Every so often an author creates a book that propels one through time into a place where we can measure how far we have come and how arduous was the journey. Dr. Doumani has created such a work. Antarctica is a place as foreign to me as the moon or outer space, yet through skillful narrative with wholly human contacts and foibles, this geologist has given us all a vivid texture of a forbidden, wondrous continent. A place that I doubt I shall ever experience first hand but one which I feel has come to life through this book's fascinating story of early exploration. It is scientific without being burdensome, compelling without being pretentious, delightful and funny yet captivating in mystery and danger. Why do we want to have such a book by our side? As Dr. Doumani states: "One conquest was not enough. It never is. It is...a response to a challenge, a decisive test of man's endurance" which will always bind and attract us as long as our curiousity and love of life continue.

The Frigid Mistress is very well written, factually educational, and throroughly enjoyable. Dr. Doumani, a geologist of world repute and a veteran of several Antarctic expeditions, uses plain but powerful language to make the reader feel part of this remote and desolate corner of the world, so much so that I shivered as I read the book. Equally important, the visits to Antarctica delivered proof of many scientific facts which hitherto had been largely theories. For example, it was long suspected that the Southern Hemisphere continents had once been one large continent including Antarctica, and then, over geologic time, they broke up and drifted apart. Now there can be no doubt; it is a fact. This and many other discoveries described by Dr. Doumani provide scientific validations, and always in a fascinating way. For enjoyment, entertainment, and being eduated in the process, this licid, highly recommended reading deserves five stars--or more.

Everyone who has spent time in the field in the Antarctic will identify with this book--armchair explorers will find it intriguing. In this authentic account, Dr. Doumani gives readers more than a passing glimpse into the minds and hearts of those who know Antarctica. As part of the United States team of geophysical researchers during the International Geophysical Year in 1958, and several later expeditions, Dr. Doumani relates the day-to-day hardships as well as the triumphs that this inhospitable land can generate. He writes in a style that brings the reader along with him not as an observer only, but as a participant in his expeditions. He obviously kept a detailed diary and it is the foundation of the book, but the excellent writing recreates an authentic dialogue of events, description of people invloved, and account of exploration in the field that is personal and up close. Dr. Doumani is not out to created heroes of himself or others, but to describe the role that each person played in the drama--allowing all to emerge as heroes. In so doing he has developed a story that is engaging, personal and, above all readable. Several old polar hands from this era of exploration stated to me that they could not put the book down--it moved them, took them back to a time past, and refreshed their sense of having been "on the ice". There is no finer testament!

In Harlow, Alabama, fifty-eight years old internationally renowned artist Artie Sullivan dies from cancer. Her family comes to the small Gulf of Mexico town to pay their last respects. However, everyone is upset because Artie wanted to be cremated. Though abiding by her wishes, her relatives host a funeral for appearance sake.

Though accompanied by his spouse, Artie's twin brother Donnie and their younger sister Hektor are esepcially shook. They begin to ponder about their fractured childhood caused by their mother's affair with the neighbor and the early deaths of both their parents. Other darker memories surface as the surviving Sullivans struggle with the loss of one from their generation.

THIS ONE AND MAGIC LIFE is a lyrical yet metaphorical look at a Southern family at a time of grief. The well-written story line demonstrates Anne Carroll George's ability to provide a poetic glimpse into a homespun tale. Some readers may find the changes from first to third narration and the switching between the characters relating the tale distracting. However, that technique adds to the overall feel of individuals struggling to cope with long buried, semi-forgotten, but clearly ugly secrets. Ms. George is a poet disguised as a novelist.

Harriet Klausner

This is an elegant story, masterfully told as only Anne Carroll George could tell it. A Southern family is brought together by the death of one of their own--but this is not a story of death; it is a story of life, and of how one life can touch so many others. I highly recommend this book.

Like many readers, I have read several of the Southern Sisters mysteries, and was not sure what to expect with this novel. Each time I opened the book was like opening a lyrical gift. The story revolves around the life of a just-deceased artist, Artie, her survivors who have come to mourn her passing. The setting of a small Gulf of Mexico town is created perfectly. The characters have great depth. The plot tends to jump a bit in time (and space?), but in the end it lends credence to character development and plot. Interesting choice for title - quite suitable! What a beautiful line on p. 45, "But Donnie knew what he had seen, and the memory stayed with him all his life like a blessing." I believe this book will do the same for me.

This is an excellent historical novel about George Washington. The novel presents Washington through the eyes of many of the people who knew him, including his wife and his slaves as well as the other great men of the day. It is a good approach for describing a very complex man with many sides.

The book focuses primarily on Washington's life up until the time he became President. The book does cover his entire life, but his years as President are skimpy by comparison to the rest of his life. The author's interest is more on who Washington was as a man than on his public accomplishments. Focusing on his formative years provides more insight into his character.

Nevertheless, the novel demonstrates the truly great accomplishments Washington made to American history. Without Washington, we would not have won the Revolutionary War: he provided the military strategy, the determination, and the leadership needed to win. Without Washington, we would not have become a country: he provided the leadership the 13 colonies needed to come together as a union. Without Washington, we would not have become a democracy: he resisted efforts to anoint him king, and he voluntarily relinquished power--first as commanding general who won the War of Independence, and later as the nation's first President.

Washington was an admirable person, and deserves the adulation the nation gave him then and since. But of course he had his flaws, and Citizen Washington conveys them, particularly via the characters in the novel who did not idolize him. Such was Washington's force of personality, though, that even his detractors were in awe of him.

This novel is particularly valuable as an adjunct to a nonfiction account of Washington's life, the best of which is James Thomas Flexner's Washington: The Indispensable Man.

I love listening to books on tape, so I like to look for reviews by people who have LISTENED to the book on tape because it's a fundamentally different review than just the book itself. As far as the content of the book, you can review the other readers' reviews. This audiobook was top notch! Well written and read with great skill on tape. The reader has an excellent range of voices, accents, and dialects to use for each of the different characters in the book. It didn't matter if a couple of days passed in between listening to parts of the book. As soon as I pushed [play], I could tell which character was speaking based on the voice. I also liked that they played a short segment of music at the beginning and ending of each side of each tape so you could tell when the side was over - not a BIG deal, but a detail that shows how much effort the producers put into making this a good book on tape to listen to. It's a fascinating story of a very critical time in American history, and I would highly recommend the AUDIOBOOK (and I'm sure the non-abridged print version is of equally high standards).

Citizen Washington is not your typical historical novel. While it is held together by a single voice, it is broken up into many short perspectives that lend the story of George Washington a varied examination. At first I found this inconvenient, but once I got to know the people speaking, I welcomed them again and again as they returned to add their view of an event. The story is told without sentimentality or heroics. In fact, the battles fought (or retreated from) are described very simply and directly. It's been a long time since I studied American history, so it was refeshing to read how the Revolution was fought and won from a "novel" point of view. Citizen Washington is definitely worth a read. I found the Federalist vs. Republican debate especially helful, told, as it is, from characters near the debate.

Over the years, I have worked with dozens of small-to-midsize companies, all of which were in dire need of improving one or more of the following: cost reduction, culture change, customer retention, cycle-time reduction, defect reduction, market-share growth, productivity improvement, and product-service development. You can thus understand why I was curious to know to what extent (if any) Six Sigma could be helpful to small-to-midsize companies.

By now we have become well aware of the success of Six Sigma initiatives at major international corporations such as ABB, Allied Signal/Honeywell, Black & Decker, Dow Chemical, Dupont, Federal Express, General Electric, Johnson and Johnson, Kodak, Motorola, SONY, and Toshiba. Once having read this book, I am convinced that -- with certain modifications -- Six Sigma could perhaps be even more valuable to small-to-midsize companies which, obviously, have fewer resources. What exactly is Six Sigma? The authors provide this definition: "A comprehensive and flexible system for achieving, sustaining, and maximizing business success. Six Sigma is uniquely driven by close understanding of consumer needs, disciplined use of facts, data, and statistical analysis, and diligent attention to managing, improving, and reinventing business processes."

The authors identify what they call "hidden truths" about Six Sigma:

1. You can apply Six Sigma to many different business activities and challenges -- from strategic planning to operations to customer service -- and maximize the impact of your efforts.

2. The benefits of Six Sigma will be accessible whether you lead an entire organization or a department. Moreover, you'll be able to scale your efforts, from tackling specific problems to renewing the entire business.

3. You'll be prepared to achieve breakthroughs in these untapped gold mines of opportunity -- and to broaden Six Sigma beyond the realm of the engineering community.

4. You'll gain insights into how to strike the balance between push and pull -- accommodating people and demanding performance. That balance is where real sustained improvement is found. On either side -- being "too nice" or forcing people beyond their understanding and readiness -- lie merely short-term goals or no results at all.

5. The good news is, Six Sigma is a lot more fun than root canal. Seriously, the significant financial gains from Six Sigma may be exceeded in value by the intangible benefits. In fact, the changes in attitude and enthusiasm that come from improved processes and better-informed people are often easier to observe, and more emotionally rewarding than dollar savings.

The authors organize their material as follows: Part One: An Executive Summary of Six Sigma; Part Two: Gearing Up and Adapting Six Sigma to Your Organization; Part Three: Implementing Six Sigma -- The Roadmap and Tools; and finally, The Appendices: Practical Support. According to Jack Welch, "The best Six Sigma projects begin not inside the business but outside it, focused on answering the question -- how can we make the customer more competitive? What is critical to the customer's success?...One thing we have discovered with certainty is that anything we do that makes the customer more successful inevitably results in a financial return for us."

If anything, it is even more important for small-to-midsize companies (than it is for the GEs of the world) to answer these two questions correctly and then track and compare their performance in terms of what their customers require. The well-publicized objective of Six Sigma is to achieve practically-perfect quality of performance (ie 3.4 defects for every million activities or "opportunities") and this is indeed an ambitious objective. Collins and Porras, authors of Built to Last, would probably view it as the biggest of Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs). In that book, they assert that the most successful and admired companies have the ability -- and willingness -- to simultaneously adopt two seemingly contrary objectives at the same time. Stability and renewal, Big Picture and minute detail, creativity and rational analysis -- these forces, working together,, make organizations great. This "we can do it all" approach they call the "Genius of the And."

Pande, Neuman, and Cavanagh suggest that all manner of specific benefits can result from following "the Six Sigma way." For example, Six Sigma generates sustained success, sets a performance goal for everyone, enhances value to customers, accelerates the rate of improvement, promotes learning and "cross-pollination", and executes strategic change. All organizations (regardless of their size or nature) need to avoid or escape what the authors refer to as the "Tyranny of Or." Here in a single volume is about all they need to seek "practically-perfect quality of performance." Whether or not they ultimately reach that destination, their journey en route is certain to achieve improvement which would otherwise not be possible.

If you're looking for the definative guide to Six Sigma, you've just found it. From fundamentals to advanced program management, its all here. I first read Pande and Holpp's little 87-page book "What is Six Sigma." The impressive guide convinced me that I needed to pick up a copy of their "The Six Sigma Way." I'm really glad that I did. As a management consultant, I can say without reservation that the ideas expressed in this book are applicable to almost every manager -- regardless of whether or not they are currently involved in a formal Six Sigma program. In addition to enhancing quality, the Six Sigma framework is very useful in identifying and removing irrelevant processes from your product or service operations. Saving your Company both time and money... and freeing up your employees for more value-added work. In addition, I would also recommend Hammer and Champy's "Reengineering the Corporation" and Ashkenas, Kerr, and Ulrich's "The GE Work-Out." Overall Grade: B+/A.

I found the book to be clearly written and even fun in places. It provides a solid and practical overview of the principles of Six Sigma. It explains Six Sigma as a flexible system to help manage processes in companies. It addressed all the questions I had in trying to decide whether Six Sigma is appropriate for my company. It provides much practical and non-dogmatic advice about how to implement. I bought the book to prepare my self to fight against the six sigma way. After reading it, I am very enthusiatic and am planning to propose this approach for my company. I highly recommend the book for anyone needing an overview of the topic from a management perspective.

I am not much of a fan of vampire novels. I do not read Ann Rice or any other authors of the undead. I happened to get this book just so that I could close out my book club membership. It was quite a surprise that I liked this novel so much. I thought it was brilliantly written. The characters were extremely well defined. So much so, that I could so clearly see all of the characters and their actions and behaviors in my head. The author takes the stereotypic vampire, and puts a whole new set of clothes on him. I find it very unique how he placed vampires on the Mississippi river. The entire journey they had taken over the years. The rule of the bloodmaster, and the reason for why vampires are the way they are. A very good twist indeed to the old vampire myths. The author had me enthralled with every page I turned. The novel was so good that when I turned the last page, I wanted the story to continue. It was so excellently told. Rarely do I rate books as 5 stars unless they are so good that I'm replaying parts over and over again in my mind, and this novel does that for me. The last 100 pages I never wanted to stop, and got upset if I was so much as interrupted by anything. I liked it that much. If you get the chance to obtain this book, then I would say that you will not be disappointed, it is as good as all the reviews say that it is.

This unique novel is definitely one of the best I've ever read. It's a completely different take on the legend of vampires. Martin's vampires are not undead humans, but rather the remains of an ancient warrior species similar to, but, in some ways different from, man. His vampires don't sleep in coffins, nor are they vulnerable to things like garlic and holy water. They are, however, light sensitive, and, most importantly of all, they have a thirst for blood. It's the struggle of one of these vampires to lift the curse of that thirst that drives the story. "Fevre Dream", though, isn't really about vampires, it's about the struggle for acceptance, and, most of all, friendship. It's the friendship between the crusading vampire and an old Mississippi riverboat captain named Abner Marsh that is the center of this fast-moving tale. Martin creates a wonderful sense of atmosphere throughout, with his story racing through a background of life on the Mississippi river in the 19th Century. The author keeps us interested throughout with a series of twists and turns that throw our two friends together, tear them apart, then toss them together again as they join the struggle to end the thirst and bring vampires as much into the human world as possible. And, the last few pages are simply some of the most touching prose I've ever read. A super read. If you can get a copy, do so, though I'm certainly not giving up mine. Oh, and I e-mailed the author a few years ago to complement him on this work. I was shocked that he wrote me back and said that he's been considering a sequel to "Fevre Dream". We'll have to wait, though, as he mentioned that he would be tied up with a fantasy series, which turned out to be the excellent "Song Of Fire And Ice." We'll wait, George, and thanks.

There's nothing like overkill, but I have to join the other readers--Fevre Dream was a lot of fun and has many merits. I'm not a huge fan of vampire tales, but this book is so much more than that and about as far away from Anne Rice as one can get. (Incidently, I loved the first two in her series, but her style is very different. Whereas her books are homoerotic fantasy, Martin chose a much more realistic pathology for his "night people," who have more in common with us "cattle" than they care to admit.) Martin does such a sensational job of rendering the 1850s river trade that you can nearly feel the spray from the steamship paddles as you turn the pages. His characterizations are complete, and I was amused to find that the author looks exactly as I pictured Cap'n Abner Marsh, though I wouldn't go so far as to call him the "ugliest man" alive. Marsh is the kind of guy that you'd want on your side, and York has the kind of sketchy faith in his abilities that can drive you to distraction, even if you can relate. Sour Billy and Damon Julian are about as evil as you can get; their presence in a scene is almost a guarantee that your hair will stand on end. I very much liked how Martin raised social issues without letting them dominate the story. In addition to some truly horrific scenes, the best thing about this book is it's never predictable. Big fun. It is a great shame that it's out of print.

This book is not only beautifully written and perfect for all ages, "The Princess and the Goblin" is also morally strong and uplifting. Children of either sex will be interested in it, with a loving and beautiful grandmother, a strong and intelligent young girl, and a young boy who is intent on protecting his loved ones and uncovering the evil goblin plot. I have read this countless times, and each time I discover something new. The sequel, "The Princess and Curdie," is also worth reading. I love this book!

whenever I find a used copy of this or MacDonald's "The Princess and Curdie" I buy it and give it away. Both books are full of religious symbolism if you think about it, and old other-worldness if you don't. "The Princess and the Goblin" can be enjoyed by early elementary school children, while the language of "The Princess and Curdie" is more challenging and suited for 5th grade and up, though anything is possible with a bit of extra effort. Worth trying. George MacDonald (deceased) has a loyal following as do, of course, Tolkien and C.S.Lewis who were his friends. These are lovely books to read aloud.

So many fine reviews here already about MacDonald's powerful text (for children and adults). I would only add that this edition which includes 8 or 10 gentle and mysterious drawings (watercolors?) by Jessie Wilcox Smith portrays the fearful goblins (also Curdie, Irene, and her father, etc.) without weakening the strength of the tale or scaring the young reader. I purchased this book for an avid seven-year-old reader who loved the story and also commented on the "beautiful" pictures. The book is also good to read aloud to a number of children in a broad age range. My too-cool 11-year-old became mesmerized after the first chapter and found himself talking with his younger brother (!) about the story.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A CHRISTIAN WOMAN TO FIND THIS BOOK USEFUL. You just have to want God in your life and to put God first. I am so enthusiastic about this book that I am writing a review when I am only two-thirds of the way through. The principles that the author expounds are age old principles for walking with God, particularly if you are a Christian. Over the years I have heard them in church. However, here in this book, the points are pulled together in a clear and concise manner - easy to read; easy to understand.

Many writers these days create companion manuals for their work. This book deserves a companion manual - a workbook so to speak.

My one disagreement with the author is the idea of submission to one's husband. I agree that there must be mutual respect, love and honor between both parties, but for now I will have to take a rain check on the submission part. When one starts getting into submission, one gets too dangerously close to subverting one's identity to the will of another. This can lead to unhealthy consequences. Aside from this one disagreement, I LOVE THIS BOOK. I borrowed it from the library, and I will now go out and buy a copy which will be very marked, lined and highlighted. My copy will always be close at hand.

This book is full of biblical truth for women. This is a book every woman should read if they truly want to be transformed from the inside OUT. This book will encourage you and convict you to be the woman that God wants you to be. You will begin to see areas in your life that you may have not given over to God and will begin to let go and let God work in them. What a blessing this book was to me and my family!

I had been seeking God about being all that He wanted me to be. I had already begun to streamline a lot of areas of my life. Then I was blessed with Elizabeth's book and I have begun to apply a number of principles in the book. I love the practical questions that's like a Bible study guide. It has been truly been a blessing to me. As much as I go to the Christian bookstore, I had never seen A woman after God's Own Heart. Thank God Walmart now carries it and it just leaped off the shelf to me.

I've really worn it out. Thank God for you.

Hi! I've read Julie of the Wolves and Julie and I think they are the best books EVER! I've only read three of George's books: My Side of the Mountain(HIGHLY recomended), Julie of the Wolves(Excellent!), and Julie(Probably the best of all three!), but they are all cool, exciting and suberb. Now about Julie: A great book, very descriptive, and extremly captivartion. I'm ten years old. I took me three days to read, and I absolutley ADORED it! Miyax Kapugen Julie Edwards, a young eskimo girl(14) who has lived on the arctic tundra with her adoptive wolf pack for almost a year, must now return to her father. Her father has changed very mush from when she knew him: He had adopted the ways of the 49 southern states, had started using technology, and had married a gussak(American) wife. Julie also meets Peter, and Siberian eskimo who loves her. She thinks of school before him, but decides to marry him when she gets grown up. Julies wolf pack starts killing her fathr's oxen(there are no caribou to hunt) and her father attemps to kill them. CCan Julie save her wolf pack? Will her father ever re-accept the wolves? Read this AWSOME booi to find out!

"Julie" is a book about a young woman called Julie, who returns home from her life on the Tundra, with a pack of wolves as her family. Her father Kapugen has married an American woman named Ellen, who is pregnant. Julie arrives home to normal family life. She feels that she could accept the family life, if she hadn't known that her father had killed her wolf father. Julie can speak beautiful English, but she will not talk to Ellen, until she is sure she can accept Ellen into her life. Julie starts talking to Ellen, when they are in an ice shelter helping a Musk Oxen, give birth to her calf. Julie realises that Ellen is no longer an intruder in her family, and welcomes her.

Julie goes through many difficult situations in this story, like when she comes face to face with a wild bear. I enjoyed this book very much because, you have the feeling you were part of this book, and also the story. I thought Jean Craighead George made things very descriptive, like the ice on the Tundra, the soft fuzzy fur of the wolf pup, and the scurrying ground squirrels. This book shows the power between a father and his daughter, they love each other so much that they can read each others minds'.

This novel is for people who like a book with happiness, a bit of sadness, and the smallest bit of romance. It is also a book that has a lot of adventure.

This is a great book. But I liked the last one the best. I think Jean Craighead George, and Wendell Minor, are truly fantastic! If you haven't read this, and the other two books, you haven't experienced a true, good book. Jean captures the true wolf, the wolf society, and other very interesting facts of a wolf's life. Like, I never knew that wolves have leaders, or Alpha's. I never knew that if a "baby-sitter" wolf, narrowed their eyes, showed their teeth, and lifted their ears straight, a wolf pup would sit down. I never knew that if a hungry pup nudged a adult wolf that has just eaten on the muzzle, the adult wolf will regurgatate the food, or, throw up the half digested meat. I never knew wolves tell each other who's the boss by mouthing a wolf's nose. I never knew if a wolf is larger or taller than other wolf, than it has a good chance for being an alpha or beta. Untill I read Jean Craighead George's book, "Julie of the Wolves", "Julie", and "Julie's Wolf Pack".

Even if you're not a fan of singer Connie Francis, this is a hearwarming, romantic story of the strugles and triumphs that only love can edure and conquer.

It also shows how the power of song, sung by a power of a voice can influence our lives.

Reading you won't want to put down until the very last word. And then pick it up and read again!

I attended the book launch for With Love, With Connie.
The story intrigued me. Now that I have read the novel, I want to compliment George Henaut on his creative talents. I've had the characters and plot floating through my head since I began reading the romantic journey of Robert and Rachel. Of course, the songs of Connie Francis take on new meaning.I can understand why the last chapter was not entitled, "Who's Sorry Now?" The novel does a commendable job of revealing the influence that entertainers have on our lives.It has satire, wit, humour and suspense, and of course, romance.

I note that novel summary and comments about the author are not provided so I'll take this opportunity to provide both.

About the Book:

December 12, 1997 is an extraordinary day in Robert Mascaux's life, involving him in a family funeral, his second wedding and a birthday party for a celebrity.

This romantic novel begins with a flashback to 1959, in Northumbria, a coastal community in Nova Scotia. Robert, a high school student, resides at the Manor, a private nursing home owned by his parents, Bertha and Camille, immigrants from Belgium. Robert's home life is enriched by his 'foster grandparents', the Manor residents. When Robert becomes a member of a Connie Francis fan club, he begins a lengthy correspondence with Rachel Turner, the club's teenage president, who lives on an estate in Flanders Cove, Connecticut, with her reclusive, artistic aunts, fondly called 'the bouquet'.

The reader discovers the enduring power of love through the struggles and triumphs that Robert and Rachel encounter during their friendship, spanning 38 years. The novel depicts the influence that singers can have on their fans and also reveals parallels that can exist between the lives of singers and their admirers. The music of Connie Francis is the thread of continuity for the couple for whom fate, an international border, family responsibilities, and a sinister villain delayed their marriage until December 12, 1997.

George Henaut:

George R. Henaut has an abiding interest in language - its power and its beauty. His career as an educator provided many opportunities to enhance and share this passion with others. Since 1990 he has written, directed and produced ten dramas for audiences in his native Nova Scotia. His plays and short stories have been influenced not only by life on the Atlantic seaboard, but also by his Christian spirituality and appreciation of traditional family values. All of these influences have culminated in his first novel, With Love, With Connie, which also reveals his enduring appreciation of the music of Connie Francis. His greatest desire is to share this romantic, yet turbulent story of Robert and Rachel with others.