Second Star to the Right

Amazon.com

Leslie Hiller's world is growing smaller. It used to be large enough to include her worrisome but loving mother, her doting father, her close friend Cavette, and all the other people and places that made up her upper-class, A+ life. But now it has shrunk to the size of a dinner plate full of food--which she scrapes out her bedroom window to avoid eating. Leslie, a perfectionist who loves to be in control, finds she can't control the fear that she will somehow fail to be the perfect daughter, perfect student, and perfect friend. So she decides to master the one thing over which she is certain she has complete domain: food. Even when it becomes apparent to everyone that her severe dieting has become a life-threatening habit, Leslie still can't stop: "I want to be happy. And being happy means being thin."

Author Deborah Hautzig, who recounts her own painful battle with anorexia in a very personal and heartfelt afterword, gives Leslie a frighteningly realistic voice that will ring true to teens everywhere. First published in 1981, Second Star to the Right has risen again to give a new generation of young adults valuable insight into the addictive world of anorexia, and hope for getting out from under the cruel thumb of the disease. (Ages 12 to 15) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

The landmark novel about anorexia nervosa--now with an autobiographical afterword by the author

Leslie Hiller is a bright, attractive, talented teenager who leads a privileged life in New York City. She is also a perfectionist. When Leslie starts to diet, she finds herself becoming obsessed, getting thinner and thinner, until she is forced to realize that her quest for perfection is killing her.

First published in 1981, this groundbreaking novel has been lauded by countless librarians, educators, and teenaged readers. This new edition features an afterword by the author in which she discusses her own struggle with the disease, the difficult road toward recovery, and the lasting effects on her life.

"The best book yet on anorexia nervosa. And the only one in which what's compelling is not the heroine's physical condition, it's the heroine herself." --School Library Journal, starred review

"This is a powerful book--one in which there are no villains--about a family whose members are beset by a problem they are struggling to understand." --Baltimore Sun

* A Puffin Novel
* 176 pages
* Ages 10-14

Customer Reviews:

Life changing book.......2007-09-09

I first read this book when I was 12 yrs old and I have continued to re-read it throughout my life(I just turned 30). It became a part of me. When I first read it I was having some eating issues and have on/off my whole life. Not bad enough to be considered a full blown eating disorder but I've def. come close to that. I was very interested in the reviews which said this book was triggering for anorexics. I had never thought of it that way but I can see how ppl would say that. But that being said, I have to say that this book still means the world to me and I identified w/ it on so many levels, not just as far as food is concerned. I think it's a beautiful book that most young girls could relate to. I highly recommend it. Oh and I have never written a review for Amazon before, I just was reading some other reviews which were critical and felt I had to defend this book which meant so much to me.

Great book about anorexia.......2007-06-23

Deborah Hautzig gives a great insight of the daily life of someone who has anorexia nervosa. This book tells the story of a girl fighting anorexia while also fighting with troubles at home. As the book progresses her daily things get harder and is eventually put into a special hospital where they force her to eat. Based on the authors lifetime experiences. A definite good read.

Little Girl.......2007-01-12

Second Star to the Right was a good book, but it was not informative on the serious disease of Anorexia. It was written from the girl's view who was going through it. It provides good information, and how it feels to be in that postion. However she talks like a little girl and makes it seem as though she was perfectly normal one day and the next she was anorexic, which is not how it occurs. The book does not give out many facts or medical information. If you are looking for a book to try and understand how the anorexic mind works, this is a good one, but if you want the facts forget it.

Intriguing story by an author who knows.......2007-01-02

Good story that does a fine job of revealing some of the possible reasons behind anorexia's development in young girls. The author discusses her own fight with the disease in a very interesting afterword. The novel doesn't really have a clear and definite conclusion, but leaves it open to the reader's own conclusions based on what events have gone before.
The medical and psychological treatment methods are dated, due to the book's being published over 20 years ago, but the story itself is well worth reading for anyone interested in anorexia or young people's health.

An Excellent Story.......2006-12-16

My biggest qualm about this book is that the time frame seems too quick, but that is a minor thing in the grand glory that is this book. The book is worth the read. There are certain points in here that will really hit home. One of the parts I carry with me is the part where she realizes she will never be able to eat "normal" again. It is a good book.

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Cedi is a New Star for Roeder
An Updating of Some Old Friends
Rehash

Second Star To The Right
Mark A Roeder
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0595415865

Book Description

Cedi, an eighteen-year-old British import to the town of Blackford, Indiana, is determined to be a rock star. No one quite knows what to make of the new wild boy in town with his blue hair and overpowering-enthusiasm-not the jocks he torments in revenge, nor his new friends Toby and Orlando. Cedi is certain of his future until his path crosses that of Thad, a tall, dark, older man who tells Cedi he has no talent. Cedi is infuriated, but intrigued. He becomes obsessed with Thad, who wants nothing to do with him. Cedi isn't about to give up, however, and wedges his way into Thad's life. Cedi finds himself caught between his love for Thad and his dream. Just when he has what he thinks he wants, his adventure truly begins...

This is the latest novel published by Mark A. Roeder. To date he has written and published Ancient Prejudice Break To New Mutiny, The Soccer Field Is Empty, Someone Is Watching, A Better Place, The Summer of My Discontent, Someone Is Killing The Gay Boys of Verona, Keeper of Secrets, Do You Know That I Love You, This Time Around, Masked Destiny, Phantom World, Outfield Menace, Altered Realities, Second Star To The Right and The Vampire's Heart.

Information on Mark's upcoming books can be found at markroeder.com and he can be reached directly at markaroeder@yahoo.com. Those wishing to keep in touch with others who enjoy Mark's novels can join his fan club at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/markaroederfans.

Customer Reviews:

Cedi is a New Star for Roeder.......2007-09-20

This book introduces a new town for Roeder's focus, Blackford, Indiana, somewhere in the southern part of that state. Like the Verona crew, it is focused upon students at the local high school, some interesting, some cruel (inevitably jocks, though like in Verona, some of the heros are also jocks), some interesting. It also introduces an outstanding new character, Cedi, sort of a combination of Jordan and Ross from Roeder's rock band "Phantom." Cedi is a British teenagere who has moved to the US to live with his aunt. He is full of energy, life, creativity, moxie/guts, a real fireball. He is apparently great looking, potentially obnoxious, and arty. He also aspires to be a rock star. When disaster strikes while he is at a Phantom concert, he gets his chance and, thanks to the timely intervention of his boyfriend, he takes advantage of it. I adored Cedi and liked some of the other characters in this book. I look forward to how Roeder moves this plot line along in future books, though I begin to think he will match Cedi with Ross, instead of having Ross match up with his real true-mate: Jordan (Ross will benefit from being paired with Cedi vice Jordan). But, after all, Cedi has all the assets of Jordan (looks, sexiness, voice, musical presence, etc.) with some qualities Jordan does not have, e.g., courage under stress and a defiant, cocky "I don't give a damn what you think" approach to almost everything. If you're into Roeder, I can recommend that you read this one.

An Updating of Some Old Friends.......2007-01-09

Although I can understand an impression that Mark's latest story is a "rehash" of previous adventures, that wasn't my reaction to "Second Star to the Right." Personally, I found it to be more of an "updating" of several familiar characters, as well as the introduction of one or two new ones that I'll look forward to learning more about in later sequels.

Overall, while I didn't find "Second Star" to be of the same calibre as "A Better Place" or "Do You Know That I Love You," I nonetheless found it an enjoyable and entertaining read. Additionally, it was a bit "sexier" than most of the earlier tales, and the presentation of a relationship between a younger man and a slightly older character was definitely outside the usual "teen boy meets and falls in love with teen boy" sequence that we take for granted in Mark's novels. While returning us to the familiar milieu that we have come to appreciate and expect in this series, I think "Second Star" also manages to break some interesting (and even provocative) new ground.

As for me, I very much enjoyed a familiar meeting with several "old friends" in new situations and under new circumstances (though I did find myself thinking it's high time that someone slapped Orlando upside the head a time or two). For those among us who enjoyed "The Vampire's Heart," there's even an allusion or two to that story, as well as a mysterious and intriguing character who immediately caught my interest and kept it through the end of the story. As with almost all of Mark's novels, I'll be looking forward to re-reading this one as I wait for the next story.

Rehash.......2006-12-30

Except for Cedi this book is a rehash of themes from previous Roeder books. Cedi is hyperactive to an irritating degree. The book returns to Phantom World theme park, evil Kerry, and weak Orlando. Try Ancient Prejudice or A Better Place instead.

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Martin R. Delany: A Documentary Reader
Robert S. Levine
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Human Rights | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 080785431X
Release Date: 2007-01-17

Book Description

Martin R. Delany (1812-85) has been called the "Father of Black Nationalism," but his extraordinary career also encompassed the roles of abolitionist, physician, editor, explorer, politician, army officer, novelist, and political theorist. Despite his enormous influence in the nineteenth century, and his continuing influence on black nationalist thought in the twentieth century, Delany has remained a relatively obscure figure in U.S. culture, generally portrayed as a radical separatist at odds with the more integrationist Frederick Douglass.

This pioneering documentary collection offers readers a chance to discover, or rediscover, Delany in all his complexity. Through nearly 100 documents--approximately two-thirds of which have not been reprinted since their initial nineteenth-century publications--it traces the full sweep of his fascinating career. Included are selections from Delany's early journalism, his emigrationist writings of the 1850s, his 1859-62 novel, Blake (one of the first African American novels published in the United States), and his later writings on Reconstruction. Incisive and shrewd, angry and witty, Delany's words influenced key nineteenth-century debates on race and nation, addressing issues that remain pressing in our own time.

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Slim pickings

An outstanding recommendation for civil rights and sports collections alike

Reads Like A Screenplay

A good story poorly edited

Include This Book in Your Baseball Library

Stepping Up: The Story of All-Star Curt Flood and His Fight for Baseball Players' Rights
Alex Belth
Manufacturer: Persea
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Baseball | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Labor & Industrial Relations | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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A Well-Paid Slave: Curt Flood's Fight for Free Agency in Professional Sports

Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero

Black and Blue: The Golden Arm, the Robinson Boys, and the 1966 World Series That Stunned America

The Boys Who Were Left Behind: The 1944 World Series between the Hapless St. Louis Browns and the Legendary St. Louis Cardinals

Burying the Black Sox: How Baseball's Cover-Up of the 1919 World Series Fix Almost Succeeded

ASIN: 0892553219

Book Description

At last, a biography of the all-star baseball player who stood up to injustice.

Curt Flood was a dazzling center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals when, in 1969, he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. But instead of accepting his fate, Flood shocked baseball by suing the sport over its Reserve Clause, an age-old rule that bound players to their teams in perpetuity. His extraordinary case went all the way to the Supreme Court and helped pave the way for major advancements in the rights of professional athletes.

Stepping Up is Flood's astonishing story. Accessible to teens but of interest to baseball fans of all ages, it begins with Flood as a an artistic black kid in Oakland, and continues with his eye-opening experience as a minor leaguer in the racist South. It describes Flood's years with the exciting Cardinals teams of the 1960s (with teammates like Stan Musial, Joe Torre, and Bob Gibson), and his increasing frustrations with baseball's mistreatment of players—especially blacks. The book culminates with his historic suit, which changed his life and the sports world forever.

In lively, conversational prose, Alex Belth provides fascinating details and anecdotes about Flood's Cardinals, the Negro Leagues, and many of the dramatic differences in baseball—and America—between Flood's era and today. Including a foreword by acclaimed broadcaster Tim McCarver (who, as a player, was traded with Flood to the Phillies), Stepping Up is the compelling tale of a ballplayer's desire to make a difference.

Customer Reviews:

Slim pickings.......2007-01-10

Alex Belth's "Stepping UP" is slim pickings. It is a sportswriter's cursory portrait of Flood sacrificing his career for the benefit of all players suffering from the restrictions of baseball's reserve system. It is a creampuff light example of what can be done without real research, and it is full of errors--major character's names misspelled, a reference to small claims court when the venue was federal district court, and much more. For a serious book about Flood, see Brad Snyder's "A Well-Paid Slave," and for a challenge to both books, see Stuart L. Weiss, "The Curt Flood Story: The Man Behind the Myth," due in April from the University of Missouri Press.

An outstanding recommendation for civil rights and sports collections alike.......2006-06-26

Think 'civil rights in sports' and you automatically think of Jackie Robinson - but there's another black baseball player who also fought on behalf of all players to choose which team they played for, a story revealed in STEPPING UP: THE STORY OF CURT FLOOD AND HIS FIGHT FOR BASEBALL PLAYERS' RIGHTS. It's the first biography of the three-time all-star who sued Major League Baseball and brought his case all the way to the Supreme Court for justice. Surprisingly, this is the first biography of Curt Flood, detailing his life, his sports achievements, and his battle against a vast system of built-in injustice. An outstanding recommendation for civil rights and sports collections alike.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Reads Like A Screenplay.......2006-06-14

I was excited last fall when I found out a new book on the life of Curt Flood was going to be published. How disappointed I was after reading the thin biography by Alex Belth.

Belth does little new research in the life and times of Flood. He relies upon material about his career in baseball, his fight players' rights and an oftentimes misunderstood/controversial life off the field that was already available to the public.

What especially demonstrates a lack of material outside the lines is Belth's over-reliance of play-by-play concerning Flood's baseball exploits. Instead of analysis of the man on the field of play, Belth goes to the stats book to reduce valuable pages in this thin text to nothing more than a baseball almanac.

The book reads as if it is a draft of a screenplay instead of a true exploration of a multi-dimensional figure that Flood was as a person and player. If nothing else, this was yet another case of a black man waging a battle against a white-dominated institution for the betterment of many.

But, Flood is as much a historical figure in the rising tide of black's demanding justice from the white power structure as he is an employee willing to risk his career in a labor dispute. Belth fails to juxtaposition both issues for that time in U.S. history.

For those seeking a better read on Curt Flood, you'll need to seek out the book he penned in the 1970s, which is as much an exploration/opinions of those times as it is autobiography.

And I hope that the future will bring a biography that is truly a holistic exploration of Curt Flood.

A good story poorly edited.......2006-05-23

Because the story of Curt Flood's fight to put an end to baseball's reserve clause is one of courage, the book is worth reading. It is, however, probably the worst edited book I have ever read. Let's hope that subsequent editions correct the myriad of mistakes.

Include This Book in Your Baseball Library.......2006-04-09

The book is only 202 pages long, but author Alex Belth has written a very interesting account of Curt Flood's career as a baseball player with the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals in addition to the role he played in helping to grant players the free agency they enjoy today. Of course it was Flood's years with the Cardinals in the 1960's that distinguished him as one of the game's top flight players. After establishing himself with the Redbirds and having an art business in St. Louis Flood balked at a trade that sent him to the Philadelphia Phillies following the 1969 season. With the help of Marvin Miller and the Baseball Players' Association he decided to challenge baseball's right to trade him against his will. Although he ultimately lost the battle in the United States Supreme Court, this case provided the catalyst that ultimately gave free agency to players through the subsequent case involving Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally in which arbitrator Peter Seitz told baseball owners to come to an agreement with the players regarding the reserve clause. The game's owners refused to do this, Seitz made his ruling, and the reserve clause became a thing of the past. Although free agency came too late to help Curt Flood today's players owe a great debt of thanks to him for the role he played in making them the multi-millionaires they are today. This is a book that should be in any serious baseball fan's library.

Black Stars of the Civil Rights Movement (Black Stars)

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Black Stars of the Civil Rights Movement (Black Stars)
James Haskins , Eleanora E. Tate , and Clinton Cox
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0613819381

Book Description

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY COMES TO LIFE

Discover why young people all over the country are reading the Black Stars biographies of African American heroes. Here is what you want to know about the lives of brave black men and women during the Civil Rights Movement:

LOUIS "SATCHMO" ARMSTRONG
MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE
MAJOR GENERAL BENJAMIN O. DAVIS JR.
W. E. B. DU BOIS
LIEUTENANT HENRY O. FLIPPER
MARCUS GARVEY
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
THURGOOD MARSHALL
ROSA PARKS
ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR.
PHILIP RANDOLPH
PAUL ROBESON
JACKIE ROBINSON
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
IDA B. WELLS-BARNETT
CARTER G. WOODSON
WHITNEY M. YOUNG JR.

"The books in the Black Stars series are the types of books that would have really captivated me as a kid."
-Earl G. Graves, Black Enterprise magazine

"Inspiring stories that demonstrate what can happen when ingenuity and tenacity are paired with courage and hard work."
-Black Books Galore! Guide to Great African American Children's Books

"Haskins has chosen his subjects well . . . catching a sense of the enormous obstacles they had to overcome. . . . Some names are familiar, but most are little-known whom Haskins elevates to their rightful place in history."
-Booklist

"The broad coverage makes this an unusual resource-a jumping-off point for deeper studies."
-Horn Book

Download Description

The courageous stories of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and many more

Black Stars of the Civil Rights Movement collects inspiring biographical profiles of major Civil Rights figures-as well as the stories of unsung heroes and heroines typically left out of history books-bringing influential African Americans to life for children ages ten to fourteen. Writing in collaboration with a group of outstanding African American children's book authors, award-winning Jim Haskins produces well-rounded portraits of twenty notable lives, describing their backgrounds, challenges, and achievements. This fun and informative book also explains a critical period in American history and how its accomplishments continue to affect the lives of all Americans to this day. The thoroughly researched stories of courage and determination in Black Stars of the Civil Rights Movement are sure to touch the lives of young readers.

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Texas in the Rearview Mirror

Once Upon a Time In Texas

Shaggy Dogs Do Exist

Required reading for insight into Texas politics and culture

Once Upon a Time in Texas: A Liberal in the Lone Star State (Focus on American History Series,Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin)
David Richards
Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
South | Regional U.S. | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Texas | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0292771185

Book Description

"[David Richards is] one of the best civil-rights lawyers and one of the best all-purpose battlers for justice this state has ever produced. . . . One man/one vote, school desegregation, freedom of speech, the list of cases with David Richards' name on them as attorney for those getting shafted by unfair and unconstitutional laws goes on and on. So many of them seem self-evident by now. The shame of legal segregation is so clear to us at this point, we forget when it was worth a person's life to work to change it." --Molly Ivins, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Once upon a time in Texas . . . there were liberal activists of various stripes who sought to make the state more tolerant and more tolerable. David Richards was one of them. In this fast-paced, often humorous memoir, he remembers the players, the strategy sessions, the legal and political battles, and the wins and losses that brought significant gains in civil rights, voter rights, labor law, and civil liberties to the people of Texas from the 1950s to the 1990s. In his work as a lawyer, Richards was involved in cases covering voters' rights, school finance reform, and a myriad of civil liberties and free speech cases. In telling these stories, he vividly evokes the "glory days" of Austin liberalism, when a who's who of Texas activists plotted strategy at watering holes such as Scholz Garden and the Armadillo World Headquarters. Likewise, he offers vivid portraits of liberal politicians from Ralph Yarborough to Ann Richards (his former wife), progressive journalists such as Molly Ivins and the Texas Observer staff, and the hippies, hellraisers, and musicians who all challenged Texas's conservative status quo.

Customer Reviews:

Texas in the Rearview Mirror.......2002-06-11

There are a lot of reasons to read about the recent political history of Texas. To understand the current winners in American politics and where they want to take us, you've got to understand their financial, cultural, and political lineage. Dave Richards' book about Texas from 1954 to the present is a story of the dominant conflict in America today, the war between the extreme right and the moderates. It's a cautionary and instructive tale.

Richards is one of the lawyers who changed Texas from a one-party, racist fiefdom to a two-party political moiety with a less tilted playing field for Hispanics, Blacks, students, women, nature-lovers, and other ordinary people. In 1954, Richards came of age in a segregated Texas with a poll tax and no Republican party. Conservatives voted in the Democratic primaries, maintaining the white, racist, oil-field culture's hold on the state. He and his cohorts, a coalition of Hispanic and student labor, labor unions, Blacks, and women, determined to redistribute the power. With the aid of new federal laws and the fortunate appointment of a new crop of federal judges, the populist, progressive coalition were able to solve problems that had throttled Texas for a hundred years: unrepresentative voting districts, disenfranchisement of students, censorship of the press, disenfranchisement of Blacks and Hispanics, and unequal public school financing.

There have been lasting effects of the effort to remake Texas. There is no longer a poll tax, there is a Republican party, there is desegregation, and women, Hispanics, and Blacks hold office at every level of government.

But Nixon promised to turn the Supreme Court so far right we wouldn't recognize it, and with the Reagan and Bush appointees the federal courts are no longer reliably part of the solution. The Dallas east Texas oil field crowd has prevailed again, despite all the coalition building; to read Richards' book is to follow how and why.

One familiar trick, the disenfranchisement of voters who are putative "felons," played so effectively in Florida in the year 2000 presidential election, was first pulled in Texas in 1982. That time, the trick was played long enough before the election that Richards was able to get a federal injunction requiring the withdrawal of the "felons" list and prohibiting the secretary of state from doing anything that would interfere with or violate the right to vote.

Look for this trick to return to your polling place soon. For other Texas tricks, read Richards' book, and prepare to hire good counsel, or give otiose assent to the current winners.

Once Upon a Time In Texas.......2002-04-19

This book is well-written and compelling reading. It provides a overview of the politics in Texas from the time of the "Shivercrats" in the 50's through the upheaval of campus protests in the 60's to the current landscape where Republicans occupy the majority of statewide offices. The author is an attorney who was engaged over his career in Texas in a number of lawsuits seeking equity in voting rights for minorities and in funding among public schools, among other social justice issues.

The autobiographical structure of the book provides an engaging contrast between the (potentially dry) discussion of litgation and the personal growth and escapades of the author and his rowdy and adventurous friends. The legal points are explained in terms that non-attorneys can easily grasp and the outcomes of the cases demonstrate that progess can be made, bit by bit, in dragging civilization forward to a more progessive place if you are clever and persistent and sometimes just downright lucky. It is a must read for anyone wanting to understand the political history of Texas, or for students of public affairs seeking insight into the realities of how policies are made and changed.

It is also a very enjoyable read for anyone wanting to get a feel for Austin during its best years -- when the music was great and the living was laid back. Some of the anecdotes made me laugh out loud, which is one of the greatest compliments a book can elicit from me. The fact that there is much to be learned from reading it, and that it is a delightful read to boot, earned it a 5-star rating.

Shaggy Dogs Do Exist.......2002-04-19

How is it that Texas politics could give the country Lyndon Johnson and George W. Bush, Ralph Yarborough and Phil Gramm? When Ann Richards became governor, the prison system, the juvenile justice system, and the mental health system were all to some degree under the control of federal courts because of state defaults. After her administration, all those systems were back under state control, employment was up and crime was down--yet, she got voted out. Why?

If questions like this hold no fascination for you, pass on this book...unless you are up for a string of hilarious shaggy dog stories involving the movers and shakers and noisemakers of Texas. The acid test for humor is whether you will laugh out loud when nobody else is in the room. This book passes so clearly that you might want to take it in small doses if you are prone to aches caused by belly laughs.

The reason why a first rate academic press would publish a memoir full of political anecdotes is because those anecdotes illustrate important strategy and tactics in the struggle to drag Texas toward the 21st Century. Where is it writ that you cannot learn important things and have fun at the same time?

Required reading for insight into Texas politics and culture.......2002-04-19

David Richards is a legend in Texas legal circles, and anyone looking for insight into the lone star state's political culture and history would be hard pressed to find a better introduction. Texas politics has been called a contact sport, and David Richards has been an active participant for a lifetime.

The book is filled with insider stories involving everyone from President Johnson and a string of Texas governors (including his former wife Ann Richards) to farm workers. Richards has often taken on powerful interests as a lawyer for labor unions and minorities fighting for civil rights. This is by no means a dry lawyers' casebook, however. Richards has been at the epicenter of liberal culture in Texas; a patron of the long-gone Armadillo World Headquarters and friend to artists, musicians and writers.

It is also a memoir of a leader finding balance and enjoyment in life. This is a fun, enjoyable read that personalizes the turbulent times of the last half century in Texas.

If you've ever chuckled or been provoked by a Mollie Ivins book or column, you'll want to savor this book.

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All Time Best Peter Pan Romance

A touch of pixie dust...

The best romance of the year!

I am so glad I read this book!

Peter Pan Finally Gets a Happy Ending!

Second Star to the Right
Mary Alice Kruesi
Manufacturer: Avon Books (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0380798875

Book Description

Searching for Happily Ever After

Faye O'Neill has learned the hard way that marrying Prince Charming only happens in story books, and now she's got her feet firmly planted on the ground. A fresh start in London has Faye creating a safe, secure life for herself and her two children, even if it's a life with no surprises...until she meets Jack Graham, that is. Jack charms Faye's kids and seems determined to woo--and win--the ravishing yet reluctant single mom.

Jack recognizes in Faye a heart that yearns for adventure and a chance to trust once more in fairy tales. He believes in a world where anything is possible, and where broken hearts can be healed with just one kiss. But can his tenderness restore Faye's faith in herself, and carry her away to a place where love is the sweetest magic of all?

Customer Reviews:

All Time Best Peter Pan Romance.......2007-10-11

I fell in love with this book the first time I read it, and the 2nd and 3rd. This should be a movie it is so special...
There are almost no words to describe how special this story is to me.
If you haven't read it, please do.. You won't be sorry.

A touch of pixie dust..........2003-05-18

A gorgeous novel. Mary is a superb writer, and I love the subtle way she has extended the Peter Pan story in this absolute gem.

While the original Peter Pan story revolved around Peter's attempt to delay Wendy's transition to womanhood (he took the children on her last night in the nursery), in Second Star we find Peter Pan (the Guardian of the Dead and the Lost Souls) is pivotal to the now aging Wendy's transition to the next life - which as the book suggests, may also be in the Never Land.

Mythology and quantum reality theory aside, this is also a beautiful love story, and the way in which Faye's relationship unfolds is just challenging enough to keep you guessing.

First class piece of writing. I'd love to see a sequel in which the ghost of Pan walks again.

The best romance of the year!.......1999-11-22

This was one of the best romances I've read in years. I laughed and I cried and I felt like a kid again, experiencing the magic of an unforgettable love story. Mary Alice Kreusi has won a fan for life with this spectacular book.

I am so glad I read this book!.......1999-09-12

What a wonderfull surprise!I am not an easily pleased reader. I need my characters to feel real to me. Most romance book characters are fluffy and disapointing. This book was writing of a higher caliber. It was lighthearted and fun with out insulting my intelligence. Thank you Mary Alice Kruesi!

Peter Pan Finally Gets a Happy Ending!.......1999-08-24

Highly recommended! I loved Mary Alice Kruesi's Second Star to the Right. Her tale is exquisitely endearing, making wonderful use of the Peter Pan story (I, too had a crush on Peter as I was growing up) and interweaving it with the lives of Jack Graham, the hero, Faye O'Neill, the heroine and her children, and of course, Wendy. The book makes you want to believe in the magic of happy endings, and has you listening for bells and watching for shooting stars. The last chapter was a bit blurred, as I had to read it through tears. Congratulations, Mary Alice: another tour de force!

Moon Signs: Picking the Right Time for Everything You Want to Do

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Moon Signs: Picking the Right Time for Everything You Want to Do
Sabine Heideweg
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Equipment | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Parapsychology | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0806918977

Book Description

The moon passes through a different astrological sign every two and a half to three days, and that sign can have a powerful effect on whatever you are trying to do. Want to lose weight? Get a promotion? Plan a family get-together or a night of romance? This book will tell you the right time to do each one, so that you will get the best possible results. Ideal for quick reference, the book lists the goals you may want to achieve from A-Z in different categories--health and well-being, career and finances, family life and children, love and partnership, adventures and challenges, and even gardening and dealing with nature--telling what the moon supports and facilitates on any given day. Charts that show the moon's daily position are in the back of the book. 160 pages, 8 b/w illus., 6 x 9.

The Stars Are Right! (Call of Cthulhu Horror Roleplaying)

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The Stars Are Right! (Call of Cthulhu Horror Roleplaying)

Manufacturer: Chaosium Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1568821778

Book Description

The Taste of Ashes

The new millennium: a time wracked by violence, racism, AIDS, drug abuse, and all-consuming fear. Hollow politicians offer empty promises of the bright future -- a thousand points of light which none can see.

That which is greater than mankind lurks beyond the rim of human consciousness. It patiently watches, waiting to assume command of our destiny. It preys on teh fearful, the hateful, and the hated. Dark thoughts and emotions are set free to prowl teh earth, taking what they will, where they will, and as they will. We cower in our homes, quaking behind the false security of tall fences, locked doors, and television -- to no avail. The stars are right and cannot be denied!

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The Stars Are Right/2337 (Call of Cthulhu)
Andre Bishop , John Tynes , and Richard Watts
Manufacturer: Chaosium, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Role Playing & Fantasy | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0933635885

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