What a terrific group of people to "meet" and easily get to know. This story takes place in the row houses in Little Itlay in NY. The author does a great job of making the reader feel like part of the "family" of neighbors and tight-knit family. Reading this book was like sitting on the front stoop with these characters catching up on the neighborhood gossip. There are the old world Italians that are actually from Italy and this particular group stick with old customs and beliefs and don't wander to far from Little Italy. Then there are the young, new Italians born in Little Italy but tend to wander out of the neighborhood and meet new friends not from Little Italy or even Italian. We get to meet the overbearing, Italian mother of a son who has a hard time being independent or even wanting to be independent. This story made me laugh at times. I wouldn't call this a comedy, I'd call this a look at a different ethnic culture but also being able to recognize someone familiar. This was an excellent book and story with a lot of people to enjoy. A fun education of "the old ways".

I loved this book. I read it during a 20-hour bus ride, keeping my above-the-seat light on well into the night. Not so much to see what would happen (although you really don't know that until the last pages); more because I just wasn't ready to say good-night to the characters. This is the best part: Unlike many books I read, the ending was just as good as the beginning. I'll read more of her books.

"The Black Madonna" is loaded with stereotypes -- the overbearing Italian mama, the rich Jewish family; however, this book is so hysterical that political correctness must, thank God, go by the wayside. Filled with scenes of life in tenement housing in "the old neighborhood," Louisa Ermelino has written great atmosphere with colorful, memorable characters. There is no deep plot, just a delightful splash of life, love, religion, friendship, and aging.

This is a wonderfully informative book on travel writing. I recommend it to anyone in the travel writing field, whether just beginning or well-seasoned. The journal-writing suggestions will improve your ability to enjoy and capture the essence of a destination, while making notes to include in your travel stories. The photographic suggests bring an added depth to the travel writing profession.

This is an excellent book for writers and travelers. There is general information of what to bring, what to wear, and how to mix with the locals for a pleasurable experience. It's just about the best travel writing book I've read.

This is the book that I recommend to all my travel writing students. O'Neil has an excellent way of explaining things that's clear and very descriptive. I still use her tips to help me be a better travel writer.

"Dip into the animated pages of the well-known travel authors -- Freya Stark, Peter Fleming, Robert Byron, Kate Simon, Paul Theroux, Jan Morris -- and you'll find that their pieces are more than personal experience essays," O'Neil advises. "Necessary information is carried within the prose seamlessly, so that the reader learns many of the practical facts through the author's personal descriptions. Their writing is of a piece, knit together, finished."

And so is this book, full of wisdom from how to get started and how a travel writer travels to keeping the journal to making it sing. It's filled with inspirational exercises and plenty of finely tuned examples that show how it's done. A real find.

I truly enjoyed this book. Even though I'm not Italian, I could appreciate the sense of sisterhood between the sisters. Read this book, you'll enjoy it!

The Sisters Mallone is simply one of the finest novels to appear in the last few years.

It is the story of three sisters and their grandmother as they deploy all their cleverness, determination, loyalty and love to find their way in the harsh and complicated world of New York of the 30's-50's. Their lives are woven into a tapestry of old Italian and Irish neighborhoods, glamorous nightclubs, gangland politics, the Catholic Church, easy money and hard labor.

The characters, their milieu and their stories are all rendered with great economy, wit and insight. Ermelio's prose sparkles and the books moves without any misstep. It is, as they say, impossible to put down.

The Sisters Mallone is wonderful in every way and certainly transcends any genre niche.

This takes care of Christmas presents this year.

This is a book about the ties of sisterhood. Mary, Helen and Gracie are completely different yet are bound together as sisters. They are tough and clever. When Gracie's husband is found to be a real loser, Mary and Helen put their heads together to teach him a lesson. I love these characters. The book is well written....I felt like I could have been one of the Mallone sisters.

This book was an unexpected pleasure to read. It is filled with interesting and enlightening stories that surprise and entertain you. It left me with a good feeling and I'd highly recommend it to anyone.

I was amazed and pleased that this was a metaphsyical authored book which did not expect me to change my way of life-I could identify with many of the experiences written and mostly enjoyed the narrators style of writing. There is something new under the (New Age) sun! thanks to the Clerici's -Louisa & Rick

In the style of the Seth material, channeled information is woven with the authors' own experiences, in a mutually creative interplay that impacts mind, heart and soul. A consciousness-altering exploration of the nature of time which challenges readers to expand their view of reality and their place in it. They may even feel they have been stalked in the style of Casteneda, set up for a jolt to their awareness.

THIS IS A TOUCHING AND SENSITIVE PORTRAYAL OF THE LIVES OF FOUR YOUNG GIRLS LIVING WITH THEIR MOTHER WHEN THEIR FATHER GOES TO WAR.IT TAKES PLACE DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR AND IS A HEART WARMING EXPERIENCE. DESPITE ALL THE STUGGLES THE MARCH FAMILY HAS TO BYPASS TO MAKE ENDS MEET,THEY SHOW NOTHING BUT ENDURING COMPASSION FOR ONE ANOTHER AND THIS DISPLAYS AN IDEAL FAMILY. THIS IS AN UNFORGETTABLE STORY THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER ANY BETTER.IT IS TRULY INSPIRATIONAL AND WILL STAY WITH ME FOR LIFE. NO MATTER WHAT IS TAKEN FROM ME, MY MEMORY WILL ALWAYS REMAIN AND SO WILL MY HEART.

LITTLE WOMEN was absolutely wonderful! I would suggest it to anyone.

Little Women is a long book, throughly describing the March sisters' life during the Civil War. Louisa May Alcott has an excellent way of bringing the girls' real personalities to life, even 130 years later!!!! Little Women is a riveting book that propels the reader back in time to the Victorian era with its anti-woman tendencies. Even at the ripe old age of 11 or 12, this book will never leave you. Take my advice: man or woman, boy or girl, this should be one book you read in your lifetime.

I have just finished reading Louisa Elliott and Mornings Gate for the second time (within a period of 3 years). Mornings Gate is the continuation of the story about the Elliott family, with the children growing up, maturing and going into war. Each time I did not want the story to end. I love the Elliott family and especially Liam. The love story of Liam and Georgina was beautiful, and Ms. Robert's description of the battlefields and fighting in "the war to end all wars," World War I, was so real, it could be happening now.

These books were very powerful and real to me. I am filled with sadness that there is no more to tell about this family -- unless the modern-day romance of Zoe and Stephen and their search of their Elliott family roots could develop into another book!

I read both Louisa Elliott and Mornings Gate, the sequal and just loved them both! The dual time line in Mornings Gate was done in such a way, that you just wanted to cry when the time line shifted. Then, you get so engrossed in the other time line, you have to cry again when that ends. I loved Liam, and almost burned our Thanksgiving turkey in the oven: I was too upset and involved in the story! Both are fantastic reads, and MUST reading!

This has got to be one of my favorite books of all time! A great deal is set in York, England (love that city!) and Ms. Roberts' excellent descriptions can make you see what it must have been like in the 19th century. Her characters come to life! By the time you've finished the book, you feel like you've made new friends!

This sequel to "Eight Cousins" is one of Louisa May Alcott's masterpieces. I loved it as a girl, I loved it as a teenager, and I love it now. Even though it was written in Victorian times, it has a truth and honesty to it that survives into today--and the problems that Rose encounters as a young woman will be familiar to any modern reader.

Why are women fascinated by--and drawn to--the bad boys of this world? That question did not originate with James Dean or "The Leader of the Pack." It is very much alive in this book, as Rose returns from Europe to find her eight cousins very much grown up--and very, very interesting. In particular, her wild and handsome cousin Charlie, now grown into a wild and handsome man, captures Rose's heart. But Charlie is on a dangerous path to alcoholism and self-destruction. Will Rose see this in time, and will she turn to the man who really loves her with all his heart and soul? And what of her dear friend Phoebe, whose ethnic background might keep her from the man she loves?

Sounds like a 2002 soap opera. But it isn't--and it is written with such depth, such love, and such talent that it has survived over a century. Alcott was so much more than "Little Women" and this book, among others, proves it.

For all those who thought that Rose's story ended with Eight Cousins here is the truth about what happened to these beloved characters.

The innocence found in the first book is slowly lifted here as Rose enters into the real world after her return from Europe. All but one of the characters from the first book make a return in this charming sequel.

The cousins are older as well and have found love. The heartwarming challeneges these lovers go through are refreshing in their innocence. Even Jamie is not immune to the talk of love and his innocene candor on the matter is very amusing.

Rose In Bloom answers many questions one has at the end of cousins. Yet like any fan will know not everyone can be happy with all the outcomes of the sequel.

A great book for fans of Eight Cousins.

Growing up as a classic bookworm, my two favorite literary friends were Anne Shirley and Rose Campbell. While I also read the Little Women Series (how could I not?) Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom struck a chord in me that Jo and her sisters did not (except maybe in Little Men.) These were the books that I read and re-read, and since I never owned Rose in Bloom, I doubt that anyone else in town had a chance to read it in between times that I had it checked out of the library. In fact, the books engaged me emotionally to such a degree that I found I had to put Rose in Bloom down for a while mid-book because one incident upset me so, which is something that I rarely do. If you are looking for the kind of book that you will get good use out of for many years, this is it.

I love Gayle's in Capitola -- all the pastries taste exactly like those from your fondest childhood memories. In the past few months I've made several cakes from Gayle Ortiz' cookbook, and each one tastes just like Gayle's! Even somewhat complicated recipes are broken down into manageable components with easy-to-follow, detailed instructions. I have an embarrassment of cookbooks and baking manuals from four generations of avid bakers, and Gayle's combines the best qualities of all of them. As evidenced by another reviewer's comments, the inherent subjectivity of baking renders no cookbook foolproof. (I've made the pastry cream according to the directions several times, with no problems.) However, this cookbook is nearly foolproof -- my self-proclaimed "not-a-baker" boyfriend & his three children made the carrot cake for my birthday with no assistance, and it was wonderful -- just like Gayle's! (The one error I've found is that recipe's baking time seemed to be incorrect -- 30 minutes instead of the 50-60 mine needed to bake).

WHAT A SUPERB BOOK - PACKED WITH INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS RECIPES THAT MOST CHEFS WOULD NEVER SHARE WITH YOU. THANKS TO THE AUTHORS FOR SHARING MANY OF THEIR MOST WONDERFUL SECRETS AND HINTS - SO HELPFUL FOR ALL THE BAKERS (NEW AND EXPERIENCED). IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU COULD NEVER MAKE A PERFECT PIE CRUST, BUY THIS BOOK!!!! YOU WILL FIND ALL KINDS OF PASTRIES, SUCH AS RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE ALMOND DANISH, SUGARLESS RASPBERRY OATMEAL BARS, MOLASSES COOKIES, WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES, TIRAMISU, PECAN TASSIES, CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE, BEAR CLAWS, CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS, KEY LIME PIE, SOURDOUGH PANNETTONE, AND EVEN THE MOST WONDERFUL BUTTERFLAKE ROLLS. DO I NEED TO SAY MORE? I HAVE USED AT LEAST TEN RECIPES FROM THE BOOK AND EACH ONE OF THEM CAME OUT PERFECT AND EVERYONE KEEPS ASKING ME FOR THE RECIPES. THE BOOK HAS THE BEST BAKING TIPS YOU WILL FIND ANYWHERE. AND MUCH MORE!!! I AM NOW ON MY WAY TO BAKE A DAIQUIRI CHEESECAKE FOR TOMORROW PARTY. ENJOY!

This book come with a delicious assortment of recipes: poppyseed cake with raspberry whipped cream frosting, crocodiles (a tasty-sounding puff pastry made with nuts and brown sugar), banana split cake (banana cake layers filled with strawberry whipped cream and chocolate ganache), fresh fruit tartes, chocolate mousse cake, as well as croissants, muffins, cookies, and some savory items (such as a mushroom turnover with cream cheese pastry) as well.

My results, however, have been below expectations. The pastry cream was very thick (due to a lot of cornstarch) and not as flavorful as the pastry cream in "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook"; also, the crust for the fruit tart needed to be baked a lot longer than the 20 minutes called for.

More recently, I made the Florentine cookies and the results were horrendous! Gayle has you cook the cookie mixture way too long so that the cookies will not spread in the oven. After throwing the dough away, I found a Florentine recipe in my Fannie Farmer Baking Book and the cookies turned out excellent (cooking times were very different from Gayle's).

I love all Louisa May Alcott's books. I already read Little Women, Little Men, Jo's boys and I mean to read all the other books by Louisa May Alcott. Her books are so charming. An Old Fashioned Girl is about this girl named Polly who gives joy to everybody around her. She is so sensible and hopeful. It seems like the sun is fallowing her wherever she goes. Wherever she goes, she brightens up the place and brings joy, hope and love to everyone. I love Polly for it and I would like to be like her. Everybody knows Little Women, but not many people know Polly. But I think An Old Fashioned Girl is just as good and will bring happiness to everyone who reads it. I would recommend this book to every girls.

I am 18 and have read this book at least 30 times. Its simplicity and reality seem to reach into my soul and I seem to have found a "kindred spirit" in the heroine. No other fictitious character has ever moved me as has Polly, an old-fashioned girl. A country girl named Polly is visiting city friends and comes to realize that this world is quite different than which she has left. Here people are judged according to their dress and manner of speech rather than for their honesty and hardwork. Yet all who meet Polly cannot help but be enamored of her; her sweet simplicity is unlike any that they have ever seen, and soon everyone comes to realize that Polly is not someone to be laughed at and ridiculed, but someone to put upon a pedistal for failing to become willing prey to the cynicism of the times. Polly is the most understanding and genuine character I have ever read about. Her love for others and her unwillingness to lower her standards and morals for popularity are an inspiration to people of all ages and prove that nothing is wrong with being "an old fashioned girl."

For all the fans of Louisa May Alcott and her works, and also others as well, this book is a story that would spark your interest. Here, Ms. Alcott keeps the humor, friendship, morals, and the realistic personality of her characters going, like her other novels. The story starts as 14 year-old Polly Milton, a good natured country girl, comes to stay a month at her friend's house. But she soon comes to realize that Fanny Shaw, her friend, acts and dresses like a young lady, compared to her simple old-fashioned ways. Tom, Fanny's brother keeps most of the boyish humor in the book, mischievous, cunning, but good hearted, he feels that he is rather neglected in the family. Polly with her innocent ways, changes the relationship of the family by and by, with plenty of touching parts, and humourous pranks along the way, and through out the book, and becomes precious to the Shaw family, while dealing with her own troubles. Six years after Polly's first visit, Fanny, Tom and herself are grown to be young adults, and finds them selves dealing with tragety, but also love. And all deal with decisions, and hard troubles, while the friends' relationship gets closer as Polly's good and old-fashioned ways gets them through their troubles, and towards the happy end. A wonderful book, truly showing that glamour, fashion, gossip, or anything of that sort does not matter much, but true and an innocent heart is important in life. Happy reading, God Bless.

I purchased this book because my younger child is exhibiting signs of having reading difficulty in the future. In contrast, my older child learned to read on her own prior to entering school. From my own experience I realize that there is a wide variation in what children need in school. My easy reader would have found a "face the teacher and practice the sound" program exceptionally boring. I selected this particular book because I wanted "straight talk" on how a school could teach these two, very different, kids. Instead of the "straight talk" I wanted got a very biased presentation. For example, the child that gets phonics is "beaming with success." Secondly, the "researcher" reports the test scores that occur during "whole language" teaching but does not compare it to the scores that occurred during phonics periods. In addition, they do not identify the lag between when a child is taught to read and when they are tested. Thirdly, they should be more clear about why these shifts have taken place. My friends 2nd grader knows phonics well but cannot read because he cannot put it together in context. What happened to those kids in a highly phonics based program. Did they all "beam with success?" Lastly, a credible researcher provides a balanced report that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches. This book reports phonics as strong and whole language as weak. So, if you want "straight talk" on why phonics is the only way then this is a book for you. I you want to find a balance that will work for many different kids, then keep looking.

This book was truly spectacular if you are interested in really understanding how kids learn to read and what you can do to help! I learned so much from this book, if I had the money, I would buy a ton of them and give them out to anyone who has kids, will have kids, or works with kids.

This book does an amazing job of developmentally (Pre-K through grade 3) describing the skills kids need to acquire in order to read. It fairly reviews the current debate on how kids need to be taught reading, what parents can do (tons of specific age appropriate activities & lists of good books based on reading level), and it describes the research based warning signs for a child who is at risk for reading difficulties.

I am a teacher of children with mild to moderate specific learning disabilities who went through the teacher education program at Ashland University in Ohio. Like countless other teacher education programs, ours stressed only a "whole-language" model of instruction, to the exclusion of all others, especially those that stress explicit phonics instruction.

I bought this book at a symposium given by the International Dyslexia Association, and I am so thankful that I did. As a parent of elementary school-age children I needed to know the things in this book. Specifically...

*Why a book like this is necessary in the first place.

*What is this "great debate" that reading teachers, and educators keep talking about?

*How do children learn to read? Amazingly, this is not taught in many teacher education programs. Why? Because almost all of the research ever done on the issue, any research worth its weight in cotton candy points to the explicit teaching of phonics to be the way that most children learn to read. As the authors so beautifully, and succinctly point out "The English written code is a sound symbol code, not a word symbol code. That is the game."

Parents of school-age children especially need to carefully read this book. Although I myself am a teacher, I believe in a "parent as consumer" focus in education, and, given this, caveat emptor! Parents need to know what they are getting in return for their hard earned tax dollars.

Please email me if you would like to continue this discussion.