If you grew up on Creature Feature and Chiller horror movies (we're talking 70's here), and thought Monster Mad Libs was the best Mad Libs ever, this book is for you. Do not read "How to be a Villain..." in public unless you don't mind having complete strangers staring at you while you are overtaken by hysterical paroxysm. If you view the contents of this book in light of current political events in the Middle East, you may actually find a little comic relief...

This is a very good book. I bought it because I liked the cover and what I read quickly from the inside. I read it in one night and love it. It is very funny and intelligent.

For those of you who, for whatever reason, have not let your evilness out, this book is for you! A lot of evil-doers start out not knowing the evil trade, well don't worry about that, this book will get you started. Wondering where you should base your evil operations? How to defeat that darned do-gooder? well wonder no more!

Seriously though, this book is well worth the small price. It's surprisingly witty and funny. Perhaps some angry old hag, will take this book seriously and hate it, but if you look at as a joke it'll put a smile on your face.

A beautifully written piece of art!! A "must have"for ANYONE wishing to have a lasting relationship! BRAVO!

If you want self-generating love that's unconditional and stimulates unlimited growth and expansion, read, How to Really Love the One You're With! Mark Victor Hansen, Co-Author of Chicken Soup for the Soul. (Read a story written by Larry James to honor the memory of his mother in A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul. It begins on page 16

"How to Really Love the One You're With" is a beautiful book of practical meditations that help keep us centered in the truth that Love is everything there is, and all that there is. Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D., Author of "Love is Letting Go of Fear."

These are nice collections of the works of James H. Schmitz. Some of the stories Eric Flint came up with for this series are new to me. So if you already have a few Telzy Amberdon's and the Witches of Karres floating around, this is still a useful addition.

If you haven't read him, then prepare yourself for a treat. What can I call it but intelligent space opera? The Miles Vorkosigian stories come to mind, and Jo Clayton's "Diadem" books, perhaps certain Keith Laumer... If you want a well-told, involving, and exciting tale showing tough intelligent people being tested to their limits, well, Schmitz is that story-teller.

You like the "one man army" exploits of Ahnold and Van Damm? Take a look at how a young marine biologist wages a devastating one-woman battle of psychological warfare against an alien invasion ("The Demon Breed"). And then there is the battle of wits as the captain of a tramp freighter has to defend against an alien rather more intelligent than he is ("The Winds of Time.")

At the risk of being misunderstood, I'd like to call the writings of James H. Schmitz "Golden Age as it should have been." Oh yes...and track down the "Witches of Karres"; one of the most perfect and delightful SF books ever written.

As I noted in my review of _Telzey Amberdon_, James Schmitz was known for his strong female lead characters. In _The Hub_, we have a collection of stories set in his most famous universe, that of the star civilization called the Hub, and many of these feature the strong female characters for which he was known.

Perhaps most notable are the two stories featuring Nile Etland, a scientist on the rather remote world of Nandy-Cline, both hinging on some of the peculiar lifeforms native to that planet. My favorite has been listed under at least two titles -- "The Tuvela" and "The Demon Breed" -- and shows a unique method of dealing with an alien invasion. The ending is also unusual and gives us some very telling insight into the functioning of the Hub government.

Many of the other stories have similar links, in that they chronicle the interaction of people with the ecologies of other planets, giving us both a grasp of the characters and a sometimes startling glimpse into the way life on alien worlds could be at once very similar to our own and yet startlingly -- even dangerously -- different. Schmitz' alien lifeform design was always well-thought-out, and _The Hub_ showcases this skill. Many people who are good at convincing science-fictional detail tend to be weak at characterization, but Schmitz is strong on all fronts. This book shows clearly why he is considered one of the greats of his era.

This is the last, and in some ways the best of the Baen re-issue of the Hub Stories. The range of stories is impressive. It starts with The Searcher, one of the best Schmitz stories. The Protagonists, Danestar Gems and Corwin Wergard, are from the Keth Interstellar Agency, which is a recurring character in the tales. By the way, Schmitz gave his characters great names. The searcher of the title is one very unusual and interesting monster with plausible motives. The human protagonists also have to deal with some human gangsters and corrupt U-League officials. The pacing is good, the story is fun and complex, and the resolution works. Recommended. A Nice Day for Screaming, Attitudes,The Winds of Time, Machmen, and The Other likeness all deal with five different types of alien invasion and with five different types of outcomes. Schmitz had a penchant for sly twists in his tales. Along with The Searcher, The Winds of Time would make a great horror SF movie. Much better than most of what Hollywood churns out. The other four stories in this book deal with ecology, a recurring theme in Schmitz's stories. Grandpa and Balanced Ecology are both good stories where the environment is a major character. The other two stories, Trouble Tide and The Demon Breed both feature Nile Etland, one of Schmitz's most fascinating characters. She is not psychic or immortal or more than human. Like trigger she depends on wits, courage, intelligence, and her gun skills. She also has a good working knowledge of the local (and dangerous) environment. Trouble tide introduces her, but she comes up to speed in The Demon Breed. The story was originally serialized as The Tuvela in the September and October 1968 issues of Analog. The amphibious invaders are calles Parahuans, the action takes place on a water world far from the Hub cnter called Nandy-Cline, and Nile is a biologist for a pharmaceutical company. One of the things I like about Schmitz's stories is that the characters have lives and jobs and are believable. Nile defeats the invaders with the help of some talking intelligent otters, both domestic and feral. There are interesting sidelights on the quest for immortality as well. The story is one of the best Science Fiction action-adventure stories I have ever read and I highly recommend it. Unlike many other SF writers Schmitz saw action (during WWII). Despite that, or maybe because of it, his stories are not particulary violent. His characters do not merely shoot their way out of trouble, but rely on wits, skills, and brains. Even Heslett Quillan, the wise-cracking gunman/secret agent and husband of Trigger Argee, uses brains and schemes to defeat his enemies. Although he is good with his Miam Devil blaster. In The Demon Breed Nile uses her considerable knowledge of the local ecology to mount a psychological campaign against the invaders and then to defeat them. The story ends with an exciting commando raid and space battle. But the ending really takes place off world, when the Psychology Service and an alien committee independently evaluate the events on Nandy-Cline. They cast a whole new light on the story. I recommend going to the James Schmitz website (after you read the story) for more background on the history of how the ending came to be written. My one quibble with the book is the cover. The original Scheonherr cover on the September 1968 Analog was much superior. I wish it had been used for this book. You can also find it on the website. All in all I heartily recommend this book.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Gen. Doolittle in 1985 at the Anatole Hotel in Dallas Texas at the dinner in honor of him sponsored by George Haddaway. Years later I got to know CV Glines and see him regularly now.

This is the most thorough biography I have seen on Gen. Doolittle and CV worked closely with the General and later his family. The book answered one of my lingering questions about "The Raid on Tokyo": Was the Hornet spotted AND reported by the picket boat that they sank? The answer came when an outbound flying boat passed underneath the B-25s as they approached Tokyo.

I am not looking forward to the portrayal of Gen. Doolittle by Alec Baldwin in the new Disney Movie "Pearl Harbor". I have a sense of dread and foreboding about what Disney may do to the facts

I found this book to be two things. First, it was a wonderful overview of US air history delivered by an indisputable authority on the subject. Second, I learned a lot about a true American hero, both in achievement and personal life. How refreshing to discover a humble, brilliant, down-to-earth individual who made such a positive impact on our country! The book was well written and easy to read. In some places it threatened to be tedious, but nothing serious (hence the 5 star recommendation).

It was the privilege of a lifetime to be asked to assist General Jimmy Doolittle in writing his life story. He had said for years that he thought an autobiography would appear to be too self-serving but his family didn't agree. I had written a biography of Jimmy and three books about his famous raid on Japan during WW II so they thought I could do the job. The title comes from his answer to a question about whether he would like to live his life over again. His answer: "No. I could never be so lucky again." I would like to hear from anyone who reads this book. Jimmy died in 1993 and will be eligible to have a commemorative stamp issued in 2003. If you agree that a stamp should be issued, I would appreciate your input which I will use to justify one.

As a teacher, I can not tell you enough how fabulous this book is! It not only has beautiful illustrations it also has a beautiful message! I use this whenever I teach my butterfly unit, and this is always the kids favorite book that I read! Buy it - you will not regret it!

This is the story of a little cricket who comes to realize his true beauty after being helped by a wise old spider. The little cricket lives in Swampswallow Pond where most of the other crickets are happy spending their days fiddling. This little cricket is not happy. He has been told by the frog at the edge of the pond that he is ugly. He envies all the other creatures that live in Swampswallow Pond. The cricket questions several of the creatures about his beauty, but it isn't until he comes upon the wise old spider that he is able to find his own beauty. Follow Up: Ask students what they think about the story. Students will brainstorm ideas about wishes. Students can write about their own wishes and dreams.Make a class book. Students will write about some things they like about themselves. Draw a different student's name each day and have everyone write the student a letter telling them what they like about that person. Perform this story as a reader's theater.

I am a senior in high school, and our English teacher shared this story with us, and had us to look for a deeper meaning. It is wonderful and inspiring. I want a copy so I can share it with my children one of these days.

This is such a comforitng book, I am only 14, but I think this is the coolest book ever. The "devotions" are short and to the point, but sometimes it seems that there was one written especially for you in your time of need. The pictures are very beautifuladn vivid, they remind me of all the care and detail God put into making this earth. I just love knowing that knowing that God loves me, knows all my pain, and is ready to comfort me. I would recomend this to any one who is in pain.

The texts are deep and comforting, the photographs are of striking beauty, and the layout and graphics blend everything nicely: Every page of this book is a work of art! It helps us not to forget there is a loving God.

We recently lost our 11 year old son and this book is never far from me. It has provided me with such comfort, especially when I only have a few minutes to read something. The pictures inside are just beautiful, those alone can bring enomorous comfort and a peaceful feeling. I have given it as a gift many times.

Of the many books on college that I've brought home for my offspring to look at, _How to Write a Winning College Application Essay_ is the first that my daughter read.

The book is well organized and has interesting topics. My favorite was the chapter of essays gone wrong, and the intelligent discussion of what went wrong with them. My daughter spent hours on the writing exercises--though she hates her writing about herself--and I think they helped her. The tone of this book is helpful, not the least bit condescending, as it points out errors of content, style and tone that can hurt the applicant's chances.

This best part of this book is that it has a large section (50+ pages) on how to gather the raw material on your life that can help you find the material for your essay. If you have no idea who your hero is or what adversity you've overcome, this will help you find your story and the supporting antecdotes that make your essay stand out. Mason also gives very specific instructions on how to write a good essay. This would be a good book for someone who wants some guidance turning ideas into a workable essay. It also has short chapters in writing essays for the SAT II English test, graduate school admissions and scholarship essays.

MY name is.... I was born and raised here. I have 2 brothers and 3 sisters. I know that if i get accepted into this college or one like it I will do my best and keep my grades up. I have a 3.725 right know in middle school for my G.P.a and right know i'm working on getting my 4.0 and see if i can keep it all the way through high-school. I would be honered to be accepted into this college and do my very best for you. well please read this very carefully i have never had to write anything like this or actually i haven't been taught how yet. I just started writing out of my head and tryed to figure it out by myself if you could, could you maybe help me out if I am way out of reach with this thank you....

The first thing I noticed while reading this book was that there were no lulls in the action. It seems that every part of Jesse's short life was exciting. The author at times makes Jesse out to be almost a saint, but it doesn't interfere with quality of the information that he has provided.

I found this book in Arizona, of all places. It's one of those books that is hard to put down once you start reading it. I have read alot of books about Jesse James but this is one of the very best. I highly recommend it.

Interesting perspective from a family descendant of one of the most enduring western myths. This treatment recounts family legend and an inside psychological look of a mythical legend who actually existed, not only, as a western hero, but also as a , father, grandfather and great grandfather. Interesting insights on Jesse's fear of death and acceptance of his inevitable fate, his constant search for vindication for his actions as a noble cause, and his incongruous beliefs of love of family and revenge.

If Only I Were...., is a great story about a typical grey mouse, who is sick of getting chased around by a large cat. Of course, she wishes to be something else, first a great big cat, then other types of animals, once she becomes a human she really wants to be a mouse again. The story is fun and the pictures are very detailed-look around when you read this book, you'll see all the great fine points the vivid color illustrations bring out.

Envy...the thing that makes us think that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Kids struggle with it as much as adults do. This was a great book that teaches kids that no matter who you are, you will have difficulties.

Every little dreamer who's wanted to be someone else will love this story. Little Missy finds out all too well how that wish is a futile mistake and actually creates more problems for her. I liked it because it touches the issue of self-esteem. It would be a valuable conversation starter for any parent or teacher.

Jim Morgan gets most (but not all) of his facts straight, approaching his subjects with an affecting blend of humor, compassion, and both human and architectural insights. IF THESE WALLS HAD EARS: THE BIOGRAPHY OF A HOUSE offers up eight families' worth of bittersweet reminiscences, ruminations and recriminations comingled with the author's own personal reflections on this whale of a house. Portions of the book are uneven and a bit awkward as Morgan transitions between the families' and his own perceptions and his narration. But overall, it's an interesting and enjoyable read which should resonate truly with anyone who has ever experienced the mixed blessings of home ownership -- or found themselves haplessly ensnared by a four-walled moneypit.

Ed and Sheri Kramer: Chapter Ten

A house is an aggregate relic of all the people who have lived there, recording their improvements or their neglect. The author writes an interesting chronicle of the house's former inhabitants. It's disconcerting to reflect upon the fact that others owned our home before us, and we will leave it to others when we're gone. It's a reminder of how temporary our lives are, in our few hours upon the stage. Each generation, with all its hubris, is only a chapter, or a few pages, within the book of life.

Morgan has done here what every old house owner has dreamed of doing: answering the question "what history occurred here before we arrived?" In telling the rich stories of the people who preceded him as owners of this particular Craftsman bungalow in one old neighborhood of a single city, he spins a wonderful tale of our nations's history as well.