This book has such an unexpected gut-level impact on everyone who reads it! I have read it aloud to people of all ages and there is never a dry eye in the room! Each of the short letters begins with a date which will be meaningful to anyone who lived through the depression. Oddly enough, disasters and hard times seem to bring out the best in people and this book sets out to show just how that is true. Lydia Grace Finch is such a universally loveable little character - she is unforgettable! The text and the illustrations are so perfectly suited to each other - they seem to have been created by the same person -but they aren't! (Just a "marriage of true minds" I guess.)The book gets at the heart of what a family can give a child even without money - what it means to be poor and what it means to be rich.
This is a lovely gift book for children or adults and I hope it stays in print for a long, long time!

Lydia Grace is not only a gardener, but a writer of letters. This lovely book is a collection of her precious letters to beloved family members, and through them her story unfolds. David Small's simple but powerful illustrations bring Sarah Stewart's story of this brave little girl to life. What a great combination of author and illustrator. Be sure to read "The Library", as well.

The Gardener is now our favorite book. My three sons love to look at the wonderful illustrations. I love to garden and I have enjoyed teaching them. My children love to hear the letters Lydia writes to her family, which tell the story. In today's world, letter writing is becoming a thing of the past. Most of all, we love the ending - showing the love Lydia and her uncle developed for each other. It makes me cry every time I read it.

I spent a solid year of sheer hell. This included five hospitalizations, including two complete heart blocks, and insertion of a permanent pacemaker, months of recovery and a six-month disability period off of work. All of it was directly due to migraines or the (mis)treatment I received for them.

Heal Your Headache provided me with the first believable explanation of my condition and how all of the symptoms related, and most importantly what I could do about it. By following the three step process in the book I've started getting my headaches under control, and minimizing all of the other symptoms: balance problems, confusion, tremors, nausea, light and sound sensitivity...

Dr. Buchholz provides enough examples to make any headache sufferer recognize himself or herself. And he lays out a complete plan of action that should help anyone. It's not particularly easy, especially for me to cut out ALL of the food triggers, but I've reduced my need for painkillers, and am seeing longer and longer periods headache free.

I recommend this book for anyone who suffers from frequent headaches, regardless of whether they consider them to be migraines.

Ten years ago, I had the opportunity to be Dr. Buchholz's patient while living in the NE. We worked together until finding that Verapamil was the best solution for avoiding migraine. I was able to discontinue the Verapamil for the past five years until moving to Calgary, Alberta Canada (the migraine capital of the world!)for a two year job assignment. Dr. Buchholz graciously spoke with me "long distance" and said "I have finished the book and it is available...please read it and we can talk again." The triggers have multiplied since moving here (Chinook winds-falling barometric pressure) and it is great to have the book as a resource for reclaiming a headache free environment. I am amazed at the many people who suffer from these headaches and are so excited to have the recommendation of Dr. Buchholz's book. My GP photocopied the front of the book and is pleased to have the resource for his patients, as well. The rebound medications (quick-fixes) were such a temptation but the clear, easy-reading solutions in the book allow me to take control. It's great to talk to Dr. Buchholz, but even better to have Heal Your Headache.

This book is extraordinary. It outlines in simple, easy-to-follow, compelling language a program for conquering chronic migraines. After years of being told I had stress headaches or being treated inappropriately for migraines with a variety of medications, I was introduced to a treatment regimen that really works. It requires discipline, but that's easy once you understand the mechanism of migraine. The simple dietary modifications outlined in this book and the systematic process for implementing them have literally changed my life. I've gone from being controlled by headaches to having control of them. I've whole-heartedly recommended this book to a number of people -- I'm surprised how many people suffer from migraines. I only hope they'll read it and follow Dr. Buchholz's advice.

By far one of the best books written on the Battle of the Buldge and the seige at Bastogne. Burgett gives excellent eyewitness testimony to the horror and slaughter that was the Battle of the Buldge. The reader sees the battle through the eyes that faught it. Burgett brilliantly takes the reader into the heat of the battle and makes the reader understand what it was like to be in the 101st Airborne during World Wae II. I could not put this book down until it was finished and it made me want to read as much as i could about the Battle of the Buldge.Donald Burgett is truly an American Hero. I highly recommend this book to everyone young and old.

this book is amazingly interesting. i dont usually read ofter but this book was hard to put down. I loved this work. it is a story of donald and his regiment surrounded in bastogne fighting back to the safety of their lines. their convoy is attacked by a hefty chunk of artillery fire and german ambushes. it also speaks of heavy shelling during all hours of the night by 35 panzer divisions. "seven roads to hell" tells how he loses friends in a battle in the woods. i hope you enjoy it!

Mr. Burgett was a 19 year old paratrooper in the 101st airborne who had the luck (good or bad) to witness some of the fiercest fighting that took place during the second world war. This book provides you with the feel from the trenches of those terrible dark days when it looked like the Wehrmacht and Hitler's Germany were striking forward again. The terrible cold, fear, and the brutality of the combat spring to life in this well written account. This text is an easy and quick read, I finished it on one 3 hour plane flight.
Mr. Burgett participated in multiple attacks and defenses and his writing of them is extremely detailed as I suppose those memories linger quite clearly. This is not a book of strategy or an overview of the Battle of Bastogne, but simply how one man experienced the combat and the losses. No quarter was given or asked for. Prisoners were given no solace as there was no food, medicine or even men to guard them. This was combat in its rawest form. A good reminder to all of what war really is in its basic form - young men killing other young men. Mr. Burgett experienced this at arms length and is kind enough to share his experiences. Read this and be thankful for the freedom from fascism that we share!

This is a very realistic account of a year in the lives of one shift of homicide detectives written by a newspaper reporter that reads as well as fiction. You are right there at the crime scenes with the primary detectives when they roll the body over looking for clues, when they interview the witnesses, fill out the paperwork and go out for drinks after work when the board is changed from red to black, signifying the case has been closed. You can get a real appreciation as to what it is like to be an underpaid, underappreciated and overworked homicide investigator in a major city. Interrrogation techniques are revealed in this unique book. Some trial action. Definitely worth the read. Contains real life violence. A good companion to the TV show.

Simon's Homicide reads not as a murder mystery, not as a documentary, and not as a dramatic novel, but as a life lived in the Baltimore homicide unit. The reader does not feel passive, as though he were watching the goings-on through a filter like a television or even a bystander. The reader is there, with the detectives, sharing their experiences, sharing their very thoughts. This book is a masterpiece, a book that completely enthralls you to the point where during the time you are reading, nothing means more to you than the resolution of each case, each obstacle, each crisis. Please, do yourself a favor and read this remarkable book.

... until you are finished. Incredibly well-written, fascinating, and a page-turner. I've reacted this way to very few books, and _Homicide_ is one of them. Simon makes you laugh at the warped sense of humor of the Baltimore Homicide Squad, and cry at the tragedy of a little girl's body found in the projects.

This is just flat-out an amazing book. Read it.

This series by the author Barry Sadler is a modern blend of two ancient legends. The first is the legend of the roman centurion Longinus who was supposedly present at Christ's crucifixion.
He stabbed christ in the side with his spear to end his agony on the cross and afterwards he became a christian convert and a
saint.
The next legend is that of the wandering jew who was supposedly cursed by Christ to wander the world until the second coming.
The reason according to the story why he incurred the wrath of Christ was that he out of spite made a derogatory or insulting remark to Jesus as he was being led to his crucifixion.
The result of this blend has been Casca Longinus,a Roman soldier cursed by Christ to wander the world forever until the second coming.
Forever fighting,forever surviving and waiting for him to return.
This series of adventures takes our protagonist down through history from one war to another. In almost each case he endures wounds and horrible pain only to encounter more.
A strange unexplained power makes his flesh heal miraculously from all wounds inflicted and which renders it along with his blood poisonous to all other creatures man included.
His ability to outlive others makes his existence a lonely one without any lasting friendship or company. He finds himself in many cases the victim of other's brutality and hatred thus making his long existence also a harsh and violent one.
That which he desires so much eludes him and that is death,which is freedom from his brutal life and eternal peace. He is not so much a hero as he is a victim of fate in a situation not of his choice.
There is plenty of historic detail in this series much of it dealing with warfare and the military.
For those who want historic fact mixed with fiction this might be worth a try.
For fans of action adventure series in the tradition of "The Executioner" and the "A Team" this is a good recomendation.
There is plenty of fast-paced action in this series and it's guaranteed to keep you from yawning.
There are graphic descriptions of violence and gore so if if you're looking for light reading then I suggest reading Robert Fulghum instead.

A while back a friend of mine mentioned something about a series of books following a man who is immortal, and this man was immortal because he was cursed to live forever by Christ as he was dying on the Cross. The man's name is Casca. Casca is a soldier of the Roman army around the time of Christ's death, sometime around 33 A.D. Casca is the soldier assigned to the mundane task of waiting for Jesus to die while he kept the small crowd around the Cross at bay. When told to finish the Jew off Casca stabs him in the side, just as the Bible tells it, but Jesus has a few words with Casca. The rest of Casca's life is then changed, and so the legend begins. Anyone interested in historical fiction and/or immortality should definitely read this book if not the entire series of 22 books spanning 2000 years.

In the Eternal Mercenary Casca life goes from soldier, to slave, to extreme popularity very quickly, but I don't want to give too much away. Read this book, the first in a long series of great stories about the man made to live until the return of the Jew. Until we meet again.

I own all of the original books and still reread them. Great series and definately worth buying. I'm just sorry the series stopped (yes, I know why). Like the idea of a movie or TV series.

"Star Wars, Episode I: The Visual Dictionary" combines text by David West Reynolds with a wealth of excellent full-color photographs. Rather than rely on shots from the film, the book primarily uses still shots that appear to have been purposefully taken for a project like this. This was, in my opinion, a wise choice, since I have noticed that the photos in other movie tie-in books can sometimes be a bit murky. The photos here are crisp and colorful, and really allow you to analyze and enjoy the details.

The text comes in the form of easy-to-digest nuggets. The book covers characters, ships, weapons, clothing, robots, animals, and other elements from the movie. The text offers intriguing little tidbits of info about the SW universe (although I imagine that more devoted fans may argue about how "canonical" this info is).

A nice aspect of the book is the fact that barely glimpsed elements in the film are given loving attention here. For example, you can "meet" the members of the Jedi Council more intimately. I liked the comparative size chart of Naboo sea monsters. And the fashion-oriented will have a great time exploring the ornate costumes worn by Queen Amidala and others. Overall, this book is a lot of fun.

The Dorling-Kindersley Visual Dictionaries are all top-notch products, fascinating not only for children, but for adults, as well. The STAR WARS, EPISODE I addition to this line does not disappoint, with page after page of wonderful, detailed photographs of the people, things and places featured in the film. Everything, from lightsabers to battle droids to Darth Maul, is examined closely and exhaustively labeled.

The fun doesn't stop with the photographs, however. Written in close concert with Lucasfilm, the book provides greater insight into the film by providing information about even minor characters with little screen time. As a result, the next time readers watch EPISODE I, they'll find themselves recalling these tidbits, and enjoying the movie even more than they did before.

Readers, adults and children alike, will find this Visual Dictionary a delight, and it will rarely stay on the shelf. Fun to read cover-to-cover, or just to leaf through, the book is an excellent addition to any STAR WARS fan's collection, and comes very close to being a must-have.

This slim volume, published in 1999 to coincide with the release of Episode I, is actually a treasure for Star Wars fans who are interested in the details of the characters, lifeforms, and technology from that "galaxy far, far away...." Lavishly illustrated and wonderfully written by David West Reynolds. Also worth getting are The Star Wars Visual Dictionary and the Star Wars Episode II Visual Dictionary.

Clara Bow's incredible journey through life --- the child abuse, boundless energy, ambition, heartbreak and ostracism ---- is enough for any five soap operas. But it all happened to her, and David Stenn's flawless writing brings it all to life. Even hardcore film mavens who THINK they know Bow's story need to read this book. Bow was a highly complex, yet simple, person used by Hollywood's machine then cast aside when she seemed ill suited for talkies. Stenn iss particularly good at covering Bow's many valleys and how the tinsel town users almost zeroed-in on her. Unlike any bio I've ever read, RUNNING WILD truly blends outstanding research, often minute facts (there are many additions in this updated version), and a deep feeling for the Bow the public never saw. I HIGHLY recommend this book to teenagers! My 16 year old was fascinated with Bow's story, one which could have happened yesterday. Congratulations to David Stenn for a magnificent bio that no film buff --- or teenager --- should miss.

David Stenn has managed to make Clara Bow come alive in this poignant biography. Through meticulous research, he retraces her development into one of the most fascinating, talented and complex film actresses in history. The reader is subtly drawn into Clara Bow's life and psyche through Stenn's descriptive and non-invasive prose. The author does not choose to demystify Clara Bow, but rather relays relevant and touching information which serves to deftly humanize an icon. At times, I was so caught up in the story that I forgot I was actually reading a book. I strongly recommend Runnin' Wild to anyone over 16, regardless of your literary leanings. This book has been a staple in my gift-giving repertoire, and I am so pleased to once again find it available. Runnin' Wild is a remarkable book about a remarkable life that begs to be experienced and shared.

Clara Bow's life and career are remembered as a series of lurid rumors about her sex life and inability to suceed in sound pictures. Stenn presents a great story about Bow's rise from a disfunctional family in the slums of Brooklyn to being one of the biggest stars in silent films. Sadly her problems didn't end once she made it in Hollywood.

This is a well written and researched biography of an almost forgotten Hollywood star, the precursor of Jean Harlow and Marilyn Monroe. It is a wonderful look into the world of silent movies and I recommend it highly.

I saw this amazing exhibit, "La Terre Vue Du Ciel", of Yann Arthus-Bertrand's in the Jardin du Luxembourg Senat when I was in Paris a few weeks ago. The exhibit included much larger-than poster-sized photos that are some of the same photos contained in the book. They were spectacular and breath-taking. Stunning really. But if you can't afford to go to Paris, or if you can't get a hold of a poster of his work, this book is a fantastic collection of awesome, thoughtful, inspiring, thought-provoking, and humanistic usually unseen images taken from above Earth, that have an incredible aesthetic beauty. I can't recommend this book more highly. I was going to purchase 3-4 of them myself for me and my family and friends. However, I waited to get back to the US before doing so since they are large and very heavy due to the high-quality paper the photos are printed on. I was sorry they would not fit in my luggage as I had wished to stare at the photos for many hours on the plane trip home. Many kudos to Yann Arthus-Bertrand for an outstanding artistic work! Bravo! I hope to see another exhibit by this talented photographer in Paris or the U.S. in the near future.

This is a book that I would have loved as a child. Don't get me wrong, I love it today but a child would bask in the wonders of the Earth for hours with these images. It's hard to believe that some of the locations in this book are on this planet. There is such beauty and awe in these pictures. At almost every turn of the page there is a "wow" coming out of my mouth. Well worth the money. The only gripe I have is the reference of the locations. You have to flip around all over the place to find out the location of the photographs. There does not seem to be any order connecting the photos to the descriptions. Don't worry though! Still get the book.

This book is a jewel. In my opinion, everyone should have a copy of this book at home.
I first saw Yann Arthus Bertrand work during an outdoor exhibit in Paris. I was fascinated with the photos, and the next day I ran to buy the book (although some people to whom I have recommended it find it rather expensive).
Certainly, the photos are sensational, but that is hardly the point. Yann is a true citizen of the world, and represents globalisation in its 'kindest' -and most 'useful' form, if I'm allowed the expression.
In this book, Yann Arthus shows us that earth is sick. Whether it is the Amazon rainforests, Alaska, Africa or Australia, clear signs of decomposition appear in the photos. This book is a waking call for many of us, however, at the same time it reminds us how beautiful is everything around us, and how rich is this planet we live in.

If you're in the profession of advertising, and this book isn't on your bookshelf, dog-eared, stained and well-worn, you've been ripping off your clients.

The entire premise of Ogilvy on Advertising boils down to one simple statement (coined by Claude Hopkins nearly 80 years ago in his book Scientific Advertising): "Advertising is salesmanship."

Sadly, the advertising world has drifted from that solid mooring. And now those who profess it are considered anachronistic at best. And kooky at worst.

Ogilvy, a staunch admirer of Hopkins, firmly embraced that tenet -- and it propelled him and his agency (Ogilvy and Mather) to the Mount Olympus of the advertising world. Most importantly, it made his clients rich beyond the dreams of avarice.

Ogilvy's writing is captivating. His work, legendary. His ideas, timeless. The information in this book is easily work 10 times the cover price.

I've been in the profession of advertising for nearly 15 years. I'm also an adjunct professor at a nearby university. I wholeheartedly recommend Ogilvy On Advertising to my students. I firmly embrace its principles in my profession.

And I, without hesitation, urge you to read it as well.

This is one of those rare books everyone ought to have to read. Like "The Elements of Style," "Writing That Works, and "Profiles in Courage." I had read this book back in 1990 when I was out of work, looking for a job in advertising. The advertising job never happened for me and I moved on to other things.

I did not realize, until I recently picked up a copy to re-read, how much it had influenced me the first time I read it. Half of the way I conduct myself at work and a lot of my thought processes and strategy is still influenced by what is in this book. I make over 6 times what I made back in 1991. I realize now I have Mr. Ogilvy to thank for a great deal of that.

Read this book. At least once.

I've owned the same doggeared, underlined, highlighted and notated copy of Ogilvy on Advertising for 15 years and it never ceases to amaze me that while I continue to buy and read advertising and marketing books at a steady clip I keep coming back to the most pleasurable and sensible book on the subject I've ever read.

I could break the book down and give my opinion on this or that but the book is such a delightful read you should just dive in.

Granted, some may say that the book is out of date but I counter that (oops, with my opinion) Ogilvy understood people and tapped into the fact that regardless of the passage of time and all of our new mellinnium brilliance, we're all basically the same under the surface and basically the same as people 100 years ago.

Enjoy it.

PATH OF THE FURY is the first David Weber book I've read. With over 35 years of scifi behind me, I still enjoy a rousing "spaceopera" This one was highly rated by readers and amazon kept recommending it, so I decided to give it a try. By the time it arrived, though, I was having second thoughts. The hype-laden cover, complete with flaming letters, didn't help, but after letting it languish on my shelf for a couple of years, I figured it was time to get on with with it. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be pretty good.

Don't get me wrong. PATH OF THE FURY doesn't quite rank among my all-time scifi favorites. Nor can I find it within myself to give this kind of book a five star rating. Nevertheless, it has an engaging story line and the main characters have more depth than you usually get in books in this genre. And, as you would expect, there's lots of action. It's definitely not dull.

I thought the idea of bringing an ancient Greek demi-goddess into the story was a bit over the top. I took this to be scifi, not fantasy. I can accept a lot as far as future technology, alien lifeforms and new worlds go. After all, nobody knows what the future (or the universe), holds. But mythological entities from the past don't fall within that realm as far as I'm concerned. Still, it works tolerably well within the context of this tale, so this is a minor issue.

I liked this book. It was well-plotted, there was lots of action, and the main character, though something of a super-woman (not to mention the assistance of the demi-goddess), was conflicted and sympathetic. If you like good "spaceopera", PATH OF THE FURY fills the bill.

This is the very first David Weber book I ever read! It is still one of the very best of any book he has ever written, I also feel it is one of the true, "New Classics" in science fiction. Weber is is a Tom Clancy of science fiction and his books are worth every moment spend in reading there pages. This is a book you will not be able to put down!...

Weber gives us three special "woman" in his creation of "Fury" Alicia the human "Special Forcess" type soldier who has lost everything that she holds dear. Tisiphone, a immortal creature of spirit from ancient greece, alone, a orphan in the distant future of man where her name is nothing more than a fading legend from the shadows of earth's past. Megarea a creature of logic circuits and computer code, she never-the-less is selfaware and as protector and daugher/sister to Alicia will do anything to help her gain revenge for the lose she has suffered.

This is Weber space opera at its very finest! Battle tactics, character development and storyline are all handled with Weber's impecable attention to detail. My appreciation for the author's skill grows with each time I read another author. Mr. Weber handles the Techonology of his "Universe" with great skill. We always understand what he is talking about yet he never needs a encyclopedia of space and technical terms to tell us all he wants us to know. This is a book that is DEFINATELY worth reading!...

"Path of the Fury" is probably the best book David Weber has written. This is the book that started it all for me. I picked it up in a library years ago back in 1994, and I've been an avid fan of David Weber ever since. I can't hold back recommending this book to any reader who might see this review. Now if we can convince him to write a sequal...

"Path of the Fury" follows retired Imperial Commando Alicia DeVries and her search for vengence against the pirates who murdered her family and gutted the planet she had made her home. She is helped, by the mystical and self-serving Tisiphone, one of the long lost Furies of Greek legend. Their quest leads them to steal an artificially intelligent ship and... well, why spoil it.

Weber has a unique way of creating universes that have extrodinary depth and complexity, while at the same time intertwining character development and action flawlessly. It is the depth that makes David Weber such a good author. This book shows all of his best qualities, and could easily be called the best of what he's written. He's an ever more popular author. This book shows why.

I can't recommend it enough to those who haven't read it. Give it a read, you won't regret it.