This fast paced and very readable book is sure to catch the interest of baseball fans and sports card collectors, as well as would-be detectives. It's a good length for even the reluctant reader. Set in a small city on the Mississippi River, the story has been well researched. The author obviously has a good knowledge of sports card collecting, as well as a keen understanding of kids! The characters in the story are well developed and diverse. As a read aloud, the book sparked the interest of the whole class . I've been using this book in my fifth grade classroom for several years now, and it's alwqys a favorite. The students invariably ask for other books by Ms. Amann.

I initially read this book because I knew the author, and the story takes place in my hometown. After reading the first couple of chapters, I was eager to find out what was going to happen. It was exciting! I also enjoyed learning more about baseball cards and the value of collecting them. This is an excellent book for children (and their parents) who want a good mystery about something that they are interested in (baseball and baseball cards). A great birthday or Christmas gift!

Even if you know little or nothing about baseball or baseball card collecting, you will enjoy this book. I read this book with my twelve year old son and we were both caught up in the story and the mystery. The characters and setting come alive for young people; my son couldn't wait to find out what would happen. There is enough suspense to keep an adult interested so it is a great story to share at bedtime or while riding in the car. I highly recommend this book for boys and girls in late elementary school.

I've seen Shelly in person and have felt her pain. Her poem "The Boxes" is one of the most amazing poems I've ever read. She knows how to put the pain into words.

I have lost two children in the past 6 years, and Shelly writes what I feel. "Get out of the box....Ben and Matthew."

Although I did not fall directly in the target audience ( if there can be such a thing) for this book, having never lost a child, I was greatly moved by reading it.

I had purchased a copy, and read it in one sitting ( highly recommended) on a trans-continental airline flight. My seat mate kept stealing glances over my shoulder, to find out what I was reading that kept me reaching for my handkerchief, and weeping profusely at times.

Subsequently, I have encountered numerous parents who have lost their children in some accident or tragedy, and I never hesitate to recommend this book to them. Shelly Wagner has given us a phenomenal tool for grief counseling. Read it, and see if there is not someone for whom it is appropriate. This volume belongs in the library of every compassionate human being on the planet.

Capt. Chris Siegel Beaufort, NC seagull@myexcel.com

The Andrew Poems by Shelly Wagner take us back to 1984, the drowning of Andrew. Having never written Poetry before, Shelly Wagner grasps us from page one, and doesn't let us go.

This book is by far the best book I have ever read. Kane is the greatest character of all time. Kane is a dark hero not some prissy wimp. I have also read some of the Conan books and I think compared to Kane Conan is a choir boy.

If you are tired of reading about allegedly powerful immortal beings who are afraid of the dark and get their butts kicked by the first scummy little orc to wander by, then reading this book is for you. Set in a byzantine past where multiple gods vy for power along with the denziens of the underworld, Wagner delievers a unique interpetation of the Biblical version of Kane who was the this world's first murderer. Marked by an Elder God for strangling his brother Able, a look into Kanes' killer blue eyes reveals the soul of a killer. Cursed to a life of immortality, Kane can only be killed by physical violence at the hands of another. Except that Kanes stands 6' tall, weighs 300 pounds of solid muscle and has the life experiences of thousands of years to draw upon. Absolute master warrior, magician, thief, geneal, admiral, scientist, philosopher, assassin etc... his real curse is boredom from outliving his friends and enemies alike. Kane defines the term Amoral, only out for himself and will ultimately serve no interest save for his own. Its only a matter of time before Hollywood embraces this perfect antihero and rolls out a movie. Unfortunately Wagner died a tragic death at a relativelly young age and there will be no more fresh Kane stories.

I can`t believe I`m the first person to review this epicmasterpiece. To all readers, this book is a MUST for all fantasy-fans. Wagner creates a war-torn world of great evils and greater adventures, similar to Howard`s Hyborian World, but much more realistic and threatening. Impending doom lurks on every page, and believe me, the end is almost never happy! This book is a collections of Wagner`s best novels and short stories about his dark hero, Kane who might be a good counterpart to all those nice, princess rescuing, dragon slaying heroes you find too often in bad fantasy. Not so Kane: he loves to plunder, raid and rape and often he raises armies to invade peaceful kingdoms. But he`s not a simple brute, but owns a piercing intelligence apart from a muscular bulk of a body. The thing is, Kane, wether he acts as general, corsair or necromancer, he`s not evil, but only after his own advantage and if he can be persuaded, he also fights for good purposes. This makes him so realistic and the reader can identify himself with Kane, of course also due to Wagner`s fantastic ability of storytelling, unmatched by all writers of fantasy today, perhaps except for George R. Martin`s Game of Thrones. Believe me, I`ve read them all, Goodkind or Jordan, to name two, and they couldn`t touch Wagner with a very long stick. Thank you.

Clinical Epidemiology has become a core element in the understanding and treatment of human illness. Defined as a method of generating valid conclusions from clinical observations, clinical epidemiology arms health practitioners with skills essential for modern health care. As a Physical Therapist (PT) I am often asked to render a diagnosis based on clinical hypotheses with "soft" measurements like pain, distress and function loss; how can I ensure that my diagnosis is correct? Traditional practice encourages the health care student to believe that knowing enough anatomy & physiology will somehow optimise health care outcomes. This book not only challenges that view but it also arms the reader with the knowledge and applicable skills to interpret research and also to ensure that any work you carry out is robust and in keeping with EBM principles. A highly recommended text and great value for money. A must for lecturers, student PT's and anyone who wonders how they can improve their critical analysis of health care practice. Don't treat patients without a copy on your shelf (assuming of course you read it...osmosis is NOT a recognised learning tool).

The authors explain the basic principles and basic concepts of clinical epidemiology in a clear and understandable way. Examples for each subject make reading pleasant and easy, contrary to what one may expect in a book of this kind.
I recommend it for every person who is related to the health sciences and interested in obtaining the best out of medical literature.

Clinical Epidemiology has been considered the new 'Basic Science' to medical students. This book offers a excelent approach to main problems found by beginners in this vast field of knowledge like how to deal with Statistics and with the huge number of papers published. With a easy language this book is good option to get started in this branch of Medicine now called the 'Science of the Art'.

This is an excellent book for crafters that like to create their own gifts. The poems and sayings that are added to each gift item are truly meaningful and fits the theme of your gift giving thoughts. The craft patterns and projects that accompany many of the gifts are wonderful! A must to own!

This is one of the best crafts books ive ever seen.it has been put together so well.It is a purchase that you'll be happy you've made. You will not regret it.

This book is not only packed full of excellent recipes for gift-giving, but the unique presentation ideas are excellent. They're easy to follow and I've used several. I've added this book to my library with others I have in this series from Leisure Arts. If you love to cook and/or make simple crafts, I recommend it. You won't be able to put it down!

Gypsy is a very couragous horse and Windy is just like her. After both have been hurt badly,together they find love and trust again. First in each other, then in others. It is a heartwarming story for anyone who believes in love and courage. The entire series is teriffic! I'll be ordering them again!

Windy's horse Gypsie, once saved from blizzard and horsenapping, now seems to want to save Nimblefoot. After faving a bad fall, Nimblefoot becomes an un-safe mount and danger to all who ride him. Not because of his injury; It has fully healed. But because he now has a unique fear of narrow trails and rocks. As a desparete itempt to save Nimblefoot from euthinasia, Wendy enters him in a gymkhana, only to find out that maybe there is nothing she can do for him. But then one day...

This is a story about another horse(a friend of Gypsys) that has had a bad accident, that no one knows excactly what happened, but Nimblefoot has healed now. Or so it seems, he still has to over come his fears.

The author, a dear friend of over fifty years, has brought some of the beautiful past back with "Miss Rossie" through humor and her love of God and His children. Just as his life was molded years ago through her caring, his remembrances bring much to the reader who finds that each delightful story inspires joy in living by truly loving one another.

After reading this book I found inspiration interwoven throughout its pages. Mr. Wagner has some great real life stories that will bring warmth and a cheer to your heart!

This book is one of the best insprirational books I have ever read. I love the insight into a pastor's life and the reaction of the congregation to him as a new pastor. The humor is delightful. Miss Rossie is certainly a dedicated person that anyone would like to pattern their life after. The memories relived in this book remind us of our own past. I would highly recommend the reading of this book to all persons young and old. It will uplift your spirits as each chapter brings a blessing to you.

Chuck Pierce's testimony deserves to be heard. Painful as it is, each of Chuck's experience forms a layer of revelation until his personal life becomes a shining pearl before God. The author realized he needs to transfer his experience to other believers. Generously, he has collected his experiences and compiled them into this block-buster book. So this book is actually a treasure chest that is filled with spiritual truth.

Let it be known also that the message written here comes from the mind of an anointed strategist. A strategist is full of feasible plan. Lies within this book is a plan Chuck believes that will enable us to reclaim our lost inheritance. Laced with this plan are comprehensive guidelines and strategies that can be implemented immediately too.

By setting the equilibrium of truth, the message of this book is a wake up call to those who do not understand the full power of their spiritual rights and authority. When believers are not aware of this, they are walking blindly on thin ice ! This is Chuck's attempt to let us be aware of our circumstances and get us right on track.

If one thing I have learned from Chuck's message is that when we live under the clutches of legalism and iniquities, we can still be believers but very much trapped in the cage of humanistic guilt. This is definitely not the pathway to victory.

Upon completing this book, I can conclude that Chuck has weaved his tears and sacrifices over the years into this wonderful gift to us. I can say that this book will not only reinvigorate your faith, it will reinstate those who have lost their strength and faith in life.

Chapter after chapter left me begging for more and longing to know the promises my Lord has made for me in exchange for the promises I make to Him. What is your inheritance? In Chapter One, simply put, "He longs for our latter days to be greater than our former days. God's plan for you "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." The hightlight for me had to be Chapter Six which included a nine-step process to help you secure your inheritance. It's not easy, it's a committment, and it takes some discipline. But anybody, absolutely everybody can do it and receive what God has intended personally for them since before the beginning of time. Also enlightening was Chapter Four, Glory to Glory. This chapter helped clarify my own experiences in closeting myself quietly in prayer, God's Words which burn into my brain and my heart, and the Holy Spirit, which I pray to work within me that I may lead a more Christian life. It includes quotes from such notables as Rick Joyner, C.S. Lewis, Dutch Sheets, Donald Whitney and my own Pastor, Jack Hayford. It also includes forwards by C. Peter Wagner and Cindy Jacobs. This book will leave you vibrant, radiant and ready to go to work for the success and well-being that is promised to you by the words of Jesus. Be sure to have your Bible beside you because there are many references that you will want to read to help clarify and yes, validate. Many things that Chuck Pierce said sounded too good to be true. But after reading them, then reading the Biblical cross-references, I knew that it must be true! I am a brand new baby Christian and now, not only do I look forward to growing up straight and tall in Christ, but also to grow old with Him and make Him as proud of me as I am to know Him

Possessing Your Inheritance is an instructional book. Ms. Wagner and Mr.Pierce supplies its readers an outline on how to possess your inheritance. The book gives the readers instruction on how to possess all the Lord has promised. An eye opener to our position in Christ, the detailed steps on how to deal with the reader's issues in their life and the freedom readers acquire through all this wealth of knowledge.

Another must for your book collection. Cute ideas for teacher gifts, class parties, a special "something" for that friend who needs cheering up. Elementary teachers would love a book like this for classroom ideas!

I love the recipe for Margarita Pies. I was a little skeptical that a pie could taste like a margarita, but it was great! Even my husband liked it and he doesn't like to try new things too often.

Great receipes and idea's! This book will make you crafty, even if you're not. Simple instructions with wonderful photo's. Worth the price.

Here is a fascinating collections of memoirs, letters, diary extracts and articles by people who spent time with Wagner.

They show an extraordinary force of nature, a man of astonishing energy, by turns charming and unbearable, astonishingly quick both to rage and to forgive, and childish beyond belief. A famous example, given here, is the soiree where the guests - not Wagner's guests, by the way - briefly paid attention to another person in the room. Wagner solved the problem by screaming, literally, with rage; when the astonished company turned back to Wagner he carried on his "conversation", or monologue, as if nothing had happened. Other less well-known stories appear here, illustrating a similar outrageousness. The ugly and unpleasant antisemitism is also fully represented. Though the different excerpts all find this mercurial man in different moods, all accounts have one thing in common: the writers are all aware that they have just encountered something absolutely extraordinary.

Not appearing is (I've forgotten the original source and the exact form of the quote, though it's cited in a well-known article on Wagner by Deems Taylor) Wagner's own observation on what people who put up with his demands, financial and emotional could expect: they were well recompensed because they would be able to tell stories about having known Wagner, for the rest of their lives. He was right, of course, as this book, among thousands of others, so richly proves.

This is an excellent portrait and resource book, offering a more vivid and arguably truer picture of Wagner than any of the available biographies. (Wagner may be the historical figure of whom secondary sources are most unreliable. With Wagner it ALWAYS pays to read the original source and NEVER to trust the commentator, some of whom should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.)

A fault is that we should have heard more from the musicians who knew Wagner: not the fellow composers, whose anecdotes are mostly well-known and appear here once again, but the orchestral players and others who played under him or worked with him at London, Dresden and of course Bayreuth: more especially on his rehearsing of the _Ring_ would have been most welcome. Among musicians Wagner is not only at his best as a human being, but also his most fascinating as a talker. His obiter dicta on his contemporaries, and even more on his great ancestors, are worth the price, but there could comfortably have been more.

Still, a book which is both a fascinating read for the Wagner neophyte and a useful resource for the Wagner scholar: a great combination and an excellent book. Highly recommended.

Cheers!

Laon

If you want to know Wagner's personality, this is the book to read (and it might suprise you.) This is a chronological series of recollections from those who knew him. What will strike anyone who reads it is the disconnect between his current reputation, which is almost universally negative and one-dimensional (i.e. a liar, a cheat, a meglomanic, anti-semitic, facistic, ad nauseum) and his true multi-faceted personality. While all his human flaws are evident, so are his many wonderful characteristics: his extraordinary charisma and energy, amazing organizational abilities, sense of humor, acting and mimic ability and his general lust for life. The descriptions of his frenetic nature and tour de force monologues brought Robin Williams to my mind (and I think he should most definitely play him in a movie!) This book is one of the true gems in the Wagner literature.

Wagner would be 'the man' for opera buffs, but for the non operatic, including this reviewer, Richard Wagner is a footnote in the historical consciousness from whom we hear an occasional note, vaguely associate with some powerful music out of the late 1800s, and ever that disturbing sense of an anti-Semetic presence. Wagner Remembered brings such vague recollections to life by anthology of sixty something third person accounts about the composer written by friends and acquaintences close in time to some encounter with Wagner. There are included written impressions by such as Queen Victoria, King Ludwig of Bavaria, Nieztsche, the son Siegried, a memorable erudite rendition by Judith Gautier, all ranging from the mundane such as the furniture in the house or the cut of the clothes to complex analysis of the bombastic personality. Rather than haphazard compilation, it seems that Stewart Spencer gives to us a laborious effort of intense scholarship honed in multiple libraries and academic back alleys, and the result of this unusual format in biographical form is a suprisingly complete picture of the total package. Spencer is unable to include everything and seems intentionally to omit anything written by Wagner or the wives, treats (as noted) only superficially with the deeper relationships with Berlioz, Nietszche and Liszt, and deals only thinly with the operas. Also receiving superficial treatment are Wagner's anti-Semetic views, and while from this volume it is clear that he has them, it is unclear whether those views reflect merely the nationalism and isolation of those times, or whether Wagner and this admitted and advertised prejudice from a position of influence contribute in part to the conflagration that was to come. What does transpire in Wagner Remembered is something we all recognize, namely that our perfect expectation of mental genius is too frequently disappointed as we are presented simultaneously with a kind and thoughtful gentleman, but also an intellectual bully, philanderer on both his wives, and unrepentant deadbeat, who viewed his mental qualities as placing him above the ordinary milieu. Perhaps Wagner was correct in this view of himself. Certainly the quintessential experience of listening to a Wagner prelude creates to some extent the illusion or reality, take your pick, that the enormous talent does overshadow everything else. Credit Stewart Spencer with giving us an splendidly successful volume about a fascinating life.