If you are Grace Livingston Hill fan, be sure to read this book. Constance is a more complex heroine than most, and her conflicts and soul searching give this novel its special depth. Her spiritual wrestling is handled with sensitivity and honesty. The other characters are genuine and appealing. This is a moving and compelling book.

A wonderful book, gentle and spiritual. Constance slowly realizes her shallowness after she "unites with the church" just to get her grandmother's valuable pearl necklace. The stranger she meets at the church service ends up helping her through tragic circumstances and personal trials. A great ending too!

Felice, Stella, Helen and Grace are four women who have been friends for about 7 years. Each week they gather and meet at a local swimming club where they involve themselves in conversation while their children learn to swim. Ms. Barksdale Inclan allows us a look at the closely intertwined friendship these four women share. Women who are struggling with motherhood, friendship, being a wife and the adversity that comes with each of these roles. The writing is so vividly clear that you feel as though you are the fifth friend in this group of four women silently listening to their conversations from a lounge chair at the side of the pool. Each of these women brings to the story a peek into their lives of the troubles and feelings they deal with on a day to day basis. Lives that many of us who are married and have friends can relate to. Their struggles are real, wrought with emotion and written with such clarity that you can feel, understand and appreciate the internal turmoil these women deal with. From a failed marriage, to a wandering eye to a serious illness. When Grace becomes ill the women gather to help their friend with her illness. Along this journey of comfort and compassion they each discover something about themselves and their lives. What they discover about Grace, is that you don't always know people, even your closest friends, as well as you think you do. The bond of friendship and motherhood is a strong and powerful thread throughout this novel.

Ms. Inclan has a true gift for writing that is rare to find. She writes with such clarity and emotion and is able to convey to and invoke in the reader, a feeling and sense of unity. Of being in the story with the characters and feeling as though you are experiencing their lives, their emotions, their hopes, their dreams, their friendship and the bond between them. The story draws you in from the beginning and keeps you warmly embraced until the end.

In her second novel, the Matter of Grace, Jessica Barksdale Inclan again draws us into contemporary California suburbia, where daily life is emotionally complicated despite outward appearances for four women who find themselves striving (often struggling) to be good mothers, wives and friends while reflecting on and acceppting where childhood-family influences and choices have lead them.

Through well-developed characters, Inclan offers compassionate, intricate and deep insight into women's introspective look at marriage, sex, motherhood, intellectual and spiritual fulfillment, friendship and one's own childhood -- an extensive list of issues, but all she covers well.

The Matter of Grace focuses on the gift of friendship four women share, a friendship that started simply as mothers talking daily by the community poolside while their children swam. The bond these women develop through friendship -- unconditional love and support they don't feel elsewhere, even in marriage -- is revealed and then challenged in a story centered around Grace's new struggle with cancer.

The plot thickens with the mystery and depth of Grace's sickness. We learn about the fragility of a person who can't feel love and accepted because she can't love herself. And we are forced to consider how one's childhood family life and mother relationship affect her self-image, decision making, and abilities throughout life, even in abilities to mother her own child. As Grace's friends try to help her through illness they are forced to examine their own lives.

Published by New American Library (NAL), a division of Penguin Putnam Inc., The Matter of Grace has been named a NAL Accent novel -- a label awarded to new women's literature focused on "subjects close to a woman's heart, from friendship to family to finding our place in the world." NAL Accent novels include, at the close of each story, interviews with the author on what she hoped to convey through her writing and conversation guides intended to enrich the reading experience as well as encourage women to discuss issues together.

This book is written in a little bit different style than most of Hill's books. I enjoyed it tremendously. Miranda is an out-spoken and kind hearted woman who has been waiting for love it seems all her life. When she encounters a neighbor's son, he reminds her of his older half-brother, Alan. Because Miranda had loved Alan for years, she helps out his younger brother, especially since his father marries for the 3rd time!

Grace Livingston Hill is one of my guilty pleasures. Forgive me, but I find her to be one of the worst writers, ever and yet I am curiously drawn to her books. I have a rather large collection and am constantly looking to add to it.

Read Grace with an open mind. Read her biography and try to appreciate where she comes from. Ms. Hill is from not just an era gone by but possibly from one that never really existed. She wanted it to exist and I believe, was sincere in her attempts to convince us that it did.

She is deeply religious and devoted to reaching others with "the word." Women (the "good" ones, at least) were pure. The Men were "true blue." Children were "sweetly" innocent. Families were devoted. Christians were joyous.

Her style is amatuerish, at best. Her dialog is absurd. Her understanding of speech patterns is non-existant. Small children are heard to speak in her standard "childish lisp" ..."Oh, doody, doody,we do'in to da tountry" (read: Oh, goody,goody, we're going to the country). When you have read a few of her books, you start to see a pattern...all her plots contain the same eliments, she simply shifts which character gets to be which eliment. Situations which, experienced by a real human today, would call for no reaction at all, evoke a gripping fear and concern for the maintaining of propriety, of fearful proportion .

Through it all, I love her. I yearn for her innocence. I respect her decency. I crave her belief. I envy her peace

Moki is a girl who would rather be a boy than a girl. She wants to prove that girls can be just as good as boys. Even though her friends don't understand her, Moki has made up her mind, and nothing can stand in her way! I like this book for one reason. Moki is a courageous girl. I recommend this book for all ages. So get the book now, because this a book you cannot put down.

Moki is a girl who would rathe be a boy than a girl. She want's to prove that girls can be just as good as boys.Even though her friends don't understand her Moki has mad up her my ,and nothing can stand in her way! I like this book for one reason, and one reason only.Moki is a courgous girl. I recommend this book for all ages. So get the book now,and this is a book you can not put down.

While learning to read a child develops a concept of ten cents in every concievable fashion. All the while it entertains a child to the point of giggles.

My Kindergarten-aged son loves this book. He enjoyed seeing all the different pets that the monsters bought. He also got very good at figuring out how to make 10 cents from different combinations of coins.

Dolly Dingle is an adorable little girl. I love cuting out the costumes and dolls and playing with them. There are 14 different themes in this book that will allow you to use your imagination in many ways. I especially like Dolly's pet kitties and dogs. And Dolly Dingle even has her own paper dolls with their own clothing! I can't believe how inexpensive this book is and I can't wait to buy more Dolly Dingle books.

This is an adorable facsimilie book of paper dolls from the early 1900's printed on heavy card stock. These rosy-cheeked, cherubic dolls are similar in appearance to the Campbell Soup Kids, having the same artist. There are over 30 dolls with an abundance of clothing and costumes. The dress and costume designs are seperated into themes such as Dolly Dingle's Patriot Party, Fancy Dress, Flower Girl at Aunty's Wedding, Christmas Party During War-Time, A Thanksgiving Dinner, Washington's Birthday Party, etc. This book not only teaches something of our country's history but it also exercises fine motor skills in cutting and dressing. Best of all, though, it's just plain old-fashioned fun!

what an excellent book - 2

what an excellent book-two

If you are planning to live a long life or know someone who has, then this is the book for you. This author is what my mother would have called "feisty". She has some definite ideas about aging gracefully: "Aging sucks a lemon." The rest of the book is just as blunt. She advocates "aging with attitude." A survivor of 74 years, she has paid her dues and seen her share of sorrow: she has outlived her husband and an only son, has endured surgeries and other infirmities and indignities that come with advanced age. This book provides a thought-provoking look at aging in our society. Specifically, it calls attention to how we treat our elderly, something we should all think about; after all, people are living longer these days, and we'll most likely be elderly one day. The book is full of short entertaining snippets that can be read at one sitting or piecemeal, as time permits. A very engaging, witty, and truthful read that would make a good gift for anyone who plans to live a long life.

In Grace Lee's "On The Way to Over the Hill," she uses wisdom and witticisms to scale life's upward slopes. Whether gentle or steep, the journey through life's pathways provide Lee with the opportunity for humorous revelations. Lee takes a serious subject into the fun zone and her crisp style makes her book a joy to read. A series of short essays reveal how coping skills have much to do with attitude. This is a book that should be read before coming anywhere near the top of the hill because so much of how we handle the later part of our lives starts very early. As Lee suggests, attitude is a process that begins before reaching life's apexes. If frugal when young, for example, chances are you won't be an elderly spendthrift. However, the danger of frugality spilling over into cheap can lead to the deprivation of pleasures in later years. As Lee suggests, if we have to suffer the drawbacks, we may as well dip generously into a smorgasbord of treats. Rather than dwell on pitfalls, which she tackles with lighthearted aplomb, she points out the many perks you pick up along the way to over the hill. Yes, perks. For example, having more time to travel, to try new experiences, to make new friends, to be open to new ideas, to tackle new hobbies and generally to expand one's realm. Above all, to gain wisdom and joy along the way. For Lee, humor is a mainstay; the life force necessary for survival. It is especially evident when she reveals her own experiences with the aging process. It is the soothing balm easing the ascent, the descent and all the hills and valleys encountered along the way. I loved the book and keep it around for reference when I have my own experiences.

I have started reading the book for the second time , I couldn't put it down. The author really knows how to explain the bible in layman's terms. I am back online to find more books by Dewight Nelson.

if you are looking for a forever friendship with God, this book is a wonderful way to learn more about him... was it the same God who created this world and flushed it with flood? to know me is to love me....

The "Great Taste, Low Fat" series is fabulous -- this book as well as the two others I've purchased and dog-eared. The pasta dishes are excellent. The recipes are loaded with yummy, healthy, fresh ingredients. But the recipes are also very practical -- e.g., when a recipe calls for beans, it specifies the canned variety. Many recipes start with similar steps so that over time I've gotten better at cooking them. I'm really pleased with the series and plan to buy more.

I've bought many recipe books that just sit on the shelf, but this one I use! It has wonderful recipes with easy-to-find ingredients. I love the way it sits on the counter for quick reference while you are preparing your meal. And all pages are heavily coated cardboard so you can wipe them clean if they get splashed. I'm learning to cook vegetarian and there are many great meatless recipes too. It has all the basic pasta recipes and many more - I wouldn't be without it! Highly recommend! I'm going to order the rest in the fanfare series.