I teach a class of 5th and 6th graders. This book was brought to my attention by one of my students. I used it as a read aloud to the class. It was a great Christmas story to send them off to their winter vacation. While there were several Christian references and examples, they were not overbearing to distract from the story's use in a public school. The story was predictible, but it has several lessons including forgiveness, giving to others, kindness, etc. It makes for a good famiy/school tradition.

A wonderful short story with a very special message. Even though some of the story line is predictable it still has some twists and turns. This is a good book to share with all family members young and old!

I don't understand how the other reviewers could give this book 5 stars!

The book IS definitely comprehensive.

It is poorly edited. For example the author does not know the difference between effect and affect.

It is repetitious. Many sentences/paragraphs are repeated throughout the book.

Worst of all, it is dull.

It is NOT a bad book. But it's not very good, either. Strictly mediocre.

I am a investigator for the U.S. gov't. This book is very informative. The book I believe, is not meant to be read cover to cover. Instead it is more like a ref. guide to all types of fraud. Very good book. I'm glad I have this in my library.

I hear or read about fraud everyday--it's scary. Not wanting to become a victim, I got The Fraud Identification Handbook, one of the most reasonably priced books on fraud available. Every type of fraud--that I can think of--is covered.

Before I bought a house, I read the Read Estate Fraud section, which prompted me to check a broker's license history. Following the Handbook's recommendation, I avoided dealing with someone who had a history of complaints.

I am considering having work done on my home, and I am so glad I consulted the section on Home Repair Fraud first. I will not do business with a contractor who demands some up-front payment.

Clearly well researched, all of the supporting examples of fraud are referenced. Tips on prevention follow each section, lending credence to the author's expertise on the subject. I can recommend this book to others who want to be aware of and avoid fraud.

Another example of employing a format without considering the means by which it will likely be used. The CDs have no internal "tracking" or programs. Thus, if you listen to the book in your car and don't finish the entire disk before turning the engine off, you'd better hope that you have a newer CD player than I possess. Otherwise, the player will default to the beginning of the last track that was played--in this case skipping back to where you were when you started the 45 minute drive. Even if you have a newer player, if the book is being listened too during a commute to your children's school, they would be unable to take the CDs with them to continue the book in another car on the way home.

Aaaarrrgghhh.

Note, however, that the translation and performance struck me as being well done (at least for the first 45 minutes!).

When I was a younger lad, I bought Richard Lattimore's translation, which is a grandiose bore. Then I had the good fortune to read Mandelbaum's Aeneid, which shines. This brought me to Mandelbaum's Odyssey. And it is the ideal Odyssey for scholarship and pleasure:

-The language is simple and strong. Mandelbaum knows his job--he tells the story simply and brings the ancient genius of Homer through with vigor and clarity. Occasionally Mandelbaum goes on a stint of rhyme and that's distracting, but overall the translation is beautiful.

-There's a well-drawn map of Ancient Greece in the beginning that really sets the scene for the wild sea adventures.

-One of the complaints I often hear about epics is that the many characters are difficult to keep straight. Mandelbaum solves this by giving us a comprehensive glossary in the back of the book that explains who everyone is and lists the page numbers of where they occur in the book.

-Another thing makes this a swift read is that, at the beginning of each book, Mandelbaum gives a quick summary of what's about to happen (a fantastic feature for reference and review).

Thus, with the book summaries, the glossary, and the map, you always know where you are in the epic--so while Odysseus wanders, you are never lost.

I first read this beautiful epic as a little girl, held captive from start to finish, and then again in my tenth grade English class,so when I discovered it on audio tape, my heart danced for joy! I am also a great fan of Derek Jacobi, so it made perfect sense to purchase this literary gem for my growing collection. Jacobi's narration is as brilliant as the epic itself, and if you listen closely, you will begin to imagine yourself having the same adventures Odysseus had, as well as spending time getting to know Penelope, his wife, and their only child, a son named Telemachus. In conclusion, just like the works of Shakespeare, this beautiful piece of literature was meant to be enjoyed by everybody! Get thee to Amazon.com or thy nearest bookstore and buy a copy!

If you like danger and adventure you should read this book. It is about a girl who goes into the woods to find a bird that is suppose to possess mysterious powers. Some other books written by Jean Craig head George are- one day on the Alpine Tundra and- Julie of the Wolves

Jean Craighead George, author of nearly one hundred novels, picture books, novellas, guides, and stories about nature, presents a story of the perfect length about our most familiar ecosystem, the woods. Ms. George does a terrific job of placing readers in the feet of her main character, a young girl named Rebecca (Ms. George's granddaughter and perhaps the same Rebecca from her picture book DEAR REBECCA, WINTER IS HERE). One beautiful spring morning, Rebecca takes a trip out to the woods near her home to search for a rare and remarkable bird, the ovenbird, which her uncle tells her is a real natural wizard. While Rebecca searches for this wonder of the woods, she finds lots of other incredible creatures--owls, flying squirrels, deer, ducks, and a skunk--and even runs into danger and excitement. Fine descriptions, fondly and accurately written, make birds a lot of us see every day--towhees, robins, and cardinals--all the more special and important, as Ms. George's admiration for even the smallest things in nature is evident. And when Rebecca finds the ovenbird wizard, it really is an eye-opener. The illustrations are woodsy and a nice companion to Ms. George's words. This is a great story for anyone who loves nature and the special words of the author of JULIE OF THE WOLVES and MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

One Day in the Woods and One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest are both books by Jean Craighead George. They are both about kids who are looking for something . They both take place out in the wilderness. If you need some interesting facts about animals, this is the book for you. One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest is about a boy and a doctor looking for an unnamed butterfly so they can save the rain forest from 11 bulldozers and 4 trucks, will they do it in time? One Day in the Woods is about a girl trying to find a wizard in the Teatown Woods. Will she do it? I hope you enjoy these two books.

This book is a very good introduction to special teams from both a team and individual perspective. Allen was one of the first coaches to commit equal time to the practicing and coaching of special teams. Although the book covers most evryhting in great detail, it can be very elementary at times. Most good special teams units employ a multiple approach just like the offense and defense. There are shortcomings in this area but, with a little imagination, you should be able to add to the base of knowledge given here.

George Allen gives an indepth look at all phases of the kicking and punting game. Full of different coaching points, schemes, ideas, and scouting charts. Very helpful for new ideas or to strengthen your current beliefs.

I like reading history. I enjoy with it. I am not a professional historian.

In the last few years I have tried and read books offering a broad scope and general overviews of history (you may well say that globalization has reached history too).

I daresay that the technical content of this book is excellent. But unless you really like the technical side of global history do no read it. It is written by scholars for scholars. I have rated three stars, taken into account that, because of its content, I should rate it five stars, but if I think of its readability, it would be one [there are exceptions: after all, it is written by 18 different persons-]. As they explain "this volume is designed as a fundamental starting point for the transdisciplinary study of continuity and change in the global social, economic, and political system over the longest of historical term"; and "these papers were originally presented at a special conference that took place in 1995 at the University of lund in Sweden. They were subsequently refined in light of the interaction made possible by that meeting".

Which books would I recommend then you to read? Well, that, of course, depends so much on each person's tastes! Kindly let me reccommend a few ones: "The Rise of the West" by William H. McNeill, "Origins of the state and civilization", by Elman R. Service, "The Great Divergence", by Kenneth Pomeranz, "The dynamics of Global Dominance. European overseas empires 1415-1980", and, above all, "The History of Government", by S.E. Finer.

I agree to the previous comments about this book being hard to read, and it is indeed for scholars, hence the price!

I wouldn't go so far as calling myself a scholar, but I am certainly "in" on the subject of the book, and enjoy the arguments presented, especially ones by Gunder Frank/Gills and Chase-Dunn. For those who might find it hard to read and comprehend, you can start by reading basic theories that founded this book, works like The Colonizers Model of the World from Late James Blaut or ReOrient of Gunder Frank (although that is not easy to read either, but Frank has a great treasury of vocabulary!). Even reading Fernand Braudel's History of Civilization might help, although he is still out there in the realm of Eurocentrism for this book.

This book, by the editors of the Washington Post, does a good job of describing the events which led to the deadlocked 2000 Presidential election. In addition to detailing the paths which led to the deadlock, the book discusses all the post-election issues in a very readable format. Surprisingly, the books editors seem only slightly tilted towards Gore (especially considering it is the Washington Post, which is noted for its liberal bias), so no matter who you voted for, there is much to be found here for anyone with an interest in contemporary politics.

Two things struck me while reading this book, the first is that I doubt there is a book out there that is truly balanced and not somewhat biased. The second thing was that Gore really got the shaft, not so much by the recount wars, but by the election official that came up with the Butterfly Ballot. In the history of the USA this decision ranks up there with new Coke and the XFL, what a mistake. As far as the reporting in the book it was not bad for a review of all the articles they had in the paper, but it did not really dig into the particular issues very deeply. I wanted more detail and behind the scenes with both the candidates. I also wanted more details on the court cases; I felt like the sky-high overview of the issues of the cases did not do such an important issue justice.

In reading the book I think a little bit of a democratic bias comes out, just a little, but enough to notice. I also thought it interesting that they had far more details of the Gore group then the Bush camp, it follows the perception that the Post is somewhat liberal in its views. The book is an overview that came out almost 10 minutes after Gore hung up the phone on the second concession call so there are a few more details out now that they did not get in the book. Overall it is a good effort and a readable book, but not the end all be all on the subject.

Deadlock: The Inside Story of America's Closest Election is a workmanlike and emotionless recollection of the events surrounding the most controversial election of the past 100 years. It is a well organized, easy to follow and not visibly biased view of the relevant events leading up to and following the November 7 Presidential election. Seemingly accurate and double checked to a fault, reading this book left me with the impression that I had just read an excellent 275 page newspaper article and not much more. With almost no humor, lacking any sidebar comments, it is a book Joe Friday would be proud to call his own. While I am a Texan and Bush supporter, I much preferred Jake Tapper's Down & Dirty: The Plot to Steal the Presidency. I guess this means that like most people, when push comes to shove, I'd rather be entertained than informed. I do regret this intellectual weakness and like some of the votes in Florida I may change. But probably not in the next 36 days.

This book was a great information source. You can tell that the author did a lot of research for this book. It records a young boys journey through the rain forest in search of the butterfly that will save the rain forest from the bulldozers. During his journey he encounters many animals. The author gave very useful and vivid detail. However there were some points where the book was kinda hard to understand. I can also understand why some people might think this book was dull. It is just a nature book without much excitment. I recommend this book to anyone who loves nature or is doing research on the rain forest!

ONE DAY IN THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST
AUTHOR-JEAN CRAIGHEAD GEORGE
GENRE-ADVENTURE/REALISTIC FICTION
PAGES-66

SETTING-TROPICAL RAINFOREST OF THE MACAW
CHARACTERS-TEPUI, DR.RIVERO , A ORNITHOLOGIST, HERPETOLOGIST, MAMMALOLOGIST , AND A BOTONIST.

THIS IS A MUST READ BOOK IF YOU LIKE ADVENTURE OR THE RAINFOREST! IT'S ABOUT A BOY NAMED TEPUI AND A SCIENTIST NAMED DR. RIVERO. THEY HAVE AN URGENT PROBLEM, THERE ARE 11 BULLDOSERS AND FOUR TRUCKS CARRYING 20 CHAINSAWERS THAT WANT TO CUT DOWN THE RAINFOREST FOR FARMLAND. TEPUI AND DR. RIVERO MUST FIND A NEW BUTTERFLY TO SAVE THE RAINFOREST, BUT THEY ONLY HAVE LESS THAN A DAY BEFORE THE DESTRUCTION BEGINS. CAN THEY DO IT?

The author writes very suspenseful, and teaches us valuable lessons throughout the story. We are constantly learning more about the BALANCE of the Rain Forest and the miraculous events going on simultaneously around the main characters. I can't wait to read other books by this author. You can tell she does a great deal of research about her topics and enjoys the outdoors.

Here is another superb entry in beloved nature writer Jean Craighead George's informative and thrilling ONE DAY. . . series. The award-winning author of JULIE OF THE WOLVES, MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, and more than eighty other wildlife books for young readers does a great job of bringing to life the magical setting of the tropical rain forest. Tepui, a young boy who lives in Venezuela's Tropical Rain Forest of the Macaw, befriends some biologists who are studying the rain forest. To his and the scientists' dismay, the rain forest is scheduled to be chopped down and destroyed one afternoon. The only way to save it is to find a special butterfly that has never before been identified and present it to a wealthy businessman who wants to name the butterfly after his daughter. So Tepui and his friend Dr. Rivero--a lepidoptorist--set out to find the elusive insect. But the human characters are only a small part of the story. The rain forest is alive with thousands of species of creatures--amusing ones like a leisurely sloth, and creepy ones like flesh-eating ants. There are birds of all the colors of the rainbow, mammals like jaguars and tapirs, magnificent tree giants, and, of course, millions of insects. This is a fascinating glimpse, written in a fast-paced minute-by-minute style, into an environment so complex and diverse that there are many creatures who don't even have names, and have never seen humans. It is also an important story that all young people should pay attention to to better understand their natural world and help to preserve its unique magnificent ecosystems. Other titles in the series are: ONE DAY IN THE. . .ALPINE TUNDRA, PRAIRIE, DESERT, and WOODS. Any ecologist will also want to check out Jean Craighead George's Eco-Mysteries series: WHO REALLY KILLED COCK ROBIN?, THE CASE OF THE MISSING CUTTHROATS, THE MISSING 'GATOR OF GUMBO LIMBO, and THE FIRE BUG CONNECTION. These include information on chemicals, the ozone layer, human development, and how these things threaten our wild places and creatures.

This entire story could have been written on the cover of a matchbook and saved me the time I wasted reading it. Endless complaining about her parents and siblings, If the peoples identities had been with held until the end, one might have expected to find out this was the childhood of a serial killer or some one else you might have expected to have a miserable childhood. Why would anyone even bother to write a book about people she seemed to care for as little as her family is beyond me except to possibly capitalize on her Dad's famous name and make a few bucks. A depressing read.

I was misled by a review in SI that said this was a great book. If you're an Oprah fan, then it's a great book. If you want to learn about the life of an NFL coach, the Washington Redskins or football in general, you're better off buying a subsciption to Sports Illustrated or reading the sports page.

About 80 percent of this book is about the struggle of the writer to get her father's attention and approval. Another 10 percent has to do with her mother, her brothers and the writer's life away from her house. Maybe 10 percent has to do with football. It is a maddening experience to put up with the "I was a girl, girls weren't important to my dad, someone please pay attention to me" anecdotes and thoughts in the hope of getting to, say, the Washington Redskins' 1972 season where the team finally made it to the Super Bowl, and then when you get there have Jennifer Allen say in almost these exact words, "I don't remember much about that the season the Redskins went to the Super Bowl." I almost hurled the book across the room.

It is unfortunate that George Allen essentially ignored his family in his obsessive quest to do what he believed he was born to do: coach. No kid should have to grow up with that kind of home life, and it's obvious that her father's inattention has left its mark on Ms. Allen. But darn it, this is an Oprah book of the month selection, not a sports book. Someone should be clear on that!

A few words about George Allen ... I am about Jennifer Allen's age. I am a lifelong Redskins fan and grew up in D.C. When Mr. Allen took the team to the Super Bowl, it was a highlight of my young life. I remember him licking his fingers, tugging his hat and mentioning milk as his drink of choice. I had no idea that he ignored his family. I'm sorry he did that, but I am also grateful that the man came to my hometown and coached my favorite team and finally made it a winner. I wish the book had a little more about what made George Allen such a successful coach and a lot less about the struggle of a little girl to get close to her daddy.

Yes, I'm an old Redskin fan and was mildly curious about the George Allen era. I was not prepared for this powerful story of George Allen the father and his arms length relationship with his daughter, Jennifer. Yes, the mother Etty and the sons, George, Bruce, and Gregory, are in here too, but Jennifer you finally have the starring role in the George Allen Story. This is a sometimes gripping and often humorous story of a daughter's search for self. My only criticism is of the title which suggests a sports book. It is not worthy of this well-told story about a daughter's search for meaning in her life and, coincidentally, her dad's struggle to make sense of his own life too.

Murder on the Lusitania is set in 1907 during the maiden voyage of the luxury liner. Undercover detective, George Porter Dillman, easily socializes with the elite first class passengers; while at the same time, keeping a lookout for professional gamblers and thieves who prey on the wealthy.

A violent murder and several thefts send the ship's officers reeling, but the ever calm Mr. Dillman assures them he will have the criminal in hand, discreetly, before the ship reaches New York.

The characters are colorful and the dialogue, reminiscent of the times, sparkles. The red herrings are obvious but doesn't detract from this fast pleasant read. We will definitely recommend Murder on the Lusitania to our customers and are looking forward to the next book in this series.

This is a light and entertaining read perfect for a day at the beach. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. The two main characters, George and Genevieve, remind me of the leads in the Lord Peter Whimsey series. It is so nice to read a mystery that doesn't depend on shock and gore to get its point across.

It's 1907 and the 1st sailing of the Lucy. It is nice to read a new book that is not filled with vulgarities. The author has the period down pat and fortunately there is a second book out and a third in the works. Sit back in a deck chair on the Boat Deck, wrap yourself in a wooly blanket and enjoy the trip..
It is nice to read something set in the period prior to the War to End all Wars. HAH!