Alice Hoffman has uncovered a forgotten piece of American history and inspired me to begin collecting Indian clubs. Hoffman has written an informative book complete with stunning photographs and personal reflections.

Indian clubs now prized for their sculptural, artistic merits were once a must for every man, women, and child who hoped to obtain physical and spiritual well-being in the late 19th, early 20th century.

It's amazing to learn that Indian clubs were once thought to be an exercise that would stand the test of time. Hoffman has shown they have, not as muscle builders but as a collectible.

If you're interested in learning something new and not afraid of becoming an Indian club collecting addict as I have since reading this book, I suggest you order Indian Clubs today.

Excellent resource for serious collectors and the curious. Photographs are inspirational. Can't wait to start my own collection. Historical information very comprehensive. Good read as well as informative.

A wonderful read...informative.Photographs are ready for framing. Definitely will inspire you to begin to collect Indian clubs. As stated by Gerard Wertkin, Director, Museum of American Folk Art, "(Alice Hoffman) has recovered an all but forgotten subchapter in the history of American sport and, at the same time, helped us appreciate another aspect of American artistic creativity. Hats off to her!" I agree with Mr. Wertkin and the following reviews: Antiques & Auction News, "A colorful exercise in collecting,"..."documents the "life" of this colorful and practical form of exercise...a charming addition to any antiques library." Antique & Collectibles News Service, "Inside Antiques, Good Reading,"..."we love (this) book...a folk art gem." Antiques Review, "The Bookshelf,"..."Superb color photographs...Fascinating archival material." Denver Post, "What's Up,"..."If you're searching for the most unusual art book of the year don't overlook Indian Clubs." Maine Antiques Digest, "Books, Calendars, CD-ROMS,"..."a case for Indian clubs as folk art." The Star Ledger, NJ, "A new life for Indian clubs,"..."new coffee table book...If TV infomercials had been around in their heyday, chances are the physical fitness mavens of the day would have been pitching Indian clubs in the same way abs machines and treadmills are endlessly hawked now."

I sailed to the Arctic on the Regina Maris in 1997, a couple years before Oxenhorn took his trip. Not quite the book I would have written, but I started out with greater expectations of discomfort and hardship. After all, it was the Arctic. Nonetheless, Oxenhard paints an accurate picture of life on a tall ship on the frigid edge of the world, and, more importantly, gives a true recounting of the deep personal changes that take place in everyone aboard on such a voyage. I sailed with many of the characters in the book, and would disagree with the more negative of Oxenhorn's descriptions of them, nonetheless, he does give a good feel for some of the friction that occurs on a long trip under difficult conditions with no privacy. Its a great pity that the good ship Regina Maris no more. I believe that everyone who sailed on her to the frozen north came back a deeply changed and better person. This book is perhaps the next best thing.

The late Harvey Oxenhorn secured an enduring legacy through his captivating, detailed account of his apprentice voyage on the tall ship, Regina Maris. He painstakingly chronicles all facets of life during the nine weeks spent traversing from Boston to the Arctic Ocean, recounting sights, sounds, encounters, and experiences at sea and on shore in various ports from Newfoundland to Greenland and back again.

The result is not one of those irritating "look, look at me" travel books or the ramblings of a self-absorbed trekker who intimidated his editor into leaving in the most boring of details but a refreshing recap of life at sea, warts and all..

Mr. Oxenhorn, motivated by a journey of spiritual discovery, soon finds his preconceived notions of life at sea challenged not only by the mundane, repetitive tasks that consume most hours, but also by his inexperience and fears that he must confront whether scaling the vertical matrix of ropes and sails or keeping watch in the middle of the night in all kinds of weather and knowing that his decisions and observation will affect the well-being of the crew and ship.

As the story unfolds-and more so as a novel than travelogue-Mr. Oxenhorn constantly finds surprising aspects about his crew mates that force him to reconsider them, and himself, in the context of this expedition and extrapolates from these experiences a growing sense of self-mastery and awareness of interdependence.

As he recounts late in the book, "But again, the main point wasn't the rules themselves. Nor was it to demonstrate someone's authority. . . Rather, it was to break down the habit of mind that makes exceptions and desires special treatment. To replace it with a heart called unity."

Though this notion may sound a bit like the process used to mold soldiers in boot camp, his ruminations regarding interdependence reach a deeper resonance when he argues, both convincingly and cogently, that "We have made ourselves responsible for the life that ours depends on, from copepods to whales. To think differently about these animals is to think differently about ourselves as well. From now on, we must all stand watch. One tribe. One family. One crew."

Mr. Oxenhorn takes great pains to present his facts and details with care, clearly having spent many hours researching and documenting his observations about everything from various seabirds, to the construction and operation of tall sailing ships, to traditional navigational methods involving sextant and compass and stars. His narrative jumps to life as he describes what it is like to be sailing on a wooden ship among "tabular icebergs twice the length of football fields and seven stories high."

The point of the expedition was to study whale populations, and the author provides enough information about whales, their place and role in the marine environment, and how humans have affected (almost always badly) the balance of nature. He provides just enough details about how the research is conducted, what key findings are made, and what sort of future might be in store for the whale populations. Mr. Oxenhorn does not come off sounding like a overzealous, gung-ho Greenpeacer hunkered down in a Zodiac; rather he applies the same sort of calm logic to why we must carefully manage the oceans as agrarian essayist Wendell Berry proffers.

Likewise he captures both the ugly and shining sides of human behavior and interactions aboard ship and shore, pulling no punches even from his characterizations of Captain George Nichols, with whom Mr. Oxenhorn butted heads----and came away chastised more than once----the mates, or his peer crewmates. More than once, I cringed at some of these depictions, wondering if the author might be overstepping his rights, but he never fails to reveal the good, sometimes surprising, qualities of his shipmates.

If I had been Mr. Oxenhorn's editor, I might have asked for more explanation of some of the nautical and sailing terms that pepper the chronicle, maybe a glossary for those of us who will never experience firsthand such an adventure. The map inside the front cover is useful, but not nearly detailed enough, and without including the longitude and latitude lines, a puzzling lapse I would attribute to the publisher, it's not easy to track the voyage sequentially. (Most chapter titles follow this convention, for example, "17 July. 63◦N/54◦W."

Those minor points aside, "Tuning the Rig" is the kind of book that causes you to postpone your own chores while you read about the myriad tasks of "field day" or the duties of the "galley slave." I cannot say that I now have the urge to spend two months at sea on a tall ship, but I am grateful to Mr. Oxenhorn for his splendid account. Had he not been the faultless victim of an automobile crash, Mr. Oxenhorn, who is also a published poet, might have made quite a name for himself.

Throughgoing in pioneering scholarship and artistic in execution, this unique wife-husband collaboration advances the art of oral history, butresses the case for using memory and recognition in histories, and reads like a fine novel. Thanks to Alice's interviewing craft, Howard's rich memories of his varied WW11 experiences are validated. Oral history techniques are thereby improved, and the reader is treated all along to a very good read. Bold in conception, careful in completion, the book will reward all curious about the strengths and limitations of recall and recognition as scholarly aids. Any others open to learning more truth than ever about war will also be well rewarded

This has become one of my favorite children's stories of all time. The story of a boy who can't seem to do anything right but in the end saves the town - by accident. And also of a town that learns not to judge people, but rather to accept them for who they are. I have read this to many children in the grade school I work at and they all love it. In their own way, each of them can feel what it is like to walk in Jackie's shoes. The illustrations are wonderful too.

Our son (who is 9) really enjoyed this story of a 9 year old boy who discovers firelies. It is a quick read, and the illustrations are lovely.

Okay, okay. I'm 41 years old and I have no children, so what am I doing reading children's fiction? The answer is simple---Alice Hoffman. Hoffman, who deftly blends forklore and fairy tale like qualities into her adult novels (HERE ON EARTH, THE RIVER KING, among many others) uses these skills to great advantage in HORSEFLY, and it translates effectively into children's fiction. HORSEFLY is the story of a timid little girl, Jewel, and her magical horse and is a delightful tale for both children and children at heart alike!

Green Angel is a book that actually benefits from being judge by its cover. It is a beautifully packaged and designed YA book that will call for your attention from its place on the shelf. The story itself is sadly lacking in comparison. The story is hazed by vagueness and repetition. The reader can feel the protagonist changing but the quirky encounters seem to leave more questions than answers. There is also a question of lapsing time. It feels like years have passed when in actuality only a few months. This story might appeal to a YA because of its mysticism and body art but lacks the craft needed for older readers.

this book-i honestly could not put down- i could relate to the characters in this story because i am the younger sister, the wild and fast one. i am not shy, socialibe, and generous to my sisters. i also felt the pain that Green went through when she lost her family. she lost the will to want to survive. like the darkness she lived in, she became it. she grew in the dark and then realized that she was not ever going to be the same girl. when she encounters the greyhound Ghost and the mute boy Diamond, she sees that they have the same pain as she does.
in her dreams, her sister speaks to her- asking for help, then when Green is turned to Ash, Aurora(her sister) no longer recognizes who she is.
this book is about losing things in life, enduring the pain that always trails behind that lost, and the reinvention of your indentity. remembering is a big part of this story as well as believeing that things will change. change is constant, it is something no one has control over

This book tells the story, in a first person point of view, of a teenager named Green. One day, the other members of her family go into the village. They never returned.

A fire burned down the village, killing most, if not all, of the residents. Green is now all alone.

Green begins to completely change her appearance. She cuts off her hair, because it reminded her too much of her mother. She takes nails and put them through her heavy boots, and wears tights with thorns. She used ink, and gives herself tattoos all over her body. (A self-mutilation of sorts) She is now forced to look at herself, and to find where she really belongs. All on her own. Finding love in exactly the right place.

I really enjoyed this book. It's sad, and yet uplifting all at once. Leaving you with a smile, long after you read the last page.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a scary tall tale told in the quiet town of Sleepy Hollow. It all starts out when Ichabod Crane(an intelligent school teacher) goes to a party at the Van Tassel's house. At the party a mean guy named Brom Bones tells a scary tale, about a headless horseman from the Revolutionary War. It was told that he roamed the night looking for his head, which he lost in battle. That night Ichabod had to ride home, he was very frightened. Lets just say Ichabod was never seen again, the only thing found the next day was his hat.
The legend of Sleepy Hollow is a great thriller. You can tell the tale at night, when you have a sleepover, or around a campfire. The book has a good story line and can be easily followed. I hope you don't get too scared when you read about the Headless Horseman...

Have you ever heard of the Headless Horseman? Have you ever heard the stories about him and how he attacks people in the woods? Have you ever wondered whether or not the story is real?

Find out for yourself by reading Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I enjoyed reading this book and i think anyone who has a liking for mysterious legends and superstitions should read this book beacause of the interesting legend the town believes in. There are few characters to keep track of and the story is not hard to follow. The book is long but the reading goes quickly.

The story is set in the late 18th century in a town in New York called Sleepy Hollow. The town believes in a legend of a headless horseman who rides through the woods at night anf attacks people. The main character is a man named Ichabod Crane who is a schoolteacher from Connecticut. He moves to Sleepy Hollow in search of work and ends up going from home to home working as a tutor. One of his students is 18 year old Katrina Van Tassel who comes from a wealthy family. Ichabod gets the idea that he will try to marry Katrina in order to obtain the family's wealth. However, Katrina's boyrfriend Abraham "Brom Bones" Brut has other plans for Ichabod. As the tension rises, Ichabod continues trying to win Katrina until a breathtaking surprise appearance by the town's legend creates as mysterious an ending as they come.

The book has many strengths and few weaknesses. The author manages to create a mood in the book that keeps you always on th edge of your seat waiting for the legend of the Headless Horseman to come into play. The story is simple and easy to follow but is still very interesting. The characters are developed well and have personalities that you can understand and relate to. One such character is Brom Bones who is easily seen as an arrogant egotist. The only weakness of the book was one based on my personal opinion. The end of the story leaves too much to be concluded for my liking.

All in all, this book was a great story. The author wrote the characters in such a way that you had definite feelings towards each one of them. Also, the story line was definitely not without surprise. But if you want to discover what surprises I am talking about then I suggest you read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

First off, this review is of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle" published by Dover Children's Thrift Classics, $.... While most reviews might concentrate on the merits of the stories themselves, this review is meant to support the benefits of purchasing this particular edition over others.

That said, the first thing I would like to comment on is the price. You can't ask for more of a bargain that to pay less than a ... of America's most popular and well known Revolutionary War era stories. Great for anyone on a budget, or parents who want to expand their child's library but don't want to break the bank on something they may only read once. ....

Secondly, I would like to mention that this book contains BOTH "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" AND "Rip Van Winkle" in their respective unabridged entirety. Both are relatively short, entertaining, and easy-to-read stories that supply a great introduction to period literature, beliefs, and storytelling for children and adults alike. While these are not Washington Irving's only writings, they are perhaps the most well-known.

As a former teacher, I have the following suggestion: If you live in the New York metro area, this book would be an excellent jumping off point for a trip to Washington Irving's homestead, "Sunnyside", in Tarrytown, NY, for which you can find plenty of information online. There are several other "living history" sites in the area as well.

At Risk is an awakening look at how one virus can affect an entire community. When Amanda Farrell, an aspiring eleven-year old gymnast, is diagnosed with the AIDS virus caused by a blood transfusion during a routine operation, not only are she and her family's lives thrown into turmoil, but many other people are affected as well. This book was a truly amazing account of the emotions and experiences of an AIDS patient, her family, friends, doctors, and teachers as they deal with the illness individually and as a unit. To paint such a vibrant picture, the characters developed by the author, Alice Hoffman, had to be truly believable and readers must be able to connect with them. At Risk's characters were no disappointments. Ivan, Amanda's father, is very well developed. When he consults an AIDS hotline and goes into alternative treatment methods for Amanda when he, being generally a scientist and opposed to such things, we see how scared and desperate he is beneath the surface. Polly, Amanda's mother, is another wonderfully portrayed character. Instead of what many people would expect of someone in her situation, she is actually human and must struggle between her life and her daughter's. Amanda's doctor, Edward Reardon, is possibly the best-developed character in the entire novel. We see how he deals with Amanda, a lifelong patient, being ill with a terminal disease affect him at a professional level as well as a personal level. He is forced to sacrifice time with his own family for time with another, and that effect is a sad one we might not often realize. Lastly, Amanda herself was a very honest, true character. Despite generalizations by society that an AIDS patient may only think about her illness, it is made clear that regardless of her health, she just wants to be an eleven-year-old girl. However, one might feel slightly let down by the lack of negative viewpoints. Since At Risk dealt heavily with issues of fear and opposition of Amanda and her family's participation in school, gymnastics, and routine tasks, it may have been more understood by the reader if they could read the feelings and views of such a character. All viewpoints given (and there certainly were quite a few) gave a somewhat hopeful and supportive approach to Amanda's illness. Aside from this, Alice Hoffman's approach to showing how much one little girl means to so many people is a very solid, strong, and effective one. Also, the author did a fabulous job of making the reader feel like they really knew Amanda Farrell's family. Little details, bold personalities, distinct dialogue for each person, and frank behavioral descriptions of characters give a very directed, unique feel to the family life. These elements also make it much easier to relate to, which is very important to reader comprehension when writing about a topic that most of the audience has probably not have ever had any experience dealing with and therefore do not know how those involved would act in such a situation. The variety of conflict in the novel is very thorough. Person versus society conflict is addressed when many parents do not want Amanda or her brother to associate with their children out of fear and ignorance. Aside from that, Amanda is excluded from some gymnastics events, and very hard thing for her to deal with because this is her passion. All of the Farrells face a challenge against the community to show them that the only reason for fear is ignorance. Charlie and his best friend, Sevrin are not allowed to play together at the demand of Sevrin's mother, demonstrating the most severe demonstration of person versus person conflict. Polly shows how people can have conflicts with themselves when she is forced to deal with her attractive and need for Ed Reardon and her need to be a good mother and wife at the same time. Lastly, all of the Farrells have a conflict with nature in their wonder at why Amanda's fate was AIDS. If a reader is looking for a book strictly about the story of an AIDS patient and personal, dramatic details on every page, At Risk is not for them. However, if a reader is in pursuit of an account of an AIDS patient that seems more realistic and human, a novel like this will probably be highly satisfying. This book is shocking and painfully realistic. If Alice Hoffman gives one message throughout At Risk, it is that AIDS does not only affect one's health, but also their entire mental, physical, and emotional state of well being.

I first picked up a dog-eared copy of "At Risk" when I was ten years old. Maybe a little young to be reading an adult novel, but it never stopped me in the past. I've been a voracious reader my whole life but I am eternally grateful I chose "At Risk" to read that day. It is the one book that is very, very special to me. Probably because it is the first book that stayed in my system for months afterward, made me cry for a family I didn't even know. This book tells of a young girl, Amanda Farrell, who is diagnosed with AIDS, and how it affects her family and the quaint New England town they reside in. Keep in mind that information on AIDS was not as conclusive as it is now, there were many misconceptions about the disease. My cousin died of AIDS in the late eighties around the time this book was written. Maybe that's what drew me to it

The characters are intricately written, I found myself growing to care for everyone, from Polly to Amanda to Laurel. The character who stood out the most to me was the youngest, Amanda's little brother Charlie. Charlie is somewhat of a loner, a precocious, science-obsessed 8-year-old who has a strong, typical-sibling bond with Amanda. The reason Charlie stood out to me was his pain and grief and confusion was written subtly, to the point where it seemed like Charlie was fading into the background, literally. His parents are so busy caring for Amanda they don't realize Charlie is hurting and being isolated by people in school who are afraid of contracting the illness.

I commend Alice Hoffman on delicately touching the issue of a controversial illness in the 80s, drawing up an array of characters so real I felt myself in pain for them, and writing this book that will always be considered the first book I ever really loved.

I have been an avid follower of Alice Hoffman for more than a decade. "At Risk" remains my favorite of her books. I loved most of the characters (that insensitive fool Betsy, the mother of her son's friend was for the birds). I loved the way AIDS was treated in a gentle, sensitive way without stigma being attached to the illness. I loved the way Charlie and his weirdly named friend Sevrin (why would anybody name their child Sevrin? that is cruel) were friends in spite of the stupidity of Sevrin's mother, Betsy. I actually cheered when Polly, the mother of Amanda and Charlie stood up to that fool Betsy and called her on her prejudice. I love the way she tried to hit that fool with logic concerning her daughter Amanda's illness. For everyone who has ever cared about somebody who was termainally ill, for everyone who cares about people in general (that's where Betsy gets off the train), this book is for us. A KEEPER!

Turtle Moon is the fifth book by author Alice Hoffman that I have read. Like many of her other novels, Turtle Moon is filled with a little mystique and an edge of darkness. Turtle Moon takes place in a town called Verity, which is the most humid spot in eastern Florida. Verity is a town where divorced women seem to run to. It is a town where one could find crushed turtle shells on the roads, and it is also a town where weird things happened in the month of May.

Lucy Rosen is one of those divorced women who had run to Verity, and who was also bringing up her troubled son, Keith, on her own. Lucy found her life turning upside down when, on one gloomy night in May, one of her divorced neighbors, Karen Wright, is murdered in her apartment. Not only is Karen's body found in apartment 8C, but Karen's baby daughter is missing . . . and so is Lucy's teenage son, Keith.

As a result, Julian Cash, a broody, silent cop, takes over the case, and find himself taking a special interest in Lucy, as well as her son. Lucy's main objective is to find her son, and to find out who really killed Karen Wright, so suspicion concerning her son will be dropped. Turtle Moon weaves a telling tale of suspense until the very end. Like many of Alice Hoffman's other books, she leaves her characters' futures uncertain and up in the air.

The story is moving and the characters are real. Besides the aforementioned main characters, there's other supporting characters, who add to the wistful feeling of the town of Verity. Turtle Moon is a story that is enjoyable, interesting, and well-written, making Alice Hoffman one of the most intriguing writers of our time.

It would appear that I have arrived late at the party since Turtle Moon is only the third book I've read by Alice Hoffman. And while Practical Magic will most likely always remain my favorite, Turtle Moon, will be a close second. Once again as she does in her other books Alice Hoffman presents her readers with wonderful characters who remain with one long after they close the book. In Turtle Moon, she also describes a place both geographically and spiritually so that if we were set down there tomorrow, we would know our way around.

Verity, Florida is the place where more divorced women come to from New York when they leave their husbands. Some come with children who are difficult like Lucy Rosen, while others like Bethany run away on the spur of the moment to leave abusive husbands. Some work at jobs while others hide out with their small children and pawn jewelry for extra cash. And some dread going home to confront their children or to learn that their child has once again been suspended from school. And in this quiet town lives Julian Cash, a policeman with a difficult dog and a difficult past which continues to haunt him. And as if the month of May isn't difficult enough for the residents of this town as sea turtles begin their migration across the streets of Verity, a young woman is found murdered, her baby missing along with Lucy's son who is the worst boy in Verity. Now its up to Julian and Lucy to join together and to find him and the truth out about the murder. And we as readers are like spiders in a web as we move along with the plot, setting and characters of this first rate novel.

Hoffman, as usual has filled her book wth many mystical occurrences and images. She has also filled the pages with themes present in some of her other books. In this case, themes such as relationships between spouses, parents and children, guilt for survivng a tragedy and moving on with one's life despite disappointments. Most of all I see this book as a testimony ultimately to running towards and dealing with ones problems. And as in the past books I've read Hoffman fills her pages with a cast of the most endearing characters. From Lucy and her ex-husband to her Aunt and Uncle, from Julian to his cousin, Ghost, from Bethany to her slimy husband, these are people who will live and breath for you within these pages.

And eventhough I may have been a late arrival, I am now a happy Alice Hoffman fan looking forward to catching up on her older titles as well as her newest book The River King.

I've read a number of Alice Hoffman's novels. Not all of them were great, but this book is phenominal. The story deals with hurt people; people damaged by their own actions trying to somehow live their lives without doing any more damage. So what do they do? They isolate themselves emotionally. The mystery at the center of the plot isn't all that baffling. The best part of this book is the way Hoffman gives us tiny glimpses into the characters' souls. I read this book over the course of two winter days, but I could feel the heat and humidity of Verity as well as the desperate desire, fear, and determination of the two main characters.