"Love Is" is just the beginning of Carolyn Brown's literary legacy with Avalon Books. "Love Is" is a wonderful romance and I highly recommend the rest of her romances and historical romances.

This is an incredible book. I enjoyed it as soon as I opened it and started reading it. When Mr. Parker, really John Rollin, is the one to take care of Creole, helps her to see and hear with her other senses instead of her eyes, while she is healing, we are confronted with two people that belong together. Ones that you want to get together when you read the end. An exceptional work of writing that Ms Brown has given us with this book. She makes us actually experience what Creole is going through with bandages and all. And thanks to John for not giving up on Creole when she is so stubborn from day one. I loved the bathroom scene and the perfume counter scene. Ms Brown has once again given us an outstanding love story. One that you will always carry in your heart. This deserves a ten stars plus, with two thumbs, and eight fingers standing tall. An excellent book read!!!!

This book was extremely well written. It was a typical love story that you think you know what the outcome will be but it was written in such a superb manner that I could not put it down until I knew for certain. Cannot wait until the author's next book comes out!!!!

I found Chief Bryant's memoir to be a very moving, and personal account of the life of the riverine sailor in Vietnam. The reader feels a part of the action because this is not a story written by an Admiral, General, or historian, but rather by one man who was part of a boat crew who was just trying to stay alive.Highly recommended for readers interested in riverine warfare or the Vietnam War. Also recommended is "Coast Guard Action in Vietnam" by Paul Scotti.

I served in Viet Nam on the gun boats, during the time Chief Bryant was in country. His book is written very well. The real history of the bravery,and dedication comes through. I recommend it for people who wish to know what really happened on the rivers of Viet Nam.

As a member of the base support personnel at Nha Be during Chief Bryant's tour I was and still am pleased to serve with people like Chief Bryant. This is a great book written by a humble man who truly represents America's finest.

Linda Moore

I am currently reading Pay Yourself First, it is wonderful. Everything I have wanted to know about personal finance is in the book, and so simple and easy. This book is an answer to my prayer. May God bless the author.

Pay Yourself First is an excellent Book. I am a Mortgage Consultant and I think that it is important that I understand the investment side of Finance. Not only for my client's sake but for my sake as well. I have read countless books and articles on Investing. I have to say your book was the easiest to follow. Thanks for such a great book. I will keep my ears and eyes open for your next book.

Mr. Brown I read your article in a recent copy of our newspaper, The Final Call and I was very happy to see it. I went out and got the book. I have been looking for information about investing and Allah answered my prayer. Thank You. (Salaam)

My qualifications: I used to live 4km from Hameln ("Hamelin", Anglicized), Germany! It's near Hanover, if you're looking on a map. Regardless, I was happy to find this treasure. This is the most vividly illustrated version I've seen.The illustrations are splendid, & the book is nice & large. After seeing ANATOLY IVANOV's illustrations, other versions just don't do the story justice. The text is printed in what i would decribe as "default" calligraphic italic, adding to its charm, if not its "authenticity". I give it a big 5 RATS!

This book would be a wonderful treasure for the pictures alone. Kate Greenaway, noted children's illustrator, has created a magical world of beautiful children, innocent faces, and romantic, nostalgic costumes. The colors on these pages are breathtaking, and the details (although Greenaway is always faulted for not drawing hands and feet well) are superb. This story is not for very young children, as it contains some troublesome themes. For the older child, perhaps 7+, the story might provoke some interesting post-read family discussions about honesty, trust, and the actual state of the children at the end of the tale. This is even a beautiful book to give to adults, as the messages about human nature can be appreciated on a deeper level.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin is a very different children's classic. Few other children's picture books tell a story in Victorian poetry. The book isn't just original; it is excellent. I have always enjoyed Robert Browning's poetry, and this is no exception. I was surprised at how easy it was to read this book compared to some of Browning's other verse, and it was pleasing to read, especially considering that this is focused toward children. I loved all of the poetic techniques used by Browning. His iambic tetrameter in couplets works very well for young readers, and I loved his use of anaphora and internal rhyme. The story is, of course, brilliant. It is the usual folk tale that every child has heard and needs to hear. It teaches its lesson, and Browning's version is even more entertaining than other versions. Also, the illustrations by Kate Greenway are fabulous. It is impossible to imagine this story in Browning's Victorian verse without Greenway's Victorian artistry. This is a true children's classic, it should definately last for years to come, and it makes and excellent buy for children or for libraries.

I have always been fascinated by rattlesnakes, ever since living in the heart of California's rattlesnake country as a young lad. This book covers the subject in loving and fascinating detail, with loads of superb photographs which splendidly support the excellent text. These are magnificent and beneficial animals and the author does a superb job of writing about them.

My only criticism of the book is that it spends a lot of time dealing with human activities as regards rattlesnakes, such as the notorious "rattlesnake roundups," which the author rightly explains to be unconscionable predations by man against innocent and essential creatures. I would have rather seen even more space devoted to a pure scientific study of rattlers. But this is a minor quibble, and many will doubtless disagree with me because these sections are very well done and interesting.

The book's scientific discussion of rattlesnakes is very interesting. These are amazing creatures and the author plainly is highly motivated by the subject. This book is a labor of love in which the reader will delight to share.

This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in rattlers.

This is undoubtedly one of the best zoological books I've ever read. The photographs are superb and the text is both enlightening and understandable. This book along with Klauber's has opened a whole new world to me that was previously very dim and mysterious. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the mystery and excitement of venomous snakes.

This book is an excellent piece of work, and a great follow-up to Klauber's earlier work. It is very interesting to read, and provides a great amount of valuable and accurate information concerning all aspects of rattlesnakes. As this book is interesting to both the rattlesnake curious as well as the professional herpetologist, it is a must for any Crotalus/Sistrurus enthusiast, and one that receives my recommendation.

As some of the other reviewers have already noted, the photography that is displayed in this book is absolutely stunning. Many of the pictures are some of the best ever published, and that fact alone makes the book worth its price.

Wonderful book. Makes you think!! There is more than the Titanic than most people know.

Relying on his own experience of ships, David G. Brown has attempted both to reconstruct the last few pages of the Titanic's log and also to closely analyse the happenings of that night. His interpretation of the impact as being more akin to a grounding has the advantage of closely matching the actual observations of the persons on board that night, much more so than the "grazing collision" described universally elsewhere. Several years ago Walter Lord pointed out in his "The Night Lives On" that there was apparently lethal damage to the bottom of the ship, and Brown's analysis confirms this. Brown also usefully describes how ships actually handle and points out that First Officer Murdoch, just as he told Captain Smith immediately after the crash, tried to "port around" the berg - first putting on starboard helm to turn the bow away from the berg, then port helm to clear the ship's midsection and stern, explaining succinctly why the damage to the ship was limited to the first 200-300 feet. Brown also theorizes on the actual visibility from the crow's nest that night and suggests that the berg may have been sighted as a "dark mass" looming in the distance several minutes before it was seen to be an iceberg and suggests that First Officer Murdoch may have mistaken the "dark mass" for a safe path through ice. One suggestion Brown makes that I tend to disagree with is his contention that the Titanic had been manuevering through ice for some time before the impact. Even a gentle turn in a ship the size of the Titanic will cause the ship to heel noticably, particularly in a ship, like the Titanic, that lacks stabilizers. Passengers should have noticed the ship manuevering instead of maintaining a straight course, but there appears to be absolutely no testimony from anyone that night that the ship was doing anything other than steaming straight ahead. That, however, is a minor issue; this book is extremely interesting, a very valuable contribution to the literature on the subject, and I recommend it highly.

As one of the archaeologists who has visited the Titanic site, piecing together a forensic analysis of the liner's final minutes, I am happy to report that Captain Brown's book forces me to go back to my own analysis with new questions. We all know, for example, that some minutes after the collision, Mr Shephard fell through an open hatch in the tank top - and until this book, I don't think anyone has really taken pause to ask what might have compelled the men in the forward boiler rooms open those floor hatches in the first place. Into this question Brown brings the process known as "hogging," which sheds new and credible light on some of the phenomena observed that night, ranging from the odd cracks and leaks reported by Charles Joughin, to Richard N. Williams' out-of-line door frame and the flood from below that caused the evacuation of boiler room 4. There is much to agree with, and much to disagree with in this book. One small nit arises from Samuel Hemming's (page 124) recollection of carpenter Hutchinson's statement, approximately 10 minutes after the collision: "The ship has half an hour to live, from Mr. Andrews." This clearly contradicts Brown's hypothesis that the ship was not already doomed before it resumed steaming; but at least the author is honest enough to present multiple views even when some of those eyewitness accounts contradict his interpretation of events. A less honest author would have tried to sweep the Hemming account under the rug. I happen to agree with Brown that steaming forward shifted multi-ton masses of water in Boiler Room 6, producing damaging inertial effects that, to one degree or another, sank the ship faster. Agree or disagree, this is (along with the works of Paul Quinn and Walter Lord)one of those truly rare books that, far from being another amongst hundreds of rehashes on an old subject, breathes new life into it.

Most people can name at least a couple famous artists and cite some examples of their best-known works. But have you ever wondered what's really behind all that painting, sculpting, and drawing? Kathleen Krull's book Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) gives an in-depth view into the humor, tragedy, and mystery in twenty artists' lives, as well as the gossip inspired by their peculiar lifestyles. Carefully researched, this humorous biography travels throughout the centuries, offering basic facts along with interesting tidbits and anecdotes about artists from Leonardo Da Vinci to Georgia O'Keeffe and beyond. It also includes interesting backround information behind each one's artistic works as well as creative and eye-catching illustrations by Kathryn Hewitt. This entertaining book allows readers to get to know the world's greatest artists and their artworks through each one's unique and engaging story.
The book is well organized into chapters each focusing on the life of one individual artist. The author skillfully and humorously connects information about artists' personalities, preferences, and lifestyles with how they affected their most well known artworks. It recreates each one's position in history, telling how the artists were seen by the general population in their day, or even their reputation among curious or superstitious neighbors. Readers will be able to see for themselves that famous artists were real people who did mess up once in a while. The author explains a time when Leonardo Da Vinci decided to try out a new painting method, saying, "The technique resulted in disaster...(he hadn't read all the way through to the part that said "don't try this on walls")."
The author's voice helps compliment the content in several ways. Kathleen Krull's words strike a tone that is warm, chatty, and friendly, making you feel as if she were talking with you in the same room. Her gossip extends not only to the basic facts but also to many specific details abou the artists' lives. Showing the passion and tragedy in his life, she remarks about the artist Vincent van Gogh,"Van Gogh imposed a condition of near starvation on himself and would go for days without food so he could afford to buy art supplies." In addition, every sarcastic or humorous comment made on the part on the author helps readers to feel they are getting to know an actual person rather than a cold, vague historical figure.
The author also ensured that the book would appeal to an audience of both children and adults. The words and explanations are engaging and humorous and immediately capture your interest, yet the vocabularly is not too difficult for children. The full-page color illustrations are vivid, clever, and bring to life each artist for the young and old alike. Because the book gives more information about each artist than is generally known, it is sure to benefit and interest a wide range of audiences.
Readers of all ages will definitely become hooked on this fact-filled and entertaining biography. Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) retells the one of a kind stories of each of the world's most famous artists, blending historical facts with humor and captivating details. Most importantly it allows readers to recognize each individual artist through an attractive mix of their achievements, lives, and unique personalities.

Reading a chapter from this book has become a bedtime ritual for my daughter and me. My daughter happens to be very interested in art and this book gives her an idea of what it's like to actually be an artist. Both the illustrations and text bring these artists to life more than any other childrens or adult book I have ever seen. This is one of the few books that we both enjoy reading over and over again. I wish the authors would do another volume of artists. Meanwhile I'm ordering another book by this author/illustrator combination.

This book would make an outstanding addition to the reading list of any art lover. If you love finding out the gossipy trivia about some well-known and should-be-well-known artists, that this is the book you MUST buy. Really gorgeous illustrations by a fantastically talented artist herself, Kathryn Hewitt

If you're not sure whether you want to buy this book or not, why don't you get down to your local library or mega-bookshop and take a look-see for yourself, instead of reading the blather of dunderheads like those whose reviews disgrace the rest of this page?

Even my friend Paul whom I work with, whom has won piano competitions, and played all over the town,including The Whitney, and knew what it was like to be a virtuoso, and whom after 42 years of playing the piano still has a desire to play, even though now he sells pianos more than he plays, and I who also sell pianos, and know them very, very well, though can't play them as well as Paul, but knows just as well what makes them good, and also what makes a good book, believes this book to be a new book. And what I mean by a new book is that this book has never before been written, except for maybe other books written by the author, but with different characters. That this book is not a sad book, even though it may seem as such, just as my friend Paul is not a sad man even though he may seem as such, and I, who may be the most sad of all, although one may think me to be the least sad when compared to my freind Paul, or even this book, I thought.

thomas bernhard is a genius writer,a master no velist and"the loser" is my choice for the fiction book of the century...

As one commentator has said, this disturbing book, with its two anarchist lead characters, is Cendrars' view of the artistic process, viewed from the destructive perspective; to recall Michael Bakunin (1814-76), "The passion for destruction is also a constructive passion," a famous utterance which is like a watermark behind everything which occurs in _Moravagine_.

There is no fun or point in giving away the picaresque plot of this extraordinary work. I have no idea how this reads in the original french, but the english translation by Alan Brown (Penguin) is clear and compelling. Apart from the disease imagery, present from the first to the last, there are many luxuriant images and, on the whole, an intensity which retains power even when people today have read or seen so much about terrorists and murderers. As the narrator and Moravagine make their way across continents, the pace flags, notably in the Blue Indians section, but Cendrars' vision, and the slow, inexorable unwinding of the narrator's previous self-confidence and enormous conceits become more interesting than Moravagine's own nature. Anticipating postmodernist writers, Cendrars includes a snapshot (a fake one, to be sure) of himself as a minor character whose path crosses the two killers.

A convert to Cendrars, having just finished _Moravagine_, would best follow it with the Dan Yack books (_Dan Yack_; _Confessions of Dan Yack_), and then the uneven but exhilirating tetralogy comprising _The Astonished Man_, _Planus_, _Lice_ and _Sky_. If one can forget Nina Rootes' interference with Cendrars' own presentation of his material, then these hard to obtain books (most out of print) are well worth reading. An excellent critic on Cendrars (and more respectful translator) is Monique Chefdor.

Blaise Cendrars is a neglected Modernist who does not make a big enough blip on english radar, partly because he was not affiliated with any political group or -isms. He rarely receives extensive mention in anthologies or reviews of french letters written in english. His daughter, Miriam, has published a biography which is at present only in french. University libraries are the most reliable places to find a good selection of his works.

"The Prose of the Trans-Siberian" poem remains my favorite piece of Cendrars writing but this novel is a close second. I passed my copy around and everyone that had a go at it praised the thrills it delivers. Cendrars is a character who seems to have known everyone and been everywhere during those wild experimental years at the beginning of the last century. He documented his many careers(he had a go at just about every art form) in four volumes of biography. Three of which I think are available. He also lost a hand in WW1 and wrote a very beautiful poem about it, such is the magnanimity of this soul who was such a restless originator of new forms it seems he could have single handedly brought about modernism all on his own. Of course his many friends (of which Picasso was one) did what they could too. As a poet his reputation is solid, as a novelist he is still gaining ground as his books begin to reappear after a long abscence. Moravagine is a book full of anarchic energy and though one of the main characters is a bit primitive that was after all one of the aspects of modernism. The wild beast of a main character is Cendrars monster or more specifically modern societies monster. There is also a monkey who is curiously human. The writing is manic at times but there are few lulls on this cross continental journey where the primitive and the civilized seem to walk hand in hand . If this was made into a picture it would be a road picture replete with half man half beast lead, civilized man narrator, and well clad monkey companion. Cendrars family album.

This was the first book I read from Cendrars with little thought that he would have the humbling effect on me that he did. To say this book is great, is an understatement! After you've read it ,you too, will understand why! The amount of reaserch that had to be applied to this book is an amazing feat in itself, let alone the whole storyline which is genius, complex,and poetic,... like all the great authors! Moravogine...A psychological thrilling novel that confronts bare human emotion with an honesty unmatched by few.. brings us closer into the mind of an author, whose awsome talent for expression, sent tremors down the spine of the literary world, showing us life's true nature...macabre and yet beautiful!

Here it is, a book which contains all of the Peanuts cartoons created in the year 1991. Some jokes come out flat, but most get smiles, chuckles, or even out-loud laughter for their creativity, orignality..and a good punchline always helps.

Sure, computer-generated strips are the new thing, but you can't really mess with the strip that changed comics...

If you know anything about the Peanuts Gang, you cannot help but lve them. In this collection Schulz, has outdone himself again. Anyone seeking a good laugh or a smile brought to a cloudy day should take a look at this.

This is a most charming collection of the antics of the round-headed kid we all love. With comics from a year's worth of newspapers, including the Sundays, you'll have enough to read to keep you entertained, over and over again. Not only are the Peanuts Gang funny, but inspiring, touching, sad, and as the title indicates, sometimes even profound. With Linus' wise advice, Lucy's sassy attitude, and Snoopy's admirable imagination, Charles Shulz' creations give us insight to the most enigmatical yet simplest part of our lives: our childhoods. Read the comics once and laugh, but read them again, look into the words more, and see the other emotions buried underneath. Charles Shulz was truly a genius, and the world will miss him.