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Book reviews for "Barkdoll,_Robert_S." sorted by average review score:

Black Gold
Published in Library Binding by Bt Bound (1999)
Authors: Marguerite Henry and Robert Lougheed
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I LOVED IT!
This is a story about a small stallion named Black Gold. He may be small, but he isn't bad. This is a heart breaking story. The boldest words I remember are the end. Black Gold's leg snapped because of a hoof crack. The words that I will always remember is: "He finished the race with three legs and a heart" That had made me cry. People of all ages should enjoy this book. Take my advice and BUY THIS BOOK!

black gold is pure gold
A corny title, I know, but certainly true. I don't remember how many times I have read this book. It tells a story that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Henry is an excellent writer, able to make her readers feel the thoughts and emotions of the various characters (and the horses) that make up the book. Her descriptions and details will make you feel as if you are there. The story itself, although not always very fast-paced, is engaging and is only made more fascinating by the fact that it is true. To use another cliche, this book is certainly worth its weight in gold.

My only disappointment is with the other reviewers . . . please do not give away the ending of the book that you are reviewing. Most potential readers would rather find that out for themselves.

One of my favorite books!
This book is all about a courageous horse named Black Gold. This was a very good but sad story. The boy is devoted to his horse and cares very much for Black Gold's health-even more than the trainer. An accident happens to Black Gold that was expected because the trainer would not let Black Gold have surgery. This is an awesome book!


Come Away My Beloved Updated
Published in Paperback by Barbour & Co (2003)
Author: Frances J. Roberts
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A wonderful amazement of God's Love.
It will touch your heart, pierce your soul and correct wrong mindsets. It will make you weep Godly tears of joy. It will bring you closer to your Heavenly Father with words of wisdom and insight. A must for any Follower of Christ hungry for a deeper relationship with God. Ready for a touch of fire from the Holy Spirit? Then this book is for you. Read it often and always.

Not a book to be swallowed in one bite
Come Away My Beloved is more than a devotional. These are love letters from God. My son, 15, says, "Mom, this really encourages me in my life to live more for my Heavenly Father."

I read the Psalms to be encouraged...and now I also read Come Away My Beloved..it's food for my spirit!

Heavenly Perspectives
I have had this book for a long time now, but only recently started to discover what a gem I had. I found it, a good few years ago, among a pile of second hand books I was rummaging through. About 2 years ago I read one or two extracts and found it so comforting that I immediately passed it on to a friend! Two months ago it came back to me - unread! But what a blessing it has been.

I think the author is a lady, but I'm not sure. One thing that I am sure of though, is that it is authored by a saint. It is written, in the main, "as if" the Lord were speaking directly to Frances. She/he seems to be documenting the constant love and comfort, and also loving correction, that the Lord is pouring into her life. It is this heavenly perspective which interprets and redefines all that comes her way - the nominal church, the demands on time, the lures of the flesh etc. Superimposed upon all the manifold and varied revelations is one of a gracious, tender, loving and strong Father. The true Christian will immediately recognise that One to be his God.

Because all believers who truly long for closeness with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, share a similar pilgrimage, you will find, as you come to this book, prayerfully (or at times in utter spiritual bankruptcy), that again and again it will speak precisely to your condition. But don't make it your God - heed the warning given often in this book of finding God for yourself. Frances wants you to come to Jesus and hear what He has to say to you, in your circumstances and calling - and so does Jesus, I might add. But get a vision of love, sacrifice, discipleship and devotion here that has almost been lost in the polarising camps of the laid-back-Christian-seeker-friendly-entertainment cult and the over-doctrinal-classification-artistes, who want a revival of Puritanism in our day. Get to the marrow - you'll find plenty of that here.


Turning Hurts Into Halos
Published in Paperback by Thomas Nelson (09 May, 2000)
Author: Robert H. Schuller
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may be the best yet...
although "tough times never last..." is still my all time favorite book, this may be just as good as that one. Dr. Schuller has always been there for me, and this book shows he makes us stand up! look around, and say "GOD LOVES ME, AND WITH HIS HELP, ANYTHING IS POSSABLE!", A MUST READ!!!!!

God Bless You Dr Schuller
Dr Schuller has written a wonderful book about turning life's most negative experiences into something positive. This book has touched my heart and helped me in so many ways.

Absolutely Amazing Book.
Dr. Robert Schuller guides us once again to learn to live in the positive. It is a caring and well written book with stories that each and everyone of us can feel. We do know life has moments of pain and with this book we can come to understand how to turn the hurts into halos and scars into stars!!!!


The Dunwich Horror and Others
Published in Hardcover by Arkham House Pub (1985)
Authors: H. P. Lovecraft, S. T. Joshi, and Robert Bloch
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Lovecraft finds terror lurking in nightmare shadows.
Lovecraft's work does for the horror fiction tale what David Lynch's films do for cinema. It takes the genre into a stratum of the unconscious so abstract and frightening that one finds beauty in the macabre madness that exists there. "The Dunwich Horror and Others" is the ideal starting point for any Lovecraft neophyte. All of Lovecraft's most important and frightening short stories are found in their original forms in this beautiful Arkham House hardcover. There are a few omissions such as "The Lurking Fear" and "The Dreams in the Which House," but these stories and more are easy enough to locate in other Arkham House or Del Rey collections. To sit and read this volume cover to cover is to experience horror fiction at its most dismal and horrific. In "The Dunwich Horror," the reader visits the damned Whateley farm, where an extra-dimensional being has been summoned. In "The Colour Out of Space," a farm in Arkham, Ma. has been hit by a meteorite that carries with it a pestilence that drives the land and its inhabitants to madness and death. The maddeningly eerie "The Whisperer in Darkness" an isolated man describes his encounters with a malign alien colony that has taken residence near his home in backwater New England. "The Whisperer in Darkness" is one of Lovecraft's most potent tales due to the fact that it's narrative is largely drawn from letters, journal entries and even phonograph recordings of the extra-terrestrials themselves.

The Definitive Lovecraft - Best of the Best
In my humble opinion, there are two ways to read Lovecraft. The first, and best, is to get your hands on an original "Weird Tales" or other pulp. There is something about the musty smell that adds to the tale. For true connoisseurs, read them under the covers with a flashlight, late in the evening hours.

Realizing that original pulps may be prohibitively expensive, the Arkham House Editions are the next option. These hardback treasures are as much a part of Lovecraft's legacy as the stories themselves. Lovecraft would be all but forgotten if it were not for the small circle of friends who founded Arkham House, with the sole mission of keeping his writings in print. Arkham House is the definitive Lovecraft volume.

"The Dunwich Horror and Others" contains some of Lovecraft's finest (and most popular) stories. Here is that slippery tale of a town, an ocean, and an undiscovered heritage "The Shadow Over Innsmouth," the eerie and resounding "The Music of Erich Zann," the much-adapted and still classic "The Colour Out of Space," my personal favorite "The Rats in the Walls," the tile story "The Dunwich Horror" and many other chilling tales.

And let's not forget "The Call of Cthulhu."

The Best Arkham House Collection
This is the best Lovecraft edition for those who have been acquainted with Lovecraft and like his writings. Definately the best of the Arkham House collections and is the first of the Arkham House books to get. Probably not the best for those unfamiliar with Lovecraft just because of the cost.

This collection includes my favorite Lovecraft story "The Shadow Over Innsmouth", as well as the wonderful stories "The Call of Cthulhu" and "The Dunwich Horror". Some of the other better stories include "The Music of Erich Zann" and "Pickman's Model". Robert Bloch's introduction is a nice supplement to Lovecraft's writings. Highly recommended, but I also recommend buying additional Lovecraft because this collection does leave out some Lovecraft gems(i.e. "At the Mountains of Madness").


Frederica (Harlequin Promo)
Published in Paperback by Harlequin (2000)
Authors: Georgette Heyer and Nora Roberts
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Hooked on Heyer!
I've been a fan of Georgette Heyer's wonderful Regency Romances for 25 years. I've started reading her books when I was 13 and my library of Heyer books is one of my most cherished possessions. Her sparkling dialogue and wonderfully created characters come alive in every page of the book. Frederica has my all time favorite Heyer heroes - The Marquis of Alverstoke is a bored and pampered aristocrat who when he meets Frederica and falls in love with her, finds his humanity and a heart beneath his cold exterior. What's wonderful about this book how warmly Frederica's family is portrayed. This book is full of wonderful romance, humor, and heartwarming joy! If you read this you will become Hooked on Heyer forever...

One of the best Regency romances that exist
I really feel this book rates 6 stars.

Georgette Heyer researched her books in great detail and they are quite simply in a class of their own. Many people feel she invented the Regency Romance. The dialogue used is often from original sources, this book actually contains one of her very few historical mistakes, Soho in Birmingham not Soho in London is where the foundry was located. There are misunderstandings but ones that seem to occur quite naturally. In this book Felix Fredrica's schoolboy brother with a scientific bent questions practically everything and is quite central to the story. The character descriptions and dialog are excellent and all in all it is one of my favourite Georette Heyers.

From the dust cover of the Bodley Head edition...

Written in Georgette Heyer's lightest vein, this is the story of the adventures in Regency London of the Merriville family: Frederica, riding the whirlwind and directing the storm; Harry, rusticated from Oxford and embarking with enthusiasm on the more perilous amusements pursued by young gentlemen of ton; the divine Charis, too tender-hearted to discourage the advances of her numerous suitors; Jessamy, destined for the Church and wavering, in adolescent style, between excessive virtue and a natural exuberance of spirits; and Felix, a schoolboy with a passion for scientific experiment. In Frederica, Georgette Heyer created one of her most engaging heroines; and in the Marquis of Alverstoke - a bored cynic who becomes involved in all the imbroglios of a lively family -a hero whose sense of humour makes him an excellent foil for Frederica.

The creator of the Regency Romance Genre
I first stumbled upon a Georgette Heyer novel when I was 14 and for more than 30 years I have been an avid fan of her books. I got hooked on reading regency romance novels just because of Georgette Heyer books and NOTHING I have read until now (and I HAVE read a lot) compares to her original and sparkling romances. Her characters come alive on every page and there is no one who can write witty dialogue better. Frederica is one of my favorite Heyer heroines and this book has a really funny almost-proposal scene.


Past Through Tomorrow Future History Stories
Published in Hardcover by Putnam Pub Group (1967)
Author: Robert A. Heinlein
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An insightful collection of possibilities and yearnings
... and incredibly out of print. I found this book in a big pile of sci-fi books including Frank Herbert, Pohl, Asimov, etc. Together with it, there was Stranger in a Strange Land, and they were both the best in the pile :). My girlfriend was also a sci-fi fan: I got the 'Stranger' and she got the 'Past' in the idea that we'll share them. Unfortunately, when we separated I had read only half of the anthology. Since then, my first question to every clerk in every used book shop I enter is: "Do you have Heinlein's 'Past through Tomorrow?'"

It's a possible set of improbable future events from the perspective of a writer interested in equal measure in the well-being of the human society and in the development of the individual. It avoids paradoxes pragmatically, by applying them to themselves in amusing Turtle vs. Rabbit solutions; it's full of no-nonsense characters who are excellent role models and passive educators. Like most of Heinlein's work that I read, it's spanning the spectrum of emotions from hysterical laughter to the occasional tear. The technology depicted may get outdated, but the juice of humanity that Heinlein injected in all his work will always remain a wish and hope for the future.

It tied me to a chair in an office for the few precious hours before I had to return the book to my ex-girlfriend. I wonder why nobody reprints it: look at all the good marks it gets!!!

The definitive Heinlein - best explanation of his "world"
This actually was the first Heinlein book I read, recommended to my by a friend. After reading this outstanding "timeline" of his Future History, ranging from Time Line to Methuselah's Children, I was hooked! Since reading this book about ten years ago, I embarked on a quest to acquire all of Heinlein's fiction work. RAH is far and away my favorite author; a major regret in my life is that he died before I discovered his works. I think that after reading all of his books that I've found (I think I have them all), that this book is the best collection of his work ever done - much better than Expanded Universe. This book does a wonderful job outlining his Future History, especially if it contains the graphical timeline of the stories and how they fit into his "reality". If you read this book, all of the other books (except Stranger in a Strange Land, maybe) fit into the pattern and this explains and helps tie them all together. I read this book so many times over the last ten years that it has fallen apart! I am searching for a new copy to replace it. I DEFINITELY recommend this book!

This is a good book!
Robert Heinlein is best known for his novels like Starship Troopers, Stranger in a Strange Land, Friday, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, etc. I list of his great novels being too long to list here.

But he started out writing short stories in Astounding Science fiction (later to be renamed Analog) for John W. Campbell, Jr. This book contains what is called Heinleins Future History stories. Many of his novels fit into this future history as well. But it all began with the short story "Life-line", which was first published in 1939. Is it a great story? By itself, we probably wouldn't call it a great story. But it was the first by RAH.

Follow-up short stories like "The Roads Must Roll", "Blowups Happen", "Requium", "The Great Hills of Earth", "The menace from Earth" and "Methuselahs Children" are all also included here. All great short stories set in the Future History.

This book does have a little overlap with Heinlien's later Expanded Universe collection, but it isn't a lot. Both are worth reading, and re-reading.

Heinlein was made the first Grand Master of SF by the Science Fiction writers of America. An honor that this book shows him to be well deserving of.

Highly recommended book.


Lee: The Last Years
Published in Paperback by Houghton Mifflin Co (Pap) (1983)
Authors: Charles Brace Flood and Charles Bracelan Flood
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Very moving
I have a real passion for the American Civil War and, if truth be told, I usually enjoy reading about it from a Southern perspective. I am though no Robert E. Lee worshipper and can see the good and the bad in the man and the soldier. He was not the perfect general and he did make mistakes (some very costly) but he is a fascinating character and any understanding of him leads to an appreciation of duty and honour. In those respects he was a paragon of virtue.

I'd read so much about Lee during the war that I needed something more, to find out what happened to him after the war. Charles B. Flood provided that "something" and I am so happy that I decided to go for this purchase. It was a snap decision but one I shall never regret.

The first ten chapters of the book are worth the price of purchase on their own, dealing as they do with the surrender of the marvellous Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox and the subsequent weeks and months as Lee made his way back to Richmond and waited to see what fate awaited him at the hands of the victorious Union.

I don't believe Flood was laying it on too thickly but the devotion felt towards Lee by his old soldiers (Pickett excepted of course) and the civilian population of the South are incredible. The stories of soldiers coming to see him before they set off on foot to return home are just so moving and Lee will not say no to anybody who wishes to see him.

After those opening incredible chapters things slow down somewhat and we learn of Lee's transition into what could be called a 'normal' life which sees him take up the presidency of the Lexington College in Virginia. It's not rivetting stuff by any stretch of the imagination but it's interesting and we gain a greater insight into what drives Robert E. Lee... duty and honour. He could have cashed in on his name a thousand times to retire a wealthy man, but he would not sell out and knows that his example, a dutiful one, will be followed by so many former Confederates in those dark post-war days.

Lee also refuses to incriminate his former comrades when pressed to do so and it is a measure of his standing even in the North that no-one dares to bring charges against him, despite the clamour from some sections of society that he be tried for treason.

The picture that Flood paints of Lee is not always flattering though. He is shown to be a stubborn man in some respects and his family are always in awe of him, especially his daughters, of whom he is extremely possessive. So much so that all three will die spinsters!

One of the last things that Lee does before his death in 1870 is to go on a short trip into the deep south and that again provides an incredible picture of his standing in the old Confedracy. Though he craves privacy word gets out that he is on a train and telegrams break the news ahead of his journey. Consequently, thousands turn up just to get a glimpse of him, with old soldiers bringing their children (man of who have been named after Lee). It is a very moving account of just how deeply his people felt for him.

My only complaint is that I would have liked just a little more reaction to lee's death around the South. How did the people react? What did the papers say? That sort of thing. An omission that could easily have been avoided in my opinion.

All in all though a hearty well done to Charles B. Flood for an excellent biography of Lee's last years. If my review sounds a little soppy then believe me, the book isn't. It is a solid, fair and well constructed picture of the last years of Robert E. Lee's life. It may move you in ways you weren't expecting though!

A passionate story of the last years of our greatest hero..
This was a passionate story of the last five years of the life of one of our greatest American heroes. Finally, we have a look at what Lee accomplished AFTER the war! From the first chapter to the end, I was enthralled with the story of Lee's dedication to God and country. The author used interesting stories to detail Lee's character which made the book easy to read and immensely enjoyable. I judge this to be one of the very best biographies I've ever read.

An Officer and a Gentleman
This book shows a side of Robert E. Lee that seems to have been lost in the history books. After the end of the Civil War, we hear little or nothing about General Lee. In truth, he died five years after the war ended, but he made the most of that time in trying to repair the damage done by the war. This book is an excellent chronicle of those years.

Lee lost most of his property during the war. He was a career soldier, and didn't have many prospects for employment. He hoped to move onto a farm and to live quietly in the country.

However, other plans were being made for him. The trustees of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, voted unanimously to offer him a job as president of the college. Lee was not a professional educator (although he had served as superintendent of West Point), but the trustees believed that his leadership and integrity were just what the college needed to survive the harsh economy left by the war. For his part, Lee saw this as an opportunity to help young Southern men to become productive citizens.

The college's wager paid off. Enrollment grew each year that Lee spent at the helm. The college developed new programs, and Lee's stature and good reputation were such that Washington College received large donations from philanthropists, even in the Northern states. Lee took a personal interest in the students, learning to address them by name and taking responsibility for disciplinary measures.

Yet Lee's last five years were not years of unabated bliss. His health declined steadily, his wife was an invalid, his brother died, and his reputation suffered from some unjust attacks in Northern newspapers. Throughout it all, Lee held his head high and maintained his dignity, his character, and his principles.

Lee put much effort into healing the wounds left by the war. He appreciated the esteem in which he was held by his fellow Southerners, but he encouraged them to be loyal citizens of the United States of America. He never said a word against General U.S. Grant, and even rebuked an employee of Washington College who did. One of the most fascinating (and mysterious) episodes in the book is Lee's trip to Washington, D.C., to visit President Grant in the White House. No one else was present for the meeting, and so no one really knows what they discussed.

The book ends abruptly with an account of Lee's death, without going reporting on his funeral and his family's life without him. Even so, this book makes great reading and has fascinating insights into the private life of an American icon.


General Care and Maintenance of Bearded Dragons (The Herpetocultural Library Series)
Published in Paperback by Advanced Vivarium Systems (1997)
Authors: Philippe De Vosjoli, Robert Mailloux, and Philippe de Vosjoli
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Response to "A Reader From Sweden"
what do you expect...this book was written by a man who breeds bearded dragons and it is a book about bearded dragons. It is a wonderful book and tells you everything you need to know about keeping a bearded dragon whether you are breeding them or not. I personally own a 1 year old dragon, and this has been like the bible to me. Whenever something is wrong i consult this book and it will always have the answer you need. All the other books are written by herpotologists who have never actually owned, bred, or loved a bearded dragon. This book is amazingly helpful and comes from a person who knows what he is doing. I would recommend it to anyone who is planning on owning and loving a bearded dragon.

An Oldie but a Goodie!
Given the expertise and knowledge of the authors, it should come as no surprise that this book has been the herpetological equivalent of the bible for Bearded Dragon owners since its original publication.

Even though some of the information (especially on diet and temperature) is a little outdated, it still holds its own in the market and once you buy a copy you will find yourself referring to it again and again (my own copy is very dog-eared!)

The current version has been updated to include extra photographs and if you have, or are thinking of getting a Bearded Dragon, the frist thing you should do is buy this book and then read it several times.

Bill Mears. BorderView Bearded Dragons, Canada

I LOVE THIS BOOK
I bought this book when my parents bought me a baby bearded dragon. this has everything you need to know about raising dragons. it tells you all the feeding instructions and it also has an extensive list of diseases and ailments and there respective symptoms. it tells you all about how to create a good terrarium. it also has information on breeding and overall care of the dragons. this is an amazing book and i would recommend it to anyone that is looking to buy a bearded dragon.


L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future
Published in Paperback by Bridge Publications (1985)
Authors: L. Ron Hubbard, Robert Silverberg, Algis Budrys, and Dave Wolverton
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Jayme Blaschke is sure to be the next big name in sci-fi
Jayme Blaschke's short story Cyclops in B Minor, appearing in this 1998 edition, is probably one of the best modern fantasy stories I've ever read. This book is a collection of very talented young writers. Get this book for a sneak peak at the future of the genre.

Wonderful stories from up and coming scifi writers!
I love short story anthologies and this is a book packed with good stories. from "Blade of the Bunny" to a thought provoking "The Price of Tea in China" every story is a must read. The tales are mixed with thoughtful tips and hints for new writers and the whole book makes a worthwhile text for anyone trying their hand at writing.

This book delivers the best of new writers.
Okay, I admit I'm biased, since my story "Cyclops In B Minor" is one of the stories contained in this volume. But you're not likely to find a more enjoyable anthology this year. This one's got everything: Hard SF, Urban Fantasy, Space Opera... It just doesn't get any better.


The Secret of Santa Vittoria
Published in Hardcover by Simon & Schuster (1972)
Author: Robert Crichton
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The Secret of Santa Vittoria
I bought this book on a pavement in Bombay and have read it a dozen times since. Santa Vittoria, a small hill town in Italy, struggles to hide their most precious possession from the occupying Germans, a million bottles of fat black wine. Consequently, in the struggle between the methodical, self procalimed 'superior-raced' Germans and the uncouth, seemingly naive but clever Italians, the latter manage to hide the wine and keep it too. The Nazi captain Von Prum tries to find the hidden wine till the last day of his departure from the little town, but the secret lies safely in the hearts of the people, for whom wine is their life and blood. A cleverly written book, with subtle humour and insights into workings of an Italian mind, The Secret of SV makes one wonder why it isn't in the list of the so-called "popular, best read" lists.

A Great (lost?) Treasure
I simply echo the others - read this book - it is wonderful.
It's full of the drama and comedy of life, like a fine play. Yes - the characters can be seen as stereotypes, but more often they evolve into a rich complexity, as their lives and ideals clash. Their close comunity and common dangers propel them through a suspensefull and wryly narrated struggle. Like Steinbeck, Crichton crafts the events of a time to work changes on people and force out their best, and so the tale inspires. I read it years ago, and reread it, and then gave it away. Now I have regained it (used), and find myself again rereading it. Why in heaven's name is this book out of print?

Colorful characters, wonderful story
Beautifully written characters populate this wonderfully crafted story of a tiny Italian town's struggle to protect its lifeblood (both spiritually and financially) from an occupying German force during WWII. The crux of the plot is an amusing battle of wits, philosophies and endurance between the town's bumbling mayor, Bombolini, and the staid German Captain, Von Prum. Guiding each man's actions and outlook are the teachings of Machiavelli and Nietzsche, which makes for an "interesting" coupling. The story showcases the heart and humor of the Santa Vittorians, who are much more than what they seem. Eight years after first reading it on the recommendation of my 12th grade Philosophy teacher, I picked it up to enjoy the story all over again.


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