The book "I AM REGINA", is based on a true story about a girl named Regina that had a sister Barbara, that were held captive by Indians and it changes everything forever. Regina also had a mother, father, two brothers, and her sister Barbara. One day her mother and her brother went out to get water from a mill, and that's when the Indians came. her father and brother were killed by the Indians, but they let Regina and Barbara live and the Indians held them captive. They walked about 3 months and then Regina and her sister were separated. Soon they came to the Indian village. Regina became a daughter to an Indian woman named Wolfin. Her new Indian name is now Tskinnak. she gets to like the Indians that she lives with, and ones she doesn't. She becomes happy there but she wonders if her mother or brother are still alive and if she will ever see them again. To find out, read the book!

Title:I Am Regina Book's Author:Sally M. Keehn Reviewed by: Samantha O. & Anthony P. Book Rating :10 Category:Historical Fiction We read this book and we want to review it. A girl named Regina and her sister Barbara were captured by three Allegheny Indians. After about one month of traveling Regina and Barbara were separated. Regina had to go with the Indian, Tiger Claw. They finally came to his village where she stayed for 10 years. The woman who took her in was, Woelfin, Tiger Claw's mother. At first Woelfin was mean and beat her up whenever she spoke the white man's tongue. Regina became friends with an Indian woman called Nonchetto. They spent a lot of time together. Regina's new Indian name was Tskinnak. There was a small white child that was kidnapped, too. Regina became like a mother to her. Read this book if you want to know what happens to Regina and Sarah!!!!!!!!!

This book, I am Regina by Sally M. Keehn, was excellent. I recommended it to anyone who loves the most appealing books. This book draws you in seconds because it is so appealing. This book is about a girl who is captured by Indians. I loved this book because it caught my eye right away and the author explained it really well. It kept me at the edge of my seat. The book catches any reader by surprise because you don't know what is going to happen until it is happening, this makes it stimulating. I also really enjoyed this book because the author had a way of explaining every single detail without making it boring just more appealing. It also made the book so that you couldn't put I down. In conclusion this book is exciting and if you like historical fiction it is a must read book. Although I thought this book was wonderful some people may not. Some parts of this book got confusing but I continued to read it because it is still amazing and it explained the confusing parts later on in the book. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction. I am Regina is the most stimulating book I have read I a while.

"A Rumor of War" is a darkly disturbing book. It is set in what was the early, "optimistic" Vietnam in the spring of '65 when we thought we were fighting for "freedom" and before the reality of the place hit home. Vietnam hits Lieutenant Caputo very quickly, as it must have for all Marine Corps platoon leaders. It's all right there-booby traps, mines, trip wires, leeches, foot blisters, jungle rot, constant shelling, dysentery, pigs eating corpses and cold C Rations. As a Vietnam vet, I was surprised the author never mentions RATS!, but we both know they were there too. (THEY were everywhere). Lt. Caputo's transfer to a staff job is worse than the field, so he transfers back to the bush as a platoon leader.It's more of the same-patrolling and repatrolling the same trails, the same hills, the same villes. All watched over by unsupportive and bureaucratic commanders. "RW" offers yet another look at the Vietnam War, one more pessimistic than most because so many of us felt that the years of '65 and '66 were more positive than this. I might suggest reading Joseph Owen's "Colder Than Hell" to compare the Marine experience in Korea with Lt. Caputo's. Reading the late Bernard Fall's "Street Without Joy" will make us aware, again, that perhaps there was never a time to be optimistic about Vietnam. I must admit that I constantly found myself curious as to how I would have handled many situations in "RW". How would I have measured up? What would I have done? How would the men have judged me? While the story of "RW" tends to stray at times, I found no fault since the author is relating a painful part of his past. One small point: "RW" would benefit from better maps-these are so often lacking in military books. The bottom line:"A Rumor of War" belongs on the bookshelf of any serious military book reader or anyone searching for yet another angle to the frustrating Vietnam War that affected so many of us.

It is hard to imagine that such a gifted writer is also capable of being an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. In "A Rumor of War," author Philip Caputo offers us an intimate portrait of the Vietnam conflict. Caputo uses a powerful lens and provides an up close examination of what the war is like for a Marine infantry "grunt."

This book is about the Vietnam danger, the boredom, the casualties, the weather and the mood of the American soldier. Throughout the book one can feel the soldiers enormous desire to "go home" and abandon the macho madness of the Vietnam tragedy. Caputo's protagonist, the element that moved the plot is the Marine's desire to survive. The author brilliantly uses the constant threat of "death" to act as a powerful antagonist that lurks from page to page.

Best of all, this book documents the brutality of war using the language of the Marine "grunt." Hence, it provides a front row seat to the thoughts and emotions of those who were condemned to risk their lives each day while in Vietnam. This is a great book that deserves attention..especially from the leaders of the nation who audaciously talk of war while never having the courage to set foot on a battlefield.

"A Rumor of War" is a darkly disturbing book. It is set in what was the early, "optimistic" Vietnam in the spring of '65 when we thought we were fighting for "freedom" and before the reality of the place hit home. Vietnam hits Lieutenant Caputo very quickly, as it must have for all Marine Corps platoon leaders. It's all right there-booby traps, mines, trip wires, leeches, foot blisters, jungle rot, constant shelling, dysentery, pigs eating corpses and cold C Rations. As a Vietnam vet, I was surprised the author never mentions RATS!, but we both know they were there too. (THEY were everywhere). Lt. Caputo's transfer to a staff job is worse than the field, so he transfers back to the bush as a platoon leader.It's more of the same-patrolling and repatrolling the same trails, the same hills, the same villes. All watched over by unsupportive and bureaucratic commanders. "RW" offers yet another look at the Vietnam War, one more pessimistic than most because so many of us felt! that the years of '65 and '66 were more positive than this. I might suggest reading Joseph Owen's "Colder Than Hell" to compare the Marine experience in Korea with Lt. Caputo's. Reading the late Bernard Fall's "Street Without Joy" will make us aware, again, that perhaps there was never a time to be optimistic about Vietnam. I must admit that I constantly found myself curious as to how I would have handled many situations in "RW". How would I have measured up? What would I have done? How would the men have judged me? While the story of "RW" tends to stray at times, I found no fault since the author is relating a painful part of his past. One small point: "RW" would benefit from better maps-these are so often lacking in military books. The bottom line:"A Rumor of War" belongs on the bookshelf of any serious military book reader or anyone searching for yet another angle to the frustrating Vietnam War that affected so many of us.

Since seeing Adam Rich sporting Ocean Pacific shirts on "Eight is Enough" as an impressionable 7 year old, I knew I was growing up on the wrong coast. I had such a fierce attraction to California and the way life was lived over there, and that interest has followed me for most of my life - the films of Paul Thomas Anderson, the proliferation of late-70s & early 80s era E! True Hollywood Stories, and now the autobiography of my lifelong idol & hero Tony Hawk.

For 15 years I have admired Hawk, both as an amazing individual and as a link to my past. "Hawk - Occupation: Skateboarder" is a well written memoir that illustrates both the man and the when/where/how of his growth as both a person and a legend of his sport.

Hawk's involvement in the Big 80s boom of skateboarding cannot be understated - and the fact that he weathered the subsequent Great Depression of the sport and emerged a better skater *and* a better person for it illustrates his great character.

The book is lots of fun too, because it serves as an inadvertent time capsule of what life was like in the 80s for Tony and dozens of other skaters: bleached bangs hanging over their eyes while crashing into the popular conscience, riding the back bumper of the Hollywood-mobile and onto movie screens across America, and jet-setting across Europe & Japan - all the while sporting 2 Swatches on one arm and decked out in hot pink Jams shorts. Awesome!

But just as important as the movie sets, the demos in Tokyo and the goofing off in Switzerland is *the* picture of 80s California skate culture: the backyard ramp jams. Half a dozen friends hanging out in the hot sun, cooling off with cold Cokes and chowing on some good BBQ. At the age of 25, I will still admit to being very very jealous.

And hell, when those friends happen to all have their names on T-Shirts, their own signature skate decks and are mobbed at shopping malls . . well that makes for an interesting life and times. "Hawk - Occupation: Skateboarder" does a wonderful job of showing this life, as well as the bottoming out of that mentality and lifestyle in the early 90s - skating's Dark Ages.

Tony's - and skateboarding's - slow and wildly successful recovery from that period is every bit as interesting and meaningful as the Big Years (albeit with more lessons learned and hardships endured). All great heroes need to suffer a little to battle back, and Tony's reflections on his various personal and professional setbacks are honest and real.

Today, in the Here and Now, I have the great pleasure of watching my boyhood idol live a happy and successful life - at the top of his career and with the love of a beautiful family. Starting my own little family has given me the pleasure of sharing one more cool thing with my hero - marriage and fatherhood. "Hawk - Occupation: Skateboarder" is an intelligent, well done biography that will satisfy fans and enlighten those who may not realize that a Legend (aka: Cool, Normal Guy) walks among us - when he's not floating and spinning several feet above , that is.

I've spent 27 years riding a skateboard and have seen the "sport" come and go. One person who has remained solid through the ups and downs is Tony Hawk. Tony's book gives you an inside look at what skating and being a pro skater is all about. It's an easy read that explains skateboarding in terms that a non-skaters can relate to and understand, as does another favorite book of mine: "It's not about the Bike", by Lance Armstrong. As with Armstrong's book about cancer and the world of pro cycling, you don't have to be a cyclist to see where the man's coming from, and the same goes for Tony's book about skating.

You know, I hear way too much about kids not having role models, I just mentioned two REAL role models. Read Hawks book! Read Armstrong's book!
Skate tough or go home!

I loved this book because skateboarding is a huge part of my life. I always skateboard with my cousin everyday. This book is really great for skaters if your one of Tony Hawks fans. Also I wish I could meet Tony Hawk so I can learn his neat trick called the 900. So I could be a proskater like him.
The part I liked about the book is when he was little. Just about the same age as me and he nailed a bunch of tricks like 540 ollie, 540 kickflip, 50 50 front grind, airwalk a bunch of them. Those are just some of the cool tricks he nails. I can nail the 540 ollie but I can't do the kickflip and im not 2 good at grinding. He is the only one with the 900 no body else has that as a number 1 move, and I think it's the best trick I have ever seen in my life.
The 2 types of story elements that Tony used the best were settings and character. The reason I like those 2 elements is because for one this is Tony's book, that he wrote and he is the only main character he wrote about. Because he wrote about his self and the settings were always at half pipes nothing else all he wrote about was his contests and somethings about his family.

Autobiographies are usually enjoyable for one of two reasons. The author can possess an engaging style that piques the reader's interest regardless of the material. On the other hand, the author may have lead such an interesting life that the subject matter is fascinating despite their ability to spin a good yarn. Fortunately, in the case of HARPO SPEAKS! both conditions are satisfied, creating a well-written, intriguing look at one of the more interesting characters of the first half of the Twentieth Century.

Harpo Marx was famous for being the silent clown who never uttered a word during any of the dozen or so Marx Brothers movies. However, his story is quite a fascinating one. I'll admit to being slightly surprised at exactly how engaging the prose style of this book was. Having no idea what he sounded like, even in scripted movie conversation, I was curious as to how he'd come across in print. Fortunately, either he or his co-author, journalist Rowland Barber, was quite good at the art of storytelling. The reader really feels close to the action, as though one were really there. It's a simple and straightforward style, but it's one that is quite effective.

As I mentioned, the events of Harpo's life were extraordinary in themselves. Quite literally a rags-to-riches story about a group of vaudeville brothers who made it very big, this book is excellent at reconstructing those early days when they rarely had enough to eat, but always had a laugh and a game of cards to pass the time. The autobiography goes into great detail about his early childhood, from being literally thrown out of school (from a first floor window) and never returning, to every lousy part-time job that he had. The book spends quite a lot of time detailing the various schemes that Harpo and Chico (at that age, they were often mistaken for twins) had to try to make the largest amount of money possible while doing the smallest amount of work. Each method is equally hilarious, as are the attempts by Harpo to spend, or hide the resulting cash before Chico had a chance to "re-invest" it.

Much of the chronicle of his adolescence and early adult life centers on traveling on the road with his brothers and getting booked into a variety of theatres and clubs. Being on the road meant very little time to oneself, so we get a real sense of the relationship that existed between the members of the Marx family. Although this portion of the book is the most heavily involved in his stage performance, a great deal of time is still spent talking about different ways the Marx Brothers found themselves relaxing between shows. That means that there are a lot of anecdotes about card games, but don't worry -- the stories are wonderful.

The sections dealing with his adult life revolve more around his friends than on the work he was doing with his brothers on the silver screen. Fortunately, Harpo was mixing with some fascinating people, and you hardly miss the lack of discussion about his movie career. His descriptions of the time he spent during the '20s make for fascinating reading. Who would have guessed that Harpo Marx, the clown who ran around in a slashed raincoat, was mixing with intellectual heavyweights such as George Bernard Shaw and Alexander Woolcott? Even after the market crash and the end of that decedent decade, there are numerous amusing anecdotes, my favourite being the occasion that Harpo ended up being a spy for the U.S. Government, smuggling secret documents out of the Soviet Union.

The majority of the final few chapters deal with his wife and children. It's quite obvious that he cared deeply for his family, and one gets the impression that talking about them in this way is his equivalent of showing us his cherished family photographs. While this has the tendency to be slightly tedious in places, Harpo's enthusiasm is contagious. It's fascinating to see him learning lessons from his own childhood and from his children.

HARPO SPEAKS! is quite a recommended read for anyone, whether they're a Marx Brothers fan or not. Harpo's adventures make for wildly entertaining reading. Even during his later years of declining health and diminishing energy, Harpo never stops seeming like a kid who never grew up, yet one who was never childish or petty.

The world has waited to hear Harpo talk, and speculated on what he sounded like. Well, we may never know exactly what he sounded like; that is a closely gaurded secret, which only heightens our intense interest in this funny man. However, we can now know that he actually spoke, that he had more of an intellegent side, albeit it personal, than we could ever imagine.

"Harpo Speaks" is the autobiography of Harpo (Adolph, later changed to Arthur) Marx; one of the origonal Marx Brothers. Harpo opens the dialogue with his childhood, his limited education, and every strange and twisted facet which ultimately led to the creation of "Harpo", including how he acquired his trademark "Gookie"; that strange, yet alluring face he makes by puffing his cheeks and sticking out his tongue. His entire life is revealed, including an episode during World War Two in which he delivered a top secret note that he was told not to read, upon penalty of death. The only thing we don't discover is - what did he really sound like! Well, we will just have to wait for him to do the audio cassette version of "Harpo Speaks"; then our curiousities will be settled.

Harpo's life story is fascinating and entertaining, and this book also gives those of us not around in the early 20th century a look at Vaudeville and other hallmarks of that era. The Marx Brothers' films are entertaining, but equipped with a knowledge of their history contained in this book, films like Horsefeathers and Animal Crackers take on a whole new dimension. Harpo dropped out of school in the second grade, but through a life of adventure, and through his associations with Alexander Woollcott, Dorothy Parker and other literary figures, Harpo became highly educated. He was a quietly blazing star.

Before I've read any of the Buffett's records, I was brainwashed by the B-school's currently dominating "efficient market" doctrine. Buffett's records really changed my reviews on finance and investment. This book clearly explains the way Mr. Buffett conducts business and how is it so different from the conventional wisdom, yet so sensible and logical that the investing records of Buffett have been exceptional. I totally recommend this book as the author did a really good job in describling Mr. Buffett's history in investing, as well as his private life. It seems to me the investment philosophy of Buffett is so simple that it looks "easy" to achieve. I hope the author could explain more on what it really takes to do something like that. It's anything but easy.

I just read the Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham. This book is a great supplement to that decidedly more technical text, and offers excellent insights into what drives Warren Buffett. While the Intelligent Investor is somewhat dated, this book gives you a more updated version of Buffett's exploits and ideas, as well as a fresher look at Buffett's metamorphoses since his days at Columbia. I have read numerous books on Buffett, and I have to agree with Bill Gates' analysis of this book - this is the one to read. An indispensable biography of Buffett, and a must read for anyone keen on Buffett's investment philosophy.

This well written biography of Warren Buffett is just that, a biography. Those readers seeking Mr. Buffett's investment advice need to look elsewhere. "The Warren Buffett Way" written by Hagstrom or Mr. Buffett's shareholder letter in Berkshire Hathaway's annual reports would be an excellent place to start. In this book Lowenstein descriptively documents the events that shaped Buffett's life beginning with childhood. The reader gains an in depth understanding and appreciation of Mr. Buffett's business acumen. Any disappointment that the reader encounters is probably a result of the fact that Mr. Buffett leads an exceptionally mundane life. As a result, the reader at times will feel compelled to put the book down. If you are fascinated with Mr. Buffett's ability to consistently outperform the market or are a Berkshire Hathaway shareholder this is a must read.

Dreams in the Golden Country is written as a diary of a 12 year old Jewish immigrant girl, Zippy. Zippy, her mother, her sister Miriam, and her sister Tovah have just come to join her father in New York City, where they live in a tenement house.

Throughout the 18 months that this book covers, you see how Zippy's dreams change in this not always golden country. She wants to learn English so she can reach her grade in school, and she wants to be in the Yiddish theater. She also handles her feuding family. But when tragedy strikes, she must overcome her sadness and continue her dreams.

This was a great book, and I'd recommend it for ages 10 - 14. I'd also recommend So Far from Home, and A Coal Miner's Bride, 2 other Dear America books.

Dreams in the Golden Country was another great Dear America book. It is the diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish immigrant girl from Russia, in which she describes her family's first year and a half living on New York City's Lower East Side. Zipporah, or Zippy as she is called, dreams of being an actress in New York's Yiddish theater, and is overjoyed when she is given a job as a prop gir. But her newfound joy is overshadowed by the death of her baby brother when he is just a few days old. To make matters worse for her mother, Zippy's older sister, Miriam, recently ran off to marry a non-Jewish Irish boy, and her sister, Tovah, believes in women's rights and has organized a union, both of which Mrs. Feldman dissaproves of. Plus, one of Zippy's friends dies in a factory fire. Can Zippy really make a new life for herself in this so-called "golden country" that isn't so golden after all?

It's 1903, and Zipporah Feldman, her older sisters Miriam and Tovah, and their mother have come to join Papa in New York City, fleeing the persecution of Jews in their small Russian village. As she struggles to adjust to the American way of life, fit in at her new school, and learn English, Zippy, as she is calld, writes in her diary of how her father is becoming more American every day, Miriam is in love with a Catholic boy, Tovah is obsessed with fighting for better labor condition, and Mama attempts to keep traditional Jewish ways. Over one and a half years, we see how Zippy grows and matures. She experiances tragedies and losses, makes new friends, learns English, adapts many American ways, and persues her dreams of becoming an actress. I highly reccomend this wonderful book.

I give this book five stars because I think Riding Freedom is a good book. It was an encouraging book. It is about a girl named Charlotte Parkhurst who loves horses. This book is a historical fiction story; it is a wonderful book. My favorite part was when she saw a pitchfork aiming at her face. I recommend this book. I really enjoyed it. Pam Munoz Ryan and Brian Selslick did a great job.

This book is about an orphan named Charlotte who loves horses. One day, her favorite horse named Freedom died. She was very sad. Then, shortly after, her friend Hayward was adopted. She was banned from the stables too. So she ran away, pretending to be a boy. She worked for a man named Ebeneezer Belch and then left to Rhode Island to work there. Then she moved to California, bought a ranch, and was the first woman to vote for president. The people in California called her One-eyed Charley because she had lost the sight in one eye. She lost her sight when a horse kicked her in the eye.

I give this book 5 stars because the illustrations were very creative and Charlotte Parkhurst really looked like a boy when she cut her hair. It looked so real. I think Pam Munoz Ryan did a great job on this fantastic book! So did Brian Selznick! I think third, fourth and fifth graders should read this book. I learned that Charlotte had to change into a boy named Charlie and she lost an eye. I liked the parts when the man was aiming a pitchfork at her face and when one of the horses had a foal and named her Freedom, in remembrance of Riding Freedom! I love this book!

This is a great book for a person who wants to know what a war can do to a family. Ocie Mason faces a lot of changes during the war. She gets a new pa. She loses a sister and gains a brother all in the beginning.The war comes to Ocie's house,her fathers house. There she finds her first love. She's made to move when the first battle is fought on her front yard. Ocice and her family go threw a lot of changes. Her sister falls in love with a Yankee. Her mother has 2 more childeren. After living in Richmond for a while the family is moved to Appromattox. There Will Mclean thinks his family is safe.Ocie once again falls in love. This is a great and wonderful and should be read. I might be young,but I enjoyed it fully. And I thnk others would to. Rinaldi shows a lot of historical value in this book.

This was the first book I ever read by Ann Rinaldi and I have read many of her books since. I first read this book in fourth grade, I'm now in seventh and I still love it. It is a great story with history and romance woven together. I love most of her books because of the great romances they include. This one is no different, it also makes the civil war come alive to the reader. It is an excellent book.

For anyone who loves this book already:If you ever visit Washington D.C. you can visit nearby Mannassas and see for yourself the breathtaking view on Henry Hill, the feild where Benjamin Chinn's mules grazed, and Lucinda Dogan's house. At the Mannassas visitors center you can get a map of selfguided walking or driving tours. There is also a museum in Manassas which has information about Mannassas during the Civil War. One disapointing fact though is no one knew the location where the McLeans actually lived but seeing where this book took place is still highly enjoyable.

To start off the setting is placed in the south with the main character, Oscie Mason. Oscie has just gained a new step- father, Will McLean. These two are not on good terms. Both are hard headed and never give up without a fight. Soon it becomes 1861 when the war begins. As luck would have it they live near the Manassas Junction so the Confederate Army decides to make their headquarters on the McLean's plantation. There Oscie falls in love with an army general by the name of Captain Alex. One problem: he's married. Soon Oscie is forced to leave her home to a new, smaller town known as Appomattox. There she meets the charming Thomas Tibbs. As I wish to not give away the ending to those of you who still have yet to read it, i'll leave it at a cliffhanger. I have read a total of 3 Ann Rinaldi works, The last Silk Dress, Girl in Blue and In My Father's House. Each book has a great look on the Civil War and telling you what is true and what is made up. Also they tell of the war from each side. All are wonderful and i hear she has another book out i must read, Time enough for drums. This is definetly a book worth buying or just reading. ( i read mine at least 10 times!)

Owen Parry in Faded Coat of Blue introduces the reader to Captain Abel Jones a recent immigrant from Wales who serves his new country during the civil war as a way of to express his gratitude. Although injured he continues to work as a clerk until General McClellan asks him to investigate the murder of a prominent young abolitionist.

We find Washington D.C. during this time to be a seedy, dirty place where schemers are profiting from the war. At this time there are already dangerous areas of the city which the solid citizen should avoid to remain healthy, wealthy and alive.

Characters in this book are interesting and well defined. Jones is a man who believes strongly in honor. He befriends Dr. Mick Tyrone, another man of integrity and meets up again with an old comrade from India Jimmy Molloy, a roguish sort who will delight the reader

This is an entertaining read and a good historical mystery for those who are fond of the genre.

As a reader with a lifelong interest in the Civil War, I was absolutely knocked out by this incomparable novel. I have never found the atmosphere and character of the Civil War era so accurately portrayed--beyond which, the writing itself is superb. Mr. Parry has a flawless ear for dialects--yet he never overdoes it. The book reads very quickly, and leaves the reader hungry for more--as all the best books do. From the portrayal of wartime Washington to the joys and sorrows of a soldier's life, this book rings truer than any other I've read. And Abel Jones is one of the most interesting characters I've encountered in a lifetime of reading. This book is also a mystery, of course, but I valued it just as a terrific story and a wonderful portrait of our past. I do, however, have to take issue with one of the other reviewers who criticized Mr. Parry for mentioning the Thanksgiving holiday a year before it became an official national holiday. In fact, it's Mr. Parry, the author, who's correct. Parry never said Thanksgiving was a national holiday at that point in 1861, only that it was widely celebrated, which was absolutely true. As a former history teacher myself, I can assure all readers that Thanksgiving was very widely celebrated prior to the Civil War, especially in the North. Parry's portrayal of the unofficial celebrations in the Army of the Potomac in 1861 are completely accurate, and the historical records support it. In New England, it was already an established family holiday, with reverential tones. In the Union Army, it was a great excuse for getting drunk. When Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday later in the war, he was simply formalizing a celebration that already had a long tradition. Overall, Mr. Parry's book is incredibly accurate--the details are marvelous and telling--and I personally could not find a single error in this very-well-researched novel. But, ultimately, what matters is just that this is a great read. Were I still teaching, I would use it to lure my students into the realms of history. Bravo!

Owen Parry is a new historical novelist to watch. In "Faded Coat of Blue", Parry (pseudonym of an established writer of both thought-provoking non-fiction and modern thrillers) has produced a moving and evocative protrait of Civil War-era Washington. The murder mystery carries the story along, but the book is really the chronicle of the love affair of a Welsh immigrant Indian Army veteran for his new country. Accurate in portraying time and place, the prose often becomes lyrical, conveying the touch, feel and smell of the era. As Owen Parry, the writer has achieved a new "voice", displaying a storytelling skill rarely matched. Students of American history will gain new insights into our past through the eyes of the protagonist, Abel Jones. Owen Parry and Abel Jones will be names to watch as this continuing Civil War saga unfolds in the coming years.

This is a beautifully formatted book on the tough subject of promotion and publicity for self-publishers. It covers all the bases with no real emphasis on any area because the area of eventual success for each self-publisher will probably vary. Marilyn and Tom Ross are the founders of the SPAN network and definitely know their subject. I would recommend this book to anyone who is or is considering the self-publishing road. Along with Dan Poynter's books, this is one to have in your publishing library. But my personal opinion here (and the Rosses wouldn't dare say it) is that in today's competitive environment, self-publishing is more likely to result in lost money rather than new fortunes. Thus, it is very important that the new self-publisher knows what's a potential waste of time and what has any financial payoff. And some of the areas covered in this book may very easily lead to nowhere. All self-publishers beware: it's really tough to make any money here. For most, it's, like it or not, a non-profit business.

Tom & Marilyn have done it again! They've written a book jam-packed with ideas, suggestions and marketing ideas for any author. I am currently in the process of marketing my first book and have dozens of pages ear-marked for quick & easy reference. Every time I open it, I stumble across more useful information. This is one reference guide that I'll be using for a long time.

Kelley Robertson Author of "Stop, Ask & Listen. How to get people to buy from you, today, at your price."

"When you need bankable ideas for marketing, promoting and selling ten's of thousands of books and ancillary informational products, you'll buy Jump Start Your Book Sales. You'll discover successful trade secrets and visionary strategies guaranteed to maximize your book sales. It's required reading for authors, self-publishers, independent presses, entrepreneurs, direct marketers-everyone who wants thousands of repeat customers. With the Rosses 25 years of book marketing expertise and wisdom to guide you, this classic bestseller is priceless!" -Andrew S. Linick, Ph.D.,The Copyologist® Visionary Direct Marketing/PR Strategist™ Founder/Copywriter's Council of America