I read this book in one sitting -- I couldn't put it down! Using the analogy of the changing seasons, Welch takes us through a journey of parenting that is insightful and meaningful for both men AND women. Through his remarkable ability to place the reader smack dab in the middle of the story, he weaves a tapestry of heartfelt and humorous events and memories drawn from his experiences and "seasoned" with the recollections of others. From the all too familiar ritual of hanging Christmas lights to the depths of loss and forgiveness, the reader embarks on a journey full of tears and laughter. At the end, we can't help but contemplate our own stories of family and life while anxiously scanning the Internet for more books by this talented and inspiring writer!

Bob Welch has done an excellent job of describing in story form the journeys of men, boys, and fatherhood. One paragraph has you laughing, the next can have you in tears. As you remember your childhood growing up, Bob also reminds you what is like to be a father and to watch your children break away and gain their freedom. This is a must-read book for anyone who is serious about being a Dad. Also nicely done is his easy-going witness of his Christian faith. You will not be disappointed with this book.

There are few resources written in "laymen's" terms about that relationship that exists between a father and son. But Bob Welch has changed all that with his book, "A Father for All Seasons." The book addresses that "in between time" from birth to death. Welch illustrates the stages of the father/son bond using the seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and a Second Spring. The Second Spring is "... a side of fatherhood you don't find on greeting cards." ("A Father..." page 218) Welch's book draws back the vail of sacredness in the father/son relationship by using his own life experiences in the role of father and son. His ability to tie into the range of emotion from sorrow to joy in using tragic experiences as well as his gift of humor is masterful. Welch is the "Erma Bombeck" of fathers. The reader will be drawn into the mind of a father and son thus exposing thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions that are part of that bond. Using his skills to create detailed "mind images" Welch helps the reader reach a deeper understanding of that special bond. In the chapter "Firsts," Welch writes of the first major league game he took his son to. Welch writes, "... sports can bind together a father and son like the lacing of a well-made mitt." ("A Father..." page 49) This book dares to toss out the stereotypical view of the father/son relationship as being a "guy thing" and ventures into the sustenance of that relationship. If you want to know what that special and sacred attachment is, you will have to read the book. "A Father for All Seasons" is NOT a book for men only! It can be a gift for first time parents, Christmas, birthdays, Fathers' Day, Mothers' Day... by all means Mothers' Day! What better way to show you care then by giving a gift that expands a mother's understanding of the family unit. There is no "right" season to give this book to someone. With Mothers Day and Fathers Day right around the corner... search no further for the "just right" gift. "A Father for All Seasons" is sure to hit the mark.

Unlike other career guidance books that force the reader into existing job titles, this book offers wonderful insights and process to guide you to developing and designing your own customized career/job. TLC looks at the whole person, and factors in the need for personal and professional balance to get more out of life. Kudos to the authors for writing a book that instilled the courage to break-away and do what I love, leading a life I look forward to each day.

After reading the first few pages of TLC, I had to put it down for a moment. The authors had described the last three years of my life almost perfectly. I didn't put it down again for two hours. I'm a highly compensated information worker who "has it all" by most people's standards, but still feels unfulfilled. TLC showed me how to examine my talents and skills and use them more effectively to achieve what I really want from my life. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I found this book well thought out as it first identifies and then helps the reader integrate all the pieces to the puzzle in creating a career and life vision. I have used this in a adult college course and all the students found the book both very helpful in understanding themselves and practical in working on the life/career pieces for themselves

One of the best titles you can get about pricing swaps and simple options and many other money market stuff. A lot of excersises with solutions. I dont know how this book isnt a best-seller yet.

As a liberal arts major who was not a math pro but had an interest in learning the tools of finance, this book was a dream come true. It explains every calculation simply and without any technical (and incomprehensible) jargon found in many textbooks. It includes examples, hints, and a glossary of important financial concepts. If you are willing to learn, then this book is for you. A good reference tool for even pros. A bit expensive but NOT sorry to have bought it.

This is by far the most comprehensive, easy to understand book regarding financial math I have come across in over 15 years as a Wall Street IT professional. From calculating simple interest to pricing interest rate and currency swaps to option payout diagrams this book has it all. All calculations are clearly laid out with real examples, sample questions and hints. A must have for novices and pros.

This is a wonderfully whimsical book on numbers: 16 Polka Dots, 17 Stars, 18 Blueberries, and so on! The imaginative illustrations and brilliant hues will stimulate babies senses while educate small children on the number 1 to 20. "My Little 123 Book," is delightfully dynamic with colorfully animated characters and images. This lively little board book will mesmerize your children and teach them too. Birth and up.

This is a wonderfully whimsical book on numbers: 16 Polka Dots, 17 Stars, 18 Blueberries, and so on! The imaginative illustrations and brilliant hues will stimulate baby's senses while educate small children on the number 1 to 20. "My Little 123 Book" is a delightfully dynamic with colorfully animated characters and images. This lively little board book will mesmerize your children and teach them too.

My Little 123 Book has mezmorized my infant since she was 4 months old-- looking at the pictures now will surly turn into a means for learning numbers later! It was the first book we showed her-- and now she loves any book we put in front of her! We decided to order My Little ABC book after we observed how facinated she was with this one!

This is a wonderfully whimsical book on the ABC's: U-Umbrella, V-Vegetables, W-Whale, and so forth! The illustrations are artistically striking, brilliantly colored, and are sure to stimulate babies senses while teach small children the ABC's. "My Little ABC's Book," is an enchanting little board book, vibrantly animated, that will fascinate your children and teach them too. Birth and up.

Bob Staake has done it again with quirky, colorful illustrations that appeal to little readers (and little listeners) everywhere. One of the best features of this book is the row of complete alphabet letters on the bottom of each page with a different letter highlighted. This feature helps children see the order of the alphabet as well as each letter's position. The repetition is a great teaching tool, and original letter-to-word relationships make the book all the more fun. This is a great companion to the Little Golden Picture Dictionary (illustrated by Staake) that will be released this June.

I bought this Bob Staake book for my 4-year-old, and now we BOTH fight over it! The design and visuals of the pages are extraordinary -- something about it as compelling for adults as it is for toddlers. Have not seen any children's book quite like this, and wholeheartedly recommend it. I only wish more toddler books were this sophisticated and smart.

If any pro football book deserves to be expanded and updated, it's this jewel of an effort. Daly and O'Donnell have produced a fascinating retrospective of all that makes football what it is, and reveal some little-known bits and pieces that even the most studied fan won't be aware of. A pity it's over a decade out of date . . .

There are no canonisations and platitudes here (for instance, the book criticises in detail Vince Lombardi's late-sixties draft choices and suggests he might have handed Phil Bengtson something of a poisoned chalice - an interesting theory, if nothing else), and no tedious top-ten-this or worst-five-that lists for the more mentally challenged. Instead, there are decade-by-decade glimpses of the game which, taken together, produce the best historical, fan-level portrait of the NFL I've ever come across.

My only complaint - and it's a small one - is that the book does fall back on the inevitable statistical section and identifies what it believes to be the "greatest" players. There's enough of this junk in other books ("Total Football" leaps to mind); I would have preferred more pages of esoterica and amusing photographs.

This is a book really worth searching out for if your idea of a good read is something other than a fawning biography or Officially Licensed propaganda.

Great job on the book Mr. O'Donnell. We're very proud to see you represent Wakefield High School. Also, we don't think that you should stop writing. You're a great writer (as you can probably tell by all these wonderful reviews). Keep up the wonderful work. We love you! Best wishes from your favorite girls, Holly, Rahel, and Remela <-- (I wrote it)

quite frankly, this is the most entertaining pro football book I have ever read, and I believe I have read the vast majority of them. It has inside stories that you will not find the details on anywhere. It is funny, historical, and factual. I just wish there was an updated version. I have worn out my original copy I bought 10 years ago and am now on my second copy.

As one of the Friday Riders listed in this book, I have known and ridden with Bob Sobie, the author of the Elroy Sparta Trail Guidebook, for a number of years. As a matter of fact it was my Bachelor bike ride that Bob mentions in the book. As an author and a psychologist I believe I have a unique perspective of Bob and the words he wrote in this book. If the famous analyst C.G. Jung were to meet Bob he would probably call him a "sensing" person. Let me tell you why I believe that's important for an author of a guidebook. Being a sensing person Bob writes what he gets through his senses. He writes about what sights you will see. He describes the sounds you'll hear. He includes how much the trail will incline or decline. He even includes what you should expect from sleeping and eating at various places along the trail. Though his own passion about the trail definitely does leak out, he leaves whether you ride or how much you ride up to you, as he does with all the other attractions in the area.

As one of the Friday riders listed in this book, I have known and ridden with Bob Sobie, the author of the Elroy Sparta Trail Guidebook, for a number of years. As a matter of fact it was my Bachelor bike ride that Bob mentions in the book. As an author and a psychologist I believe I have a unique perspective of Bob and the words he wrote in this book. If the famous analyst C.G. Jung were to meet Bob he would probably call him a "sensing" person. Let me tell you why I believe that's important for an author of a guidebook. Being a sensing person Bob writes what he gets through his senses. He writes about what sights you will see. He describes the sounds you'll hear. He includes how much the trail will incline or decline. He even includes what you should expect from sleeping and eating at various places along the trail. Though his own passion about the trail definitely does leak out, he leaves whether you ride or how much you ride up to you, as he does with all the other attractions in the area.

Finally....the essential trail guide worthy of the scenic Elroy Sparta Trail----America's first rails-to-trails bikeway. From tunnels to trails to history to tourist attractions to accommodations, the Sobie Guide is a celebration of cycling and the natural beauty of the unglaciated regions of southwest Wisconsin.

Reading "Fish Fights" was a delightful adventure. It is a picaresque journey in the quest of an impossible goal and its telling in a straightforward, light style makes it easily accessible and satisfying entertainment. I found plenty for the expert on the arcane rules of the contest and the varied, specific skills required to boat (and then release) each of the 10 different, magnificent, maddening, game fish that are the object of this game and deserve, we learn, the respect with which they are treated. But the real delight for me was getting to know the protagonist -- a wonderful, bright, big hearted, gentle but very determined and targeted Captain of Industry (and that he truly is, but you'll have to do a little research to find out, since he doesn't tell us about it) that shares the time of his life with us. Not the least of my fun came from his fast, insightfull sketches of guides and companions, a wonderful selection of slightly askew personalities that reflect the diversity and twists, the surprises and flavor that flows from the open and closed waters of and around the Everglades. I wished I could have been with them, swapping tales, peeling sunbruned skin (me, not them) doling out dreams and plotting how to outsmart those cunning denizens of the not-so-deep. It is a charming, fun filled, man of a book.

This is the first book about fishing that I have ever read cover to cover. It exudes great humanity and a fabulous insight into the great salt water fishing subculture of the Florida Keys. The author is a natural writer. I highly recommend Fish Fights as a great reading adventure.

I run a small deli here on the East Side in Manhattan New York. I haven't been to the ocean in 35 years let alone go fishing. I was intrested by the cover of this book and was even more intrigued when I read the back cover. It was a wonderful book I enjoyed Bubba's honesty and story telling. It read like a song.

Purba and Delaney offer a powerful playbook for creating and delivering customer solutions that exceed customer expectations and result in outstanding customer satisfaction.

This book is a must for anyone working in IT. Full of practical advice and information, the book is also an engaging read. I plan to apply the valuable information I obtained from "High-Value IT Consulting" to my business.

Having worked as an IT consultant and on the other side, frequently purchasing consultant services, I can attest to the difficulty in successfully managing such a complex business. The authors' new book goes a long way to helping create order. It is a comprehensive and thoughtful approach to helping IT Consultants get a solid perspective on how to establish or improve their consulting practice. Excellence in managing a professional services practice requires a systematic approach to achieve balance between the big picture and the minutiae of details. This book provides the reader with both.

I believe the authors are right in their declaration that excellence in this field depends upon focus and determination, and a commitment to continually demonstrate how your consulting organization adds value lest you suffer the fate of obsolescence. I encourage practice managers to read this book. It is an important contribution to best practice and should be a part of their consulting toolkit.

The Yagyu letter continues to gnaw at Yagyu Retsudo who gives ample proof in Volume 13 of the Lone Wolf & Cub saga, "The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West," that he will go to any length to get his revenge on Ogami Itto. In the five chapters of the manga epic included in this volume is the most shocking act of violence we have yet wetness in this bloody saga:

(64) "The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West" has Retsudo ruminating on how he has sent all of his legitimate sons to be slaughtered by Ogami Itto. But the old man has an illegitimate son and daughter, and horrible plans for them both.

(65) "'Marohoshi' Mamesho" is another one of the fascinating characters created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. This time around the title character is an old policeman from the capital on the verge of retirement who stumbles across Ogami Itto being commissioned for his next act of assassination. "Marohoshi" has spent his life protecting people and he is not going to let this ronin continue on the assassin's road.

(66) "Spoiling Daigoro" is an offbeat story where the family that hires Ogami Itto persuades him to let Daigoro stay with them while he goes off to do his job. They have a son who is a coward and a weakling with no friends, and the boy's father thinks that having Daigoro around might be good for Suzunosuke. Ogami Itto agrees and thinks go well for a while, but Suzunosuke soon grows tired of hearing his parents praise Daigoro day and night.

(67) "The Hojiro Yaguy" finds Retsudo's illegitimate son planning on using poison darts that can stop a charging horse to slay Lone Wolf. It looks like there is no way on earth Ogami Itto can escape, but, of course, he always has something up his sleeve. Warning: The ending of this one is unexpectedly brutual and shocking.

(68) "The Bird Catchers," is another episode where Lone Wolf and Cub are spectators for the most part as they come across a group of female falconers preserving a dying way of life. But what makes this tale of some significance, especially as the last one in this volume, is that in the eyes of his son, it seems Ogami Itto might have finally gone too far.

"The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West" is another superb collection of stories in the Lone Wolf & Cub saga. Koike and Kojima still manage to provide a new twist and turn in every volume while stringing us out as long as possible with both the short term mystery of the Yagyu letter and the long term quest of Ogami Itto to get his vengeance on the entire Yagyu clan. I read one episode a night right before bed and am almost always surprised to see what new direction each night's story might take. This has to be one of the ten greatest comic epics of all time.

The mystery of the Yagyu letter is apparently forgotten in the five Lone Wolf and Cub tales told in Volume 12, "Shattered Stones." However, one thing that really stood out in these stories is that since he was reunited with his father after they were separated by circumstances, Daigoro has been smiling a lot more:

(59) "Nameless, Penniless, Lifeless" is one of the most disturbing stories in the Lone Wolf and Cub saga. It begins with a woman putting on a sex show for peasants. But what is even more shocking is that the woman has lost her mind and that her husband, whose face is half scared by terrible burns, is the one who talks her into her displays. There is more here than meets the eye, as is often the case in these stories, and the way in which the truth is revealed might remind you of part of Shakespeare's "Hamlet."

(60) "Body Check" is another one of those tales in which Ogami Itto has to use his brains to put himself in a position to use his sword for his next assassination.

(61) "Shattered Stones" begins with one of the most different ways that Ogami Itto has met someone who wanted to hire him for an assassination. On top of that the rules of the assassination are quite different (again, I am reminded of a Western parallel in the novel "Sophie's Choice").

(62) "A Promise of Potatoes" is an amusing little change of pace story for this series. Daigoro is off by himself again, being beaten up by a group of kids, when he is rescued by a con artist who teaches the boy to sit by a bowl looking pitiful as a way of making money. But where there is Cub can Lone Wolf be far behind...

(63) "Wife Killer" is a wonderfully ironic title, which we learn is used to describe somebody who gives away the tricks of magicians, who are known as "hand wives." Noronji Hoya, the Princess of Magicians, who has been using a delighted Daigoro as her "assistant," is about the encounter the "wife killer," an old saki-sotted magician who travels with two thugs who extort money from magicians: pay up or have your secrets revealed. But Noronji Hoya has a better proposition: she will perform a trick and if the old man can reveal her secret she will kill herself; if not, then she will take the old man's eyes.

Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima are back to telling tales in which Ogami Itto is more often than not more of a spectator to the action in which other characters carry the stories. One of the testaments to the greatness of this manga epic is that the title character can be almost incidental to the story and it is still completely riveting. Here we are, not even halfway through this saga, and they are still coming up with new and intriguing variations on the basic themes they established early on. The fact that they can maintain this high level certainly justifies the exalted status Lone Wolf & Cub has in the international world of comics.

"Talisman of Hades" is a nice title, but "Thirteen Strings" is the one you are not going to forget of the four stories collected in Volume 11 of the "Lone Wolf & Cub" magna epic. We had been confronted with a major development in the story as Ogami Itto stole the Yagyu letter. All pretenses were dropped as Reshido Yagyu declared open war on Ogami Itto, but Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima were showing the same sort of audacious subterfuge as their heroic creation, for as Ogami and Reshido crossed blades, Daigoro lost is hold on his father's shoulders and literally fell over a cliff. Suddenly the mystery of the Yagyu letter has become secondary because father and son have become separated. Their search for one another continues in these stories and for the first time we see Ogami Itto express emotion for his son:

(55) "Talisman of Hades" finds Ogami Itto is now putting up pictures of a baby cart where once he had pasted the talismans of meifunado to invite clients of death and assassination. A group of young students on their way to an academy stumble upon the mystery of the signs and when they see the strange ronin slay a "priest" (another Yagyu assassin in disguise of course), they decide they must intervene, forcing Lone Wolf to teach them a valuable lesson.

(56) "Ailing Star" has Daigoro finding a place to stay with an old granny who lives under a rotted bridge in danger of collapse. The locals keep trying to convince the old lady to leave, but she refuses. "Ailing Star" forms an interesting counterpart to "Talisman of Hades" as Daigoro has his own little lesson to impart.

(57) "Thirteen Strings" is an 118-page story where Koike and Kojima come up with their own version of a Kurosawa film experience (the rain during the last acts of the story is a clue). When we come to end of this epic tale, surely "Thirteen Strings" will be one of the most memorable episodes. A runaway horse is about to trample a child in the road when Ogami Itto intervenes. The horsewoman turns out to be the Lady Kanae, Daughter of the Go-Jodai of Odawara Han, and a spoiled brat who fancies herself a samurai. Ogami also learns of a larger conflict between the Go-Jodai and the farmers. Drought has blighted the harvest for four years and the Go-Jodai has tightened the screws on the farmers, who "hire" Ogami to attend a meeting between the two sides (because if anything happens to Chosuke, the leader of the farmers, Lone Wolf will bring word back to the farmers). Go-Jodai has his own agenda for implementing fundamental agricultural reform. Meanwhile, his headstrong daughter seeks revenge on the ronin who has insulted her. But then the rains bring a sudden flood that changes absolutely everything. This is a memorable story of surprising depth, showing that Koike and Kojima are absolute masters of their craft.

(58) "A Poem for the Grave" has Ogami Itto seeking help in finding the secret of the Yagyu letter. This turns into another assassination job, which results in an encounter with another honorable soul who seeks to turn Lone Wolf from the Assassin's Road. The question is whether things might be different this time because of Ogami Itto's separation from Diagoro.

I am in awe of Koike and Kojima maintain this level of excellence through a story that is not even halfway over by this point in the telling of the tale. I continue to savor one story each night at bedtime so that I can think about how it fits into the big picture and the ebb and flow of the story. An absolute masterpiece, not just as a comic book, but as an epic narrative.