveliness are either missing or just make a perfunctionary appearance. This book reads like a draft for the story before the characters get fully developed. Not a bad bad read, but not really worth buying.

Emily Pollifax looks like everyone's harmless maiden aunt, but in reality, she is one of the CIA's top operatives. The resourceful Mrs. Pollifax has risked her life many times while on assignment for her country. Mrs. Pollifax teams up with freelancer John Farrell on an investigation into the disappearance of Amanda Pym in Syria. Ms. Pym was a fifteen-minute media superstar when she allegedly stopped an airplane hijacking from succeeding. Witnesses last saw Amanda enter a vehicle that waited for her at the Damascus Airport.

Farrell and Mrs. Pollifax land in Syria where the government places a tail on the duo. However, they quickly elude their shadow in order to obtain information that provides them with the first clue in their hunt. They soon enter the Syrian Desert where they meet American archeologist Joe Fleming. Joining the two operatives on their quest, Joe and the two spies seek an elusive individual who seems to be undergoing a rigorous training for a mission that has world implications.

Mrs. Pollifax is the international equivalent of Jessica Fletcher. Her latest adventure, MRS. POLLIFAX UNVEILED is filled with warmth and wit that will send readers to seek previous novels in the series. The lead protagonist thrives on adventure and action yet retains calmness during the dangerous storms she encounters. Farrell retains his enigmatic personality that keeps fans wondering about him. The story line flows smoother than silk while keeping the audience's attention from start to finish. Although this is a long running series, Dorothy Gillman keeps her tale and its characters as fresh as if they are making their debut. This ability is why readers will want another novel starring Mrs. Pollifax and Farrell.

Harriet Klausner

Just when Mrs. Pollifax begins to get restless, Bishop comes to her home to offer her another adventure for the CIA. This time she and her old friend Farrell are asked to find a young girl named Amanda who rescued 200 people from being hijacked on a plane and then disappeared. There are the requisite number of chases, strange-looking people following them, adventures and misadventures for this book to join the others in the enjoyable Mrs. Pollifax series. The one thing that puzzles me is why Dorothy Gilman had her heroine marry Cyrus in one of the early books and then have him serve as background, always off on his own business when Emily does another assignment for the CIA. Perhaps she received negative feedback from readers when Cyrus accompanied her on one of her adventures, but it seems too bad to shove such a nice man into the background.

"How should one live?" is the fundamental question driving most of Chekhov's work, and it is very overtly laid bare in The Cherry Orchard. Should the aristocratic family in decline stick to owning their cherry orchard (representative of the grandiose trappings of Russian aristocracy), or give in to modern commercialization in order to survive? What is the value of tradition, and how many trees should one own? Chekhov will not answer these questions for you, but he poses them in most interesting ways. In addition to wise insights into such fundamental dilemmas, Chekhov also provides a lot of witty banter, and a great slice-of-life view at 19th century Russian high culture. But this is not just a Russian play or a 19th century play; its themes, questions, and prospective answers are relevant for individuals coping with society and history in any place, and at any time.

The Cherry Orchard was me first experience with Chekhov, and I was surprised at the depth in this 49 page play. By no means would I considered myself a "literary expert," but this was very readable and you can pull a lot of the deeper meanings and its context in Russian history by yourself. I was confused at a couple people who write that the simply couldn't understand it and it put them to sleep! It's not THAT tough! If I could understand and appreciate it, almost anyone can!

What I like most about Chekhov is that he doesn't simplify his characters. He's a realist in this sense. Lopahkin and Trophimof each have admirable and detestable characteristics, just like you and I. While it may be set in the tumultuous period prior to the Russian revolution, the ideas and the discussions this play provokes are timeless.

Highly recommended!

Anton Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard" has been published as part of the Dover Thrift Edition series (that's the version I read before writing this review). No translator is credited for this edition. According to the note at the start of the book, the play was initially presented by the Moscow Art Theatre in 1904.

The play takes place on the estate of Madame Ranevsky, the matriarch of an aristocratic Russian family that has fallen on financial hard times. She faces the possible loss of her family's magnificent cherry orchard.

The play is populated with interesting characters: Lopakhin, a wealthy neighbor whose father was the serf of Madame Ranevsky's father; Firs, an aged servant who longs for the "old days"; Trophimof, a student with lofty ideas; and more. There is a great deal of conflict among the characters.

"The Cherry Orchard" is about people dealing with very personal conflicts and crises while larger socioeconomic changes are going on around them. The orchard of the title is a memorable image that is well handled by Chekhov. The play contains some really effective dialogue, such as old Firs' reflection on the apparently lost art of making dried cherries. This is definitely one classic play that remains compelling.

Few females were writing fiction in those days, but it says a good thing about Great Britain that most of them were British. Mary Ann Evans, the real name of "George Eliot", was an enlightened and socially conscious woman, who wrote a story about the Torvill family, from the standpoint of Maggie, a young girl with a sharp mind, struggling to be herself in a world which was hard for that kind of person. The central theme is perhaps her struggle between family loyalty and independent spirit, as revealed through her relationship with his beloved, but tough, brother. The book is long and evocative, painting with acuteness the social surroundings in which the story develops. And the development intertwines many messages and situations, always revealing Maggie's inner self. One important characteristic of the book is that it is difficult to classify, since it contains features of Romanticism and Realism; social narrative and a glimpse into what psyichological literature would be in the Twentieth century.

This was my first (of four, so far) George Eliot novel. It's also my favorite. Unlike Adam Bede or Silas Marner, I found the characters to be interesting and enjoyable. No, it's not a finely-crafted piece of literature like Middlemarch. And it might be a bit on the melodramatic side. But for some odd reason I found the story to be ultimately quite moving.

Other folks who I gave the book to gave it mixed results. No one disliked it, but most found the "brother-sister" element to be a bit corny. And pardon my sexism, but I thought the book would appeal more to women than men (since the main character is a teenage girl). Not so. This book is definitely "not for women only".

I imagine if you have a sentimental streak through your bones you will probably love this book.

In THE MILL ON THE FLOSS George Eliot provides an insightful and intelligent story depicting rural Victorian society. Set in the parish of St. Ogg's, Maggie and Tom Tulliver endure childhood and young adulthood while experiencing the harsh realities of poverty, devotion, love, and societal reputation. I emphasized greatly with Maggie as I have experienced some of her own lived experiences. I truly loved every chapter of this book and didn't want it to end. It is indeed very rare that I have this type of reaction to a book. Although this book was published during the Victorian era, it's amazing how Eliot's prose flows virtually unobstructed. The reader is given a rare glimpse into rural life during the 19th century and is treated to how strictly structured society was then. I am now a fan of Eliot and look forward to reading her other novels.

Bottom line: THE MILL ON THE FLOSS is an excellent novel. Enjoy!

I think this book is good it is about a boy named Billy who makes a bet with a boy named Alan. Alan bets Billy to eat 15 worms in 15 days if he wins he gets 50 dollars and with the 50 dollars that Billy mite win he will get a mini bike.I enjoyed this book and I hope you get a chance to read it.

I thought this book was really great and I recommend to all young readers and I bet that it will give you a great laugh. It's about a boy called Billy who makes a bet with his friends that he can eat a worm everyday for fifteen days. If Billy wins the bet he gets 50 dollars and he is intending on buying a mini-bike.

"How To Eat Fried Worms" by Thomas Rockwell takes place at Billy's house. Billy is a daredevil. He takes a lot of risks. His friends are Tom, who is mystical , Alan, who is shy , and Joe who is the pushiest kid around. These four boys wonder what it is like to eat worms. So three boys dared Billy to eat fifteen worms for fifteen days or else he has to pay them fifty dollars. Will Billy do it or will he chicken out and pay the price? Read "How To Eat Fried Worms" to find out. I would give this book five stars because it is very funny and great for all ages.

I read this book and cringed for Emily Colas. The type of obsessive-compulsive disorder she possesses is so pulverizing, it will make you think twice about some of your own little quirks and foibles. She exhibits great courage and little self-consciousness about her disease. This level of OCD can be unusually difficult to treat, so they tell me, and the fact that Colas is still with us, hasn't mutilated herself beyond recognition, can still laugh, understands how far she can go (and has gone)...well, it's nothing short of amazing. The writing style leaves a little to be desired, but the book's short length is about all anyone could stand to read about OCD. My hat is off to the author. I also promise I will NEVER check to see if the glass rim has a chip on it ever again.

Emily Colas is an amazing writer. I loved JUST CHECKING and read it in one sitting. Colas reminds me of David Sedaris--her humor is biting, her perceptions keen, and the events she recounts are eminently memorable. This isn't a book only for obsessive-compulsives--it's for everyone who recognizes that type of behavior in themselves. From AS GOOD AS IT GETS to Howard Stern, to our own personal obsessions about gas leaks or catching a disease from a public phone, this book is about a topic to which we can all relate.

After reading Emily Colas' book, I read Lauren Slater's "Prozac Diary." Although both authors took Prozac, the two books were very different. As light and humorous as Colas' book was, Slater's was heavy and literary. Slater suffered primarily from depression, with OCD a minor, last minute added symptom. Colas never seemed depressed, just obsessed. She seemed like she would be fun to be around, if you didn't have to live her obsessions. I'm reminded of Margaret Cho's stand-up comedy act. She once said that her stage personality was much stronger than her real personality, even though she was the same person, talking about the same life. Colas' book is real, funny, and strong.

This is a children's book and the writing/vocabulary is definitely aimed at the 9-12 year old market, with its large print, double spacing, and exclamation points. So if you're over the age of 12 and looking for a more in-depth autobiography, you'll be disappointed. The book is cheery, lightweight, and designed to entertain Tara's young fans. It is also a good "read aloud" book because parents will have fun with all those exclamation points.

I don't think this book was ever marketed as a book for the 12 and older crowd, so I'm a bit puzzled at previous reviews complaining that the book is "childish" because after all, it is a children's book.

My real criticism lies with the co-author Emily Costello and other parties involved in the creation of this book. Given Ms. Lipinski's busy schedule at the time this book was published, I doubt that she even penned one word. Ms. Lipinski has always been very confident in herself and perhaps she is justified, given all that she has accomplished. But in an effort to reflect Tara's confident attitude and her youth enthusiasm, co-author Emily Costello overdid it and made Tara sound conceited, self-serving and full of herself. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on Ms. Costello's writing...perhaps this book is more of a product of Tara's Publicity Grabbing/Media Hungry Parents and Agent rather than Ms. Costello's.

Hopefully Tara will hire a new team of writers/editors and actually write a more in-depth and mature autobiography once she becomes an adult and has experienced more in life than just figure skating.

OUTstanding! This book is great! It made me belive that I could be a figure Skater I just love this book. I would to anything to meet Tara.

I bought this book cuz of tara and TARA IS SO OPEN IN THIS BOOK! Its incredible for young skaters. A tRuE iNsPiRaTiOn!

Emily Dickinson lived her life in a solitary room; a place where she found amazing insight writing letters an poems. She marks her verses with simple phrases that show the reader a vision and not its personal interpretation. In some cases she puts into words what most of us attempt to capture with our thoughts. This extraordinary skill is a mark of only the best poets, but not all can write consistently as Emily can. Despite the mellow tone of the majority of her work, Emily still captures the flavor of life without compromising its tranquility. Emily never suffers from redundant confusion and her poems reflect a love for solitary beauty.

It can be fairly said that Emily Dickinson is the most sensible American poet up to this date. Her themes range from love to death, but she prefers the latter; and her poetic artistry is far more musical than Baudelaire's, more vivid than Christina Rossetti's. In her way of writing her soul and senses in a poem, she can only be compared to Spanish Romantic, Gustavo A. Becquer; both in themes, and metaphorical pictures, although not in style. She is one true American classic. I am rating the book with nine points, not because the selection is poor or weak; rather because a selection is not enough when dealing with Dickinson. Her minor poems are her finest and, because each person has his own favorite, a title having the words "Complete Works" is more appropiate. However, it is a good start for a poetry lover, and Dickinson's Poems are esay to find.

Just as a prism breaks up light into a band of colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet - and their infinite gradations, so do Emily Dickinson's poems become, as it were, a prism which captures the white light of reality, a reality which as it flows through the prism of her poem explodes into a multiplicity of meanings.

It is the rich suggestiveness of her poems, a suggestiveness which generates an incredible range of meanings, that prevents us from ever being able to say (to continue the metaphor) that a given poem is 'about red' or 'about blue,' because her poems, as US critic Robert Weisbuch has observed, are in fact about _everything_. This is what makes her so unique, and this is why she appeals to every kind of reader (or certainly to open-minded ones) and even to children.

Emily Dickinson's poetry is one of the wonders of the world.