Truth is a Bright Star is about a Hopi boy who is kidnapped by Spanish soldiers. He is sold to a man whose life work is killing beavers. Once the boy meets him his life is changed forever and so is the trapper's. This book is good and bad. I don't really like Native American books. I liked it because it was full of action. I would recommend this book to fourth and fifth graders.

I THINK THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ ALTHOUGH I LOVE SLAVERY BOOKS BECAUSE I think it's sad that people did that and I like sad books.Joan Price is my favorite author since I read this book and I think you should to! So READ THIS BOOK!!!

Loma and other Hopi children were stolen by the Spanish soldiers and taken far away from their pueblo. Loma was sold to a mountain man named Big Jim who made his living trapping beaver. Loma does not believe in killing animals for money. He and Big Jim do not get along. Later they become friends. It is an exciting story.

Although I am a big fan and avid reader of all Joan Johnston's books, this one seemed to lack the pizzaz of the previous three Blackthorne-Creed novels. However if you are as addicted to Ms. Johnston's books as I am then it is still worth the time to sit and read it. Although slow at some points it is still enjoyable.

The saga of the Blackthornes and Creeds continues in this highly anticipated book in the Bitter Creek series. This story focuses on Luke Creed, who has turned away from his family to pursue his career as an attorney for the prestigious firm of DeWitt and Blackthorne. He's on a hot career path, likely to make partner in the firm within the next year, but along the way has sacrificed all other things in his life, including his marriage. The one remaining bright spot is his personal life are daughters, Brynne and Midge, whom he manages to make time for on the weekends.

Luke's current assignment is to settle a wrongful death suit brought against Hyland Pharmaceutical, whom his company represents. The case involves a new miracle drug, D-Free, for Type I Juvenile Diabetes, something close to Luke's heart since daughter Brynne has this disease. Attorney for the opposition is Amy Nash, Luke's old high school sweetheart, also a divorcee raising her daughter Honor. Amy's client lost her child while taking D-Free for her diabetes, and Amy is passionate in her arguments to get this dangerous drug off the market. Amy is having a hard time accepting the fact that the once rebellious Luke is representing the corporate bad guys, along with the feelings that come back to life after not seeing Luke for many years.

As the investigation in to D-Free proceeds, Luke realizes the dangers of the drug that someone has been covering up. Luke also needs to find out for his own peace of mind what the real issues are, since Brynne is taking this drug, against Luke's wishes. Enter an interesting cast of secondary characters to help solve the mystery, a mysterious death of another attorney working on the case in Luke's firm, Luke and Amy's strong feelings for one another, and you have all the ingredients for an impressive story of danger and intrigue. Then, there's Luke's mom Ren, married to Jackson Blackthorne, trying to finagle a way for Luke and Jackson to bury the bitter feud between them, not to mention getting Luke and Amy together again. Fans of the Creed-Blackthorne saga will thoroughly enjoy this latest edition. Note to new readers, this book stands alone too. "The Price" does answer the question of what is too high a price to pay for what's really important in life.

This is the 4th Joan Johnston book that I have read--the present day creed/blackthorne stories--and once again i was not disappointed. This book was as good as the others in terms of telling the ongoing saga/story line and keeping my interest in terms of romance, mystery, murder, and family relationships. I would recommend reading the cowboy, the texan, and the loner first, but she provides enough background to give you the family history as she tells luke's story.

The pictures are exquisite, but as a new collector, I was somewhat lost. I guess the idea is to buy all 5 books. I really don't like the question and answer format. So much of the information there and elsewhere is irrelevant.

This is a wonderfully informative book on the popular collecting field of Nippon Porcelain. More than half the book is brilliant color photos of a wide variety of pieces with dimensions & estimated retail prices.

What sets this book apart though is the wealth of information for collectors. There is a history of Nippon Porcelain & an insightful section of frequently asked questions. Themes including baseball, dogs & dolls are highlighted.

I especially enjoyed the original documents reproduced here including early ads with items selling for pennies, design patents, beautiful hand painted salesman sample pages and complete selection of back-stamp marks.

There is a well illustrated section on the dangerous reproductions now entering the market and many more tips to aid the new or experienced collector. This is a truly indispensable reference on Nippon.

The 5th series highlights moriage swans and enameling. Reproduction section is more extensive and updated. There is also a section depicting the style evolution of nippon to further help identify and date items. A MUST for all nippon collectors and dealers.

Dr. Price has writtten a text that is basically a long series of excerpts from the major works in Western Philosophy. Each excerpt is couched in a little historical context, on the one hand, and just as little textual analysis, on the other. Unsurprisingly, the textbook was written with the community college student in mind, a breed of student that is notorious for not being interested in either reading or thinking. Anyone who has taught at Mesa Community College (which is Dr. Price's institution) will know what I am talking about. With this in mind, I can not say that this particular textbook is an effective teaching tool. Introducing young people to philosophy, especially those with very little intellectual merits, ought not to be a laborious trek through 2,500 years of "THOUGHT." In a classroom setting that works best when it is driven by ideas and discussion, the concerned philosophy instructor might fair better by using "Questions That Matter: An Invitation to Philosophy" by Ed. L. Miller.

"Philosophy Through the Ages" is an excellent introduction to philosophy. Price takes the reader chronologically through Westrn philosophical thought from the early Greek period to the present day. Price shows how great philosophers through the ages have gappled with questions we are still asking: What is the good life? What makes life worth living? Who am I? How much can I know? Whay does evil exist? Is there a God?

This is a book to enjoy without losing philosophical accuracy and integrity. At the end of each chapter is a section "On Women" that describes each philosopher's view of women. There are also "Pause for Thought" questions that help you relate philosophical ideas to your daily life.

Erika Holland is New York's most notorious madam. She caters to the very, very rich and makes quite a killing ($$$) doing it. Her girls (and boys -- after all, sex is an equal opportunity experience!) are all devoted to her. She's got a great guy who loves her who just happens to be the one who got her started in the business (but he's a regular joe, a partner in some international investment firm who is not even a customer!). She's surrounded by people who think being a madam or a prostitute is just like being a lawyer or a doctor. Basically, she's the world's nicest, most stable person who just happens to run an upscale brothel.

One night, coming home from a "date", Erika is involved in a car accident and, as she lies comatose in a New York hospital surrounded by her friends and employees, we learn how she came to be a madam. She was once, in her former life, a wife and mother. Her husband (Rick) was a cookie-cutter investment-type who we know only through Erika's clouded eyes. After Rick runs off to Switzerland with his gold-digging assistant, Sandy, Erika is left with no money, mounting debts, and a teenage daughter who hates her. Rick's coup de grace is focing Erika to choose between having Rick pay for her daughter's education (only in France) or losing all child support if Erika brings Rena back to the States. Erika becomes an escort as a way to make money and finds that she likes the sex and likes the companionship. Eventually, she takes over the whole business from Valerie, who is getting married to a former customer.

While Erika is in a coma, her grown up (and very resentful) daughter, Rena, comes back to New York to find that her mother is a madam. Understandably, she is furious, but in just a few short days (basically, in the time it takes her mother to come out of her coma) she comes around to accepting her mother and her friends. It helps that she has a night of hot steamy sex with Alex, one of Courtsans, Inc.'s hunky male prostitutes.

The problem I had with this book isn't about the sex or about the author's attitude towards sex (which is empowering and progressive), it's simply that these people seem way too normal to be real. There are two married prostitutes in the book (one is Valerie, the former madam of Courtesans, Inc.) whose husbands know about the work and accept it, one woman with a committed relationship (Erika), and one woman who is courting or is being courted by a doctor (who also knows what she does for a living). In the real world, people aren't so accepting of prostitutes. It may be an "ideal" world the author is painting, but it certainly makes the story lack depth. No one sturggles with a conscience. No one passes judgment (which is fine, excpet it's unrealistic). It's just too perky and perfect.

The taxi that she rides in as a passenger traveling the icy roads of Manhattan crashes leaving Erika Holland in a coma. Her last conscious thought focuses on the smiling face of friend Stuart Dunlap.

In her comatose state Erika thinks back to how she became a Manhattan call girl catering to the wealthy, promoted to a Madam, and eventually CEO of Courtesans, Inc. Erika was a contented spouse whose husband deserted her for Europe and his younger assistant. He threatened to cut Erika off from even child support if she failed to tow the mark. Innocently at first Erika found pleasuring men a delight that also brought in income. Though she can have almost any upper class male she chooses (for an evening) all Erika craves most in the world are the love of her daughter who hates and scorns her, and a smiling individual who deserves better than a fortyish hooker. She has neither as she lies in the coma.

As expected by an erotic tale, profanity and graphic sex scenes are as prolific as some of the charcaters are promiscuous. The story line is told in alternating dialogue, yet much of the plot is a cleverly designed first person account as the audience sees the "flashback" events through the relative eyes of Erika, an enlightened and delightful protagonist. Though the males seem so easily embracing prostitution to the point of matrimony and marriage proposals, readers will gain much pleasure (reading silly) from the entertaining The Price of Pleasure.

Harriet Klausner

Nice reference book, easy to follow with a price guide in the back. Unfortunatly, it has a limited number of patterns represented and no information on the types of pieces available for all but 4 or 5 patterns. I purchased this book hoping to learn more about the Rosemarie #6044 pattern I inherited from my father, but will have to try again with a different reference. I ended up keeping it for the information on patterns from the 1920's. It's helped me identify a Morimura Luncheon set from 1922 and other Noritake items I've purchased. The book also contains some limited information on old advertisements and some care suggestions for fine china.

This camera catalog is essentially useless unless one is interested only in basic camera prices and basic cameras. Any camera catalog that contains information about single lens reflex cameras but excludes technical and price information about accessory lenses for those cameras, as this one does, might just as well not exist.

This book is extremely useful to camera collectors of more recent equipment. There are few pictures and the prices are often way off from present sale prices, BUT many cameras (especially from the 1950s to the 80s) are covered here that are not mentioned in any of the other camera guides. This makes this work unique and very useful. The spread sheet format takes some getting used to, but it allows a great deal of information to be given in a small amount of space. I use my copy daily, along with my McKeown's. I hope they issue a revised edition.