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Book reviews for "Turbyfill,_Mark" sorted by average review score:

Who Needs Donuts
Published in Hardcover by Knopf (2003)
Author: Mark Alan Stamaty
Amazon base price: $11.17
List price: $15.95 (that's 30% off!)
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Who Needs Donuts? WE DO!!!
The book is wonderfully detailed and crazy! It will keep you entertained for hours. We would love to find a copy of it if we could. We haven't seen it since college. Every time you look at it, you find something new!

A real SCREAM!
I received this book as a gift from some fellow teachers. I lost my copy:( All of Stamaty's childrens books need to be reprinted! "Who Needs Donuts?" is my favorite, but "Small in the Saddle is a close second! The pen and ink drawings are so detailed, that you can look at each page for days, and notice new things each time. "Yellow Yellow," is another great one. These are not just for kids! Most adults would agree! I beg any publishers to reprint them, as they are hard to find, even on the out of print book websites.

One of the greatest children's books of all time!
With any justice, Stamaty would be a household name with Sendak and Scarry in children's publishing. This book had a major effect on me as a child. Luckily for me, my school library had one tattered, well-read copy. I thought that I had the only remaining copy which I obtained a few years ago after a nationwide search. I even called Mr. Stamaty and he said he didn't have a copy (but maybe his mother did - he'd check.). Unbelievably detailed (after hundreds of readings I STILL find new things) and twistedly funny pen-and-ink drawings, bizarre characters, a profound moral message, and doughnuts, doughnuts, doughnuts! I'm writing this with the hope that one day it will be re-released so that more people could enjoy this book and appreciate Mr. Stamaty's obsessive genius. I still cannot understand why this book was a financial flop and so overlooked by critics when it was released (too weird?). Perhaps its time has come.


Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother's Soul
Published in Paperback by Health Communications (2000)
Authors: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Aubery, Nancy Mitchell Autio, and Nancy Mitchell-Autio
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The Title Says It All
My mother just purchased this book for me a few days ago. I've already read all of it. I plan to re-read it. The stories, cartoons, poems, etc. are so moving. You will find yourself connecting to these anecdotes in a way that will increase your awareness of yourself as a future parent or a parent-once-more. This book should be a hit with expectant Moms (AND expectant Dads), no matter what their situation. This book offers a variety of points of view and discusses many situations. There were humorous stories about pregnancy and delivery, expectant fathers points of view, the emotions of expecting and facing adversity during pregnancy, the special bonds created when adopting a child, passing the torch from one generation to the next. Cartoons, and other humorous anecdotes are guaranteed to make you laugh. Some stories will make you cry. This book will move you. The emotions and bonds created during pregnancy and adoption will be deepened and you will find your soul stretching!

Loved this book!
My husband and I read this book together at night before going to bed when I was pregnant, and really enjoyed it! We found it to be inspiring and a great book to read when we were excited and nervous about becoming parents. Even after we had our baby I found myself still enjoying it. I have since loaned it to a pregnant friend and she has loved it as much as we did. This book would be a great one to give to a friend who is expecting or to buy for yourself.

The Spritual Side of Pregnancy
I was not familiar with the "Chicken Soup" books until someone gave me this one as a gift. I must say it makes a very thoughtful gift for a preganant woman, but otherwise you should treat yourself to it. The short stories in this book are written by different authors, all with real-life expectant parent stories. Some stories are sad, some joyful, some downright miraculous- but all of them are inspirational. The stories relate to a wide variety of expectant parents including those who adopt, struggle with infertility, experience an unplanned pregnancy, suffer loss, and juggle a large family. Read all the books you want on physical pregnancy health, but put this one on your list for spiritual pregnancy health.


Fight for Life (Wild at Heart 1)
Published in Library Binding by Bt Bound (1901)
Authors: Laurie Halse Anderson, Jamie Young, and Mark Salisbury
Amazon base price: $12.65
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Nice first book
The first book in this series focuses on Maggie, the granddaughter of a veterinarian. Within the first few chapters, a couple of puppy owners show up and bring in a total of 10 puppies suffering from serious health problems. When maggie and her grandma hear that the puppies all came from the same place, they begin to suspect a puppy mill. Maggie becomes determined to find the puppy mill, but she gets in trouble for her bad grades and her cousin Zoe shows up at the clinic. So instead of finding the puppy mill, Maggie looks up the laws on the breeding of puppies with the help of Sunita, and they do eventually catch the crook. But it seems that the sheriff wants to let the guy off easy. Will the pupy mill really go down? From what I read of this book, the series is off to a good start.

Fight for Life
This is a very exciting and interesting book. It's about an 11 year old girl that lives with her grandmother, Dr. MacKenzie or Dr. Mac, because her parents died in a car crash when she was 7. The book is about Maggie who is having trouble with her grades in school, and she is banned from the clinic until her grades go up. On top of that, since she can't do the work if she's banned, some kids from school help out at the clinic. She feels like she doesn't belong there anymore. Plus it's worse when her cousin, Zoe, who's mother is an actress comes to stay. The story is about a man who is running a puppy mill which is illegal. He sells sick, dirty puppies at the farmer's market. Maggie, her cousin, and "friends" try to stop the man from selling the pups. It's full of sad times, and good times. This is a good book if you love puppies.

A really cool book!
This book is really cool, expecially if you like animals and I love animals! It tells about how Maggi, Sunita, David, Brenna, and her cuz Zoe help out at the vet clinic with Gran. They keep getting sick puppies and find the puppy mill where the puppies are coming from. It's a really good book, but kind of sad. You have to read this book if you like amimals, or even if you don't! My mom and sister even likes them a little.


Jagutai and Lilitu
Published in Paperback by Buy Books on the web.com (2000)
Author: Mark E. Rogers
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A great new book by Mark E. Rogers
The second novel in the Zancharthus trilogy is even better than the first. Having deposed the mad Dessicatorius, Mancdaman Zanchartus has become the High Priest of Tchernabog, who he despises. Zanchartus wants to reform the order & Khymir itself. To combat Tchernabog and the forces he commands, Zancharthus begins to teach his consort Torrisanna sorcery and waits for the return of Jagutai whose help he needs. Jagutai is more than a little bothered by Lilitu, Torrisanna's former lover, who has returned to the Temple of Tsa Terrathu. There, with Jagutai's help, she works to defeat Gudrid, the new high priestess. Lilitu is a fascinating character and much of the story is told from her viewpoint. The book is filled with interesting and revolting characters, including one who really loves pigs. As the love story between Jagutai & Lilitu develops, we grow to care about them as well as Zancharthus & Torrisanna. While those of us who have read Roger's earlier book, Zorachus, know how some of the story turns out, there are parts we don't know. This book left me anxiously waiting the conclusion of the series. I can't wait to see what Rogers will do next.

This book is a real gem
"Jagutai and Lilitu" is the second book of the best fantasy series you're never read. The first book of the series is "Blood and Pearls", and the second volume relies heavily on the first; I would recommending reading them in order.

If you think fantasy is strictly for kids, this series will change your mind. In Rogers's books, you won't read about the magical elf and his dwarf buddies who go into the enchanted forest to find the dragon's gold. Rogers isn't afraid to get graphic with sex and violence, and the villians are spine-chilling and unsettling. There is some cheeky humor, and some of the circumstances are so demented you can't help laughing at them in retrospect (an orgy of demonically possessed pigs? how does he come up with this stuff?), but the tone is kept morbid and dark. Think of it as light on the Terry Brooks, and heavy on the David Lynch.

As a sequel, this book works brilliantly. The characters are great and Rogers defines them more thoroughly, especially the two who inspire the title. The plot is a thick, twisting rope of theology, politics, and finance. It's smart, it doesn't slow down, and you can feel the stark fatalism closing in for the kill in part three.

I can't wait to read the third volume, and I'm equally excited to see what Rogers does in the future. Mark E. Rogers is an independent author, and his work is so far outside the mainstream, it is really quite refreshing. If you're looking to try something new, definately check out the first volume of the series, "Blood and Pearls". From there, it only gets better.

Snake-women, Wire-jackets, and Porkers from Hell
Where to start? Maybe we should try to find out what drugs this guy's on...this sequel to Blood and Pearls is a very trippy book. The monsters alone are worth the cover price, but then there's the action, the philosophy, and all the sex. Not to mention well-defined characters and very black humor. The city of Khymir is definitely the worst place ever, and Mr.Rogers (no, not the kiddy host) conducts the tour with awesome gusto. Can't wait for part three, The Night of the Long Knives!


Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep
Published in Paperback by Snow Lion Pubns (1998)
Authors: Tenzin Wangyal, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, and Mark Dahlby
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An Excellent Guide to Tibetan Bon Buddhist Practice
After reading Sogyal Rinpoche's "Tibetan Book of Living and Dying", I was intrigued by the practice of "Dream Yoga", which, although mentioned and discussed several times in Sogyal's book, was never covered in any depth. "Living and Dying" didn't include any instructions in the practice of this exercise either, so I decided to look elsewhere. While glancing through the Eastern Religion section of a local bookstore, I stumbled upon this fine little volume.

Wangyal Rinpoche delivers more than a guide to the practice of Dream Yoga- he delivers a guide to a complete nondual practice. The book includes meditation instructions, Guru Yoga and Dakini practices, breathing instructions, a guide to basic Tibetan bioenergetics, a little history of the Bon tradition, a brief introduction to Tantra and Dzogchen, and even a glossary filled with Tibetan and Sanskrit terms used throughout the book. There is enough here to begin a spiritual practice beyond dream yoga.

To the seeker looking for a guide to Tibetan mysticism, look no further- "The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep" is the perfect introduction.

The Ligmincha Institute
It gives great pleasure to thank Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche for his teachings.

The review on the back cover of this book is so well done and informative that here it is:

"If we cannot carry our practice into sleep," Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche writes, "if we lose ourselves every night, what chance do we have to be aware when death comes? Look to your experience in dreams to know how you will fare in death. Look to your experience of sleep to discover whether or not you are truly awake."

This book gives detailed instructions for dream yoga, including foundational practices done during the day. In the Tibetan tradition, the ability to dream lucidly is not an end in itself; rather it provides an additional context in which one can engage in advanced and effective practices to achieve liberation.

Dream Yoga is followed by sleep yoga; also know as the yoga of clear light. It is a more advanced practice, similar to the most secret Tibetan practices. The goal is to remain aware during sleep when the gross conceptual mind and the operation of the senses cease. Most Westerners do not even consider this depth of awareness a possibility, yet it is well known in Tibetan Buddhist and Bon spiritual traditions.

The result of these practices is greater happiness and freedom in both our waking and dreaming states. The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep imparts powerful methods for progressing along the path to liberation.

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, a Lama in the Bon tradition of Tibet, presently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is the founder and director of The Ligmincha Institute; an organization dedicated to the study and practice of the teachings of the Bon tradition. He was born in Amritsar, India, after his parents fled the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and received training from both Buddhist and Bon teachers, attaining the degree of Geshe, the highest academic degree of traditional Tibetan culture. He has been in the United States since 1991 and has taught widely in Europe and America.

"A detailed guide to using our night-lives for Awakening; thought-provoking, inspiring, and lucid."---Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D., author of Lucid Dreaming

"This explication of the dream and sleep practices becomes a window on the entire teachings of Tibetan Tantra and Dzogchen. I enjoyed this book immensely...powerfully and beautifully presented."---Martin Lowenthal, Ph.D., co-author of Opening the Heart of Compassion

This is one of the most influential books I've read in years
I have just bought my third copy of this book ... I keep giving them away to friends.

Written with great compassion,the author stresses wisdom of developing mindfulness in daily life as a means to understanding the states of dream and sleep. It is one of the most important books that I have ever read, and I wish to express my appreciation to the author, and to encourage everyone with an interest to read this book and to engage in the practice.


The Art of Mark Ryden: Anima Mundi
Published in Hardcover by Last Gasp of San Francisco (22 October, 2001)
Authors: Mark Ryden, Carlo McCormick, and Carlo McCormack
Amazon base price: $40.00
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Ryden makes my head spin and the world turn
This is the book so many Ryden fans have been wishing for! Perhaps it my affection for big-headed children or otherworldy pink skies that makes Ryden's work so wonderful to behold. His art transports me back to my childhood that was filled with smiling rubber animals, Barbies and the Colonel's chicken. I can't walk through the meat department of Safeway without thinking of Mark Ryden and grinning to myself. Even his monsters, mutants and oversized insects are as benign and charming as his portraits of Lincoln. It is a magical yet vaguely disturbing world Mark Ryden brings to life, full of bees, bunnies, his son Jasper and a dog named Jesus.

Mark Ryden's work has appeared on the covers of Communication Arts, Juxtapoz art magazine and Rolling Stone. His art is currently on display at the Earl McGrath Gallery in NYC. ...

Eye Candy
Mark Ryden is one of the most magnificent painters I have ever had the pleasure to experience. This book is a collection of his best work, and I will treasure it for a long time. If you want to be taken to a place full of wonder, inspiration, and originality, this book is great. Too bad it is now out of print.

Anima Mundi by Mark Ryden
Beautifully produced full color book covering Mark Ryden's illustration and painting career. Cover title design printed in gold foil. Published in 2001, this book was limited to an edition of just 10,000 copies and is already out-of-print and a collector's item on the secondary market. Word has it that book distributors had sold out of this in just 1 month. This item is not to be missed by Mark Ryden fans and collectors.

Even scarcer than Anima Mundi was the release of the book BUNNIES AND BEES published in December of 2001 to coincide with the exhibit of the same name. This was published in a beautiful large format, 9 x 12, 50 pages, and contains Mark Ryden's work done after Anima Mundi making it an essential Ryden item. This was limited to just 8,000 copies. The paintings in this book are perhaps the best yet from Mark Ryden.

For the Ryden art collector, there's also the limited edition boxed set of the Anima Mundi book. Limited to just 500 sets, this contains the Anima Mundi book signed and numbered by Mark Ryden on a special limitation page not found in the normal edition; a signed and numbered giclee print titled "Sick Girl" which is reproduced in the book; an Anima Mundi bookmark, all packaged in a beautiful fabric box.


A City in Winter
Published in Hardcover by Viking Childrens Books (1996)
Authors: Mark Helprin, Chris Van Allsburg, and Chris Van Allsburg
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A Classic Tale
I loved this series by Mark Helprin. I'm a big fan of Winters Tale, and this was just as enjoyable. These are wonderful to read aloud to children, or to pass around and take turns with, as we've done with the Harry Potter and other series. Beautiful artwork, and thick shining pages make this book a keepsake, and a sumptuous pleasure to read. In this retelling of Swan Lake, all things are possible... you'll find yourself laughing one moment, tense the next, and always riveted. I also found the strong and triumphant female lead character refreshing, ..the story is told from her point of view, after all this has happened, a narrative to her not yet born child.

please read this!!!!!!!!!!
When reading this book, you will probably find it surprising that this book is a sequel to what happens in the ballet, "Swan Lake". But this is not a childish book describing the positions of ballet or some halfhearted fairy tale. This is what you can call quality reading. Believe me, it is not boring, it is suspenseful and exciting. (Having read this in third grade, I know that it covers a wide range of ages.) It is not just a children's book, either. Adults will enjoy the breathtaking illustrations and the amazing story. Mark Helprin sure knows how to weave words, and Chris Van Allsburg can paint illustrations that play with light and are almost as captivating as the story itself. Congradulations to the author and the illustrator! And if you plan on getting this book, good luck and happy reading!

"City in Winter" is a masterpiece
Mark Helprin is a magical author able to draw his readers in simply on the power of his imagery and emotion. Chris van Allsburg's lush illustrations are cathartic images meant to shake the reader. Between the two, a masterpiece of modern literature has emerged. I have read a number of Helprin's books and cannot wait to get my hands on all of them. This may be a children's book in name, but anyone who remembers how to dream will be enchanted by this story and its companion piece, the Veil of Snows.


Fanny's Dream
Published in Paperback by Puffin (2003)
Authors: Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner
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a Realistic fairy tale!!!
My girls and I fell in love with this book! Beautiful illustration's and story. Teaches what is truely important ingredients to a happy life!!!

Really great reality book
Fanny's dream is a great story for kids. It teaches them to make hard choices and to recognize that dreams are often reachable through love, hard work and kindness, rather than through a fairy godmother. Fanny, herself, doesn't run into the usual Cinderella fairytale. She's not a "pretty girl" that just needs to be cleaned up nice for the king's ball. She's an every woman who dreams of marrying someon great and having a great life... and comes to realize that fancy gowns and capitalistic royal fantasies don't necessarily make everyone happy.

I would recommend this book to any child, male or female. Although it is nice to have a woman as a main character who doesn't fit into any televised stereotypes.

Reality can be better than dreams
I enjoyed this book a _lot_. The story has a strong moral without being preachy. The artwork was wonderful, especially the expressions on Fanny's and Heber's faces. I disagree with "a reader" from Provo, UT. We all have dreams, but sometimes we find that they aren't all they're cracked up to be. And we can easily turn down a wonderful reality while waiting for one of these not-so-hot fantasies. I've found that a bird in the hand almost always beats two in the bush!


Ghosts of Gettysburg: Spirits, Apparitions and Haunted Places of the Battlefield
Published in Paperback by Thomas Publications (1996)
Author: Mark V. Nesbitt
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Fascinating...
One of five great books in the Ghosts of Gettysburg series by Mark Nesbitt, having read them all, I anxiously await his next. Whether or not you're a believer in the supernatural, these books will touch, educate, and fascinate you. They don't sensationalize, you don't get the feeling you're reading a bunch of goofy ghost stories. He presents the information in a very objective manner, and lets the reader make their own judgement. His research is thorough, he gives great context to the events he describes, and all of these books will grab you from page one. I can't wait for #6! (And if you ever have the opportunity to go to Gettysburg & take one of his tours, definitely do it - they really bring the books to life...)

SUPERNATURALLY COMPELLING!
I have read Mark Nesbitt's four series of books about the Ghosts of Gettysburg and I must say I was very impressed, both with Mr. Nesbitt's writing techniques as well as with the stories themselves. In writing the stories, Mr. Nesbitt incorporated any history involved with each one, so that the reader was able to learn a little bit about what happened during that fateful battle. So many people take being an American for granted. We should never, ever forget what our ancestors went through to gain the freedom that each of us enjoy and take for granted each and every day. If you are open-minded about the spirit world and even if you aren't and want to learn more about Gettysburg, read these stories. They are very compelling and will keep you in suspense. They will also touch your heart regarding the many tragedies that took place there. Mr. Nesbitt, many compliments to you sir and please keep writing! I look forward to reading your next book on the Ghosts of Gettysburg! I also look forward to hopefully meeting you in person the next time I visit Gettysburg!

A joy to read.
All of these books were a joy to read. Each story gives you a brief historical account of each haunted sight, so you get a little history lesson with each chilling story. The various ghost stories are quite interesting if you believe in them, and I had trouble putting each of these books down due to my interest in both ghosts and US Civil War history.
I hope there's a book VI.


Kaigun : Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941
Published in Hardcover by United States Naval Inst. (1997)
Authors: David C. Evans and Mark R. Peattie
Amazon base price: $49.95
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Fascinating Analysis of IJN War Making Capability
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It provided a unique introduction to the the organizational behavior and technology influencing the development of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) up to the "The Pacific War".

The authors pursue a four pronged approach, describing how the political history, the Japanese culture, the organizational behavior of the Navy, and the development of the technology "grew" the IJN and to a certain extent led the country into war with the Allies. Techies will appreciate the detail provided on ship classes, including ship diagrams. In particular, I appreciated how clearly the authors managed to show how the perceptions of the IJN's commanders about "how a war WILL be fought" effected the force structure of the IJN.

The book is not without faults. The formatting of the book is in some ways amateurish. The scale of certain ship illustrations could have been chosen more carefully. I also found the comparison charts very difficult to understand, despite clear supporting prose. Finally, The authors could have been more clinical in their analysis of the IJN's errors. The contrasts to the "formidable logistics capability" of the U.S. Navy or the superb U.S. Marine amphibious assault capability were a bit too vivid.

Navalists will value this book for its technical content and its analysis of the decision making that led to the birth, growth, and demise of the IJN. Recommended.

A seminal work - don't miss it if you're interested.
This is a magnum opus to match S.E. Morrison's 14 volume History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, or Clay Blair's "Silent Victory" and 2-volume Hitler's U-Boat war, or Lundstrom's two "First Team" volumes. Such are volumes that a serious student of the Pacific War does not fail to read. Add this one. "Kaigun" is the perfect complement to Miller's "War Plan Orange." Why? First, Kaigun fills in the internal history of the Imperial Japanese Navy from its inception to the fatal decisions which led to its destruction. Second, it examines the strategic, doctrinal and tactical thought which drove, or was driven by the technological progress of the IJN. And finally, it explodes a number of cherished myths surrounding the IJN, most particularly its very active part in pushing Japan to war. What this volume can't answer and can't be held accountable for is why intelligent men leading the IJN made the incredibly bad decision to go to war, although it clearly illustrates the strategic calculus used to rationalize those decisions. "Kaigun" also shows (with the clarity of hindsight, or course) why Japan never had a chance of winning its war with the United States short of divine intervention. This is a seminal work and absolutely not to be missed. The technical detail may bore and quail the casual reader, but the serious student and the reader wanting the truth of the matter won't be put off. This is the best English language work available on the subject and should be read in conjunction with "War Plan Orange."

Probably, the definitive book on the topic
In my opinion, this book is a masterpiece. Maybe japanese scholars are able to find some mistaken dates in it, but it is more than perfect for the western historian. The authors explain how Japan was able to build a modern navy from scrap in some few decades including arsenals, academies, tactics and technology. Defects and virtues are carefully described and exposed. War actions are also well explained and their consequences carefully analyzed. This book has been written using exclusively primary sources, anybody interested in the history of the Imperial Japanese Navy will be very satisfied with it.


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