This book is hilarious. The author does a great job in making this book funny for kids. You might think that it's going to be scary but t's cute. I read this book to my little brother and he loved it! My new favorite author is Barbara Park.

I am finally purchasing a copy of this book after my son brought it home from his school library for the fifth time in a row. He's 3 1/2 and I thought it might scare him but I think it actually comforts him. It makes the bogeyman seem funny and harmless and gives kids a magical defense strategy (dirty socks). My son particularly appreciates that the bogeyman runs away to the sister's room at the end.

My daughter used to be so seriously afraid of everything that we took her to a child psychiatrist. I can't let her read this book at night--not because she is afraid of it, but because she gets too wound up to go to sleep--laughing, jumping, playing bogeyman with her brother! It provides younger children with the power to chase monsters away themselves. The writing, which amounts to a monologue, is hilarious and very true to the way kids speak. The pictures of the boy's reactions are devilishly delightful too!

I read about half of this 400+ page book in one day. (It was September 11, 2001, which should give you a hint about why.) This is that kind of absorbing work. It's about passages and transformations. A naturally-selfish and self-absorbed four-year-old becomes a slightly-less-so seven year old. A possible or actual affair tears a family apart, before it is tenously drawn back together. The time-bomb Eisenhower era ticks into the explosive sixties. And those who hate change lash out. Meanwhile, dieties and devils drift through the text, sometimes identifiable, sometimes not. (This is a good book to read with Gaiman's "American Gods" -- some of the same "characters" show up in both books.) And it's all told with the kind of simple-yet-beautiful prose that's the hardest kind of writing to pull off. The story is worth reading just to meet the best character, Luke Nix -- a dreamer yet a gritty realist, an unfair tyrant of a father yet a man of breathtaking courage and conviction. Read it if you want to get away for a while.

An avid reader, I can nonetheless say this is the most rewarding book I've read in quite some time. From the book jacket description, I expected a simple tale about a family establishing a tourist attraction. What I got, however, was an enormously rich and complex look at race relations in the American South at the beginning of the 1960s. The narrator, an adult retelling events perceived as a child, presents the story in a magical way that is innocent and yet wise. The rest of the ensemble are as skillfully drawn; no character is entirely black or white (in terms of character or race), rendering them believable and thought-provoking. It's not every day one finds an author with the ability to develop such characters.

Issues are introduced by events that are conveyed in just enough detail to make you put the book down for a while and consider them. Add to that a hint of fantasy and supernatural, and you're left with a book that leads your mind beyond the boundaries of its covers. As I read the last page, my first instinct was to turn the book over and begin reading it again.

This book can be read on so many levels. You have the coming-of-age story, which alone would make the book worthwhile, but delicately introduced (and so subtly that many will probably miss it on the first read) is the element of magic. Will Shetterly is an excellent writer, and this is his masterwork.

Fodor's has put together a solid collection of facts and information for visiting the National Parks in the West, but the avid hiker and outdoorsperson would do well to add other pieces of literature to their collection before setting out. This book provides essential information such as phone numbers, addresses, and directions to the parks. It details options for camping in and out of the parks, as well as lodging in cities. However, I found a number of the prices they listed to be out of date, and some of the phone numbers were inaccurate. These were minor inconveniences, however, and did not overshadow the overall effectiveness of the guide.

As far as activities, the book offers some brief guidelines for hikes and drives around the parks. I found these descriptions to be very impersonal and vague. For example, it lists trails as being "moderately difficult" without explaining what types of difficulties one might encounter. For a hiker, there is a big difference between a steep climb and precipitous footing, but this book does little to detail what one might expect on a given trail. I found the "America's National Parks for Dummies" guide to be much more informative as far as specific trail conditions and wildlife concerns (e.g. grizzly and black bear areas, mountain lions, etc.) Fodor's guide does not address these issues, which are also of utmost concern for most backcountry hikers. Additionally, the editors seem to abide by a policy of "Just the Facts" - they offer little to nothing in the way of ratings or opinions regarding which campsites and facilities may be better maintained within the parks. Most avid campers I know value a firsthand opinion when trying to decide where to pitch their tents - and reading that a campsite is quiet and primarily tents, versus noisy and popular with RVs is extremely helpful information to have in hand.

We used both the Fodor's and Dummies guides on a six-week cross-country trip and found them to be nice complements to one another. The Dummies guide covers fewer parks but in greater detail, and offers candid opinions; the Fodor's guide gives you all the essentials you need for planning a visit to the park. If you don't plan on doing much hiking, this book could be all you need, but I recommend supplementing it with a more descriptive guide.

I am beginning my research for a vacation to the South West. This is a good starting place. It touches on most of the parks with pretty decent descriptions and pictures. You can't go wrong with this book.

The amazon.com review and book description are absolutely correct. This book contains the perfect amount of information for visiting the parks--we used it to visit 18 national parks in the sumer of '99, and found the itineraries and best-ofs to be wonderful. Research was solid and presented in extremely easy to read format. Look no further for a national park guide!

I have both Ann Marie's books and the new book by Chris Shaffer and while both have done a good job describing the trails to the falls Shaffer's book offers many more waterfalls and color photographs that all you to really see what the waterfall looks like. The photos in Brown's book are very poor and dont do the waterfalls justice. But, she did do a good job letting us know where waterfalls can be found.

This book has inspired me to get out there and explore my new home state! The author gives detailed descriptions of the waterfalls, directions to the waterfalls, and the best time to see them. There are all levels of difficulty when it comes to the trip to the falls, from driving to an overlook to backpacking for three days. There are also all levels of waterfalls from the small to the majestic. If you want to explore the beauty of California, start with the 250 waterfalls in this book. You won't be disappointed!

You can really tell that the author has personally visited every one of these 250 waterfalls. Her descriptions are incredibly accurate. Each fall has a photo, a trail map, and an interesting description of how to get there and what you'll see along the trail. Some falls can be reached by bike or car, also. If I had a whole year off, I'd take this book and try to go visit each and every waterfall! Author Ann Marie Brown must have a really great life.

My spouse and I were planning to go backpacking in Yellowstone during our crosscountry trip two summers ago. We bought this book because it had very nice descriptions of all the trails and amenities. When we started reading it though, it indicated that the summer was the worst time to go. It said that the traffic and tourists were almost as thick as the mosquitoes. Therefore, we decided not to go, and we have never used the book for the purpose it was meant for. It was well worth the money, though, because it saved us from making a big mistake.

I'm sorry to bother you,but this question is very important,please answer it. Why is Jellystone National park famous, besides old Faithful

We used this book for a two week stay in Yellowstone. The ratings for hills and difficulty of the hikes are accurate and helpful when selecting hikes. The trail descriptions also help when picking a hike depending on effort, scenery, wildlife, amount of other hikers, etc. We saw parts of Yellowstone only a tiny percentage of visitors get to see, thanks in part to this book. Be sure and check at the ranger stations for bear and other wildlife activity prior to beginning a hike.

It has been a very long time since I have read works of contemporary literature that displayed such creative imagination and mastery of the written word. The story unfolds on a planet that is very similar to Earth. And for all I know it could have been our Earth in some dark past or distant future.

Imagine, if you will, a planet that is exactly like ours, but with some traits blown out of proportion, like social order, religion, politics, weather, etc. Imagine a social system that permanently determines one's stature in life and in the after life upon his or her birth. Imagine a religion whose scriptures are based on ancient erotic poems. Imagine seasons that last for thousands of days, where a man born in summer is unlikely to see the winter of the same year. If it all sounds too hard to digest then be prepared to be pleasantly surprised as you'll find those themes and many others blended beautifully to form the backdrop of an epic saga of love, war and faith.

Among the folds of the story I found a harsh critique and dark satire on our own lives. To quote one of the characters: "Legends speak of a planet very much like our own, but where a year only lasts a few hundred days, and a man sees many seasons in his life. If such a planet exists, then there can no wars there." But consider that a bonus, as the story is very compelling on its own.

The book I read for free reading was Soldiers of paradise and it made the most of my time. It was wrtten by Paul Park which is also a very intresting man and his past life will amaze anyone. the book is like a fantasy in the distant future but alot of war and illeagel drugs is involved.This book was a great choice because there were always surprises that poped up from evey cornor when you least expected it. This book was like no other because none the action never stops, theres always something intresting going on. A qoute from Thankar explains how much he hates alot of people in his world because everyone has to be a real hard case to survive and he dosent want to be one " I know him and I always hated him. we'll hang him higher than any bird can fly". That explains how Thanker doesnt like anyone because he knows that his friends can even stab him in the back just to survive. The future is so bleak with war and drugs its explained as med-evil times because castles, tourture and death is just business in the world he has to suffer in. in conclusion the book was great and the ending is what you least suspect.

This was a beautiful way of telling a story. Musical. I think the whole book should of been spoken the way the storyteller had spoken it. It may be hard to understand once you start reading it, but once you dove into it, it's hard to put down. I havn't finished it yet, but close to it, and so far it's beautiful, that 's all I can say. If you need a book just to pick up and read, try this one. Magical, ~Isirah~Weasel~

I was impressed by the generous fund of information in this book, and even more so when the author explained that she was operating under space and style constraints. If you look at the publishing record, there are many guidebooks that take in all or part of this region (contrary to what Candace Scott states in her review), and the maps and descriptive material in this volume outshine the vast bulk of its competition. This is an essential volume for anyone interested in exploring the mid-Sierra range and, just as the author says, those interested in poetical aspects over practical know-how are always able to consult John Muir, Clarence King and Ansel Adams.

I have read this book from cover to cover and found it to be very thorough and informative. It is a magnificent tool for the novice and seasoned hiker. The descriptions and photography are just enough to whet your appetite for what lies ahead on the trail. You know exactly what to expect before setting off on each journey into the beautiful Sierras. Be sure to leave room in your pack for a digital camera and this gem of a guide. You will be glad you did.

I am the author of the book above. I would suggest to anyone who has read Candace Scott's review below to take a look at the guide for themselves before letting her have influence over their decision.

I put a lot of hard work into this guide, and the truth is that editors have the final say as to the wording and content of the book. Limits are also put on the length of the book according to how large the publisher's budget is. If you are on contract, such as I was, the publisher expects you to follow their format; listing mileages, keeping non-hiking information to a minimum, limiting each hike to 1,200 words, etc. There were a few hikes I wasn't able to include due to the 90,000 word limit.

Candace mentions that there are topo maps in the guide, which is incorrect. There are trail maps along with elevation graphs (which show the elevation gain and loss). Topo maps are listed for each hike if the hiker should want to purchase them. Hazards are mentioned in the "Make it a Safe Trip" section of the book. Drinking water is mentioned there as well and in Appendix C, "Hiker's Checklist".

Everyone has a right to their own opinion. If she didn't care for the Falcon Guide format, or enjoyed some of the areas more than is reflected in this guide, that's fine and I have no problem with that. I have my own opinions also, and may not have been as enthused in some of the areas due to deteriorating trail conditions (mainly because of horse travel on the same trail). And finally, constantly reiterating the beauty of Sequoia and Kings Canyon can become redundant and tend to lose its effect. Sometimes it is best to experience the scenery in person, and we all know the Sierra Nevada is a beautiful Mountain Range to say the least.

I also disagree that there is an absence of good hiking guides to the area. I own several from different authors and feel that all of them have their merits and they all contain a wealth of information.

I can honestly say that I have put much effort into including information not found in other guides into this book. I checked and rechecked mileages, took note of native plants along each trail and identified peaks viewed on each hike. I did my best to make this the most accurate and complete guide to the best trails in Sequoia and Kings Canyon. So, if you don't want to risk it by ordering the guide online, take a look at it in your local book or sporting goods store, and decide for yourself. Meanwhile, I will try to get my publisher to request a "Look Inside the Book" feature here on Amazon.

As a woman and an avid student of Asian culture and history, the tragedy of Korea's so-called Comfort Women of WWII is a subject about which I read everything I possibly can.

Therese Park did an outstanding job of compiling the stories of many of these sad souls into a novel which, I believe, accurately depicts the conditions under which these women were forced to live.

I have lived in Korea for 10 years. I have read some documentary-type information about the later lives of the surviving Comfort Women. This novel would have been even better if the author had included some of the types of experiences the Comfort Women faced upon return to their Homeland.

I highly recommend this novel for those who desire to read fiction based strongly on historical fact.

I read "A Gift for the Emporer" in one sitting last night. I couldn't put it down! Compelling storyline and an authentic narrative voice! I found the main character of Soon-ah to be quite real and three-dimensional. The graphic and horrifying descriptions of what the Korean "comfort women" endured is a testimony and reminder of the horrors of war. Yet, there were several poignant scenes that made me hope Soon-ah would survive. I've read a number of novels inspired by the "comfort woman" history (Nora Okja Keller's "Comfort Woman" and Chang-rae Lee's "A Gesture Life"). Although those books contain lyrical and beautiful prose, I find that "A Gift of the Emporer" is the only novel that truly shows in great detail what atrocities these women suffered, and the strength and grace they showed in the face of the enemy. I enjoy literary fiction and beautiful poetic prose, but I think Ms. Park's clean and clear language, along with her ability to blend historical fact with fiction, makes "A Gift of the Emporer" one of the better fiction books on this topic. I highly recommend this book, especially for students. I also met Therese Park when she was on a book tour in California, and was very impressed with her passion and dedication towards creating more awareness for victims and survivors of war crimes. She is a gifted writer who shows great promise. I look forward to her next book.

This is apparently Therese Park's initial foray into writing, and this first attempt is very satisfying. Soon-ah, the book's protagonist, is presented with warmth, tenderness, and with a passion that is very tangible, but that never actually descends into being overly melo-dramatic. The horrors of Soon-ah's captivity as a "comfort woman" by the Japanese are graphically described, not for the sake of gratuitousness, but to allow the reader to understand the circumstances. This is a moving fictional account of the horrible reality of war.

As a Regency novel fanatic, of course I will try to read anything written by an author whose other work I have read and admired. Such was the case when I first heard about PEMBROKE PARK. This was her very first Regency, and it was NOT published by Fawcett! Rather, it was released by a very small press in Florida that specializes in a particular kind of novel: novels of particular interest to lesbians, gays, and folks sympathetic to their interests. It was listed at Amazon, and is still readily available, although first published in 1986.

To my great pleasure, and no little surprise, I found this book to be a 'perfect' Regency, following the habits and mores as we've come to know them, of wealthy, titled country folk, who take great exception to anything that disrupts their notion of how life should go on. All the standard characters and situations are here, deftly described in Ms. Martin's usual humorous way, but with the notable exception that the heroine ends up with--another heroine. There is also a gay romance that ends well. It is a very gentle love story, not at all titillating, so if you're looking for exposition into lesbian habits you won't find it in this book. But if you want a well-written, well-told, well-thought-out and witty story, set in this favorite era, I don't think you'll be unhappy if you read this book. I highly recommend it, in fact, because of these very reasons.

This is a 'perfect' Regency, following the habits and mores as we've come to know them, of wealthy, titled country folk who take great exception to anything that disrupts their notion of how life should go on. All the standard characters and situations are here, deftly described in Ms. Martin's usual humorous way, but with the notable exception that the heroine ends up with -- another heroine. There is also a gay romance that ends well. It is a very gentle love story, not at all titillating, so if you're looking for exposition into lesbian or gay habits you won't find them in this book. Except, of course, to discover they're just people, like the rest of us, with the same wants and wishes and problems to face in everyday life. However, if you want a well-written, well-told, well-thought-out and witty story, set in this favorite era, I don't think you'll be unhappy if you read this book. I would highly recommend it, in fact, because of all these reasons.

I discovered this book because of Amazon, after having read several of her Regencies. Most of my lesbian friends read this ages ago, and it's the only Regency novel *they're* like to read. As it came from Naiad Press, I should have guessed it'd be a lesbian novel, but I was just desperate to read ANYTHING this woman writes.

In spite of what you might think, there are NO "lesbian sex secrets" here: this is a "sweet" romance, with a twist--we're not in primarily heterosexual society here, and we get a feel for what it was like for lesbians and gay men at the time--the subterfuge necessary, the need to satisfy appearances, and the reaction of mainstream society around them. It is indeed a comedy of manners, and IF Ms. Martin is lesbian, I am amazed at her skill in depicting, in her other novels, a world foreign to the one she inhabits.

She writes lovely scences, lovely characterizations, and witty dialogue. Don't miss this novel due to any preconceptions: you'll do yourself an injustice, and that would be sad indeed.

When I think of Miles Davis, the word virtuoso comes to mind. When I think of Ann Beattie's short stories, the music from Miles' classic album "Kind of Blue" plays in my head. Spare, taut, controlled, yet so emotionally stripped down as to be poetic in the truest sense. This is fiction that rings like a tuning fork, humming inaubibly to the fragile souls that inhabit these works. Short stories like "Vermont", "Burning House", and "Where'll You Find Me" resonate with despair and, yet, at the same time tremble with a glimmer of hope. Bawdiness and loudness of voice, a brawling style, does not prevail in these quiet tales. But then again Ms. Beattie isn't trying to be Hemingway. She in her own way moved the short story beyong Hem and Cheever and even Carver, taking it to a realm where readers and writers are innured to listen.

This book was my first encounter with Beattie, and I must say that I was completely taken with her prose and the ease with which she provides us glimpses into her characters' lives. As a reader who revels in the chance to read writers who are technical masters of the short story form, Beattie did not disappoint. What I did find disappointing was that the stories became repetitive in theme and style so that powerful effect of the excellent ones ("Vermont, The Burning House, "Where You'll Find Me") was ultimately diluted by some of the other weaker stories. Finally, it is nice to read a female author who is unashamed to write about the human heart without an artifial device like southern charm or supposed female wackiness, both of which can sometimes be a distraction and detraction from a story

Park City is a big, hefty collection of wonderful short stories from one of our most talented writers of short fiction. Beattie writes with a detached affection for her characters and a wonderful sense of clarity. This is a collection of new stories and the greatest hits from her earlier collection. I read a lot of these stories in the 80s, but I can still remember them. The new ones are fabulous. The characters and their stories will stay with you long after you put this book down.