Book Description
RunTime: 14 hrs, 12 CDs. The inspiring account of one man's campaign to build schools in the most dangerous, remote, and anti- American reaches of Asia.
Customer Reviews:
5 Stars Plus.......2007-10-10
I agree with some of the critisms that the prose distracts from the narrative. Additionally, there is too much of the author and not enough of "Dr. Greg". However, all of the negatives are superceded by a HUGE positive-- that this is an inspirational story of one man making an incredible difference in people's lives. C.A.I. will now go on my list of charities.
Inspiring, moving, excellent.......2007-10-10
This is one of the best books I've ever read. I haven't been able to stop thinking or talking about it since I finished. It's incredibly well written, suspenseful and very moving. It inspired me to increase my efforts to help others. I agree whole heartedly with the underlying premise of the book - that peace comes from education and that those who are left in poverty with no tools for overcoming this will naturally turn to the path of least resistance - the path of hatred, terror and war. Another thing I really appreciated about this book was that I could give it to my grandma - it doesn't have any profanity or other such material that would make me embarrassed for her to read.
This is a template on how to eliminate terrorism.......2007-10-10
I adore this book and believe that education is the answer. One person can make a difference.
Wow.......2007-10-07
Simply the most moving story I have ever read. This will renew your faith in humanity.
This is a life changing book.......2007-10-06
I have recommended (and given) this book to many of my friends and all three of my book clubs. Some people found the beginning a little tedious but I did not. I enjoyed the background material and have decided that, when I grow up (I'm already 52), I want to be Greg Mortenson. I admire him and think his wife must be a saint. I learned a lot, and more importantly, felt a lot while reading this book. It is very inspiring. As Americans, we have so much to learn before we offer to help.
Amazon.com
Ages 12 and up. Best buds Tibby, Carmen, Lena and Bridget are back with their magical pair of shared jeans in Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood. Each summer brings new and difficult challenges, as the perennially separated friends discover afresh this last season before college. Tibby struggles with the idea of close friend Brian becoming her boyfriend, and their fragile relationship is soon tested by a tragedy in her immediate family. Carmen doesn't know how to react when she finds out that her middle-aged mom is pregnant, and Bridget is unpleasantly surprised to be reunited with the boy who broke her heart two summers ago. Finally, Lena, still coming to terms with the loss of her first love, tries to convince her strict father that art school is a better career path than Greek restaurant management. But through every crisis, each girl is assured of the love and support of the created sisterhood when she pulls on the denim armor of the cherished, and by now, a bit fragrant ("Rule # 1. You must never wash the Pants.") Traveling Pants.
Full of homey platitudes about life, love and the pursuit of perfect jeans, Girls in Pants occasionally reads like a lengthy Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul entry. But often that's precisely the kind of friendly reassurance female readers are looking for, and fans of the wildly popular series who've journeyed every summer with the "Septembers" will find much to laugh and cry about in this volume. --Jennifer Hubert
Book Description
The Pants first came to us at the perfect moment. That is, when we were splitting up for the first time. It was two summers ago when they first worked their magic, and last summer when they shook up our lives once again. You see, we don’t wear the Pants year-round. We let them rest so they are extra powerful when summer comes. (There was the time this spring when Carmen wore them to her mom’s wedding, but that was a special case.)
Now we’re facing our last summer together. In September we go to college. And it’s not like one of those TV shows where all of us magically turn up at the same college. We’re going to four different colleges in four different cities (but all within four hours of one another—that was our one rule). We’re headed off to start our real lives.
Tomorrow night at Gilda’s we’ll launch the Pants on their third summer voyage. Tomorrow begins the time of our lives. It’s when we’ll need our Pants the most.
Customer Reviews:
Another Great Read.......2007-06-27
I stayed up till 3 o'clock in the morning reading this book, it was so good. This 3rd installment in the sisterhood of the traveling pants series was a great, easy summer read. Ann Brashares did another fabulous job on this novel. Once again this one, tells the story of the four girls as they embark on new journeys in life. High school is over and the girls are saddend by the fact that this is their last summer together. Carmen gets a job taking care of Lena's grandmother and she convines the Kiligares to let her go back to Greece. Carmen finds out her mother is pregnant and Tibby helps deliver the baby, while having a strong relationship with Brian. Bridget goes to a soccer camp in Pennslyvania where she mets up again with Diana, her soccer friend, and Eric, former coach whom she has fallen in love with. Bridget gets back to gether with Eric, and things work out great. Lena is caught up with her job and wants to go to art school, which her father doesn't approve of, so she works to get a scholarship and succeeds. Overall this book was another great book written by a great author. You should definitely read this series!
Fast read!!.......2007-04-28
I loved the second and third books of the Sisterhood. (I had to wait for a bit until the fourth one came out but loved that one just as much.) Brashares's writing flows so smoothly - it's a fantastic and realistic take on girls' lives. I'm just heartbroken that this series has come to an end. Other suggested books to get you through the summer: Sunshine by NSLee Sunshine, Stargirl (Readers Circle) by Jerry Spinelli.
Girls in Pants.......2007-04-05
I love the Sisterhood of the Traveling pants books, I can relate to the problems dealing with friends and family. I bet other people will feel the same way after reading this book. Although this was a good book, it wasn't the best out of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. This book has major suspense. I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what would happen next in the girls' lives. I recommend this book to people who loved the first two books and, to peolple who love to laugh!
Girls in Pants Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.......2007-04-01
I was pleased that the books just keep getting better and better as the series goes along, I can't wait to read the next one. Awesome read. Highly recommend this series of books.
Abagayle Johnson's Review.......2007-03-09
I liked this book because of the exciting parts in it. Carmen's mom, Christina, is going to have a baby. Bridget goes to a soccer camp to coach a team of her own. When she arrives she finds an unexpected surprise.
Bridget, Lena, Carmen, and Tibby graduate from high school. They have only one summer left before they go off to college. Bridget goes to a soccer camp in Pennsylvania to coach a team. Carmen, Lena, and Tibby stay in Washington D.C. Carmen gets a job watching Valia, Lena's grandmother. Lena's father wanted her close so he made her move. Lena goes to art classes to improve her artistic skills. Tibby gets a job working at a movie theater.
I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys reading about a strong bond between friends and one very special pair of pants. There is also a little bit of romance in the book that I think makes it so wonderful. This is one of the greatest book I have ever read and I know that you will love it to.
This book in my opinion was better than the first and second books. It also had more action and suspense in it which I think makes it better.
Book Description
A third Gossip Girl boxed set of three books (Gossip Girl #7: Nobody Does It Better, Gossip Girl #8: Nothing Can Keep Us Together, Gossip Girl #9: Only In Your Dreams) in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
Amazon.com
"I kept wanting it to happen. When it did I remember thinking, 'It's about time.'"
"I was worried at first. Then it really wasn't so bad after all."
"I remember my brothers weren't allowed to hit me in the chest anymore. I was kind of pleased about that."
What mysterious condition are these now grown-up girls talking about? Ah, yes, puberty! With scads of personal stories and an abundance of useful, detailed information about girls' changing bodies and feelings, author Lynda Madaras and her daughter Area Madaras have expanded their guide for girls on the verge of change. First published in 1983, the bestselling classic has been revised and updated several times over the years to keep up with ever evolving facts and wisdom about puberty in girls. In this third edition, the authors continue their straight talk on the menstrual cycle, reproductive organs, breasts, emotional changes, puberty in boys, body hair, pimples, masturbation, and all the other fun, scary, and interesting things that go along with growing up. Filled with anecdotes, illustrations, diagrams, and honest, sensitive, nonjudgmental information for the young girl, the revised edition also addresses the new scientific facts about when a girl actually begins puberty (earlier than previously thought), advice on "female athletic syndrome," eating disorders, unwanted attention because of early development, and information on eating right, exercise, AIDS, STDs, birth control, and so much more. A welcome, reassuring book for parents and daughters, designed with the understanding that some girls and parents will want to read it together, and some will want to read it on their own; without a doubt, though, all will benefit. Got boys? Don't miss What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys. (Ages 8 to 15) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
The best book on puberty for 9-15 year old girls completely updated for the first time in 12 years! Selected as a "Best Book for Young Adults" by the American Library Association--The classic puberty education book for 9-15 year-old girls (over 500,000 copies sold), now thoroughly updated and freshly redesigned for the first time in 12 years. Now for the first time since the medical journal Pediatrics published its news-making, large-scale study indicating that puberty begins in girls even earlier than previously believed, Lynda Madaras has thoroughly rewritten, updated and expanded her classic book to address the younger girl and her concerns. As before, in age appropriate-language, the book covers the body's changing size and shape, breasts, the reproductive organs, the menstrual cycle, pubic hair, and includes a full chapter on puberty in boys. Reacting to the thousands of letters Madaras receives from kids all over the world, with a multitude of questions, as well as with new research data, she has made changes as follows:
* more discussion on when a girl will begin puberty
* more on the emotional and physical development and how that compares to other girls of the same age. Also what to do with unwanted attention because of early development
* new sections on diet, exercise, and health, with help on avoiding weight problems and eating disorders; avoiding unhealthy uses of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco
* discussion of the " female athletic syndrome"
* more practical advice on products from treating acne to menstruation protection to sports bras
* internet resources that will guide the younger and older girls to more explicit, appropriate-to-their-age information on romance, sex, contraception, STDs, pregnancy, and multiple births.
Over 1,200,000 copies of Lynda Madaras books sold!
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful and informative.......2007-01-06
When I was nine, I was given this book along with "the talk". While talking is certainly something parents should do with their children to inform them about sex, they should also give them this book. It clearly explains sexuality with a main focus on puberty using small words and fairly large type for easy reading. By the age of twelve I had mostly outgrown this book because of the focus on puberty, so this book is best given earlier. This book also contains a short chapter on what is happening to boys at this age, which was also immensely useful.
As a short aside, I would like to mention that I am horrified by some of these reviews. If you wait to give this book to your daughter, or refrain entirely because it has an illustration of male genitalia, or because it mentions masturbation, or it doesn't promote the religious message of you have to wait until marriage, or that homosexuality is wrong and a sin, that is a bad decision. Children already know about sex from their classmates, and they don't know correct information. Some kids are already having sex at twelve. And if you wait to give this to your child, they won't know how to do it safely. I know you think, "oh, my ________ would NEVER do that". They may. And if they don't by age twelve or thirteen, they still will probably have done something sexual by the time they are sixteen or seventeen. And by the way, if you don't let them see an illustration of male genitalia, they will look it up. Trust me.
Excellent and informative.......2006-10-22
I read this book in fifth grade, and I still remember it to be interesting and informative. Some reviewers have mentioned that it provides too much information for younger readers; at age 11 I personally had no problems with it. Nationwide the trend has become to provide less information in regards to puberty, sex, etc. It's important that teenagers and to-be-teenagers are well-informed, and there is nothing in this book that should be disturbing or traumatizing. As the author suggests in the book, any reader who finds the information to be too thorough may simply skip over the parts irrelevant to her. In addition, readers may always come back to the book at a later date and more mature age, but there is good information in it for the pre-teen set as well.
Overall, I would strongly recommend this book as a factual and informative read. It's also well-written and interesting enough to read in one day.
Way too much information for a young girl.......2006-08-23
I bought this book with the intention of giving it to a girl who just turned 12. Both her mother and I agreed it was way to much information and the illustrations were too graphic for a 12 year-old. The intent of the book is commendable but some parents may take issue with the author's opinions on the subjects covered. It might be better for an older girl but parents/relatives should read the book carefully before handing it over to even a young teenager.
this book I really don't know what to say.......2006-03-31
I'm not finished but i'm already enjoying the book,i'm reading about "All About Having Periods" it's telling me everything about why i'm having headaches. So I just want to say that I want to meet the person that made this book and congratulate her on a splendid job she did with her book, and I really want the next book she wrote. I'm Irwinique Storr and i'm 10 years old and I live in Nassau, Bahamas to say that your book was magnificant. Thank you very much for listening to my review about your book, and I give your book 5 stars for creativity and for helping young girls like us feel safe for whatever happen to our body, my email adress is [...]and I really want you to tell me how you felt about my article so that I could know that you do care about us and our feelings.
Sincerely,
Irwinique
informative but advanced.......2006-03-15
This book turned out to be a little advanced for my 10 year old. She learned slang words she didn't know before!
Average customer rating:
- Moving forward by leaving your background behind
- A beautiful story, beautifully written.
- Sharing with Our Daughters
- Fast moving, very engrossing
- Excellent, engaging read.
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Third Girl from the Left
Martha Southgate
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 061877338X |
Book Description
An enthralling novel of three generations of African-American women struggling against all odds to express what lies deepest in their hearts, "Third Girl from the Left" is a deeply moving and ambitious story of one quintessentially American family. The Edwards women have always had one thing in common: each has looked to the movies as a way to escape the constraints of her own life. But for Mildred, a straight-laced survivor of the 1921 Tulsa race riots, her daughter Angela's turn as a blaxploitation actress is unforgivable, and the distance between them grows into a silence that lasts for years. It is only when Angela's daughter, Tamara, a filmmaker, sets out to close the rift between them that the women are forced to confront all that has been silenced and left unspoken in their lives. A bold, beautifully written, and deeply involving novel, "Third Girl from the Left" deftly examines the bonds of family—the ones we're born into and the ones we make for ourselves—the pull of the movies, and the power of desire to transcend and transform our lives.
Customer Reviews:
Moving forward by leaving your background behind.......2007-05-30
I picked this book up in a grocery store on a bit of a whim, and was ultimately surprised and pleased to have done so. I had not encountered Southgate's earlier books, so she was unfamiliar to me. I am originally from Tulsa but have been gone for several years. A few years ago, I found out about the Tulsa race riots for the first time (notably, after high school). I felt a great amount of guilt and shame about not knowing about this major event in the state's short (i.e., mostly white/"American") history, and it reminded me of the way I felt when I first learned that a lot of kids growing up in Northern Ireland had no idea that the Irish Famine of the 1840s had occurred. We just have such a inconsistent understanding of our own past, which distorts how we view ourselves now. And this is just such a sad thing to me.
This general sense of sadness and even guilt pervaded the book for me, but this is also what made it so powerful and so real to me. The protagonist is Angela, a beautiful black woman who strives for something more than what 1970s Tulsa has to offer. Interestingly, her beauty would have entitled her to more than her peers, but it isn't enough. She is clearly a free-thinker, without ever having been taught to be. She doesn't buy into the current sexual mores, for instance, and instead follows right along with the contemporary trend towards women becoming more aware of their bodies. Yet she does this not because of the women's liberation movement, which has never really reached Oklahoma, anyway, but because that's who she really is. Her inherent "differentness" causes her to develop a hatred for boring and behind-the-times Tulsa. This self-confidence, awareness of her own beauty, and her love of film eventually lead her to L.A.
L.A. couldn't be more different from Tulsa, however. She finds herself marked as an outsider--by her accent and relative innocence of the ways of the world--and she's never able to shake this stigma. This just increases her dislike of where she came from, and she desperately tries to completely remove herself from her roots. She ultimately fails to achieve what she hoped and finds only a hesitant satisfaction with her life. It is almost as if by trying to remove all traces of Tulsa from herself, she sets herself freely floating and nevers manages to ground herself in L.A. The fact that you don't fit in one place does not necessarily mean you fit in somewhere else. Recognizing this and forgiving yourself for where you come from can bring more satisfaction, and in the end Angela faces her past and finds it not as awful as she had thought.
Despite what people say, there are many of us who are outsiders even when we are at "home". Some of us will never find a place to truly fit in, even if we explore for years. The world does not actually offer an infinite number of possibilities. This is another sad thing about our existence, but undeniably true. Being able to see this through illustrated through the experiences of a young black woman living in a historically interesting world is wonderful, and just made it so clear how fundamentally human this can be.
A beautiful story, beautifully written........2007-04-26
I loved the "Fall of Rome" and I was thrilled to find this book completely unexpectedly on my library shelf. WHAT A BOOK! It grabbed me from the first page until the very last word. I couldn't wait to turn the page to see how Ms. Southgate would turn her next phrase. The 3 women are fascinating and multi-dimensional, the men in their life, interesting in their own right and not subjugated to staying in the shadow of these powerful and beautiful women.
I can't even write much more than this. I cannot intellectualize the feelings this book brought up in me. I can only say, I LOVED IT...
Sharing with Our Daughters.......2007-03-10
I must say that her first novel "Fall of Rome" is a hard act to follow; however, Martha Southgate's sophomore effort "Third Girl from the Left" supports my first impression of her as a writer: Southgate is a gifted creator and teller of stories. I not only enjoyed this mother/daughter tale, but also the talent she displayed manipulating language and weaving in the historical social climate of each of her characters (from the tragic destruction of Greenwood, OK to the era of Blaxploitation films) Each woman's narrative was a journey to becoming her own self. How awesome that each daughter--Mildred, Angela and Tamara--had to learn about her mother's past to accept her own present. Best of all was the way Southgate brought the daughter Angela back to her mother Mildred using the granddaughter-Tamara's need to make her mark as a film director. I think "Third Girl on the Left" is one heck of a story!
Fast moving, very engrossing.......2007-01-18
Martha Southgates Third Girl from the Left, is excellently written with a beleivable plot. I thought that Southgates references and detail regarding the 1970's Blaxploitation movies was very insightful. The relationship between the three women in the story is one that strikes a chord with any woman that is fortunate enough her mother and her child in her life. It is a reminder of how complicated this life can be. I have not yet read the Fall of Rome, but plan to soon. I highly recommend this book.
Excellent, engaging read. .......2006-08-23
I haven't read FALL OF ROME, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I thought THIRD GIRL FROM THE LEFT was a great read. From a plot standpoint, the story kept moving and I was never bored or disinterested. There were times when the writing, from a literary standpoint, was incredibly inoriginal, but overall, the book does a great job of telling its story -- the story of a family of women, their dreams, their secrets and their imperfections.
Book Description
A desperate woman seeks the aid of Hercule Poirot in a matter of life and death. A near-lethal dose of poison, a blood-stained knife, a revolver, and a family who aren't what they seem all figure in an extraordinary case that takes the celebrated Belgian detective from a village estate to the bohemian streets of London.
Download Description
Three young women share a London flat. The first is a coolly efficient personal secretary; the second an artist. The third interrupts Hercule Poirot's breakfast of 'Brioche' and 'Chocolat' insisting she is a murderer - and then promptly disappears.
Slowly, Poirot learns of the rumours surrounding the mysterious third girl, her family - and her disappearance. Yet hard evidence is needed before the great detective can pronounce her guilty, innocent or insane.
Customer Reviews:
Poirot's Thought Processes.......2007-10-11
Most readers agree that "Third Girl" is not one of Agatha Christie's best. Nevertheless, it is well worth reading.
The plot is clever (but with significant flaws); the characters good; the writing starts out excellent -- sharp and with Miss Christie's light-hearted, often self-depreciating humor -- but about a quarter of the way through the book it gets wordy and what humor remains seems strained.
In other Hercule Poirot books, we do not get a glimpse of his thought processes until he explains everything in the last chapter. Here we get the opportunity to see him struggling, almost dispirited, as he tries to make sense of all the information he has received. I admire Miss Christie for her willingness to experiment, but I think the result was unfortunate.
Don't concern yourself that "Third Girl" is not among the most memorable of the Hercule Poirot books. Just read and enjoy!
Pleasant, but Christie's powers clearly in decline.......2006-12-26
By the time Third Girl came out, in 1966, even the author recognized that her books were not as good as they used to be. Christie's alter ego, the scatty mystery writer Ariadne Oliver, plays a large role in Third Girl, and in one scene Mrs. Oliver addresses an imaginary publisher about her latest manuscript: "There you are, and I hope you like it! *I* don't. I think it's *lousy*!" One can imagine that Christie is addressing her reading public through Mrs. Oliver.
Nevertheless, even with Christie's powers on the wane, Third Girl is an agreeable read, a comfortable book for an afternoon spent on the couch by the fire. It begins with an idea that is most intriguing: a young woman comes to Poirot and is not sure if she has committed a murder or not. Of course, we all have to wonder, how is it possible that she does not know? There are a few twists and turns and there is also Christie's take on life in the early sixties, which is interesting in itself.
Unfortunately, Third Girl lacks the crisp writing that can be found in many of Christie's earlier books. The dialogue rambles, and both Poirot and Oliver and even some of the other characters sound like garrulous, disapproving old ladies. There may even be some holes in the plot: How did Poirot get Restarick's stationery? And why had Norma never seen the earlier portrait? Still, Third Girl is a pleasant way to spend the afternoon, especially if you're already familiar with many of her other novels. But I recommend that you don't begin with this book.
I LOVE A MYSTERY.......2005-06-03
I'm currently a bit hooked on classic mysteries (blame it on PBS's 'Mystery' series), and looking through my horde of books, I found Agatha Christie's "Third Girl", a 1966 work featuring Christie's famed Hercule Poirot. What is immediately striking is the setting of the novel; mod 1966 England, an odd place for Poirot who is, at least on TV, ususally associated with the 1930s and '40s. Also unexpected is Christie's kind narrative which is an impressive unbiased view of the era's youth drug culture; she speaks of junkiedom as if it were a passing teen fad, as serious or frivolous as any other era'a hang-ups. In "Third Girl", a young girl arrives in Poirot's office and announces she may have committed a murder. She disappears before Poirot can find out anything else regarding her bizarre statement and he spends the bulk of the novel searching for her and deciphering what she meant. Although there are a series of mini-who done its throughout the book, the question really is, "Say what?" I suspect hard core fans of the genre will confidentally figure this mystery out before it's conclusion, but I was over taxed with clues, and the resolution and the path leading up to it are a bit hokey, and reliant on extremely unlikely coincidences, facts and answers seem to fall at our detective's feet, and even though the final answer is like a product in an exquisite math equation, it is still a trick question. That's ok though, it's not so much the mystery which attracts me to the genre, particularly Christie's work; it's her heroes, their mannerisms and idiosyncracies, their minds, their friends, their homes and homes away from home, like Miss Marple reading Dashiel Hammett over a cup of tea when a gunshot is heard, or Hercule Poirot delving into a chocolate layered desert while paging through an art book on French paintings, when suddenly it occurs to him who the killer must be, and he calls everybody into the room to name the murderer. I like answers in a real world of little resolve.
A slightly different Poirot adventure........2005-04-13
Third Girl is an experimental effort by Agatha Christie. Of course, it's still very much a whodunnit, but the style of writing is more youthful than most of her other works. I guess it's Christie's way of portraying the hippie era. Despite the more "bouncy" approach, at times this book is difficult to read because the paragraphs seem to ramble on. Some paragraphs even spanned a page, which is quite frustrating. Still, it's a nice little mystery that should provide an interesting challenge for her fans, even though I guessed the outcome halfway through it - the clues are just too obvious. Overall, not the best of Christie's work. I'll recommend it for the completist, as in, fans who want to read every one of Hercule Poirot's adventures.
Quite the surprise, this one!.......2005-02-02
This book is actually quite different from most of Ms. Christie's books. We still get the same great characters and plot, and we see Hercule Poirot at the height of his powers, but it has a totally surprising ending. It is also a really good snapshot of what the establishment thought of young people during the height of the hippie era. The book starts with a young woman coming to Poirot's house and interrupting his breakfast. She tells him that she thinks she may have committed a murder, and then leaves suddenly without saying anymore. Poirot enlists the help of his friend Ariadne Oliver to try to track down who the girl was, and when they find out, they find a real "mare's nest" of a family. Ms. Christie is such a wonderful author, and this book is certainly interesting, if different than most of hers. She is still tops in this field, and each of her books is entertaining as well as written to get the reader to actually think.
Book Description
For One Woman, September 11 Sparked an Odyssey of Faith to the Palestinian Territories" In my dream I stood at the edge of a dried up pool where crumbling stone columns were overgrown with vines and weeds and scores of doves and pigeons nested and flew. To my right was a large shade tree, but to my left I saw a few square squat dwellings with large satellite dishes attached to them. I remembered thinking the moment I woke up from that dream what a strange place it was, but then I quickly forgot all about it. That is, until the afternoon of June 12, 2005, four years later, when I found myself standing at the edge of a dried up pool where crumbling stone columns were overgrown with vines and weeds and scores of doves and pigeons nested and flew."
Impelled, compelled, and propelled by her faith as a progressive Christian, Eileen Fleming has journeyed four times to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. There she met with democratically elected members of Hamas, scores of Palestinian Christians and Muslims, and a few 21st-century prophets. The pages within this brave new work contain some of those interviews and her experiences listening to Christians, Muslims, Jews, secularists, anarchists, Nobel Peace Prize Nominees, and the whistleblower of Israel's underground WMD Program. This fascinating portrait will open your eyes and heart, and you will look at the Middle East in a new light.
"You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free." -John 8:32
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read for Anyone Interested in the World.......2007-07-15
Eileen Fleming's Memoirs is both an extremely interesting and highly informative account of the history and current situation in occuppied Palestine. The author provides a considerable amount of well documented information regarding the roots, history and anti-semitic nature of Zionism in both it's Chrisian and Jewish forms. She clearly delineates the Theocratic Ethnocracy that is today's Israel and demonstrates though example after example how it disciminates against all Goy (non-Jews and obviously inferior peoples), whether they be Christian, Muslim or of any other religious belief. As a result of this persecution, Christains today make up fewer than 2% of Israel's population although they represented 20% in 1948. Israel's consistent persecution has forced most Christians to flee their homeland and seek asylm in other nations. Her historical explications showed me the clear parallels that exist between the Italian Mafia and the Israeli Hagganah and it's spin-off's like the Irgun and the Stern Gang. Perahps the most interesting section is her extensive description of Mordeci Vanunu, the secular Jew who told the world about Israel's Atomic Bombs and as a result, spent 18 years imprisoned, mostly in solitary confinement. She likens him to Biblical prophets, who pointed out impending doom. I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the future of the world, because, as Britain's Tony Blair noted, probably 70% of the world's conflicts can be traced directly to the Israeli/Palestinian situation.
Jimmy Carter opened a window: Eileen Fleming blew the doors off.......2007-03-02
"Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory" picks up where her first book, "KEEP HOPE ALIVE" left me off.
I am looking foward to the third effort from this prolific author who speaks the truth boldly, challenges the conventional wisdom-and mainstream media as she offers HOPE and reconciliation to a dysfunctional world.
Average customer rating:
- Marie et Monsieur Degas
- ...makes the reader feel as if they are flying through the air, alongside Marie, performing flawless cabrioles!
- Courtesy of Teens Read Too
- Wonderful and poignant...
- La Petite Danseuse
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Marie, Dancing
Carolyn Meyer
Manufacturer: Gulliver Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Meyer, Carolyn | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books
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The Man Who Was Poe
ASIN: 0152051163 |
Book Description
Marie van Goethem, a fourteen-year-old ballet dancer in the famed Paris Opéra, has led a life of hardship and poverty. For her, dancing is the only joy to counter the pain inflicted by hunger, her mother's drinking, and her selfish older sister. But when famed artist Edgar Degas demands Marie's presence in his studio, it appears that her life will be transformed: He will pay her to pose for a new sculpture, and he promises to make her a star.
As Marie patiently stands before Mr. Degas each week, she dreams about supporting her family without being corrupted like most young dancers. She dreams about a life as a ballerina on the stage of the Opéra. And she dreams about being with her true love.
In this deeply moving, historically based account, Carolyn Meyer examines the life of the model for Edgar Degas's most famous sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.
Includes an author's note.
Customer Reviews:
Marie et Monsieur Degas.......2007-09-03
A nice book, about the young dancer who posed for Degas' (in)famous statue, La Petite Danseuse de quartorze ans. Written by the prominent historical fiction writer for kids and teens, Carolyn Meyer, the trademarks of her writing weave sucessfully throughout the engrossing story she paints in Marie, Dancing. As is usual (and one of the things I like about Carolyn Meyer!), the book is based on history (Edgar Degas, and Mary Cassatt being the most famous characters you'll encounter,) and I actually learned quite a bit. I had no idea that Degas' model's name was actually known, let alone some details, however sparse, about her life as well. The afterword at the end is nice. Although the story isn't too "grabbing" and drags a bit at times, I greatly appreciated how some things DID turn out wrong, and there were no "happy surprises." It was a pleasant change from the usual cliche love stories. So while Marie, Dancing stands out among Carolyn Meyer's works, I still didn't enjoy it the way I enjoyed her books on royalty. Those were really quite nice, and I wish she'd write more! However I have one complaint about Carolyn Meyer's works. She always exaggerates the romance! There's always some kind of florid physical love theme lurking behind every couple in her books. She tends to overdo it with the kissing and hugging, I think. Not that there's anything graphic in any of her books, it's quite "clean", but I don't care for how in every single book there's some ridiculous romance. Of course I am a sucker for a good love story (or a not so good one!) so I really don't mind them, but I'm sure the books would be fine without them. Ah, but I've trailed of my topic now, haven't I? Well, simply read Marie, Dancing, see what you think. It made pleasant reading, passing the hours one summer day for me. I hope you find it equally enjoyable.
~E. Povroskaya
...makes the reader feel as if they are flying through the air, alongside Marie, performing flawless cabrioles!.......2006-09-09
The year is 1878. Fourteen-year-old Marie van Goethem has dreamed of nothing but becoming a sujet in the Paris Opera since she first joined the company years ago. And now, at the age of 14-years-old, Marie feels that she has the potential to do just that. However, just as she is basking in the glow of feeling light on her feet, she is picked out of her class by none other than prized Parisian painter, Edward Degas. Degas is a regular fixture in Marie's dance classes. Always sketching the dancers in various positions, from pointe to simply lacing their slippers, or adjusting their tutus. But Degas has other plans for Marie. For, as soon as she accompanies him to his studio, she learns that Degas plans on using Marie as the model for his one, and only, sculpture, entitled Petite danseuse de quatorze ans (Little Dancer Aged Fourteen). Marie is only too happy to comply with Monsieur Degas's wishes, for her family has struck poverty since her father passed away, and she could use the money to provide food for her younger sister, Charlotte. Money that her mother drinks away, and her older sister, Antoinette, spends on frivolous items, such as fancy stockings. However, as the years pass, and Marie is no longer summoned by Monsieur Degas, she realizes that she needs to find another way to make some extra money, in an attempt to follow her deceased father's wishes, and provide for her beloved family. And, at both her mother's, and Antoinette's request (and demands), Marie begins following the same path Antoinette has paved for her, attending the foyer de la danse. But when Marie's conscience rebels against what is expected of her at foyer de la danse, and Antoinette stumbles into a bout of trouble, Marie decides to change her path in life, in an attempt to create the home she always wanted for her younger sister; and hold her oft-times troubled family together.
I did a report about Degas's Little Dancer Aged Fourteen earlier this year for an art class. Therefore, when I came across it at Barnes & Noble, and received a recommendation from Carolyn Meyer herself regarding MARIE, DANCING, I couldn't pass it up. As someone who has adored ballet since the time I could walk, I found MARIE, DANCING to be an original, awe-inspiring addition to the historical fiction world. One that would intrigue even those who don't hold an interest in ballet. While MARIE, DANCING gives random facts about the illustrious sculpture created by Degas, it surrounds itself more around Marie's troubled, poverty-stricken life, and the struggles she must endure in an attempt to keep both her own head, and that of her siblings and mother, above water. Through Marie's eyes, readers are taken on a journey through five-years of Marie's life. From her time dancing at the Paris Opera, to her modeling job with Degas', and the unveiling of Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, all the way through her troubles with her family, and Antoinette's rebellion. MARIE, DANCING brings about the not-so-glitzy Parisian life that many suffered through in the late 1800's, showing readers the ups and downs of the dancing world, and the sacrifices those who were unfortunate enough to be poverty-stricken faced on a daily basis. A mesmerizing piece of fiction that makes the reader feel as if they are flying through the air, alongside Marie, performing flawless cabrioles!
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-05-25
I can't count the times that I've seen a truly inspiring painting or sculpture and wondered what the inspiration behind it was. With MARIE, DANCING, the story behind Edgar Degas's well known sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, is brought to vivid life in this fictionalized account.
At fourteen, Marie van Goethem still holds out hope that one day her life will be, if not grand, then better than it is now. Her drunken mother is unable to hold down a job, and the place where they're forced to live can only be described as squalor. Marie knows their family--made up of Mother, Tante Helene, older sister Antoinette, and younger sister Charlotte--are poor and destitute. The only thing that brings joy to Marie's life is dancing in the Paris Opera. Ballet is her life, along with the life of both of her sisters, enrolled under the tutelage of Madame Theodore at the ballet school.
Things soon change, though, for Marie and her entire family. Antoinette is being wooed by much older, and much wealthier men, and although she promises to send them money when she's set up as a mistress by her benefactor, she never does. But when Marie meets Edgar Degas and he asks her to pose for him, Marie prays that her life is about to change forever.
And change it does, but not in the ways she had suspected. Mother is still drinking, Charlotte is the only girl of the three who shows real promise as a dancer who can make it her career, and her love interest, Jean-Pierre, has asked her to wait for him while he makes a name and a home for the two of them. It's only within the safety and glory of Degas's studio, or while on the stage of the Opera that Marie feels secure that her life will improve--until the day she's dismissed from the School, Antoinette asks her to play nursemaid to her unborn child, and Jean-Pierre asks her to move away from Paris, the only home she's ever known.
Carolyn Meyer has brought the world of Paris, art, and dance to vivid life in MARIE, DANCING. This is a story of a girl who only wants a better life, some small pleasure within this dreary existence. And although posing for Degas doesn't change Marie's life in the way she had planned, it definitely does change it more than she could have ever dared hope or imagine.
Wonderful and poignant..........2006-05-17
I've been enjoying Carolyn Meyer's Young Royals series. I have book three of the aforementioned series lined up for a read, but decided to give Marie, Dancing a whirl this time. This wonderful novel is based on the Victorian work of art of Degas's controversial sculpture called The Little Dancer. This tells the story of a penniless French family and the daughters whose only hope and happiness in life is that they are students at the Paris Opera Ballet. For Marie van Goethem, being part of the Paris Opera Ballet is the best thing in her life. At home, she has an alcoholic mother and shattered dreams due to their impoverished conditions to look forward to. Her dreams of success will come with many obstacles, including endless suitors and a proposition to pose for a sculpture in order to put food on the table, but Marie will be content if at least one of her sisters, Antoinette and Charlotte, realizes her dream of becoming a dancer. There are some twists in the novel.
This is a moving and compelling story of a young woman who will do anything to help her family and get them through their difficult times. Marie is such a fighter for someone so young. The descriptions of their conditions and the struggles with an alcoholic mother are quite vivid here. Marie's outcome is a realistic one that makes the reader wonder if a person of limited means could rise above the social and financial obstacles and succeed in life or if you're destined for a life of misery or mediocrity at best. It also makes the reader wonder if, despite the aforementioned obstacles, you can succeed in changing your life if you put your mind and determination to it. Meyer took a quite a famous and controversial sculpture (or at least it was controversial when it was first exhibited in 1881) and created a warm, poignant, albeit hopeful story that is beautiful and compelling as well as eloquent and enthralling. This is a young adult book set during the Victorian era targeted for teens between the sixth and ninth grades, but adults could enjoy this as well. I know I loved it! The author has great talent with historical novels and I shall continue to give her stuff a whirl and then pass her work to my niece so that she could read a good story and learn something at the same time.
La Petite Danseuse.......2006-02-10
I picked this book off of the shelf the moment I saw the little dancer on the back cover. It is my favorite statue and so I bought it and read it in a day! It was very good,and I recommended it to my cousin. It is sutable for young adults but adults can enjoy it too! It is one of the cutest stories I have read in a long time.
Average customer rating:
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My Body, My Self for Girls, Revised Third Edition (What's Happening to My Body?)
Lynda Madaras , and
Area Madaras
Manufacturer: Newmarket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Book Description
The bestselling guides for preteens and teens updated with a brand-new look.
The Madaras growing-up guides are acknowledged by parents, educators, librarians, and doctors for their unique, nonthreatening style, excellent organization, and thorough coverage of both the physical and emotional issues surrounding puberty and adolescence. And kids love them too! As one fan wrote, "Dear Lynda, I can't believe that you, a mom, knew all this stuff!"
"My Body, My Self" for Girls is filled with activities, checklists, illustrations, and plenty of room for journal jottings, plus lots of personal stories in which girls share their concerns and experiences about growing up. For ages 10 and up.
The new editions feature:
• Fresh new cover design for series
• Entirely redesigned interiors with new illustrations
• Uniform trim sizes for display
• New author introductions
• Updated resource sections and content
• 60 black-and-white drawings
Book Description
WHO IS GIVING NANCY'S SCHOOL A BAD NAME?
Reporter Alice Stone is visiting her old school, Carl Sandburg Elementary. She'll sit next to Nancy and become a third grader again. Then she'll write an article for her newspaper. But right away mysterious things start happening to Alice. First someone messes with her macaroni and cheese. Then her jump rope with the sparkly handles disappears.
Snooty Brenda Carlton is pushing Nancy to solve the case. She gave Alice the idea to write the story. Now the school's good name is at stake. If Nancy can't come up with a solution, it will be bad news for Carl Sandburg Elementary.
Customer Reviews:
EXCELLENT MYSTERY FOR YOUNGER KIDS.......2000-06-09
This is a well-constructed mystery about a former student who returns to Nancy's school for four days as a grown-up reporter. Most of the kids are thrilled she's there and want to impress her. The only problem is someone is after her. But who and why? Nancy leads the search to find out the answer and save her school from a bad newspaper review. I found the story a lot of fun.
A little too juvenile.......2000-05-04
I've read a lot of Nancy Drew books and frankly I think that this book is to juvinile. I see where Keene is coming from wishing to provide a series for the younger generation but I think she should stick to the other books because I believe it is cramping her style.
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