Book Description
What would you do to inherit a million dollars? Would you be willing to change your life? Jason Stevens is about to find out in Jim Stovall's The Ultimate Gift. Red Stevens has died, and the older members of his family receive their millions with greedy anticipation. But a different fate awaits young Jason, whom Stevens, his great-uncle, believes may be the last vestige of hope in the family. "Although to date your life seems to be a sorry excuse for anything I would call promising, there does seem to be a spark of something in you that I hope we can fan into a flame. For that reason, I am not making you an instant millionaire." What Stevens does give Jason leads to The Ultimate Gift. Young and old will take this timeless tale to heart.
Customer Reviews:
life enhancing experience.......2007-10-10
A close friend gave me the book and the minute I opened it I knew I would not be able to put it down. It is a very fast read and it is packed full of valuable insights. As soon as I finished it I went on line and ordered a copy for each of my adolescent grandchildren. I believe there is something to be gained from each chapter. The book held my interest to the end.
Read the book, watch the movie - both will inspire!.......2007-10-01
I received this book as a gift shortly after watching the movie by the same name - I was greatly impressed with the movie and anxious to read the book (since everyone knows that the book is always better than the movie). This book is no exception to that rule - an outstanding read and it was as easy to read as the movie was to watch. This is a novel, a work of fiction that drives home some real life points! The premise of the book is about what's really important in life - is it what we build with our hands or the money and worldly success we achieve, or is it something more than that, something that isn't tangible and can't be bought or sold for any amount of money? In his final will, a dying wealthy man tries to communicate from the grave the true meaning of life to a family member who up until this point hasn't got a clue!
I would think that this book could probably be read to children in upper elementary school and could be read by 7th or 8th graders on their own. The book should be read by parents first so that they can engage their children in conversation along the way. While the book isn't overtly Christian, you'll find that the lessons taught in this novel are very similar to the wisdom shared in the Book of Proverbs and throughout Scripture. Stovall isn't preaching, but he sure can drive a point home with this story; and these twelve "gifts" passed from one generation to the next are essential for each and every one of us to learn as well.
While some say that the movie isn't as good as the book, I say that they are a pretty good compliment of each other. The movie takes various liberties with the book to get this message on screen, but you won't be disappointed with either. The book is written to provoke thought and discussion and families should use them as tools to teach valuable life lessons to their children - Red Stevens would have wanted it that way!
The Ultimate Gift DVD.......2007-09-27
The Ultimate Gift you sent me was a total disaster. I ordered the movie edition and you sent me a book and a promotional DVD. I did not receive the movie edition of the Ultimate Gift. Unfortunately I had ordered it to take on a bus trip that I was directing and I had not taken the time to watch what you sent me, thinking it was the movie edition. When I put it in the DVD player with everyone on the bus eager to watch the movie there was only the promotional disc. Needless to say I was embarrassed and not too happy. Fortunately along the way I was able to purchase the DVD that I thought I was buying from Amazon at a much higher price. I have ordered from Amazon before and have been very pleased but not this time.
A Timely Gift.......2007-09-24
Several copies of The Ultimate Gift were placed on a table at my workplace. A handwritten note read, "Take one and pass it on." The title was intriguing and never one to pass up something free or an opportunity to read, I took one.
Having gained knowledge of most of these gifts through the ups and downs of life, I enjoyed the validations, while unfortunately identifying with Uncle Red's mistakes. I am grateful to the person who made it possible to have a copy of the book.
I titled this review 'a timely gift' because I received in time read it and mail it to my son as a gift for his 26th birthday. Like Uncle Red, wishing to provide, I robbed my children of many of the gifts. I am hoping the book will make a difference in my son's life as he is not a happy person even though he has many blessings. When and if I am in touch with my prodigal daughter, I will share The Ultimate Gift with her, also. It is my goal to share copies of The Ultimate Gift with many, many young persons.
Good , but not terrific.......2007-09-19
The reviews I read promised an inspiring book. It was not to be. It was an interesting premise and story. But the lack of detailed story left me disappointed. Reading the story from the lawyer's view did not give us an opportunity to really travel the road to enlightenment. I felt I was reading the summary, not the story.
A movie of the book is coming out soon. I dare say, I see an immense opprtunity for the movie to outshine the book.
Average customer rating:
- The image on the cover says it all
- If it's free, fine, but probably not worth more than four bucks
- MAKES PREMOM COMFORTABLE
- Don't get it!
- What To Expext When You're Expecting
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What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition
Heidi Murkoff
Manufacturer: WORKMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Pregnancy & Childbirth
| Women's Health
| Personal Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Family Health
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Parenting & Families
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Accessories:
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Baby Plus Prenatal Education System
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MOBI Stroller & Pathway Light
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What to Expect the First Year, Second Ed
Product Features:
- Everything a parent needs to know about the whole parenting lifestyle
- Black and white illustrations
- Information on working while pregnant
- Attention is paid to pre-conception, alternative families, second pregnancies
- Also teaches about HMOs, role of the father and overall lifestyle
ASIN: 0761121323 |
Product Description
The third edition of Americas bestseller, What to Expect When You're Expecting, is updated and is revised with better features for expecting families. The authors are very experienced including Heidi Murkoff, an established writer, and Sandee Hathaway, holder of B.S. in Nursing from Boston University and they have quite a bit to say about this book. Arlene Eisenberg also puts her two cents in. The What to Expect When You're Expecting books has more in-depth coverage of complementary and alternative birthing. Greater detail is also give to the way families handle everything from second pregnancies to HMOs. Workman Publishing Company publishes books that are insightful and informative.
Amazon.com
Eighteen years after it first hit the shelves and having sold more than 10 million copies, What to Expect When You're Expecting is still on nearly every mother-to-be's reading list. This completely revised and updated edition is packed with answers to hundreds of questions and worries expectant parents may have. The information is presented in a month-by-month format starting with planning a pregnancy and choosing a practitioner, and follows through to six weeks after delivery. Each chapter begins with an explanation of what to expect at a particular month's prenatal visit and a brief description of how mom and baby are growing and changing before getting to the heart of the matter: What You May Be Concerned About. Topics are presented as questions ranging from "Should I be taking vitamins?" to "What if I forget everything I learn in childbirth education class?" to "Will I be able to breastfeed?" The answers are generally reassuring and provide enough information to soothe a worried mom between prenatal visits. Despite the reassuring answers, however, the sheer volume of worries discussed may alarm an otherwise calm mom-to-be.
The book also features a complete nutrition plan (though many women may find it difficult to follow), a special chapter just for expectant dads, and extensive information about dealing with minor illnesses, chronic conditions, and pregnancy complications. What to Expect has guided countless women through their pregnancies and makes an informative addition to the mainstream pregnancy and childbirth bookshelf. --Jennifer Lindsay
Customer Reviews:
The image on the cover says it all.......2007-10-13
Take a look at the coverart and you'll get an accurate feel for the book. The woman looks completely miserable and worried. Exactly how you'll feel when your through reading the book. The condescending attitude of the author and anxiety-producing information in the book is enough to make any mother-to-be feel like she is an inadequate "little woman". Also, the cover art is so outdated...looks like all pregnant women should look frumpy and wear clothes from 20 years ago. The message -- you are not strong and confident. And forget sexy. The quilted background and rocking chair top it all off. Pregnant women, stay home and sew, but only after you are done cooking and cleaning for your "husband." If you don't have a "husband", for shame! The cover art of the book is a big clue that the book is outdated and better suited to the 1980s.
Don't waste your money.
If it's free, fine, but probably not worth more than four bucks.......2007-10-06
When I was not pregnant I thought of this as THE book for pregnant women. Once I got pregnant I realized that it left a lot of holes in the story, had a weird flow to it, and really only made two or three points over and over and over and over.
If you're looking for a gift for your baby-crazy friend who won't be having kids anytime really soon but still wants to dream, get this. If you want something for your pregnant friend, don't waste your money.
There are a million other books with actual information, organized in a logical manner, and displayed in a slightly less "friend-y" way. Please, go for them first and if you still feel like you need this one after reading a real reference (perhaps written by medical professionals) go ahead and buy this. But don't pay full price, I beg you.
MAKES PREMOM COMFORTABLE.......2007-10-04
good...understandable because it's based on writer's and other's experiences. you can read about pre mom's condition by month.
Don't get it!.......2007-10-04
This book almost drove me out of my mind. When it is not preaching at you about all the things you should do (like eat more vegetables than you can fathom while vomiting non-stop and wanting to eat nothing but fried chicken and rice), it is offending your intelligence with little nuggets of "wisdom," like telling you that if you drank one margarita before you knew you were pregnant, it probably doesn't matter, but you should stop drinking now. It states the obvious over and over, and I found it just was not all that helpful. Still, I read it from cover to cover, and I vowed to set it on fire the minute I got home from the hospital. My mother beat me to it, tossing it before the baby came. She said it was making me crazy, and the nurses at the hospital said that it makes EVERYONE crazy. I think the best thing to do is to listen to your health-care provider. This book made me feel very bad. Plus, that whole "earth mother" lady on the cover just annoyed me every time I saw her.
What To Expext When You're Expecting.......2007-10-02
I bought this for my daughter and she was thrilled! I heard on Dr. Phil's show that this is the new 'Bible' for pregnant women so I had to buy it. She is reading it as her pregnancy progresses. She says it goes into more detail on all subjects that other books she bought just mention lightly and go on to something else. She loves the depth of coverage on different aspects of pregnancy, what to expect, what is normal/abnormal. It's a GREAT book for the first time expecting mother.
Amazon.com
It's difficult to imagine a harder first act to follow than The Kite Runner: a debut novel by an unknown writer about a country many readers knew little about that has gone on to have over four million copies in print worldwide. But when preview copies of Khaled Hosseini's second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, started circulating at Amazon.com, readers reacted with a unanimous enthusiasm that few of us could remember seeing before. As special as The Kite Runner was, those readers said, A Thousand Splendid Suns is more so, bringing Hosseini's compassionate storytelling and his sense of personal and national tragedy to a tale of two women that is weighted equally with despair and grave hope.
We wanted to spread the word on the book as widely, and as soon, as we could. See below for an exclusive excerpt from A Thousand Splendid Suns and early reviews of the book from some of our top customer reviewers.--The Editors
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An Exclusive Excerpt from A Thousand Splendid Suns |
We have arranged with the publisher to make an exclusive excerpt of A Thousand Splendid Suns available on Amazon.com. Click here to read a scene from the novel. It's not the opening scene, but rather one from a crucial moment later in the book when Mariam, one of the novel's two main characters, steps into a new role.
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Early Buzz from Amazon.com Top Reviewers |
We queried our top 100 customer reviewers as of March 6, 2007, and asked them to read A Thousand Splendid Suns and share their thoughts. We've included these early reviews below in the order they were received. For the sake of space, we've only included a brief excerpt of each reviewer's response, but each review is available for reading in its entirety by clicking the "Read the review" link.
Joanna Daneman:
"His style is deceptively simple and clear, the characters drawn deftly and swiftly, his themes elemental and huge. This is a brilliant writer and I look forward to more of his work." Read Joanna Daneman's review
Seth J. Frantzman:
"Khaled Hosseini has done it again with 'A Thousand Splendid Sons', presenting a new, dashing and dark tale of two generations of women trapped in a loveless marriage, bracketed by great events." Read Seth J. Frantzman's review
Donald Mitchell:
"Khaled Hosseini has succeeded in capturing many important historical and contemporary themes in a way that will make your heart ache again and again. Why will your reaction be so strong? It's because you'll identify closely with the suffering of almost all the characters, a reaction that's very rare to a modern novel." Read Donald Mitchell's review
Lawrance M. Bernabo:
"All things considered, following up on a successful first novel is probably harder than coming up with the original effort and Hosseini could have rested on his laurels in the manner of Harper Lee, but as "A Thousand Splendid Suns" amply proves, this native of Kabul has more stories to tell about the land of Afghanistan." Read Lawrance M. Bernabo's review
Amanda Richards:
"There are parts of this book that will have grown men surreptitiously blotting the tears that are on the verge of overflowing their ducts, and by the time you get to the middle, you won't be able to put it down. Hosseini's simple but richly descriptive prose makes for an engrossing read, and in my opinion, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is among the best I have ever read. This is definitely not one to be missed." Read Amanda Richards's review
N. Durham:
"All that being said, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is a bit more enjoyable than Hosseini's previous "The Kite Runner", and once again he manages to give we readers another glimpse of a world that we know little about but frequently condemn and discard. However, if you were one of the many that for some reason absolutely loved "The Kite Runner", chances are that you'll love this as well." Read N. Durham's review
John Kwok:
"Khaled Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is a genuine instant literary classic, and one destined to be remembered as one of 2007's best novels. It should be compared favorably to such legendary Russian novels like "War and Peace" and "Doctor Zhivago"." Read John Kwok's review
Thomas Duff:
"Normally I'm more of an action-adventure type reader when it comes to novels and recreational reading. But I was given the chance to read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (author of The Kite Runner), so I decided to try something out of my normal genre. I am *so* glad I did. This is a stunning and moving novel of life and love in Afghanistan over a 30 year period." Read Thomas Duff's review
Charles Ashbacher:
"This book manages to simultaneously capture the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years and how women are treated in conservative Islamic societies.... In many ways it is a sad book, your heart goes out to these two women in their hopeless struggle to have a decent life with a brutal man in an unforgiving, intolerant society." Read Charles Ashbacher's review
W. Boudville:
"Hosseini presents a piognant view into the recent tortured decades of the Afghan experience. From the 1970s, under a king, to the Soviet takeover, to the years of resistance. And then the rise and fall of the Taliban. An American reader will recognise many of the main political events. But to many Americans, Afghanistan and its peoples and religion remain an opaque and troubling mystery." Read W. Boudville's review
Mark Baker:
"I tend to read plot heavy books, so this character study was a definite change of pace for me. I found the first half slow going at times, mainly because I knew where the story was going. Once I got into the second half, things really picked up. The ending was very bittersweet. I couldn't think of a better way to end it." Read Mark Baker's review
Grady Harp:
"Hosseini takes us behind those walls for forty some years of Afghanistan's bloody history and while he does not spare us any of the descriptions of the terror that continues to besiege that country, he does offer us a story that speaks so tenderly about the fragile beauty of love and devotion and lasting impression people make on people." Read Grady Harp's review
Robert P. Beveridge:
"When I was actively reading it, the pages kept turning, and more than once I found myself foregoing food or sleep temporarily to get in just one more chapter. When I had put it down, however, I felt no particular compulsion to pick it back up again. It's a good book, and a relatively well-written one, but it's not a great book. Enjoyable without leaving a lasting impression." Read Robert P. Beveridge's review
B. Marold:
"While the events in Afghanistan and the wider world create a familiar framework for the stories of these two women, it is nothing more than a framework. The warp and weft of everyday life, and the interaction of the two women and their close relatives is the heartbeat of the story." Read B. Marold's review
Daniel Jolley:
"Khaled Hosseini has written a majestic, sweeping, emotionally powerful story that provides the reader with a most telling window into Afghan society over the past thirty-odd years. It's also a moving story of friendship and sacrifice, giving Western readers a rare glimpse into the suffering and mistreatment of Afghan women that began long before the Taliban came to power." Read Daniel Jolley's review
Book Description
After 103 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and with four million copies of The Kite Runner shipped, Khaled Hosseini returns with a beautiful, riveting, and haunting novel that confirms his place as one of the most important literary writers today.
Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.
Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.
A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.
Customer Reviews:
mjust read.......2007-10-16
Have read both Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns and found both to be fascinating reading, invoking many emotions and the realization of how fortunate I am to be an American,and how much we all have to learn about other peoples and cultures.
Have also read Voice of Conscience by Behcet Kaya, fictional novel taking place in Turkey...
A MAJOR PROBLEM IN AMERICA.......2007-10-16
I know a lot about the history of Afghanistan, because I was a History major and also after 9/11 we all learned, the hard way! This was an amazing book, I loved the story. I did not cry, as my friend who recommended the book did. The reason is, the story of these two ladies, is very common in this part of the world. It made me MAD and I was disgusted. Didn't our President tell us that we were rebuilding Afghanistan? How, as Americans, have we not been disgusted prior to 9/11 and after our President and his so-called advisor's, took most of the troops and sent them to Iraq. Afghanistan is a mess again, the warlords have taken over and the opium growth is as high as it was in the 90's.
Everyone should read this book. It is a great story, well written. The historical accuracy is great. It is a sad story, but one that is true.
My problem, is that there are still problems in Afghanistan. When are we going to help the people that need it most??? For any of you who don't like what I said about Bush, well I voted for him two times. I was a registered Republican until 2006.
I pray that this book will promote and help the cause of the Afghan woman and they get the rights that we do in America!
Phenomenal! .......2007-10-15
An amaing novel that I couldn't put down. The closer I got to the end of the book, the sadder I became because I didn't want it to ever end. After reading The Kite Runner, I was mesmerized by Hosseini's writing. I couldn't wait to read his much-anticpated second novel. I belive A Thousand Splendid Suns is even better than the The Kite Runner. Hosseini is extremely talented...from creating strong characters, to exploring characters' feelings without boring the reader, describing political issues, etc. Definitely one of the most fantastic books I have ever read. I cannot wait til Hosseini publishes the next novel, if he is planning one. Read the book....you won't be disappointed!
A Splendid following to The Kite Runner .......2007-10-15
Hosseini has outdone himself with this second title! While the first book gave a good insight into life in Afghanistan and emigration to the U.S. this title gives the reader a great insight into the life of women in Afghanistan and more specifics into the progression of political change in the country. Yes, there are brutal elements to this read, however facts can be brutal. Reading this makes one pleased to be an American woman not subjected to the whims of brutality of a husband in a man empowered society.
The book is not short on its heart-wrenching emotional stories of two women caught up in their destiny of their society and that of a war-torn society, the book exposes the reader to the realities of what life is like for those in this land which our nation hopes can come to an equal minded lifestyle.
Do read this book - it is entirely worthwhile, as is The Kite Runner. I look forward to the third title by Hosseini!
Excellent Read.......2007-10-14
My wife and I both enjoyed this story. Highly recommend it for anyone who has an interest in Afghanistan and an insight into Muslim life. This book is well reviewed on the Amazon website, so I won't bore you with a long winded review of my own, which will only replicate what you have already read. I am not a frustrated book review critic.
Amazon.com
Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover. --Brangien Davis
Book Description
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.
Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.
What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.
For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.
TO INQUIRE ABOUT SCHEDULING JEANNETTE WALLS FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS PLEASE CONTACT:
Keppler Speakers
Dustin L. Jones
Associate, College & University Division
703.516.4000 (P)
703.516.4819 (F)
Customer Reviews:
The Glass Castle.......2007-10-16
One of the best books I have ever read. I just could not put it down. One life event while growing up just tops another.To rise above her circumstances and make a postive life for herself is just a tribute to the strength she has within her spirit. It was so inspiring to see them make the best of themselves even thou the example they had was so poor. My hat is off to Jeanette Walls and her siblings.
Absolutely remarkable.......2007-10-16
The Glass Castle is hands down one of the best memoirs--in fact, one of the best books--I've ever read. Jeannette Walls' story is remarkable and inspiring. I wish I had an ounce of her inner strength. Like Jeannette, I like learning the "dirt" about people not because it's salacious or because I have malicious intent, but rather because I think the "dirt" is what makes each of us unique and truly human. I also appreciated this book because the story raises a valuable question: can parents be deemed neglectful or abusive if they truly love their children and believe they're doing the best for them, even if to the outside world their parenting seems remiss? And is it maybe true to love is all a child truly needs, more so than even adequate food and shelter? Aside from the substance of the book, it was a compellingly readable story--funny, suspenseful, heartbreaking, and healing. I breezed through it because I had to know how things ultimately turned out.
I wish the best to Jeannette and all her family. She is someone I would love to know, and I thank her for sharing her incredible story with the world!
Dysfunction.......2007-10-15
I normally don't read memoirs, but a friend passed this book along and she said it was a good read...
The complete dysfunction of this family was described with such detail... It really makes you appreciate things like indoor plumbing, and mattresses.... Oh yes and the fact that we eat FOOD not only once a day but MANY times a day. I can't imagine allowing my children to suffer the way Jeannette's mother did. This book wasn't written way back when they did without, but rather a modern day current event taking place in the 70's to now.... I really had to just keep reading because I couldn't wait to see what this family would next...
One of the best!.......2007-10-14
This book is definitely one of THE best memoirs I've read. I had a hard time putting it down and the characters remained with me long after I finished reading. I don't want to give away too much but I will say I'm very glad I didn't have parents like Rex & Rose. At first I found their "adventures" endearing but later I found them extremely selfish and neglectful. It's a good thing Jeannette became a success despite her childhood. This book is one I'd HIGHLY recommend.
Courageous and haunting.......2007-10-14
This book was recommended by a friend, and I found I could not put it down. Jeanette Walls has become successful despite an early life filled with trauma and struggle. This memoir courageously tells a story of brutal survival, and Jeanette's ability to tell it without bitterness is impressive.
Emotionally and physically abandoned by selfish parents who were not fit to be raising them, these children relied on themselves for all the basic needs of life. This father is a raging alcoholic with no sense of responsiblity, and the mother is obviously metally disturbed. The children could not look to extended family for rescue either, as they were no better. I was horrified when Dad thought he would make Jeanette part of a "team" to hustle victims in a pool hall, and at what he thought was acceptable. With this kind of betrayal, it is amazing that Jeannette can reach back into her childhood and find touching memories, such as being given a planet as a gift.
I think of this story often, and will remember it forever.
Book Description
Parents will do almost anything to get their kids to eat healthier, but unfortunately, they've found that begging, pleading, threatening, and bribing don't work. With their patience wearing thin, parents will "give in" for the sake of family peace, and reach for "kiddie" favorites--often nutritionally inferior choices such as fried fish sticks, mac n' cheese, Pop-sicles, and cookies.
Missy Chase Lapine, former publisher of Eating Well magazine, faced the same challenges with her two young daughters, and she sought a solution. Now in The Sneaky Chef, Lapine presents over 75 recipes that ingeniously disguise the most important superfoods inside kids' favorite meals. With the addition of a few simple make-ahead purees or clever replacements, (some may surprise you!) parents can pack more fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants in their kids' foods. Examples of "Sneaky" recipes include:
-No Harm Chicken Parm
-Power Pizza
-Incognito Burritos
-Guerilla Grilled Cheese
-Brainy Brownies
-Health-by-Chocolate Cookies
-Quick fixes for Jell-O(R)
It's a book chock-full of strategies that will help any parent incorporate better health for the whole family.
Customer Reviews:
very strategic...........2007-10-16
This is a great way to give your kids the vitamins and nutrients they need until they realize that fruits and vegetables actually DO taste good.
Good for moms.......2007-10-16
This idea is very good as it gets veggies into our children's diet. Americans still eat far too little in terms of fruits and veggies than most of the world, which is why I started Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids www.hhhkids.com. We offer FREE weekly quick tips to parents dealing with finicky eaters. This book is right up our alley as it is similiar to our Cooking Incognito recipes we showcase in our tips and monthly newsletter.
Simply terrific.......2007-10-14
This is an awesome book. My kids just love the food, and don't even know they are eating healthy.
AWESOME idea and the food actually taste good too!!.......2007-10-11
I LOVE this cookbook!! I have made many of the recipes and they have all been a huge hit with my family. The burgers are fabulous and the sloppy-joes - which I have NEVER liked before - are now one of my favorite meals. You cannot go wrong with this book!! One of my kids is a great eater while the other won't eat veggies for anything. Now, he's eating veggies with almost every meal (w/o knowing it, of course). I have baked things for friends and for my kids' classes ... and everyone loves it!! The only thing we didn't like -- the cupcakes were horrible!! I am going to try to make them again ... I must have done something wrong. There is no way we could love everything else in the book but hate the cupcakes so much. :o)
Wonderful!.......2007-10-10
Two out of my three kids are picky eaters and they ate all of the meals I made from this book! It feels good to know that they are getting added nutrients that they wouldn't normally be eating. It does take extra time to prepare some of these recipes but it is worth it to me if my kids are getting nutritious meals. Great book!
Book Description
Three years on the New York Times bestseller list, CODEPENDENT NO MORE first identified attitueds, feelings, and behaviors now recognized as hallmarks of codependency. Checklists, activities, and self-tests provide concrete tasks to help readers examine the nuances of codependency in their lives.
Customer Reviews:
It took me 3 years to read this wonderful book.......2007-09-12
The words in this book pierced my denial armor. It hurt me so badly to see myself on almost every page, that I could only read a few pages a month. It is the ONLY self-help book (well, besides "The Language of Letting Go") that I own. If you let it, it can help you change your inner self...that's how powerful it is.
Great Book!.......2007-08-30
I bought this book and it basically describes me perfectly! I love this book and it has definitely helped me get over some of the issues I am/was facing.
Audio version.......2007-08-23
Excellent audio CDs. I did not realize how co-dependent I was until I listened to them and they have helped me rethink so many of my actions or reactions. They have helped to bring peace to my life and help eliminate worries and control issues. I listen to them each time I have alone time in my vehicle.
Detachment.......2007-07-31
I think every person co-dependent or not, alcoholic or not should read this book. It applies to our every day strugles in life. There no normal family.
Thanks, Jill
CO DEPENDENCE NO MORE.......2007-07-05
This book is just great . It helps you to see what is going on in your life , that you may not want to see . It is a real eye opener . It will change you forever .
Book Description
A Roaring Twenties adventure unfolds in Jennifer Chiaverini's latest bestselling Elm Creek Quilts novel, another in "a series that neatly stitches together social drama and the art of quilting" (Library Journal).
Newly wed in a festive yet poignant ceremony at Elm Creek Manor, bride Elizabeth Nelson takes leave of her ancestral Pennsylvania home. Setting off with her husband, Henry, on the adventure of a lifetime, Elizabeth packs the couple's trunk with more than the wedding quilts she envisions them dreaming beneath every night of their married lives. They are landowners who hold the deed to Triumph Ranch, 120 acres of prime California soil located in the Arboles Valley, north of Los Angeles.
"Triumph Ranch," says Mae, a traveling companion whom Elizabeth has let in on the promise of the Nelsons' bright future. "That sounds like a sure thing." But in a cruel reversal of fortune, the Nelsons arrive to the news that they've been had, and they are left suddenly, irrevocably penniless.
They are hired as hands at the farm they thought they owned, and Henry struggles mightily with his pride. Yet clever, feisty Elizabeth -- drawing on her share of the Bergstrom women's inherent economy and resilience -- vows to defy fate through sheer force of will. As her life intertwines with Rosa Diaz Barclay, native to the Arboles Valley and a fellow quilter, their blossoming friendship sheds light on many secrets that have kept each of them and their families from their rightful homes.
In the cabin where Henry and Elizabeth are living on Triumph Ranch, Elizabeth discovers quilts belonging to Rosa's mother, and in their exquisite patterns recognizes a misplaced legacy of love, land, and family. But her newfound understanding of the burden of loss that Rosa shares with the mysterious Lars Jorgensen places her in mortal danger. Only by stitching the rift between the past and the future can the inhabitants of Triumph Ranch hope to live in peace alongside history.
Customer Reviews:
She did it again!.......2007-09-13
Ms Chiaverini did it again!! This newest book is just as wonderful as the past books in this series have been! When I started reading it, I was a bit disappointed that it was only set in the past, but once I got into to reading that went away quickly! This is a 'don't want to put it down' book, highly recommended.
The Quilter's Homecoming: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel.......2007-08-28
Jennifer has done it again: another novel of one of my favorite quilt series and had me burning the midnight lamp to finish this well written story about some great characters. Can't wait for the next episode!
The Quilters Homecoming.......2007-08-17
I read all ten of her books in the Elm Creek Quilters series and they were all wonderful. She follows "quilting" families back and forth as the country developed, the hardships they encountered, up to the present day. Occasionally the books jumped around a little from generation to generation, but I was able to catch up. Being a quilter myself, I was interested in her vast knowledge and explanations of quilting. This would be a wonderful series to give to a quilter as a gift.
The Quilter's Homecoming.......2007-08-14
After reading all the other books in the "Elm Creek Quilters" series, and hearing so much about Elizabeth,it was great to read a book that told about her and Henry's adventurous beginnings in California. Jennifer Chiaverini's gift for spinning a tale peaked in this novel as she unfolded the events of Henry and Elizabeth's cross-country trip and the dreams they shared, along with the trials and disappointments. Things did not go as they had hoped and planned, but all things worked together for good.
Still a good read.......2007-08-04
Would really rate it about 3.5 stars- I enjoyed it but it's not my favorite. I prefer the ones in the series that are more about the main core of characters. I have read the other books but didn't actually recall Elizabeth being mentioned. Still, the way Chiaverini weaves quilting throughout her stories is always clever and crafty- definitely worth reading.
Average customer rating:
- The Anatomy of Grieving
- Just Okay
- A Journal of Grief
- Loss
- The Year of Magical Thinking
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The Year of Magical Thinking
Joan Didion
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Authors
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Didion, Joan
| ( D )
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A Million Little Pieces
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The History of Love: A Novel
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The Memory Keeper's Daughter
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The Glass Castle: A Memoir
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Suite Francaise
ASIN: 1400078431
Release Date: 2007-02-13 |
Book Description
From one of America’s iconic writers, a stunning book of electric honesty and passion. Joan Didion explores an intensely personal yet universal experience: a portrait of a marriage--and a life, in good times and bad--that will speak to anyone who has ever loved a husband or wife or child.
Customer Reviews:
The Anatomy of Grieving.......2007-10-14
Joan Didion's husband of 40 years, the writer John Gregory Dunne, died of a sudden heart attack during a quiet evening in their Manhattan apartment in 2003. They'd just returned from visiting their only daughter, Quintana, in a coma and septic shock at Beth Israel North Hospital.
As the doctor delivers the news of her husband's death, he characterizes Joan Didion as a "pretty cool customer"-and it's clear throughout this book that she characterizes herself that way, too. In her memoir chronicalling the year following his death, Didion grapples to maintain this sense of self-identity amidst the inclement emotions of grief, anger, and loss. Using her graceful and level-headed prose, she dismantles her emotions: consulting texts ranging from Freud to Emily Post, she looks at grief objectively in order to understand it, and perhaps, exorcise it. She reads medical books and the autopsy report, employing the "magical thinking" of the title to see what she can do to fix them and make life as it was.
When this method fails, readers experience her sense of marvel at her lack of control over memories and sorrow. She describes it as a "vortex" when one stray thought leads her through a tunnel of memories. She carefully tries to avoid these, but, of course, can't. Readers learn about their wedding, places they lived, trips they took-all peppered with refrains like incantations against remembering.
The book captures her constant struggle between remembering and letting go (recognizing that her husband won't need his running shoes when he comes back, for example). She avoids characterizations and descriptions of her husband and daughter, and rather focuses on her very personal memories. Magical Thinking is a personal process for Didion, and readers are witness to her method of maintaining control-one that is heartbreaking, and characteristically elegant.
Just Okay.......2007-10-12
With a topic like death, you almost have a sure winner. There will always be readers who react strongly (and sympathetically) about death.
Although there are parts in the book I felt were poignant and written well, overall I felt the book was egotistical and self-serving. In more than one instance, there are allusions to the many accolades and milestones the author has garnered. There are allusions to celebrities and her involvement in elite social circles. This, I felt, detracted from the topic of death and grief.
I don't regret reading the book and would recommend it to someone who has recently lost a loved one. But there are many more books worth reading other than this one.
A Journal of Grief.......2007-10-09
I probably don't need to write a review for this book, but I did want to put my opinion out there.
I wanted to read Joan Didion because of her reputation and this was the most readily available book. I have read a few of her individual essays but this was first exposure to a full length work by Ms. Didion. The writing in all of her work is strong. This book, however, seems almost to be missing something.
With that being said, what a terribly hard topic to write about and still write well? I would still recommend this to anyone dealing with the loss of someone close to you, but I think there is other work by Joan Didion that is a better example of her expertise.
Loss.......2007-10-06
I have just finished reading, "The Year of Magical Thinking". I was unable to put the book down, once I started it. I have been a health care professional for 30 years. I have dealt with personal experiences of death and loss, and have also had the privilege of observing people, dying patients, and their grieving families, who have undergone the same experiences. The author was able to convey the tremendous sense of loss that a person goes through when a close family member, or friend, dies.
It is almost as if an arm or a leg, or, even, a heart has been excised from the person who has been left to cope. I have found that the only thing that really alleviates the pain, is time. There are people who are so afraid of losing a loved one that they live their entire lives without being open to love because they fear the inevitable loss. I would recommend this book to everyone because, in a lifetime, we will all be called upon to cope with death, loss, and grief. When we experience our own "magical thinking", we will at least be able to understand that we are not alone. There are others who have felt the same way we do and have reacted in the same ways as we have.
The Year of Magical Thinking.......2007-10-01
A well-written book and a good sharing of personal emotions. Sometimes seemed like name-dropping at it's best (or worst) but I suppose if you know all the best people you mention them and their effect on your life.
Book Description
In one of the most anticipated books of the year, Lee Woodruff, along with her husband, Bob Woodruff, share their never-before-told story of romance, resilience, and survival following the tragedy that transformed their lives and gripped a nation.
In January 2006, the Woodruffs seemed to have it all–a happy marriage and four beautiful children. Lee was a public relations executive and Bob had just been named co-anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight. Then, while Bob was embedded with the military in Iraq, an improvised explosive device went off near the tank he was riding in. He and his cameraman, Doug Vogt, were hit, and Bob suffered a traumatic brain injury that nearly killed him.
In an Instant is the frank and compelling account of how Bob and Lee’s lives came together, were blown apart, and then were miraculously put together again–and how they persevered, with grit but also with humor, through intense trauma and fear. Here are Lee’s heartfelt memories of their courtship, their travels as Bob left a law practice behind and pursued his news career and Lee her freelance business, the glorious births of her children and the challenges of motherhood.
Bob in turn recalls the moment he caught the journalism “bug” while covering Tiananmen Square for CBS News, his love of overseas assignments and his guilt about long separations from his family, and his pride at attaining the brass ring of television news–being chosen to fill the seat of the late Peter Jennings.
And, for the first time, the Woodruffs reveal the agonizing details of Bob’s terrible injuries and his remarkable recovery. We learn that Bob’s return home was not an end to the journey but the first step into a future they have learned not to fear but to be grateful for.
In an Instant is much more than the dual memoir of love and courage. It is an important, wise, and inspiring guide to coping with tragedy–and an extraordinary drama of marriage, family, war, and nation.
A percentage of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury.
Customer Reviews:
IN AN INSTANT.......2007-10-05
TOTALLY ENJOYED THE CD OF THIS BOOK. A HEARTFELT STORY OF LOVE, PAIN AND RECOVERY.
Up from the trenches.......2007-09-29
This is a story of remarkable courage and love. Medicine and therapy have come a long way, but the personal strength of one person doing the hard work, and another staying by their side, is (I believe) what brings people back to a life worth living after so tremendous a trajedy. Other books about brain trauma: The Shiloh Renewal and I'll Carry the Fork! Recovering a Life After Brain Injury
One of the best books I've ever read!.......2007-09-26
What a wonderful & informative book. I really enjoyed all of the background information. It was a very touching love story. Having gone through 3 brain surgeries myself and my daughter's brain surgery also, gave me a fraction of knowledge on the recovering brain, but the book certainly gives an abundance of information. I've always thought Bob was absolutely fantastic, but I really enjoyed Lee's side of the story. Bravo and Good bless you both Bob & Lee!!!
Interesting book.......2007-09-09
Interesting book - I read it because I was curious what had happened to Bob Woodruff after his injury, because the of the lack of information regarding his condition. It is interesting to me that insiders in the media can control what information gets out about them personally; however others are not so fortunate - their names, faces and not-so-flattering images are splashed across news screens every day.
The book was interesting, but I felt that Lee Woodruff ends up protraying herself as a selfish wife who is annoyed first at her husband's career and then annoyed at the inconvenience his injury caused their family. She describes herself several times as a "single parent" because Bob travelled so much. As a real-life single parent, this completely offended me. A single parent not only cares for their children alone, they also support them alone. A single parent is not a wife of a guy with a six-figure salary who happens to work a lot. If Lee had left these comments out, the book would have been much more palatable.
In An Instant.......2007-08-23
This book was excellent. I thoughthly enjoyed it. My sister is not reading it.
Average customer rating:
- Don't bother
- A must read for parents with grown children
- So, I am not alone....
- Disappointing
- false relationships
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Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents
Jane Isay
Manufacturer: Flying Dolphin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Interpersonal Relations
| Relationships
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Without a Map: A Memoir
ASIN: 0767920848
Release Date: 2007-03-27 |
Amazon.com
Jane Isay, the editor who discovered Mary Pipher's Reviving Ophelia and commissioned Rachel Simmons' Odd Girl Out, has written an insightful, compelling book about "the delicate lifelong bond between grown kids and their parents." Isay traveled across the country and interviewed nearly 75 people (including dozens of parents and grown children), and Walking on Eggshells shares moving stories that will help parents and grown children build strong new adult relationships with one another. We asked Po Bronson, author of Why Do I Love These People?, to read Isay's book and give us his take. Read his review below. --Daphne Durham
Guest Reviewer: Po Bronson
Po Bronson is the author of the brilliant bestseller What Should I Do with My Life?, the powerful and poignant Why Do I Love These People?, a hilarious novel called The Bombadiers, and The Nudist on the Late Shift, a collection of "true stories" about Silicon Valley.
When we tell family stories, we so often focus on the beginning and the end. The beginning is the two decades of our childhood and adolescence, and it's been the favorite narrative arc ever since Freud. What happens in your childhood does not stay in your childhood--it haunts the rest of your life. In the last decade, we've suddenly heard more stories of the end--narratives constructed around a parent's death, and often the year spent caring for that parent on their deathbed.
Because these are the conventional narratives, they often distract our attention from the many decades in between. We barely even have a terminology for these years--and the terms we employ sound like oxymorons: "Adult Children," "Parents of Adults." There's an old saying: you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. In the beginning this is true--we're in the care of our parents, like it or not. And in the ending this is also true--they're in our care, like it or not. But in the long middle, this isn't so true. The middle is a period where both child and parent can keep their distance, if they prefer. And often do, harboring resentment. We too often accept that this is just the way it is. "She's never going to change" is a common, fatalist refrain.
In Walking on Eggshells, Jane Isay shines a much-needed light on these years. With a graceful respect for the families she investigates, she tells their stories--how they lost their love, and how they regained it. Isay covers the many ways families develop resentment, and the many techniques they employed to make peace. She shows that small changes in routine can go a long way to restoring goodwill. But it's not a self-help book; it's more of a literary contemplation, and we learn more by inspiration than by emulation.
Though this book addresses the parents directly, I suspect it will be passed back and forth, between generations, in many a family. --Po Bronson
Book Description
On giving advice:
They Don’t Want It.
They Don’t Hear It.
They Resent It.
Don’t Give It.
We raise our children to be independent and lead fulfilling lives, but when they finally do, staying close becomes more complicated than ever. And for every bewildered mother who wonders why her children don’t call, there is a frustrated son or daughter who just wants to be treated like a grownup. Now, renowned editor Jane Isay delivers the perfect gift to both parents and their adult children—real-life wisdom and advice on how to stay together without falling apart.
Using extensive interviews with people from ages twenty-five to seventy, Isay shows that we’re far from alone in our struggles to make this new, adult relationship work. She offers up groundbreaking insights and deeply moving stories that will inspire those in even the toughest situations. Isay’s warmth and wit shine through on every page as she charts an invaluable course through the confusing, and often painful, interactions parents and children can face. Walking on Eggshells is the much-needed road map that will keep you connected to the people you love most.
Customer Reviews:
Don't bother.......2007-10-11
I can save you some money...there is little hope for having any kind of loving relationship with adult children unless you are willing to be a doormat.
A must read for parents with grown children.......2007-09-30
I have insisted to several friends that as parents of adult children, they too, MUST buy the book. I even bought extra copies myself and gave to relatives. It's a "keeper" in my library.
Thank you, Jane Isay for the shared revelations.
So, I am not alone...........2007-09-28
Just when I thought I was all alone in the "inapt Mother-in-law" category, I read the book with such relief!!! Alas, I have company!!!
Disappointing.......2007-09-10
This book makes some good points but didn't go deep enough to help me. I found "When Parents Hurt: Compassionate Strategies When You and Your Grown Child Don't Get Along" to be far more helpful because the author, Dr. Joshua Coleman, provides much more guidance for a range of situations and goes into much more depth for this very difficult problem.
false relationships.......2007-09-10
I was expecting more from this book than I got. The basic premise stated over and over is: Don't give advice, and hold your tongue. This seems to foster false and fake relationships. Would you want someone to "pretend" they adore you, when thet really can't stand you? I think most people want relationships that are true and real. I was hoping for a book with more advice on how to deal with specific situations, not just "keep everything to yourself" I was dissapointed in the author.
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- Theraplay: Helping Parents and Children Build Better Relationships Through Attachment-Based Play
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
- Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs: Official Companion Book to the Exhibition sponsored by National Geographic
- Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew
- Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason
- Waiting for Baby
- We're Different, We're the Same (Pictureback(R))
- What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful
- What to Expect the First Year, Second Ed
- What to Expect the First Year, Second Ed
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