I bought this book because I love collies and I loved the picture on the cover. How much more "spoiled" could two dogs be than swinging on the swing with their owner? Although I don't know why, I was delightfully surprised to find that this book is so funny and so sad at the same time. Each new story brings the tears, either from the antics of one of the authors animals, or sad tears from the tragedies they've suffered. This book will become one of your favorites that you will read again and again. I keep the book on my bedside table and pick it up to re-read favorites nearly every night. When is this author going to write another book? I can't wait. Thank you Beverly J. Hess!!

I enjoyed very much reading about two spoiled collies. I have never been a dog lover; but the book makes you think "hey maybe I'm missing something". The book makes you laugh out loud! and makes you have second thoughts about dogs. . . .

Like everybody who has read this book, I found myself laughing and crying at the trysts these pets have had. It truly is a wonderful book, and thoroughly well written. It is a must have for any animal lover, or anybody who loves a good read.

This book was a breath of fresh air. A different culture, a different feel. I like that the conflict point did not have a clearly defined solution. They had to go with what they FELT was right, and in doing so, only hope and pray.

I like that not everything is wrapped up neat and tidy. Sometimes the good guys win, but not without some losses.

It is a hero story, a coming of age piece, and it is writen with a tender hand.

the language is accessible for a younger audience, and would make a FABULOUS read for young men and women who are coming of age themselves.

My only problem, and it was minor, was that I didn't realize that there was a VERY helpful glossary/appendix in the back that sorts through the cultural differences of language. ie "Amaq = idiot"

You want something different, something engaging and fun...you want this book!

If most tales of quests leave you feeling dissatisfied and wondering "How does everyone just know what to do? Do these characters exist in a social vacuum with no families or friends? Don't they ever have to go to the bathroom? Why don't any of these people have a sense of humor?" then this is the book for you.

Beverly Hale writes with a strong sense of place without overdoing the descriptive detail. She makes the characters and the setting seem real. The characters are interesting and entertaining, and like the rest of us they face ambiguous situations and have to make decisions without knowing all the facts. You'll find yourself enjoying their company and caring about their fates. (And you'll probably find yourself craving Indian food, too.)

Bored with heroes that know everything? Bored with the barely disguised English castle and countryside? Try an exotic epic quest with an Eastern flair and a hero that has to learn as he goes.

This story is not your average fantasy. Of course there's a crotchety wizard, but there's also a boy growing into manhood who wants to find his place in the world.

"A princess is NOT curious," the tiny princess is told, and with a sigh, she tucks still another facet of her unique personality safely into her Happiness Box. This charming story shows what happens when we try too hard to please others--only shadows of us might remain! Hale's writing has a confident, delicate and loving touch. The story is simple enough for young children, yet adults will enjoy the requests for re-reading. Where was this book when I was a child? More Hale!

"The Happiness Box" is a wonderful story that shows people young and old that it is very important to show your feelings. It does not only have a moral, it is a fine book to read. It is a good book. It is not too long or too short, like some I have read. I think that you should read "The Happiness Box" and open up your imagination with it's spell binding tale.

I am a psychologist and have been giving this book to many of the people that I counsel. This story reminds all of us how important it is to have the courage to feel all of your feelings and speak the truth about them. It's inspiring without being insipid, and is a wonderful adult fairy tale. Of course, children will like it too.

I think this book is very informative and I recommend this to anyone. I'm still reading it, when I'm done, I'll be passing it along to relatives.

My name is Aliou Ayaba a physician from Benin in West-Africa.I have practiced in rural hospital in Benin for almost ten years now.I met Dr Yates by chance because she was willing to donnate medical equipments and supplies to rural hospitals in Benin after an ad I placed in a local newspaper. If I saw her book on stack in a library I would not have paid attention to it because like all today modern physicians alternative/traditional/ natural medicine is secondary, imprecise and sometimes not important. It is sad because everytime we want to make a prescription about High blood pressure, diabete, sickle-cell anemia, depression etc, we start with :" hygienic and dietetic counseling" even though we do not have time to explain all this section to the patient..But this is rather a big issue about the place of alternative medicine today. The book written by Dr.Yates impress me a lot for it reveals in a very simple language the hidden part of our health.It has more effect on me probably because I practice in a rural hospital in Benin where I cross every day in the hospital traditional healers giving secret care to their hospitalized patients just because unlike we modern physicians busy with "mathmatical medicine" they take time to listen to patients, their recipes are natural, cheaper easy to use and with less side effects...they care not only for the body but also the mind and the patient's environment as well. Cardiovascular diseases CVD are the first killer worlwide and as Dr.Yates indicates there is a single chance: they are preventable, their prevention is cheaper or only costs a little change in our lifestyle.For everyone and particularly black women all over the world I recommend this book because if today we cannot change our socioeconomic status which put us at higher risk of dying for CVD at least we can modifies slightly our lifestyle by following the simple receipes of Dr.Yates in order to enjoy this life that never rewind...

This is a very excellent book. I found it very informative and inspiring. I enjoyed the fact that it covered not only physical issues but emotional and spiritual issues as well. It made for a very good read because I felt the author really knew her subjects and what things might be underlying causes for ill health. I would recommend this book to all women who are on a quest to feel better physically and emotionally.

I thought that LaHaye and Blackstock would never be able to duplicate and certainly not be able to top the writing in the 1st book of this series. How wrong I was!! This book is even better than the first! I can now relate even more to the characters of Cedar Circle, and I feel like they are my best friends. I can hardly wait to turn each page so I can find out what happens next. I am anxiously awaiting the opportunity to read the 3rd book, because I know I won't be disappointed.

I found this book by accident, and I loved it. I rarely cry at a book, but this one brough the tears. It was so real. I have friendships like the ones the women in the book did. The characters were real people- they struggled, made mistakes, and dealt with anger and pride and personal weaknesses.

A lot of the time I felt like the messages and advice in the book was for me, not just for the character who needed to hear it. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

This book was amazing! I had no idea that they were putting out a second book to follow up the first, but I read it in 3 days, couldn't stop. This is a MUST read - really makes you thankful for everything that you have!

This guide to american accent is simply amazing. I had previously tried different methods to improve my pronunciation but none of them worked. This book contains the essential information that is needed in order to understand all the facts of the american english pronunciation and intonation. Very simple, very easy to work with. I strongly recommend it!

The American accent Guide has provided me with valuable insights of what it takes to speak English more proficiently and clearly. I recommend it as a valuable tool to anyone wishing to improve their pronunciation skills in English. Sergio Lub President, Sergio Lub Handcrafted Jewelry

My work requires me to talk on the telephone using medical terms. People had much difficulty understanding what I was saying until I started practicing with The American Accent Guide. I have learned what I need to know to improve my pronunciation. My grammar has improved too. I now communicate without frustration and I feel more productive in my work.

This is the best of the three Connor/Chamberlain books I've read. It is a pleasurable tour-de-force of multiple story lines always clearly related to the main mystery (ah, but which one is that?). There's harassment against expert witness Chamberlain in one murder case, archaeological digs finding inappropriate bodies, Chamberlain's lightly treated forensic investigations of discovered bones and teeth, a terrifying spelunking adventure after uncovery of more suspicious skeletons, and what seem incidental accusations of financial hanky-panky. Finally, an anthropological story of ancient Spanish perfidy among Georgia and Tennessee Indians is a wonderfully oblique commentary on the other mysteries and worth reading alone. Connor keeps all these threads intertwining to press the story(s) forward and drop clues along the way. The forensics, archaeology, and history are convincingly authentic. Her writing is marred only by wooden romantic interest, some bland subsidiary characters (including the villains), and a final outrageous coincidence to wrap up the hunt.

There must be a reason why Beverly Connor's mysteries starring Lindsey Chamberlain are not as well known as Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta mysteries, but I'll be darned if I can figure it out. They are fantastic reads! I've read all five in the series -- bought two and borrowed three from the library -- and know I must buy the ones I don't have, so I can have the pleasure of re-reading them.

Questionable Remains is my favorite of the series, since it seamlessly blends a modern mystery with one hundreds of years old. The details are fascinating, and Lindsey Chamberlain is a protagonist to celebrate -- she's smart, resourceful, doesn't take any guff from anyone, yet she's not SuperWoman or perpetually angry, like the aforementioned Kay Scarpetta, whom I have grown to dislike intensely.

My only complaint would be that Ms. Connor cannot possibly write as fast as I can read. Next book, please!!

This second installment of Beverly Connor's Lindsay Chamberlain series is better than the first. The author used a lot of very intricate plotting, but with a very smooth flow within the story. I loved the way Ms. Connor weaves all the "small" details into the big picture. She shows us that if you just look at one or two details, you will miss the whole story. In this story, the author uses all these seemingly unrelated events to put together a wonderful story. Of what life was like when the Spanish was discovering this country. And what greed will do to people both past and present. This is a wonderful series, it has good character development and plots. I have still to get the murderer right! Even the past plot line fools me. I thought I had at least that one figured out. Once again, Ms. Connor tricks the reader into thinking things are as they seem. Again, I recommend this book to you. If you like a bit of history mixed into your mysteries, all the better. You don't have to be a history buff though to enjoy this excellent series.

When identical twin Bert Tatum is approached on her lunch break from a handsome man who seems to know her (though she's never seen him before in her life) she doesn't think much of it. It happens occasionally that she's mistaken for her twin sister, Nan. Unfortunately, when the stranger shows up murdered on the local news and her sister claims to also have never met him, the mystery begins!

The twins both get themselves involved in an intricately-plotted puzzle that involves a murder from their childhood somehow tying-in with the current tragedy. Twists and turns abound and the writing is sassy and enjoyable.

The interesting thing about the book is that alternating chapters are written in the first-person by each of the twins, giving each part a unique perspective on the goings-on. It's particularly fun when chapters overlap and you can see either the similarity or complete difference in both Bert and Nan's points of view.

A charming and quick read, I found it difficult to put down! It's also the first book in the series so it's a great place to start if you're interested! I've purchased the second and am eager to start it!

Identical twins Bert and Nan Tatum are used to being mistaken for each other. So when a stranger approaches Bert on the street, she assumes the stranger is looking for Nan. Only later does she find out that Nan didn't know him either. By that point, he's dead. Nan, curious as to how a complete stranger knew them, drags Bert into the investigation. But it's soon clear that they are both in real danger and the only way to get out alive is to solve the case themselves.

This book is a lot of fun. The "gimmick" of alternating chapters from Bert and Nan is part of it. It took me awhile to get used to it, but it brings out the humor in the different points of view. The authors, identical twins themselves, have done a good job of creating very great characters. Nan and Bert are very different, and the other characters are also well defined. The plot moves along at a quick pace and reaches a logical conclusion. A great first novel in an enjoyable series.

I love mysteries and "snack" on them the way others indulge in junk food. I'm addicted, and in Double Murder I found a mystery as good to read as chocolate is to eat. (And with the possible exception of sex and sports cars, very few things are as good as chocolate.) With Double Murder the reader gets a bonus--not only a great mystery but a glimpse into the world of twins. The authors do for twins what Tony Hillerman does for the Navajo Indians and Elizabeth Peters does for Egyptology. What's next on the twin authors' list of mysteries?

I have severe pain from a bad disk in my back. The doctors don't do much and they don't really listen to me. The chapter about doctors really hit home to me. I have read that chapter 6 times and now I smile alot when my back hurts. This whole book makes me smile. Beverly S. Nichols has written a book that gives people in pain an understanding of pain, pain management, and a way for family and friends to understand too. I tell everyone to read this book. I can listen to music and not worry about me. How can I think I am so bad when I can work, shop, play with my grandchildren, and do what I want when I know there are people like Mrs. Nichols who are so limited. I wish you well Beverly.

When I first hear about her book I knew I had to have it. No Magic Wands could have been my story with all the ups and down in it. I feel like there is SOME ONE out there who knows what it is like to have your world thrown in your face and the ability to keep on going forward.She has given me the incentive to keep my dreams alive and to go for them whenever possible. To keep on trying !!

I was told by my son about this book. I don't read much and I didn't believe it would be possible for a book to affect people too much. We live in Canada and our son visited us from NH. He brought the book and I read it quick. Then I read it again real slow. I have MS and am in a wheelchair most of the time. I thought nothing but pills could relax me or stop me from feeling sorry for myself, and useless. Now I can see that my life ain't so bad. I can understand Mrs. Nichols' ideas better now. She is a great writer and definitely a great inspiration to people like me. I would like to give her a hug if I ever meet her because I started to stop feeling sorry for myself all the time. I also try to do things for myself instead of expecting everyone to do things for me. I also started listening to music. Now when I get upset I relax listening to classical music and slower tunes from the Big Band Era. There is so much good stuff in this book and I will read it again and again. I know a little of what Mrs. Nichols thinks and feels, but for now I can smile once in a while when I succeed at something. And I have not felt like smiling in a real long time. I wish this book could be bought in bookstores, and I wish Mrs. Nichols could sign my book - when I get it - she talks about wishes too. Maybe it will happen and maybe not but as long as I can read the book and think about my wishes and listen to some music instead of some depressing news then Mrs. Nichols has shown me a way to see myself as a real person. Thank you so much Beverly S.Nichols.

This was a great, handy book to have while visiting southern California. I have been on two of the tours so far. Both were accurate and fun. I am origianally from California, but live in Dallas now. This was a nice way to refresh my memory of the area, and find out new places to see. It is a must have if you are planning to spend some time in the southern California area.

You will have fun reading this handy little book even if you don't go on the variety of tours it has to offer. The concise, often humorous, descriptions are full of little known facts on people and places all over L.A. There are museums, parks, landmarks, cemetaries and unique attractions I never knew existed and it was a great experience seeing them for the first time. Most of them were FREE! Pocket Guide to L.A. is not your typical Hollywood guide book. It is a entertaining and educational activity book that covers a wide range of interesting places to visit again and again. It would make a great gift.

What a great Book! This is the best guide to L.A. that I have seen. Not only does it contain over one hundred of the best attractions, but it also has five self-guided tours around the greater Los Angeles area.

Four of the tours stop at famous landmarks and the homes of the biggest superstars in Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Pacific Palisades. Celebrity biographies are provided for more then 60 of the greatest stars of today and yesteryear. Some of my favorites include Brad Pitt, John Travolta, Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg, Dustin Hoffman. Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, and Elvis Presley.

The final tour is a walking tour exploring downtown Los Angeles. This tour unveils the various cultures, historical facts and gives you a feel for the future of the city of Los Angeles. Featured are water parks, beautiful gardens, mini-museums, three different ethnic communities, architectural feats, and much more.

Not only does the book have very accurate driving directions, but it contains GPS coordinates for those who like to navigate with GPS. Additionally, it contains a very innovative GPS Adventure Game which is a type of cross word puzzle where you are given GPS coordinates and clues. You travel to each GPS coordinate, read the clue and determine the answers. The game's route follows pretty close to the route of Adventure Tour I, so you can play the game at the same time that you go on the tour. For example, one clue is the tomb inscription, "She did it the hard way". The GPS coordinates take you to Forest Lawn Memorial Park to Bette Davis' tomb. Another clue is "A winged lady holding an electron", and you are guided to GPS coordinates at The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences where you see a thirty foot Emmy (the answer) and many more busts of the greatest television stars.

The book was well planned and is very convenient. I highly recommend the "Pocket Guide to the Best of Los Angeles" to everyone.