Through his discerning eyes Roger's penetrating photographs reveal the richness of nature along the Carmel, Big Sur and Monterey Coasts and opens our eyes to our own backyards. A photographer who shows the soul of rocks, trees, leaves, caves, ocean, sand and sky. Bill's words call the soul of the world, drawing us into a fullness of life's emotions, triggering our own losses and hope and wonder...then reminds us of the gift of each moment through sound, sight and feelings. A poet with the courage to bare his soul and in so doing awakens our. These photographs and poetry bring the universe to our doorsteps. A treasure book.

There is beauty all around us though we so often neglect to observe it. When we do, we find our spirits filled with joy. Roger Moore's magnificent photographs and William Sechrest's moving poetry touch the best in us and therefore fill our spirits with joy. I highly recommend this beautiful book to all those who wish to take a moment for themselves. By purchasing this book you gift yourself or those you choose to share it with, with achingly beautiful images and often thought provoking words.

Roger Moore's photographic style is exquisitely unique, truly a fine-art master, and his choice of subject matter can't be beat. These elements combined along with Sechrest's magical and moving poetry take the reader on a virtual fantasy vacation to one of the world's most beautiful and unforgettable areas. The fusing of the artistry of both the photographer and poet gift the viewer/reader with the stirring of all of the senses and emotions. One feels as if they've stepped into the photograph, smelled the ocean, looked up at the trees, felt the feelings, loved as Moore and Sechrest have loved.

I used this book in an elementary classroom. When the children came in each morning, they would look at the board to get the day's riddle. They had fun and I got a couple of minutes of peace in the mornings. They felt SO SMART when they solved each one. They even started to make up their own riddles to put on the board and got such a kick out of letting their classmates in on the answers.

I used this book when teaching a high-school level English class in France. I wrote the "sentences" on the board and had the first person from each team run to the board to write out the sentence completely. It was fantastique! They loved it. I'm sure it could be put to good use in an American classroom too. Great fun!

A gift at 16, I laughed at every page... at 42, I am ordering 4 copies...a difficult book to review as you really have to see it to believe it. So order one up, and one for a friend. Enjoy, laugh and learn to C D B.

I found this book to be fun and informative from a Guy's point of view. I laughed while reading it and enjoyed it's insights. Most books like this are written from the women's point of view and are to detailed and serious. This one is for us guys and is a fun read.

This is a great read for the first time dad or even anyone
contemplating becoming a father. A plethora of material exists
for moms-- as well there should be. However, no one yet has put forth a practical education for the first time dad. Osterman does a masterful job of describing the role of fatherhood in a no nonsense pragmatic manner that men will appreciate.

This is a great gift for wives to give their husbands. Not only will reading the book remove a great deal of the fear of the unknown, but it will also prepare their man to become a better father and ultimately a better husband!

I have had the absolute pleasure of knowing the author since college. He had a huge FEAR of fatherhood in his early adult years. After he settled down, and met Lisa he began to soften up considerably. Willie has gone from being adamant about not having kids, to be one of the greatest fathers I have known. He confronted his fears, and he tells you how, in this fun, easy to read, inciteful book, directed right to the heart of the American male.

The Complete Works of Shakespeare edited by David Bevington

Bevington's edition of Shakespeare's plays is a popular choice, and not without good reason. But that doesn't make an ideal choice. The introduction to this one volume edition is ample with chapters on life in Shakespeare's England, the drama before Shakespeare, Shakespeare's life and work. These are good, but they tend to rely on older scholarship and they may not be current. For example Bevington repeats Hinman's claim that there were 1200 copies of the 1623 Folio printed. However later scholars think the number was quite a bit lower, around 750. It should be said that we don't know for sure how many copies of the 1623 folio were printed and either number could be correct.

Bevington's edition prints the plays by genre. We get a section of Comedies, Histories, Tragedies, Romances and the Poems. He puts "Troilus and Cressida" with the comedies, though we know the play was slated to appear with the tragedies in the 1623 folio. The play was never meant to appear with the comedies, and all the surviving Folios that have the play have it at the beginning of the tragedies.

Let's get down to brass tacks. You are not going to buy an edition of Shakespeare's works because of good introduction. You're going to buy one because the quality of the editing of the plays. Is it reliable? Is it accurate? For the most part this edition is reliable and accurate, but that does not mean it is accurate and reliable in every instance.

Modernized editions of Shakespeare's plays and poems are norm. Since the 18th century (and even before) editors of Shakespeare have modernized and regularized Shakespeare's plays and poems. There are good reasons for this modernization. There is the reader's ease of use and the correcting misprints and mislination. I have no problem with this regularization of spelling or punctuation. But when an editor goes beyond normalizing and modernizing--when an editor interferes with the text then I have a problem.

Let me give two examples of the editorial interference that I am writing about:

King Lear 2-1-14 (p. 1184)
Bevington has:
Edmund
The Duke be here tonight? The better! Best!
This weaves itself perforce into my business.

The Folio has:
Bast. The Duke be here to night? The better best,
This weaues it selfe perforce into my businesse,

Even allowences made for modernization of punctuation and grammar would not account for Bevington's "The better! Best." Bevington glosses this to mean "so much the better; in fact the best that could happen." Nice try, but "The better best" of the folio is a double comparative, (which is a regular feature of Early Modern English) and not two separate adjectival phrases. Interestingly, the Quarto printing of Lear prints this scene in prose, and there is no punctuation between "better" and "best" in that version either.

A few lines down Lear 2-1-19 Edmund continues
Bevington has:
Brother, a word. Descend. Brother, I say!
Enter Edgar

But Bevington has reversed the order. The Folio has:
Enter Edgar.
Brother, a word, discend; Brother I say,

Bevington does not say why he changed the order, though to be fair other modern editors have done the same thing.

These two changes just a few lines apart go beyond regularization or modernization. They interfere with the text as presented in the 1623 Folio. And Bevington does not explain the changes. So next time you pick up this or any other modernized edition you should ask yourself "am I really sure what I'm reading is what Shakespeare wrote?"

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE. Updated Fourth Edition. Edited by David Bevington. 2000 pp. New York : Longman, 1997. ISBN 0-321-01254-2 (hbk.)

As complete Shakespeares go, the Bevington would seem have everything. Its book-length Introduction covers Life in Shakespeare's England; The Drama Before Shakespeare; London Theaters and Dramatic Companies; Shakespeare's Life and Work; Shakespeare's Language : His Development as Poet and Dramatist; Edition and Editors of Shakespeare; Shakespeare Criticism.

The texts follow in groups : Comedies; Histories; Tragedies; Romances (including 'The Two Noble Kinsmen'); Poems. Each play is given a separate Introduction adequate to the needs of a beginner, and the excellent and helpful brief notes at the bottom of each page, besides explaining individual words and lines, provide stage directions to help readers visualize the plays.

One extremely useful feature of the layout is that instead of being given the usual style of line numbering - 10, 20, 30, etc. - numbers occur _only_ at the end of lines which have been given footnotes - e.g., 9, 12, 16, 18, 32. Why no-one seems to have thought of doing this before I don't know, but it's a wonderful innovation that does away entirely with the tedious and time-wasting hassle of line counting, and the equally time-wasting frustration of searching through footnotes only to find that no note exists. If the line has a note you will know at once, and the notes are easy for the eye to locate as the keywords preceeding notes are in bold type.

The book - which is rounded out with three Appendices, a Royal Genealogy of England, Maps, Bibliography, Suggestions for Reading and Research, Textual Notes, Glossary of common words, and Index - also includes a 16-page section of striking color photographs.

The book is excellently printed in a semi-bold font that is exceptionally sharp, clear, and easy to read despite the show-through of its thin paper. It is a large heavy volume of full quarto size, stitched so that it opens flat, and bound, not with cloth, but with a soft decorative paper which wears out quickly at the edges and corners.

If it had been printed on a slightly better paper and bound in cloth, the Bevington would have been perfect. As it is, it's a fine piece of book-making nevertheless, and has been edited in such a way as to make the reading of Shakespeare as hassle-free and enjoyable an experience as possible. Strongly recommended for students and the general reader.

Last year for Christmas I asked my parents for some William Shakespeare's plays.Boy was I suprised!Not only does it have all of the plays,but also his Sonats,poems,and illistrations.Despite the fact that it's a large valuem and will need quite a bit off book space from you're self.You wont regret getting it.You will never need to get another book on William Shakespeare's plays and everything else ever again.It also has a list of dictonary for understanding the words better.

In the past 2 years I have read EVERYTHING there is to read on the subject of hitting preperatory to teaching my gifted 8 year old son and while I tell you that in virtually each and every book there exists some gem that you can apply to help increase chances of success THIS BOOK is the definative work on hitting.

What amazes me the most is that Williams, only a HS graduate, but yet possessing of an incredibly gifted intellect, as is exhibited by his becoming a fighter pilot etc, taught himself through trial, error and DETAILED analysis what the incredibly complex physics of the swing are. Recently, with the publication of Rob't K Adair's THE PHYSICS OF THE SWING we have the definitive confirmation of what Williams came to understand himself but now from a scientific and scholarly source. Williams doesn't articulate it in his book but he employed a law of physics called The Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum. Simply stated as it applies here it means that when you hold the arms close to the body and start the swing with your hips rather than your arms you will generate greater bat speed. Williams stated this simply in his book when he talks about starting the swing with the hips and holding the hands back as long as you can.... the farther the hands get away from the body the slower the bat speed. It's a law of physics that simply cannot be overcome. The hands, wrists and arms add nothing to the speed of the bat. They are mere conduits through which the power which is generated by the legs and the torso are transferred to the bat. Williams was intelligent enough to figure this one out on his own. Well, as he stated in his book, Rogers Hornsby's immortal words: "great hitters are not born, they are CREATED by study, hard work and fault correction" probably provided him with the spark he needed.

He was an amazing man who had problems with his pears when he played as super intelligent people often do. Fortunately now he is getting his just due and respect.

Thank you and rest in peace Teddy Ballgame!

This book and Robert Adair's _The_Physics_of_Baseball_ are essential to being the best player, executive, or fan possible. This book is timeless, and focuses on the 'real playing field' of baseball -- the strike zone where the hitter and pitcher battle it out. This book covers technique well, but more importantly, it teaches approach, and the earlier in your life you can learn that, the better you will be.

Williams' emphasis on plate discipline and mental approach, combined with his teaching of how to analyze your own swing gives you the basic tools you need to be an excellent offensive player. For pitchers, this book is a must to understand the weapons available to the batter.

For fans, this book will help you understand what's important and what's just filler by the broadcast team. If you're under 14 years old, buy this book, or go get from your local library, and study it on a field with a tee and a bag of balls. Then read it every day before you do your hitting reps.

This book turns bad hitters fair, and good hitters great. You just need to put in the work.

This book is perfect for anyone looking to expand their knowledge on how to hit a baseball. Everything from pitch recognition to a smooth swing are discussed and analyzed. Ted Williams also includes some of his stories from when baseball was a lifestyle. This book allows anyone to see the time and hard work that must go into becoming a good hitter. Becoming a good hitter does not mean picking up a bat and taking a few swings. It starts before you ever get to the ballpark. He walks you through ways to pick up pitcher tendencies, and stresses patience at the plate. This book provides helpful diagrams, which show what pitches are good ones to take a swing at. But he doesn't stop there, he goes into great detail about what you should try and do with that pitch that is in the zone. Also included are tips for making your stance comfortable yet effective, grip on the bat, and improving your power for maximum effectiveness in every at bat. Ted Williams also provides insight on knowing the situation, and doing what is best for your team. A must read for players of all skill levels. This book will grow with you as your hitting experiences expand. Ted Williams deserves more stars than I am allowed to give him for this book.

My North Carolina grandmother, born in 1888, read the 12 Miss Minerva series books to me when I was a young child in the 50's. She brought the antics of William Green Hill, Jimmy Garner, Frances, Lina, Wilkes Booth Lincoln, Aunt Cindy, Pilljerk Peter, Aunt Peruny Pearline to life, and I can still hear the words ringing in my ears as she read this book in the dialect of the southern Negro. Some feel that these aren't politically correct books for today's youth, but I feel that there are some innocent truths to be learned from reading these books, that come from the mouths of the children in them. They show how easily children of all races get along when the prejudices of their elders aren't present. The real life character upon which these books are based is William Green Hill who died at 64, the son of a prominent Tennessee physician Dr. Lafayette Hill. His sister, Mrs. S. A. Hamilton had not seen her brother in 15 years when he died of a heart attack alone and penniless in an empty railroad coal car on the outskirts of Pueblo, Colorado. My grandmother clipped the small article from the newspaper about Mr. Hill, which I have kept in my copy of the first of the books which were written about his life. The first book, Miss Minerva and William Green Hill, was originally written by Frances Boyd Calhoun who died, and was continued by Emma Speed Sampson, who wrote the sequel Billy and the Major, Miss Minerva's Baby, Miss Minerva on the Old Plantation, Miss Minerva Broadcasts Billy, Miss Minerva's Scallywags, Miss Minerva's Problem, Miss Minerva's Vacation, Miss Minerva's Neighbors, Miss Minerva's Mystery, Miss Minerva Goin' Places, and one other title. There also is a book named Miss Minerva's Cookbook which was so rare that a copy of this book is going for $1,000 at rare out of print used book stores. I certainly love to see that the University of Tennessee has brought back the first of this series, and I would love to see them bring back to print the rest of the series for a new generation of children to enjoy and understand the happiness and delicate, intricate balance that exists in childhood play between children of all races.

This book is written about a real little boy who lived in Covington, Tennessee. It was written in the dialect of the time but can still be read with enjoyment. The writer, Frances Calhoun died after writing the first book. Emma S. Sampson wrote the rest of the series. William Green Hill is buried in Covington, Tennessee. He was a distant relative of mine, making the books that much more interesting to me.

I read all 9 books in this series and enjoyed the humor of Billy's exploits with his Aunt Minerva and the neighborhood children. The children of this era made their own entertainment, played "pretend" and spent a lot of time outdoors-life was rather pastoral. However, Billy managed to keep everyone hopping. I'd describe the book as an early "Little Rascals" of the South. Well written, humorous and filled with the innocence of the era. Billy and his friends seem to have to learn everything the hard way!! Historically, it occurs in an era of segregation; however, it also demonstrates that children accept each other far more easily than adults do.

Th Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary, is the hilarious story of a mouse, a boy, and a toy motorcycle. This the most comical, action-packed story I have ever read. I think that Keith is a young, generous boy who gives Ralph his two most prized possessions, a toy motorcycle and a crash helmet. I love the way Mrs. Cleary portrays Ralph as a medium-sized mouse who is bold, funny, and adventurous. I love how Mrs. Cleary writes her books; when I read them, it seems as though they come alive! Her language is sparkling and well written. This book makes me want to read all of Beverly Cleary's books!

VROOM VROOM! Went a little motorcycle going down a hotel floor. If you like adventure stories then Mouse on the Motorcycle is the book for you! This book is about a little boy who goes to a hotel. And he happens to stay in a room where a little mouse and his family live. Keith, the little boy, and the mouse Ralph became great friends. Keith collects little toy cars and Ralph loves to ride them.
He has a lot of adventures on them. Ralph finds the motorcycle and during the night drives it down the hallway and has the time of his life! When Keith and his family leave the hotel, Keith asks Ralph to go home with him. Should Ralph go with Keith to be his pet, or should he stay with his family? You have to find out by reading the book.

I believe that Beverly Cleary is the world's most important children's author. Even adults will read and enjoy Beverly Cleary's books. my personal favorite is The Mouse and the Motorcycle. It is about a mouse named Ralph. Ralph is a regular speed demon. He has a love for the thrill of speed. The Mouse and the Motorcycle teaches the values of keeping promises and honesty. Ralph is always breaking promises. Everytime he does, something happens that causes a big problem. The book teaches respect. When Ralph ignores his mother, something happens like falling in a wastepaper basket. In the story's conclusion, Ralph realizes all he wants is to be a respectable mouse. The Mouse and the Motorcycle is enjoyable for all audiences. Its fun and exciting plot makes it a good read-aloud story. A good example of this can be found on page 23. "There it was at the end-the motorcycle! Ralph stared at it and then walked over and kicked a tire. Close up the motorcycle looked even better than he expected. it was new and shiny with a good pair of tires. Ralph walked all the way around it, examining the pair of chromium mufflers and the engine and the hand clutch. It even had a little license plate so it would be legal to ride it. "Boy!" Ralph said to himself, his whiskers quivering with excitement. "Boy, oh Boy!"." Every boy and girl of any age would love this story! Comparing Beverly Cleary's books, I have discovered they should be rated first. The majority of children's books are aimed mainly to young girls while Beverly Cleary's books are enjoyed by girls and boys. Beverly Cleary's books promote good values unlike books such as Sideways Storys from Wayside School by Louis Sachar. The children in these stories do not respect their elders. Beverly Cleary's beleivable characters make her silly plots seem real. Louis Sachar's characters are not believable which make the plot just plain weird. The Mouse and the Motorcycle should be considered a children's classic.

Some nine books into his Napoleonic series, Cornwell pauses here to return to the beginning of Sharpe's association with the 95th Rifles. In 1809 French forces were sweeping the British out of the Spain in a full retreat to Portugal. Sharpe is a Lieutenant, and a lowly quartermaster at that, but through a series of mishaps and skirmishes, he finds himself in command of the tattered remnants of a Rifle Company cut off from the main British army. These men, led by the indominitable Irishman Harper, are demoralized, distrustful of Sharpe, and waver on mutinousness. We see his first clumsy attempts at leading men, as he tries to get them to safety. Their momentary alliance with a Spanish Major who is escorting a mysterious strongbox only leads to more trouble as the combined forces are dogged by a unit of French Cavalry intent on capturing the box. Of course, over time, the contents of the box are revealed and a thrilling city battle is fought. We also see Sharpe's first awkward falling in love, with the niece of some British missionaries (who provide some of the most comic moments in the entire series). It's a good prequel to Sharpe's adventures in the Peninsular Wars, and while it makes a logical place for newcomers to start the series, it might actually be more fun for those who have already gotten to know Sharpe and Harper.

If you have read other Sharpe books, you will realize right away that the story goes back to the time before "Sharpe's Eagle". It serves to set the stage and introduce the characters that will populate the series thoughout the campaigns in Portugal and Spain. If you haven't read any other Sharpe stories and you like Historical Fiction that are enjoyable reads you are going to enjoy it.

Don't get me wrong, as a story it stands alone quite well. Readable and entertaining are the first thoughts that come to mind. The battles/fights seem to be historically accurate as well as well written (not always the case with storied written about this time period). The characters are understandable, without appearing to be twentieth-century men being transported to another era. As Sharpe grows as a commander, you both empathise with his problems and cheer his accomplishments.

The whole series is worth reading, and this a great prequel to the timeframe where most of the action takes place.... and there will be quite a lot of it!

PS... The books are better than the BBC series.

Cornwell captures "everyman" in Richard Sharpe. He is a character that I could identify with. I could feel his hopes, fears and disappointments. I was gladdened by his successes. If a reader is willing to believe the character, they are in for a wonderful adventure. I suppose that if you won't believe, you would still be entertained by this and the rest of the series. As for me, I've read the entire series several times. Every time my "day to day" has become too stressful, I've gone off to the Peninsular Campaign with Sharpe and his Rifles.

AMERICAN CAESAR is a highly readable biography of a fascinating subject. Manchester has plenty of good material to examine from both the personal and professional aspects of MacArthur's life. MacArthur's genealogical background is also interesting since one of his ancestors is shared in common with both Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

MacArthur is portrayed as a brilliant innovator as exemplified by his masterful manuever in jumping from Hollandia to Leyte in World War II and of course the Inchon landing during the Korean War. The author by necessity tells the story of the U.S. Army's role in the Pacific during World War II mostly from the army's point of view. In that respect AMERICAN CAESAR serves as a useful adjunct to Samuel Eliot Morrison's HISTORY OF UNITED STATES NAVAL OPERATIONS IN WORLD WAR II.

William Manchester's American Caesar is a nicely polished and thoroughly researched book covering the career of General Douglas MacArthur, arguably the most controversial and one of the best U.S. military leaders of the Twentieth Century. Manchester covers MacArthur's life from his early childhood to his death at age 84 in 1964. MacArthur's remarkable life and career spans the time from his youth spent on remote western military posts in the 1880's, through the two World Wars and the Korean Conflict, and his subsequent dismissal by President Truman and entry into GOP politics.

Douglas MacArthur was perfectly bred for military leadership and his future historical role. The son of a Civil War recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and Military Governor of the Philippines, Douglas MacArthur surpassed even his father's amazing military and historical accomplishments. Manchester argues that MacArthur had a unique genius for military operations, from his quick promotion at age 38 to the command of the Rainbow Division in World War I, to his campaigns in the Pacific and his bold invasion at Inchon in the Korean War. MacArthur's military capabilities conceivably saved thousands of American lives. Typically his military moves were cunning and daring, bypassing enemy strongpoints and leading to victories at lower costs in terms of lives than operations undertaken by his U.S. military contemporaries.

The book's title, American Caesar, uniquely describes MacArthur's career as the liberator of the Philippines and the Military administrator of Japan. Perhaps no other American in history has held the type of power that MacArthur held in Japan as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers. Yet his immense power was wielded with grace and an understanding of the Japanese people and their culture. MacArthur's long service in Asia uniquely suited him to this role.

MacArthur's weaknesses which ultimately led to his downfall at the hands of President Truman are explored. MacArthur learned that great military exploits are often achieved by acting against the will or explicit instructions of his superiors. Combining this trait with an immense ego, MacArthur's showdown with President Truman was almost unavoidable. This led to his firing and a lasting feud with Truman that ultimately tarnished MacArthur's reputation despite his incredible career and service.

Manchester presents MacArthur as a complex figure full of contradictions. MacArthur is shown as a warrior who exposed himself to extreme danger, but was often derisively referred to as "Dugout Doug" when he vainly surrounded himself with luxurious surroundings in his headquarters. He instituted liberal democratic reforms in Japan, then became a hard line conservative spokesman in the United States. By illuminating these contradictions inherent in MacArthur's personality, William Manchester presents General Douglas MacArthur's long and eventful life in a book which makes interesting and exciting reading.

"American Caesar" is a highly literate, extremely well researched biography of General Douglas MacArthur. Since the General's Army career spanned almost 50 years, the time sweep of "AC" is quite extensive, but Mr. Manchester maintains reader interest throughout. As a work of history, it should qualify as a masterpiece. The strongest point of "AC" is that the persona of the General never gets lost in a sea of facts or too many characters. It remains a biography, first and foremost. The reader always is aware that s(he) is reading about a human being- with strong points and weak points just like all of us. I was impressed with the obvious importance of family, especially his wife and son to the General. Major historical figures like F.D.R. and Harry Truman take a backseat to the main character. Some readers might maintain that is exactly where they belong! While "AC" covers the General's heroism in World War I, the focus is on his military campaigns in World War II. Great detail is given to his controversial and hazardous- initial retreat from the Philippines to Australia and his push back north, capturing strategic New Guinea and retaking the Philippines. To his credit, author Manchester, a former Marine, strives to demonstrate that the General's tactics saved thousands of U.S. casualties, compared to the frontal assaults on other Pacific islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa. For example, the General bypassed and isolated the strong Japanese garrison on Rabaul in eastern New Guinea, rather than attack in force. He also talked the Navy and Marines down from a senseless, hazardous and tactically useless invasion of Formosa (Taiwan). His casualty rates are also compared very favorably to those incurred by General Dwight Eisenhower at Normandy and the Bulge. (The two did not exactly admire one another). If there are any weak points in "AC", they are minor. One could argue that the bio of the General is not sufficiently critical, but this reader would defer license to a talented author. One could also argue that too much space is allocated to the General's troubles with Harry Truman during the Korean War. Since so many identify the General with that particular segment of his career, it would be difficult for Manchester to pass lightly over it. (The author does not exactly admire HST). A note of warning: The MAPS in the paperback version of "AC" are too small for a close following of the SW Pacific War. If amazon could offer a large print/ hardcover version of "AC", the extra cost would be worth it. I used a magnifying glass! Inadequate maps seem to be a requirement for military tales "AC" has plenty of company in this regard. I hope this review has done credit to a first rate work of historical biography. Over 844 pages, followers of history and military affairs will not be disappointed.

Earthquake by Francine Pascal is at times touching but overall a very excellent book. As the story starts out, Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, the twin sisters in Sweet Valley, are having their 17th birthday party. They live in California, along a fault line, and their town is prone to earthquakes. During their party, a devestating earthquake shatters their celebration. They have to look through the rubble of their once standing home to try and find their friends. But who out of their friends survive? Read Earthquake and find out!

I would recommend this book to mainly teens who enjoy drama and love/relationships.

I've read this book many, many times. It never gets old. It's kind of weird, the way that the reader can tell that the girls' dog can sense something. The best part, and most tragic in the book, was the parts about Olivia and Ken. When the author can bring the reader to tears (like me) then you KNOW it's a good book. If you ever read a Sweet Valley book, this is the one. It takes the reader back to other books as the characters remember. Sweet Valley always seemed like the perfect place to live. This book made the place seem more real. To know that if something this terrible and tragic could happen there, it could happen anywhere.

I really likek these book. I feel soo bad for KEn, Losing Olivia adn being mad at her in the 1st book about the protrait. I would hate to be Jess,havign to hear Alyssa's last scream, that painful scream. And alyssa's brother being angry at her for not being alble to save her. I was worried for Todd and Lila. It was sad