John Dennis Fitzgerald intended to chronicle his youth in Utah for adults, not children. His publisher thought otherwise and the result are these gems. I don't even call them children's lit gems because I find them just as enjoyable as an adult. Before I go on, you should know that Fitzgerald wrote one book about his youth that is for adults, called "Papa Married a Mormon". It is one of the most amazing books on the American west that I have ever read. Sadly, it is out of print, and you may, like me, have to pay an exorbitant sum to get a copy. Trust me, save up and do it. Now back to this book. Every single Great Brain book in the series is pure gold, and the entire set can be had cheaply, so I say buy them all at once. I "put my money where my mouth is" as Tom the Great Brain would say, and bought the lot.

The Great Brain #7 was, at the time, a great way to end a series, with Tom not doing any big swindles, but instead going out rather quietly; he had grown up by that point. Of course, I say "at the time", because John Fitzgerald had decided a decade later to start work on what was to be the last of the series. Number 7 wasn't as humorous or adventurous as the other six, but it still makes for a good read.

I think this a great book. It is about a boy named Tom that everyone called the great brain. He was very smart and liked to outsmart other people, but only if he got money for doing it. He could outsmart every kid in town and most adults. The Great Brain wasn't very likable--he took people's things, especially money, and he made fools of people. But what he did was entertaining. He put his great brain to work on how to swindle someone to get what he wanted. What motivated him to do this was his money loving heart. In this book he is involved in the buried treasure swindle, the horse race, and the chute the chute (a thrill ride). In all of those he gets money. I really think you should read his book because the characters each have an interesting, believable personality, The swindles he pulls off are fun to read about, and it is a really funny book.

John D. Fitzgerald, in the tradition of Mark Twain, wrote a semi-fictitious account of his childhood as a Mormon in Utah. The milieu and time for "The Great Brain" series is a Victorian, early 1900's era, making the stories more in the lines of Tom Sawyer and Huck Fynn. But that does not belittle this timeless classic written in the 70's. The Great Brain is in fact an interesting character to follow. The stories are told from the point of view of his younger brother, as he follows him through many schemes (all of which are money scams) and escapades, which somehow wind down to moral lessons. The Great Brain is a humorous, brilliant and witty work of historic fiction that is sure to touch every reader in some way. I first read the series as a young child myself, growing up in much the same way The Great Brain does- a strict religious family that promotes hard work and academic education. These stories are hard to find nowadays, Victorian morales having slipped away somehow in our modern day. I am glad to know that Amazon.com still has these great books and I recommend them to everyone, young and old. For me, reading the novels was a form of escape, as well as an insightful glimpse of a time that was far more innocent than our own- the violent gangs of today and MTV, Britney Spears, Joy of Pepsi, Ossie Osbourne generation compare nothing to the rebelliousnes of the Great Brain. All of the books are enjoyable, and it is not until the last book in the series, "The Great Brain Reforms" (the name says it all) that we discover the startling growth and changes the punky, swindling, intelligent adult-trapped in the body of a child Great Brain undergoes. A Must Read.

John Dennis Fitzgerald intended to chronicle his youth in Utah for adults, not children. His publisher thought otherwise and the result are these gems. I don't even call them children's lit gems because I find them just as enjoyable as an adult. Before I go on, you should know that Fitzgerald wrote one book about his youth that is for adults, called "Papa Married a Mormon". It is one of the most amazing books on the American west that I have ever read. Sadly, it is out of print, and you may, like me, have to pay an exorbitant sum to get a copy. Trust me, save up and do it. Now back to this book. Every single Great Brain book in the series is pure gold, and the entire set can be had cheaply, so I say buy them all at once. I "put my money where my mouth is" as Tom the Great Brain would say, and bought the lot.

The Great Brain series is my very favorite of all the books I read as a kid. I recall beginning reading the series as a fourth grader, and re-read them ...and even now if I want an easy read that is guaranteed to make me chuckle I pull them out and read them. Also, Harriet the Spy, Little House series, and of course classics like Treasure Island, Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer will appeal as well.

When I first read this book several years ago, I was very skeptical about the gift of tongues and other physical manifestations of the presence of the Holy Spirit. This book taught me so much and answered so many questions I had about the Holy Spirit and his importance in a deeper relationship with God the Father and God the Son. I am most grateful for Dennis Bennett's ministry and the willingness he had to share it with us through his wonderful book.

If you know Jesus then this book is for you. It will change your life. It changed mine in 1982.

FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE WONDERED WHAT FAITH IS ALL ABOUT, THIS BOOK IS A MUST. IN CLEAR, EVERYDAY LANGUAGE IT TELLS WHAT AN ELECTRICAL, AWE INSPIRING EXPERIENCE IT IS TO MEET THE HOLY SPIRIT, FACE TO FACE. YOU GO FORTH WITH A FRESH UNDERSTANDING OF GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. I READ IT WHEN IT WAS FIRST PUBLISHED AND HAVEN'T LOOKED AT LIFE THE SAME WAY SINCE.

I was driving to the airport at 4:30am in a heavy rain storm. I didn't see the flatbed truck when I enterred the freeway. He skidded and jacknifed and I saw the back-right corner of his truck coming straight for my side window. My whole life did NOT flash before me but I thought about the police notifying my wife of my death and about all that would follow. The tons of metal and steel stopped just short of my window but close enough to hit my rearview mirror.

As I calmed down, or tried to calm down, I turned on the radio. Rather than the usual popular music, the station was playing religious music in the wee hours. The most beautiful sound I've ever heard came through the speakers. It was just a lone woman's voice singing without accompanyment. I was ready to go straight to the radio station to determine what it was but the announcer saved me a trip. It was Bobbie Wolgemuth singing "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" from the "O Worship the King" disk of hymns. Most of us grew up learning this tune as "Because All Men Are Brothers" by Peter, Paul & Mary. I believe it originally came from "Saint Matthew's Passion," an 18th Century choral work.

Ms. Wolgemuth's song stilled my beating heart and gave me a sense of peace I've never experienced. I am not a religious man but the beauty of this music convinced me that there must be a living God somewhere.

This book and accompanying CD of 12 hymns is awesome. I truly feel in the presence of the Lord when listening to the worship songs and I am enjoying the background information surrounding each hymn. These original hymns date back to the 1800's. I enjoy contemporary worship songs, but am now a fan of original hymns from the early days. I am going to purchase several copies of this book as Christmas gifts this year!

Many of us have sung popular hymns like O Worship the King and A Mighty Fortress is Our God, but few know the stories behind them. Now popular authors like Joni Eareckson Tada, John MacArthur and Robert and Bobbie Wolgemuth bring to us a beautifully bound book along with CD full of hymns. While you read the book, listen to the music. You'll be shocked to discover that many of the hymns were born out of persecution, fear, betrayal and sorrow.

I actually bought this when it was first released in 1988. It's just as good now, obviously, since it has been re-printed, and is still available. This is real Superman! No "Fabio" hair, no watered down powers. Clark Kent is, well, Clark Kent, not a "hip, slick and cool" yuppie. This is the Superman that flies through space and does amazing things, not the one who gets killed off by "Johnny-come-lately" no-brainer two bit villians. If you like the Superman, and don't think that improving him means changing his costume, identitiy, and powers rather than improving the stories (such as the way Frank Miller did with Batman), you'll likely enjoy this book. Excellent pre-"Doomsday" Superman! If you haven't bought it already, go ahead, you deserve it! I give it five stars(because six aren't a choice)!!

I enjoyed this story because it really showed off Superman's power.

This is a very entertaining story because Superman is challenged to find a way to free the planet Earth from captivity by extraterrestrial aliens. Superman's power is pushed to the limit, but this gives the reader a truly exciting look at what our hero can do if necessary. If you are a Superman fan or enjoy a good science fiction story with a super hero in it, than this book is a must read for you. It's definitely 5-star reading material.

Batman's beginnings--he received a message from beyond in the form of a bat and thereby became the Batman. This story is written excellently and the man behind the cowl came alive as I read this tale. One of the most dramatic parts is where Batman, directly in the face of a frightened thug, declares menacingly,"The streets belong to The Batman." If anyone wants to see Batman in true form, you must read this book.

This is perhaps the best Batman miniseries ever created. The story is chilling, featuring many twists that make you want to keep going till you're finished. If you ever get the chance, buy this book!

I too have been searching for this book almost 20 years later. It's a book that you read and never forget. I could tell you the story and haven't read the book since 1985. How can such a great book be out of print?

I second the comments of the previous reviewer. I read this book as a twelve year old, and have spent the last twenty years looking for another copy. Hard to find, but well worth the search.

This is a very useful and user-friendly book. I am especially impressed by the qualifications of the authors. One is a Certified Plant Engineer and longtime member of the Association for Facilities Engineering, one is a Registered Professional Enginer, and one is a Medical Doctor (board-certified as a physician in general preventive medicine and public health.) The book covers a wide range of topics; the illustrations are very compelling, too. All 12 chapters were dense with facts yet easy to follow.

This is an exceptionally useful and user-friendly handbook. I am particularly impressed by the authors' credentials -- one of them is a Certified Plant Engineer, one is a Registered Professional Engineer, and one of them is a Medical Doctor (board-certified as a physician in general preventive medicine and public health). The illustrations supplement the text very well, too.

The Journalist's Craft is writers writing for writers -- and aspiring writers. Mark Bowden writes about how he researched his best-selling Blackhawk Down. Jim Naughton, a legend at the New York Times and at the Philadelphia Inquirer, talks about writer insecurity. John Sweeney, whose innovative writer's workshops made excellent coaching affordable even for small newspapers, explains how to tell a story so your listeners will stick around till the end. I especially loved Dennis Jackson's explanation of cadence. It was worth the price of the paperback just to read reporter extraordinaire Hugh Mulligan's recounting of the writing tips James Jones and John Steinbeck gave him.

How can writers produce better stories? The Journalist's Craft provides a writing toolbox filled with tips, first person insights into nonfiction story writing, guides to narratives and influential works of nonfiction, and general surveys of the craft. An important, revealing handbook for any aspiring writer.

This is a great story of a remarkable business turnaround. Imlay gives great anecdotal examples of business fundamentals. If you want to be entertained and informed, buy it. It is required reading for all our managers.

John Imlay has written a compelling and motivating book that has the power to change how you think of business and the people, the metaphorical tigers, who hunt for success through the business jungle. And in the process, bring food back to their corporate den. A very human philosophy of business revealed through our most primal of instincts. Anyone interested in being successful in business, from students to management, should read this book.