This non fiction shows the struggles of a family raising an autistic child with SIB at a time before information is available about the disability. The author, Phyllis Green, brings this family into the hearts and souls of the reader. The book is also illustrated with actual photographs of the family. Spinning Straw is a plus for a remarkable movie about real life situations of families who are faced with the struggles that stem from disabilities like autism. Green's language is down-to-earth and pragmatic. She brings tears, laughter and the real life of the family into full circle.

"Spinning Straw; the Jeff Apple Story," is one of those rare books that brought me to tears. I can't imagine being a parent of a child who could test the limits of love as Jeff Apple did. The family's plight in dealing with a child with Self Inflicted Behavior made me realize that problems my wife and I had in raising three children were insignificant in comparison with Jeff's demands on his parents and siblings. Phyllis Green does a superb job of telling that story through the eyes of"~ Jeff's mom."~ performance. Throughout the book, I felt the fear that the inevitable self-destructive event would take place, but I could almost not bear to accept it when Jeff's death occurred."~ determination. Nether extreme is ever suggested. What we have is a moving, real-life story, told in a manner that brings all of the reader's senses, emotions, and mental awareness into the process.

When you read Phyllis Green's book Spinning Straw about the short life of an autistic boy named Jeff Apple, you will see several photographs of him throughout his life. The photos ironically freeze a boy whose autistic body and life spun and punched and clawed its way so out of control that even the loving cacoon of his family could not swaddle the frenzy. Study the photos. They capture a kernel of the serene humanity denied him by his condition. Then when you reach for that coffee cup, imagine what it would be like for your arm to suddenly gain a life of its own and shatter the cup against the wall, against your will, splashing your family with scalding coffee. If you can imagine that, you can step outside the still photos and into Jeff Apple's chaotic life. Please read this book for all it's worth. It will reward you.

Mr. Stanley dismissed this book as not being the definitive Kiss book, and although it may not be the ultimate Kiss book, it is by far one of the best - if not the best - written today.
This book chronicles more than 5 years of research by the authors who stormed the Internet, chat clubs, fan forums, libraries, ect. All to get the latest info on the more than 1800 concerts that Kiss has played to date. Written in very easy english, the book is more like a reference guide to all the concerts the band has played, but under most dates you will find little text add-ons that are delightful. The authors interviewed tour managers, roadies, pyro techs, wardrobe ladies, managers, producers, and muscicians who tell great stories from the early and not so early days. To top it up, there's more than 200 amazing shots of the band, some we have seen, some rather obscure.
In all, a great book.

This book is a wealth of information (and pictures) for any KISS fan. It was cool to look up the shows that I've been to and see who the opening band was, the set list, and any other notes about that particular gig. Team this book up with KISS/The Early Years and you've got a one/two punch of KISStory. I had no sooner received these 2 books when I had to order a second set as a birthday present for a friend whose 1st concert was KISS. He was extremely happy and so could you. Don't wait.

The 2 people that posted negative reviews of this book must be INSANE! First off, this is truly the holy grail of all KISS books for all KISS fans. Never before has such a complete look at the live history of KISS been done. You get rare set lists, incredibly rare and amazing photos and fantastic stories from the people that were there! Not the fake nonsense that Gene and Paul spout but REAL stories, good or bad! Its a wonderful read that takes you along for the ride in the KISS world. Its too bad KISS themselves couldnt put out a quality product like this.

For the gentlemen that felt the book lacked info or was factually incorrect, please do a little research. The Australian/Police issue has been well documented in newspaper reports and even TV reports which are widely available among real KISS fans. As for the photo quality. If you look carefully, many of the photos are not there for quality but for the simple fact that they are RARE photos. Some good examples are Ace on the platform in 1977 and Gene in his RARE Dynasty costume. These are photos that prove or disprove KISS myths that have festered over the years. They also relate to a specific account or detail contained within the associated chapter. Any real KISS fan would realize that.

If you are happy with incomplete and revisionist KISSTORY, then settle for the official publications and tell all rags that have been published in the recent past. If you want THE book on THE band, then pick this up. I promise you a better KISS book will not be found. Kudos to the authors!

I'd been looking forward to reading this book for almost three years and bought it the first day it was offered here on Amazon. It was a true pleasure to read this narrative of the life and times of the Jefferson Airplane and the fascinating musicians that banded together to make something magical happen to the music landscape.

Jeff Tamarkin tells this story with true affection for the music, the band and the cultural revolution that frames this tale. The book could have taken many forms. Thankfully it wasn't told in the muckraking style of Bob Woodward's "Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi". Sure, Jeff deals with the tough issues of sex, drugs and rock-and-roll, but his handling of these topics doesn't obfuscate the deeper story of how this San Francisco band informed and shaped the minds of my generation.

I was fortunate to be living in Mountain View, CA (on the San Francisco peninsula) from 1965 through 1967 and was able to experience the excitement of the creation of the Jefferson Airplane's music as it started pouring out of the radio before sweeping around the globe. It was fascinating to read Jeff's book and to realize that the musicians were playing coffee shops and bars all around where I'd lived. Jeff really does a great job detailing how the band members met, and how they interacted with other San Francisco musicians, and describing the nascent music scene that lead up to the formation of the Airplane. I wish I'd been old enough to go have a beer and join in the fun, but alas, I was but a young teenager.

Jeff's writing style is a pleasure. If I may make another comparison, Jeff does not descend to the mind-numbing detail that can make a book like this a chore to read. For example, Timothy White's book "Catch A Fire: The Life of Bob Marley" details every recording session with painstaking detail, and while this is good information, it makes for a dry read at times. Jeff keeps the tale moving in "Got A Revolution" so people that are just curious about the band, the culture, or just want a good book for the beach can buy and enjoy this tome.

Of course, as an unabashed Jefferson Airplane fan, I'd also buy the unabridged version, but of interest, Jeff is making additional information from his research available at the official website for this book.... Many of us are enjoying this added benefit.

I suppose no review would be complete without a comment on what might have been done better. In this book, Jeff takes a good amount of time to talk about the scene in Haight Ashbury, but I would have enjoyed more of a peak into the giddy hilarity and psychedelic and philosophical insights that obviously informed the music. Having just complimented Jeff on brevity, I suppose I must acknowledge other authors have covered this aspect of the tale. I'm thinking of books like Jay Stevens' "LSD And The American Dream", which appropriately starts with a prologue titled "An Afternoon In The Sixties" and of course, Tom Wolfe's "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test". Jeff does create the magic of these times, but stays more focused on the band and the music, which considering what this book is about, probably isn't such a bad thing.

Let me conclude by saying that I enjoyed the way Jeff includes the formation of the Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna from the ashes of the Airplane, the Jefferson Airplane reunion of 1989, and the final chapter, which brings the us into the 21st century. For those that don't know, both the Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna are still writing and putting out new music here in 2003 so after you read Jeff's excellent book, you can still go out and see these fine musicians.

It's about time! This book- a labor of love by journalist, editor and librettist Jeff Tamarkin- goes a long way to rectify the cultural revision that has marginalized the Jefferson Airplane! Which band is the basis for almost everything cool! And it, and its progeny, continue to be extremely vital and relevant today. ...

It's not the typical scenario addressing the known issues, attributes and impact of Rock Royalty from music's Golden Era, i.e., circa 1967-1977 but more an affinity to the internal maladies of the first great band of The Psychedelic years. Jeff Tamarkin captures the myriad of personalities, power struggles, the bi-product bands such as Hot Tuna, SVT, Jefferson Starship, Kantner, Balin & Casady. Perhaps a mirrored report such as the Dennis McNally book on The Grateful Dead and the various escapades outside the parameters of the music genre. The road less traveled leads from Washington, DC, Chicago, and other demographic licals to the ever popular and notorious 2400 Fulton Street mansion and Grunt Records. This is a more chronicled report on the various personalities, liasons, recreational drug use of the day and the insight of someone who has spent years in researching the facts of a living legendary band.
As they continue to expand the parameters of their chosen genre, the book is an enlightening text that unravels the complications of five gifted musicians, the addition of the first diva in Rock n Roll, and how all ahve evolved into the 21st century. Kudos and plaudits to Jeff for avoiding the tedious, useles rhetoric of most parables of those most emulated and admired as the youth of America in the sixties and seventies and his uncanny knack in showing that even our selected Gods of choice are not as atypical as we might like to invision.
As they live and breath, we also do the same and the demise of one is as pain staking and demoralizing as any death within our own family sturcture.
The affinity to counter culture and those who helped construct it, the music that lealed a generation and the survivors of the day are all the culmination of one of the great books of the genre in the last twenty years......as the syntax of the day would imply..."This book rocks"...

I simply could not put this book down - This is a book that needs to be read more than once because of the sheer complexity of the plot. It is frightening in its reality. Liberals will hate this book for its honesty and reference to events that have already taken place but have been "spun" by the media for the politically correct. Your conscience will bother you in reading this book - not necessarily by what you have done, but by what we as a nation have allowed to happen to this country and our moral fiber. I have had the opportunity of personally meeting both the author and his wife. These are not extremist, anti-government individuals. Jeff has an important message to deliver and this country needs to listen.

Initially, I resisted reading this book because it isn't the usual subject matter that draws me. However, when the fourth insistent recommendation (all by close friends) came, I relented. Once begun, the book rarely got put down. I felt compelled to read it through in two nights, and then spent a number of days digesting the disturbing information it contained. The manner in which Jeff entwined four very diverse subjects (investment broking, the sale of body parts, China/U.S. relations, and a love story) was skillfully done without losing integrity in any area. Even though the subject matter is frightening, I felt an underlying strand of hope in the character of Stuart Dealier. Our world's hope is that we continue to have honorable men and women who are unwilling to part with the integrity of their Christian morals and values...like Stuart Dealier or author Jeff Barganier.

I wanted to read this book because I know the author personally and enjoy local "talent." I am usually a slow reader but could not put this book down once I started! The Slash Brokers is very fast paced and powerfully enlightening. The author has a very keen eye and is very much in touch with the current state of the world. Excellent read and one I highly recommend to everyone! It was especially refreshing not to have to read profanity!

In this, you meet Fone Bone and his Cousins, a beautiful young lady named thorn, Ted, who is not just any ordinary bug, and Crazy old Gran'ma, who races cows and thwarts Rat Creatures. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a good storyline. This is in a comic-book form, but there are no annoyingly over-powerful superheroes. This is in the form of a comic book, a long one, and it really enhances the feel of the story. But be forewarned, if you buy this, I guarantee that you'll HAVE to get the next one, and the next, and so on..... By the way, it doesn't say on this page, but there are 3 more Bone compilations. Search for author Jeff Davis (there'll be a LOT of entries) and the following are Bone books: Out From Boneville The Great Cow Race Eye of the storm Dragonslayer

This is the best comic book ever written. Bone pulls together fantasy and humor into a great read. Jeff Smith's art is even better. The story moves through magic, dragons, swords and armor, and........cow racing. Jeff Smith is one of the best writers out there and Bone is a treasure that everyone can enjoy.

I can't say enough good things about the Bone series. Jef Smith combines humor, drama, a solid grasp of character, a marvelous sense of pacing, and simple yet beautiful art to create one of the best stories I've ever read. This book is a great introduction to the story -- and I will be hugely surprised if by the end you're not saying, "Stupid, stupid rat creatures!"

It was definitley the best book I read about Jeff Gordon! It has his ideas on life and religon and I respect that in a guy! He is a sure guy someone could look up to and respect. I wish I knew him becuase now I know how nice and sweet he is. How he has charities and talks to kids which is great! My dream in life is to meet Jeff Gordon because he is really an inspiration in my life!

This book really crosses the finish line in Jeff Gordon style, "Wide Open and First" only as Jeff Gordon seems to know how to do. I simply can't wait for the next book detailing his '98 Championship Season. Move over King Richard there is a new KiD in town.

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This book gives a great summuary of Jeff Gordon's 1997 championship season. It gives an inside veiw of how he felt when certain events were taking place. I learned many facts about Gordon. It also contains many colorful pictures that depict Jeff's life on the road. If your a Gordon fan, don't miss this book!!!

" This book is about manners. If it makes you feel like throwing up, at least say excuse me on your way to the bathroom." School manners, family manners, talking manners, walking manners, eating manners, greeting manners: this book teaches all the manners in the world and then some. It's a well written book, and the quizzes are especially good. An average question in a quiz:

You're at the symphony and you feel like throwing up. Do you:

a) Exit quickly and quietly as you can

b) Ask the lady next to you if you can borrow her purse, or

c) Heave to the beat.

You can learn the greeting practices of the middle east or the eating manners of a fancy restaurant. This book is best read for a laugh because most teenagers will give you the wrong answer and think it's right. It has value in it too, so do't think I'm saying it doesn't teach manners. If you want a book to get a teenager like me back on track, How Rude is the book to get.

Question: What teenager would be interested in reading a 465 page book on manners? Answer: Just about any one who is holding a copy of "How Rude!"

I'm so delighted by this book. I'm a father of four, and as I read "How Rude" I asked myself, "What is it that makes this book so effective?" Perhaps it's the simple practicality of its message. The main point is that it's in your own best interests to use good manners. One of the places it says this is on page 109: "Adjust your requests and behavior to the emotions and needs of others. This is not only a cornerstone of politeness, but also a way to increase the chances that your requests will be granted."

Perhaps it works so well because it concerns the things teenagers obsess about, such as how to be popular, how to get your parents let you do what you want, what to do about braces, how to handle friendship problems, and how to get a date. It even talks about when it is OK not to use good manners. The section headings reflect the fascination youth of all ages have: "Things you do to your body" and "Things your body does to you" and "The blended, shaken, stirred or mixed family, " and "Sex-ediquette."

Maybe what makes this book work so well for kids is Packer's dead-on humor, with just the right amount of grossness so that you can't quite turn away. It's a fast-paced kaleidoscope of quips, anecdotes, lists, jokes, and chummy advice. There's no way to lose interest, because it's so juicy and fun. I challenge anyone to open the book to any page and not find some undeniably useful tidbits.

It's a great book for teens, of course, but it's also a great book for parents who are looking for ways of talking about manners with their kids.

I bought this book for my 12 year old daughter and we have both enjoyed reading it. The book covers a great deal of material and I think it reinforces the manners I have been trying to teach at home. The book contains a section which touches on sex and this worried me a bit. My husband and I both read this section and felt it would be okay for our daughter to read it as well.

Fig Pudding made me feel like reading more. In each chapter there was a new feeling. I wonder how Mr.Fletcher thought of these brilliant ideas to put in the chapters? I would love to read the sequel to Fig Pudding because I know that Mr.Fletcher will have some great ideas. I would like to know, were some of the characters in the story in his life, like Uncle Eddie? It was really sad when Brad died because everyone really cared about him and loved him. I thought it was funny when Uncle Eddie said,"Did you put some new ingredients in the Fig Pudding?" because Josh's shoe fell in it. I'd like to know if Mr. Fletcher is writing a new book and what is the title? This is one of my favorite books I've read because it changed my mood and that's what I like about reading. I wonder how Mr. Fletcher thought of writing this nice book? If I were Brad I would have told my father that I can't give away the tackle box. I've only read two books by Ralph Fletcher and I know I will enjoy reading more and more books by Ralph Fletcher. Fig Pudding is in my top three favorite books. This book is one of my classes favorite books!

This is an excellent book! Told as a story by the narrator, we experience a little bit about each of his 4 brothers and 1 sister. Each one is a true character in every sense of the word, but at the same time, is very realistic. This is a very real family with characters that I just fell in love with. They are not always as nice as can be and they make mistakes - even the adults. We follow the family through a year in their lives (all from the point of view of the oldest child). There are ups and downs, but in the end everyone does love each other and is there to support each other.

This is a wonderful book about the enduring strength of family and the love and support that can be found in them. There are moments that will make the reader laugh at loud and others that will bring a tear to the eye of even the hardest individual. I truly wish this book had gained more recognition.

The opportunities for writing activities and discussions based on the book are endless with a little creativity. I fully intend on using this book in my classroom and hope others will as well. Like other Ralph Fletcher books, this is quality literature for students and adults - not simply a kid's book.

Why 5 stars?:
This book is incredibly well written with very real characteristics. It brings the reader through a variety of emotions as the narrator tells us about his family and the events that occur over the course of a year. The chance to engage students in sharing and discussing literature are excellent. I highly recommend this book for school libraries, and literature circles in the classroom. Parents should be encouraged to read this book with their children as a bonding experience of the discussions about family that will undoubtedly come out.

I just finished the book Fig Pudding. It is a great book. I was sad when Brad died because it touched my heart and all of the character's hearts too. My favorite part is when Uncle Eddie said,"Did you add a new ingredient?". It was funny. I wonder what book Ralph Fletcher likes the most? I wonder if this book was based on his real life? I wonder if he had a brother that died? The mood kept on changing in the story. That is why I liked it.

Jeff Alt did a wonderful job taking the reader along with him on his enourmous journey to not only raise money for his brother with cerebral palsy, but also on completing the 2000+ mile Appalacian Trail. I would definetly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the outdoors or inspiring stories!

I was first introduced to Jeff Alt and his wonderful book in Damascus, VA at Trail Days 2000. This book is a absolute must read. After talking with Jeff for some time, I left the store with restored hope in humanity. I had been searching for inspiration to push me over the edge and commit to hiking the trail. His book convinced me it was something I will definitey do.

Jeff,
I loved your book and all your stories of the trail. It was a quick and enjoyable read that had me laughing out loud. When is your next book coming out so I can read it too? Keep Hiking!

" Pick up a rifle- a really good rifle- and if you know how to use it well, you change instantly from a mouse to a man.." writes the good Colonel.

Its disappointing how few books there are on the most basic principles of marksmanship, and how to use a rifle efficently. There is lots of pelf written for people who fancy themselves as Green Beret Snipers, but very little indeed on the most basic principles of marksmenship. And there is this book.

Anyone who uses a rifle will benefit from this book. A begineer could not get a better teacher. A person familier with rifles will get enough information to progress to expert. And an expert will still learn enough to make the book worthwhile, or at the very least be able to enjoy Col. Coopers unique writing style. A Parent wishing to teach their daughter or son how to shoot would be well served with this as a gift for them.

There are 20 chapters covering safety (nice to see), firing positions, breathing, rests and so on. The Colonel does not usually go into much depth in the WHY of things- keep your barrel off the rest as it affects trajectery , without launching into a long discourse on barrel harmonics. Despite being reasonably brief there is a lot to comprehend and practice, so you will be dealving into it for some time.

The only gripes I have is some- but not all- of the ample illustrations are a tad over and under exposed so they are not as clear as one would like. This is common, alas, with Paladin books. Generally the photos are good and the dust cover is handsome.

Most highly recommended.

While I admit that I am an unabashed fan of Colonel Cooper, I without reservation regard this book to be one of the essential elements to the aspiring rifleman. This book however is useful to one person, the rifleman. If your into Benchrest, 1000 yard competion, and nameless other disciplines of specialized rifle usage, spend your money elsewhere. This book deals purely with the employment of the "queen of personal weapons", the rifle. The only thing that I did not like about the book was it's size. The information is so useful that I found myself in want for a compact "field edition" that could acompany myself and my rifle into the field. In short this book encompasses the most usable 97 pages of rifle related instruction that I have ever read.

I have read Colonel Jeff Cooper's book "Art of the Rifle" and just completed his General Rifle course. Anyone who desires to master the "queen of personal weapons" will be well on the way by studying this book. The entire spectrum of practical use of the rifle is covered in Colonel Cooper's usual style. After reading the book, you'll want to take the class. Buy one for your library, and extras for friends, children, and family. Future generations will thank you for it.