Product: “GET REAL” and STOP Dieting!: Forget the Fads, Get the Facts and Feel Fabulous Discount.

List Price: $19.95

Amazon Price: $13.57
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on “GET REAL” and STOP Dieting!: Forget the Fads, Get the Facts and Feel Fabulous

Does it feel like you’ve tried every diet in the world? Are you overwhelmed by what IS and ISN’T healthy? In bestseller “GET REAL”and STOP Dieting!, Brett Blumenthal demystifies healthy eating with the five “Get Real” principles…founded in facts, not fads. Her simple framework is supplemented with The Get Real Toolkit, which makes implementing the principles easy and effective. The result? You will automatically shed excess pounds and, with surprising ease, maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime…without another day of dieting! You’ll also receive: – A “How-To” guide on reading nutrition labels – “No-Fail” grocery lists – Easy-to-reference portion sizes – Healthy substitutions for unhealthy ingredients – A list of preferred and reliable healthy brands – 40 Scrumptious recipes that make healthy eating delicious – Tips to live a healthy lifestyle beyond the plate Whether you are trying to lose weight or tweak your diet to be healthier, this book is your solution. It offers a no-nonsense approach to eating healthy that will be easy to maintain for the long-term.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4462 in Books
• Published on: 2009-10-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 156 pages

Great Book for Real People Trying to Live Healthy
I will admit that I was a bit skeptical about this book when it first came out. I follow Brett Blumenthal’s (the author) blog now and again as she has some really interesting articles about health and wellness. When I got her Newsletter announcing the book I was interested, but didn’t know if I a book like this would help me. I am a pretty simple guy, and don’t want to pay too much attention to my diet. I like to live healthy (exercise, no fast food, etc.) but I don’t want to count calories, or live on someone else food (or food suggestions). Having faith and interest in Brett’s work I decided to purchase a copy.

About 1/4 of the way through this book I found myself pleasantly surprised. This book is exactly as advertised. It is not some fly by night or prescriptive diet, but rather a set of simple rules to follow when making food and meal choices. Brett’s rules are easy to understand and implement in my life, and most importantly she did not tell me what to do. Rather she gave me straightforward rules to live by, which have significantly altered my choices. Whether I am looking at those Potato Chips at the gas station, or deciding on what bread to buy at the supermarket Brett’s advice continues to pop into my head and help me make better choices. Also, I have tried a number of the recipes (at the back of the book) now and they are great. I especially like the whole wheat calzones, and the whole wheat pancakes (if you get the chance to try either of them).

Since I have read this book a few weeks ago (and followed the rules in my own way) I have found that I have more energy, less extreme food cravings, and most importantly, I have lost 4 pounds. I look forward to following the “Get Real” rules, and continuing my weight loss.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is tired of the fad diets, or calorie counting plans. If you are a regular person who just wants to continue to live their normal life, but make better decisions, and feel healthier then this book is for you.

Great Straightforward Read!
Brett Blumenthal’s “GET REAL” and Stop Dieting eliminates much of the confusion and contradiction people hear about nutritional advice. By focusing on whole foods, fiber, lean proteins, and healthy fats, one can construct a gameplan to stay healthy. I learned some neat things — such as quinoa being a complete protein, and which fibers are soluble. She taught me that spices can often replace salt and sugar with relatively few calories. I like the preferred brands chapter an awful lot, because it allows the reader to find the best items easily in the grocery store. And for those of you who love to cook, Brett includes recipe for every meal as well as snacks and dessert. Now that I’ve read GET REAL and enjoyed it, I plan on keeping this book closeby to make sure I keep on track with my nutrition and weight-loss goals. I highly recommend this book!

Wonderful Book!!!
Brett Blumenthal her best cookbook “Get real and STOP DIETING”.. wow I know I needed to hear that! This book is unique in that it has many resources, tips and information for us women. For example, she tells us about good vs bad fats and omega 3’s. She also teaches us how to read labels. I need a front row seat for that class!! One of the chapters that grabbed my attention the most was the “NO FAIL grocery list, or should I say the PERFECT grocery list. I know it is out there, just never knew it actually existed. Each Section gives us examples of the perfect food for that section. Not just veggies, but Fibrous veggies, perfect veggies. The list of course speaks on fruits, grains and starchy carbohydrates, protein and diary, fats, and even spices. Brett speaks also on her favorite items and the prefect recipes for cooking, baking and condiments. This cookbook is not your typical cookbook by any standards, it instead is a guide to how we should see our food, learn from our foods, and make better choices with our foods. This book is one of my favorites and I can not wait to try some of the recipes. Get this wonderful cookbook for the person in your life that needs this wonderful knowledge that will lead them down the correct path with foods.

Product: Cracking the AP Psychology Exam, 2010 Edition College Test Preparation Lowest Price!

List Price: $18.00

Amazon Price: $12.24
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on Cracking the AP Psychology Exam, 2010 Edition College Test Preparation

If you’re planning to take the AP Psychology exam, then this guidebook from the Princeton Review has everything you need to prepare and score more. Cracking the AP Psychology Exam, 2010 Edition brings you:

•2 full-length AP Psychology practice tests with detailed explanations
•Helpful review section of essential subjects – sensation and perception, cognition, treatment of psychological disorders, and more
•Psychology Quizzes and test tips in sidebars
•Review questions in every chapter to self-test your AP practice
•A step-by-step guide to writing great, clear free-responses
•A handy index to help you navigate the AP Psychology book
•Charts and tables to help you order and remember related Psychology information

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1789 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-01
• Released on: 2009-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780375429484
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

A Worthwhile Investment
I bought the 2009 Edition of this book and used it to self-study for the AP Psychology Exam. Studying from this book, and nothing else (for only a couple weeks leading up to the test), I was able to confidently take the exam and score a 5. This “Cracking The AP…” series of books are very good overall, but I noticed the Psychology one to be particularly well organized and concise. They give you all the information you need and none that you don’t. I can attest that this book is all you need to get a 5 on the AP test.

Great book to help prepare for the AP test!
It looks just as described and should be a great asset to my daughter to help her pass the AP exam! Thanks! Andrea

Not to be missed
Princeton Review’s powerful AP Exam guides are many and are top picks for any reference library. They’ve updated some 17 guides to Advanced Placement tests and offer high school students fine study courses that include two full-length practice tests and reviews of the subject matter on the test. From BIOLOGY and CALCULUS AB AND BC to PSYCHOLOGY and STATISTICS and more, these are comprehensive guides not to be missed.

Compare & Purchase Mere Christianity at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $13.99

Amazon Price: $10.07

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Mere Christianity Description:

A forceful and accessible discussion of Christian belief that has become one of the most popular introductions to Christianity and one of the most popular of Lewis’s books. Uncovers common ground upon which all Christians can stand together.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1037 in Books
• Published on: 2001-02
• Released on: 2001-02-06
• Format: Deckle Edge
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 227 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780060652920
• Condition: USED – LIKE NEW
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews:

The defense of the faith
In his “Preface to Paradise Lost”, Lewis wrote the following:

“The first qualification for judging any piece of workmanship from a corkscrew to a cathedral is to know *what* it is – what it was intended to do and how it was meant to be used. After that has been discovered the temperance reformer may decide that the corkscrew was made for a bad purpose, and the communist may think the same about the cathedral. But such questions come later. The first thing is to understand the object before you: as long as you think the corkscrew was meant for opening tins or the cathedral for entertaining tourists you can say nothing to purpose about them.”

This is a splendid piece of writing, but the idea presented is no way an original one – Plato and Aristotle said the same, said it clearly, and said it over two thousand years before Lewis did. If you had been able to confront Lewis with this fact, he might have said “Exactly.”

This brings us to one of the great themes of Lewis’s writing, evident nowhere more so than in “Mere Christianity”: the defense of traditional wisdom against prejudice of our age that would reject it for no other reason than that it is traditional. Lewis often encountered those who complained that his ideas were old-fashioned, and his standard reply was that theirs would soon be as well, so in that they were equal. I admit I couldn’t help but smile at the complaint by one Amazon reviewer that Lewis’s ideas on sexuality were “decades old”. The complaint is quite mistaken: the ideas are not decades old but thousands of years old.

And it is here that we have part of the answer to the problem of understanding the kind of thing “Mere Christianity” is: it is nothing new. It is in fact very, very old. What Lewis is defending is not his own personal belief system, but the Christianity that is the common heritage of mankind. The threat to it comes not from hard-core atheists, who receive the barest of notices from Lewis, but the general modern tendency to subject traditional Christianity to the death of a thousand cuts – discarding one ancient doctrine after another, on grounds often no better than mere chronological snobbery – that modern people aren’t supposed to believe that kind of thing anymore

This is why Lewis, in what has been often described as the most important defense of Christianity in the twentieth century, spends a mere fifteen pages in arguing for the existence of God. The important task is not to defend a vague theism, which is the position Lewis found from experience that his audience already believed, but to rebuild what little of traditional Christianity modernism has left them – some vague belief in “a higher power”, and “some purpose to all of this” into that concrete set of specific beliefs that are the historical core of Christianity.

While the defense of historical Christianity is one part of understanding what “Mere Christianity” is, the other part is that it is intended to be accessible to anyone. This requires that Lewis be both clear and brief – a combination brutally difficult to achieve, as any writer who has attempted it will attest.

Lewis’s success in this can be measured in two ways: first, that his work has indeed found a very wide readership – millions of have read it; second, his work is often recommended by those whose knowledge of traditional Christian theology is broad and deep. The size of the readership attests to the accessibility of the work, and the expert recommendations attest to the accuracy of its message.

There is one other thing that is important to note about Lewis’s success: Lewis could afford to be brief because what he was explaining was not his own theology, but our common intellectual inheritance. The reader who is dissatisfied with the depth of this or that point in “Mere Christianity” will have no difficulty in finding sources that go into the same thing in much greater detail. Calvin wrote line-by-line commentaries on all of scripture. Thomas Aquinas’s “Summa Theologica” is over 6,000 pages long. The collected works of Augustine fill more than 40 volumes.

So, to return to the question with which this review began: what kind of thing is “Mere Christianity”? The answer is that it is a brief exposition of traditional Christianity for a modern audience. In the sixty years since it was published, the nature of the modernist challenge to Christianity has not substantially changed, nor has a clearer, more accessible response to that challenge yet been written. Some have complained that the work has “gaps” or that it skims over this or that point, but that is a complaint that fails to understand what kind of thing this is. What they are asking for, whether they know it or not, is a completely different book. Properly evaluated, on the basis of the kind of thing it is, it is trivially easy to give the highest recommendation to “Mere Christianity”: it is on a topic of the greatest possible importance and the presentation is outstanding.

A Great Simplistic View of A Complex Subject
After reading several books on a similar topic that did nothing but confuse me, I was glad that I came upon C.S. Lewis’s work. All of the other books about the existence of God are way off in their own world, and discourage anyone who feels lost in their ideas about God. This book really explained the reasons that God must exist, and then moved on to easily describe the major beliefs of Christians, without leaving anyone out in the cold on what the key issues actually are. This book is perfect for the agnostic, the atheist, and even the Christian that wants to know the logical and simple reasons that C.S. Lewis came to be a Christian. Over and over, his words made me see even the simplest concepts of religion in a completely new light. I was greatly impressed and have already read this book multiple times.

Infinite stars for a book of eternal wisdom!
C. S. Lewis rejects the boundaries that divide Christianity’s many denominations. While religious belief is not a concern for some, to many more it is an extremely serious decision, requiring deep thought and the entire energy of the mind.

In Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis leads all the Christian religions to common ground. This book is in fact a defense of the beliefs common to all Christians at all times. Originally, these ideas were contained in three separate books. Prior to 1943 they were only heard as informal radio broadcasts. This is why you will see colloquialisms used and the conversational style of the writing.

When you read C. S. Lewis’ work, you can hear his voice. Sometimes I forget I am reading. Like a friend with a cup of coffee in hand, he sits across from us. He then leads us up a ladder of logical thinking. He starts on the lowest step and gives us confidence to climb the next step. He guides us through an incredible thought process to a conclusion, which is perhaps so logical it becomes irrevocable truth.

If you were to fall off a real ladder, your body would simply be obeying the laws of Gravity. He brilliantly explains how there is an eternal Law of Human Nature. This is the law of how mankind “ought” to behave in order to maintain a safe and happy society where everyone plays fair. Unfortunately, we all know how our society has failed to practice this law in all aspects of life.

If you want a definition for this law it can only be “morals.” A word from which many reel, as if a light was shining brightly in their eyes. To others: it is a light by which they see the path they walk through life. C. S. Lewis divides morality into three main sections: the actions, reasons behind the actions and why man was created. When you realize that different beliefs about the universe can make us behave differently; you can then make some compelling arguments in favor of Christianity.

C. S. Lewis was an atheist (as was my father once and his writing reminds me of a conversation with my father for some reason, perhaps they came to some of the same conclusions) who later became a Christian. He is perhaps one of the most qualified individuals to discuss a universe at war, for the idea of atheism and Christianity could not be more diametrically opposed.

“Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance.” –C. S. Lewis

Like a voice from the grave (he passed away in 1963), C. S. Lewis speaks as if this message was for the year 2000. I read this work 53 years after it was written and the truths are still eternal. Good and Evil are perhaps the oldest concept we know of. I found it interesting when he pointed out that without good, evil would not exist. That good allows evil to occur. For example: selfishness is undesirable, while unselfishness is desirable. The basis for this is founded in some deep religious beliefs. He explains how this all relates to the moral laws of nature.

I enjoyed his discussion of the Theological Virtues (Faith/Hope/Charity) and the Cardinal (pivotal) Virtues (Prudence/Temperance/Justice/Fortitude). His chapter on the issue of “Pride” (the most evil of all vices) also shows how “power” is what pride wants.

“There is nothing that makes a man feel more superior to others as being able to move them about like toy soldiers.” –C. S. Lewis

Through this book, you will gain a greater understanding of what holds us all together, what makes us responsible to one another. You may even conclude that those who find morals threatening, may in fact be the largest threat to a civilized society. If we all had morals we would simply have a safer environment to thrive and be happy in. It is simply the way you look at it.

Mere Christianity is one of the most thought provoking books I have ever read to date! If you are at all interested in the logical basis for Christianity, this book goes to the depths of thought and reveals the essence of the beliefs behind the beliefs. This book becomes perfume, which completely seduces your soul.

For Christians, it will be a reminder of the truth you hold dear and a reminder of our eternal life. For those who love the Narnia Chronicles, page 146 gives you an insight into the “time factor.” (The children in the story can leave the material world and when they return, time never changes.)

One of my favorite quotes from Mere Christianity:

” When it (Christianity) tells you to feed the hungry it does not give you a lesson in cookery.” –C. S. Lewis, page 79

On page 87 you will also find a beautiful passage. It is my all-time favorite passage to explain LIFE! It is a must read.

This book will put your brain in gear and send you on a drive to enlightenment. I intend to read every one of Lewis’ books. His work is deep, yet understandable. Eternally Recommended.

C. S. Lewis is my all-time favorite author. I was first introduced to his writing as a very young child in second grade. It was then that I fell in love with his writing. Through the Narnia Chronicles, C.S. Lewis weaves the morals and beliefs children need to learn.

I recommend Mere Christianity for non-Christians and Christians. For all children, The Chronicles of Narnia will enlighten them and they will never forget the stories! I also reviewed the set. They are the most magical stories a child can read. Mere Christianity is perhaps the most brilliant explanation for Christian beliefs any adult can read.

~The Rebecca Review

Amazon.com Review
In 1943 Great Britain, when hope and the moral fabric of society were threatened by the relentless inhumanity of global war, an Oxford don was invited to give a series of radio lectures addressing the central issues of Christianity. Over half a century after the original lectures, the topic retains it urgency. Expanded into book form, Mere Christianity never flinches as it sets out a rational basis for Christianity and builds an edifice of compassionate morality atop this foundation. As Mr. Lewis clearly demonstrates, Christianity is not a religion of flitting angels and blind faith, but of free will, an innate sense of justice and the grace of God.

From Library Journal
The late Lewis, Oxford professor, scholar, author, and Christian apologist, presents the listener with a case for orthodox Christianity. This is definitely not the shouting, stomping, sweating, spitting televangelist fare so often parodied; Lewis employs logical arguments that are eloquently expressed. He describes those doctrines that the four major denominations in Britain (Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic) would have in common, e.g., original sin, the transcendent Creator God, and the divinity of Jesus as well as his atonement and bodily resurrection. Geoffrey Howard reads both works, and his performance is superb; he is clear and unhurried, giving just the right emphasis and/or inflection. The volume on the Blackstone edition is recorded at a higher level than HarperAudio’s. Otherwise there were no perceived differences in the recordings. If your institution can afford it, the Blackstone production would be preferred because of its sturdy case and the announcement of side changes. Whether or not one agrees with Lewis’s arguments, it is a pleasure to hear such a skillful reading of an eloquent work. Public libraries as well as institutions that teach religion/theology or speech should consider. Michael T. Fein, Central Virginia Community Coll., Lynchburg
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
“As we witness Lewis develop we find that these volumes are working as a kind of unconscious autobiography.” — Books & Culture

“C.S. Lewis is the ideal persuader for the half-convinced, for the good man who…finds his intellect getting in the way.” — Anthony Burgess, New York Times Book Review

“I read Lewis for comfort and pleasure many years ago, and a glance into the books revives my old admiration.” — John Updike

“As we witness Lewis develop we find that these volumes are working as a kind of unconscious autobiography.” (Books & Culture )

Compare & Purchase Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $14.99

Amazon Price: $10.19

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage Description:

With his characteristic warmth and humor, Dr. Kevin Leman offers a practical guide to sex according to God’s plan. This frank and practical book is a perfect resource for married and engaged couples. Now in softcover.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1014 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780842360241
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews:

A Marriage Must!
This title is the first one I have read by Dr. Kevin Leman. I am so impressed with him and his humorous, helpful style that he will likely be on my list of favorite authors. Leman’s personality comes through strong in this volume about married life, laughter, and the language of love.

I read this book first, and then my wife was so intrigued by my interest that she read it as well. My wife is normally not a reader of non-fiction, but this title held her attention to the very end. Both of us later described this volume by remarking, “This guy is so right on target with his description of what makes men/women tick!”

Leman is a devout Christian, and as such remains within biblical guidelines in his sexual advice. He definitely is NOT however, puritanical by any means. He describes sex in marriage as a gift from God to be thoroughly enjoyed, not as a necessary evil to be endured.

For years as a pastor I’ve recommended one other particular title to newlyweds as an “all-you-wanted-to-know-about-sex-but-was-afraid-to-ask” book. I am so impressed that this title will now replace it. Buy it for your marriage, read it in your marriage, and learn even more about this wondrous gift God has provided!

This book will save your marriage!
This is truly the most incredible marriage book I have ever read! Dr. Leman is just so right-on about what makes men tick and what drives them sexually (and its more in-depth than one would think!). It made me realize that men are not just after the sex, per se, but the intimate connection that sex provides for a couple. He has such incredible insight about the role of sex in a marriage and he backs it all up biblically – making sex within marriage not just right, but mandated by God! Christians and non-Christians alike will appreciate his insight into what makes men and women tick (its scary how well he gets inside a womans mind AND body) and this book would benefit any marriage having difficulties of any kind, or even none at all. Finding the common ground on sex can be so difficult – just the introduction of this book cleared up so many issues in my mind. I can’t begin to say how highly I recommend this book to everyone – I am just so thankful to Dr. Leman for such a clear look into the mind of my husband!

A Stirring Classic — Encore!
Psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Kevin Leman pulls back the sheets on the scintillating subject of sexual intimacy in his latest book, SHEET MUSIC. While it’s a return of sorts to the territory that he covered in SEX BEGINS IN THE KITCHEN, Leman uncovers much more ground in this revealing look at the secrets to connubial bliss.

“It’s not just a how-to-do-it manual,” writes Leman. “This is more of a do-it-yourself look at why to do it and how to do it better.” With his trademark wit and wisdom, Leman offers couples no-nonsense guidance for creating and keeping a satisfying sexual relationship.

The provocative primer includes 31 ideas for sensual surprises, including a racy recipe for creating a chocolate bath complete with whipped cream. Also included for readers are helpful suggestions for identifying and satisfying not only the needs but also the desires of their spouses.

“One of the most loving and holy things you can do in marriage is to provide a sexually fulfilling pursuit of your husband or wife,” Leman writes. “Therefore without apology, this is the most explicit book I’ve ever written. Probably everybody will be offended by at least one thing I say in this book.”

Leman confesses that the book was the hardest to write of the 25 titles he’s written to date and even goes so far as to include a brief note to readers, admitting that part of what is included in the book may be too forward for some. For readers in premarital counseling specifically, he suggests saving the second half of the book for the honeymoon.

In the chapter titled “A Very Special Connection,” Leman addresses several of the more common sexual positions and even some of the not-so-common ones. Later in the book, he is supportive of oral sex, devoting an entire chapter to “Oral Delights.”

Throughout the book, Leman stresses the need to consider the appetites of one’s spouse and suggests never coercing them into any type of sex act unwillingly. The law of love is to rule in the bedroom as much as any place else, he maintains.

Arguably somewhat graphic in places for a Christian sex guide, the book nevertheless excels at confronting unhealthy sexual inhibitions in the name of liberating couples’ God-given passions for their own good.

While not for the faint of heart, SHEET MUSIC is a much-needed resource for recovering sexual intimacy in marriage. Leman has composed a stirring classic, moving readers to create beautiful music together. Encore!

— Reviewed by Sean Fowlds

About the Author
Dr. Kevin Leman, an internationally known psychologist, radio and television personality, and speaker, has taught and entertained audiences worldwide with his wit and commonsense psychology. The best-selling and award-winning author has made house calls for hundreds of radio and television programs, including The View with Barbara Walters, Today, Oprah, CBS’s The Early Show, Live with Regis Philbin, CNN’s American Morning, and LIFE Today with James Robison. Dr. Leman has served as a contributing family psychologist to Good Morning America. He is the founder and president of Couples of Promise, an organization designed and committed to helping couples remain happily married. Dr. Leman and his wife, Sande, live in Tucson. They have five children.

Compare & Purchase A Lineage of Grace Christian Softcover Originals at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $16.99

Amazon Price: $11.55

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

A Lineage of Grace Christian Softcover Originals Description:

In this compilation of the five books in the best-selling Lineage of Grace series by Francine Rivers, we meet the five women whom God chose—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Each was faced with extraordinary—even scandalous—challenges. Each took great personal risk to fulfill her calling. Each was destined to play a key role in the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1556 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 560 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780842356329
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews:

Amazing!
These are amazing stories told by an incredible author. Rivers makes the Bible more understandable and interesting to women through this book. It is beautifully written and draws you to the heart of God more and more each day. The scripture and questions at the end of each “book” are great for individual devotions or Bible studies. They are great to dive deeper into the Bible for further understanding and application. This is a must-have, along with any other Francine Rivers books. My favorite–Redeeming Love.

Biblical characters come alive
These books really brought this women of the Bible alive. Although they lived in very different times and faced different physical and social challenges than women of today, their spiritual and emotional lives were much like ours. My favorite was Mary’s story. The mother-son relationship between her and Jesus was much like that of other loving mothers and sons, yet all the time she recognized He was the Messiah.

Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers
In Lineage of Grace we follow Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary through their lives as they are each intricately woven into the Lineage of Christ. Tamar shows the story of a woman betrayed, yet a woman determined to do what is right in the eyes of God. Rahab, a harlot, shows that no matter the sin God can still do wonderful things in each of our lives. Ruth, a love story of epic proportions…we see love given from daughter-in-law to mother-in-law, but we also see love shown from man to woman as Ruth takes her rightful place as the wife of Boaz. With Bathsheba, we again see how God can turn a sin into something that is for His glory, if only the participants are willing. And finally with Mary we get an interpretive look into the live of Jesus’ mother and the struggles she went through watching her son, who she knew to be the Christ, grow up and be rejected by a world that was supposedly waiting for his arrival. We see with Mary how God can take the most illogical person to be someone that is important to His plan.

This book, Lineage of Grace, is a compilation of 5 separate books written by Francine Rivers several years ago. Each book (then called Unveiled, Unashamed, Unshaken, Unspoken, and Unafraid) included a section at the end called “Seek and Find” where the reader could take a deeper look at the Scriptures pertaining to each story. There were questions to consider and ideas to ponder in order to gain a better understanding of the story itself, but also of how the story and the Scriptures might apply to the reader’s spiritual life. Thankfully, the “Seek and Find” sections are included in this new publication as well! Granted, each book is a fictional expansion of what the Bible gives to us, with Rivers using her imagination to add details. But the details added are historically accurate and do not take away from the basic story told within the Scripture. Rivers simply takes the verses from the Bible and puts the story into `real life’ for the reader to gain a better understanding of what it might have been like to actually live that life.

I read this set of books when they first came out and loved them…but I gained new meaning and learned different things reading them again. They are easy to read and are the kind of book a person could read every few years and gain something new from them each time. Francine Rivers did an excellent job in her research for these books and in writing them. I look forward to reading her other series based on men of the Bible called “Sons of Encouragement.”

Compare & Purchase Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $13.95

Amazon Price: $7.55

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules Description:

The highly anticipated sequel to the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling book!

Secrets have a way of getting out, especially when a diary is involved.

Whatever you do, don’t ask Greg Heffley how he spent his summer vacation, because he definitely doesn’t want to talk about it.

As Greg enters the new school year, he’s eager to put the past three months behind him . . . and one event in particular.

Unfortunately for Greg, his older brother, Rodrick, knows all about the incident Greg wants to keep under wraps. But secrets have a way of getting out . . . especially when a diary is involved.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules chronicles Greg’s attempts to navigate the hazards of middle school, impress the girls, steer clear of the school talent show, and most important, keep his secret safe.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #107 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780810994737
• Condition: USED – VERY GOOD
• Notes:

Customer Reviews:

Is that GREAT or what?
I think Jeff Kinney hit the BullsEye with the Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I first read some of it at the internet. However it did not take me long to figure out that I had to have a hard copy of this book. Once I got it, I read it from start to finish and was unable to put it down until the end. It is THAT hilarious! The writing by itself is good and the cartoons make all that even better! And I am not the only one to love it. Since the time I got it, my book is being borrowed again and again by all my friends. In fact, I haven’t seen it myself for long. It is just being passed from one friend to another. And we are all waiting for the next book in the Wimpy Kid series. I don’t have an older brother. But although Greg seems to be complaining a lot about his brother Roderick, I wish I could get all this kind of troubles that Greg gets with Roderick. Life would be that much more interesting!!!!

Another series that we all cannot get enough of is Why Some Cats are Rascals ( Book 3). We are all looking forward to book 4 in the series, It is actually a diary of a naughty cat, believe or not.

Jeff Kinney Strikes Again! PYP Funny!
In his latest book, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES, Jeff Kinney nearly put me into the hospital. That man is going to have serious medical bills to pay if this keeps up. I almost busted a gut laughing out loud and almost aspirated my Diet Dr Pepper on a few occasions. And, yes, I hold him completely responsible.

If not for Kinney’s dry wit, keen insight into the lives of elementary school boys (especially their rationalization for EVERYTHING), and fantastic line drawing on nearly every page, I wouldn’t have had so many close brushes with death in his latest book. But he put me there time and time again. Even when I thought I had things figured out (because I was once an elementary school boy with a wild imagination without a governor), Jeff would throw a wrinkle at me that I didn’t see coming. He ambushed me with regularity throughout the pages.

But it’s not just me that Jeff has his merciless sights on. He’s taking out EVERYBODY. My wife teaches elementary school and Jeff’s books are all the rage among the students. I have to admit to adding to that bonfire because I talk about his books all the time (and I have to admit that I haven’t quite become the responsible adult either, because I’ll rile my wife’s fourth grade class up and take my leave–taking her out to dinner usually gets me off the hook and my cool points go up with the kids).

Parents have become interested in the books and I’ve told them they need to keep up with what their kids are reading. After all, they’re supposed to be responsible parents. (I, myself, have been known to buy extra copies of Jeff’s books and give out as gifts – some parents have accused me of inciting subversion, but I point out that Jeff’s first book was a NEW YORK TIMES bestseller and that is a far better recommendation than I could ever make. Except the TIMES doesn’t give away Jeff’s books as gifts that I know of. That’s why they hold me more accountable.)

But when I recommend the books to parents, I issue a stern warning. I call it the PYP warning. I especially give it to pregnant mothers and people with weak bladders who read in public places. PYP is Pee Your Pants. The books are just that funny. You’re reading along, and the next thing you know, WHAM! — you’re laughing so hard you’re peeing your pants.

The funniest thing about Jeff’s humor, and the life of his main character, Greg Heffley, is that everything in the book COULD BE COMPLETELY TRUE. Speaking from experience, a lot of what’s between those pages has been true. But I’m not going to incriminate myself now when I got away with those things all those years ago. And there should be some kind of time statute on most of them. I still don’t want my mom to know, however.

Greg is THE man when it comes to taking a boring day and turning it upside down. People who underestimate the creativity of a bored child are simply asking for trouble. Nuclear war pales by comparison.

And Greg has an excuse – or a rationalization – for everything he does. Worse than that, half the time I get sucked in and totally buy into his point of view. Because, upon occasion, that point of view has been mine as well (or at least my defense). That’s where Jeff’s magic truly lies: he’s never lost touch with his inner child. And boy, his wife must be mad and his kids must be terrified!

In this second book, I was totally blown away yet again. Greg is a middle kid, which means that his life is made miserable from both ends of the spectrum – from his older brother Rodrick and his younger brother Manny. Rodrick is the sulky teen with a band called Loded Diper. And their music stinks, so they’re appropriately named. Manny is three and gets into all of Greg’s stuff.

I love how Jeff sets something up in the books and continues to play off of it at appropriate times. His sense of pacing is fantastic. The work of “art” Manny creates out of toothpicks and aluminum foil is great, and I’ve seen that done, actually. Greg’s mom tells Greg he should keep it around and he does – until it impales Greg’s semi-best friend Rowley.

Another sequence in the book focuses on Greg’s ringleader abilities. Kids will follow anyone with a semi-great idea. Or at least one that will bring pain or embarrassment to another kid. See, Greg is NOT hero material. At least, not yet. He does show some potential, but it’s really far into the future.

One of those ideas involved making believe one of the other kids didn’t exist. Following Greg’s lead, the rest of the class pretends the kid doesn’t exist so much that Greg gets called into the principal’s office, then gets read the riot act by his parents.

I loved when Greg gets involved in the role-playing game Magic and Monsters and his mom becomes concerned. She decides to show up and play with them. And her rules don’t involve all the violence and bloodshed all the kids are used to enjoying. Worst of all, some of Greg’s friends start liking the way his mom plays!

Another instance is when the parents leave for a weekend trip and put Rodrick in charge. They’re no sooner gone than Rodrick is on the phone calling people over for a party. Madness ensues. A door gets painted with permanent marker. Rodrick gets Greg to help him change out doors so the parents don’t find out. Later, when they’re punished, Rodrick says he’s going to study the effects of decompression of the spine suffered by astronauts during prolonged weightlessness. He does this by sacking out on the couch and sleeping all the time while he’s grounded.

If you want, you can even read the books for free on the internet. Just go to Funbrain-dot-com to read them. One of the most interesting things about Jeff’s books is that they’re given away for free and STILL sold enough to make it to the top of the NEW YORKS TIMES BESTSELLER bestseller list.

You see, Jeff wants everyone to read his books that wants to. However, kids want books they can hold in their hands, share with friends, and put on a shelf. Plus, it’s kind of hard to take your computer and internet along when you’re stuck in the car on a family trip or out with a parent at a doctor’s appointment or a shopping spree.

One of the best features about Jeff’s books after you put them in your kids’ hands is that you don’t have to worry about batteries going dead. They’re kid powered: fueled by imagination and driven by humor. They’re good for the environment. Except for that whole PYP warning.

Jeff’s books are hilarious. I just can’t recommend them enough. Call me subversive if you want.

The Perils of Middle School in a Diary Format
He did it again. Jeff Kinney has taken the ups and downs of middle school, friendship, parents and brothers and turned them into a wonderful diary-novel complete with pictures. It’s a nonstop read. I laughed so hard and the characters stay with you long after you put the book down. This is a great book for reluctant readers. The best news, there is a third diary on the way!!!!

From Booklist
Greg Heffley is back, and with him the trappings that made his first outing, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007), such a popular triumph. Once again diarist Greg chronicles a hilarious litany of problems, alternating between home and school, focusing this time on the particular punishments of his reprobate older brother, Rodrick. Whether Greg is suffering on the swim team or trying out for the K–12  school talent show as Magician’s Assistant to a First Grader, his escapades are united by his struggle to avoid embarrassment. As before, he peppers his journal entries with his own cartoons (in look and tone, a sort of hybrid of The Simpsons and the Timbertoes), using them as any 12-year-old would—to add insult to injury. But the real and deeper appeal of Greg’s story is the unapologetic honesty of his adolescence; he comes across as a real kid, and his story is one that will appeal to all those real kids who feel just like him. Grades 5-8. –Thom Barthelmess

About the Author

Jeff Kinney is an online game developer and designer and is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Jeff lives in southern Massachusetts with his wife, Julie, and their two sons, Will and Grant.

]]> http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/24/diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-rodrick-rules-discount/feed/ 0 http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/23/will-grayson-will-grayson-discount/ http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/23/will-grayson-will-grayson-discount/#comments Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:46:19 +0000 chase4051028 http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/23/will-grayson-will-grayson-discount/

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Product: Will Grayson, Will Grayson Discount.

List Price: $17.99

Amazon Price: $10.79
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on Will Grayson, Will Grayson

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #543 in Books
• Published on: 2010-04-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780525421580
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

WhatMissKelleyIsReading: bookitty.typepad.com
Will Grayson (the straight one), has two simple rules: Don’t care too much and shut up. His best friend Tiny Cooper (”he may be the world’s largest person who is really, really gay, and also the world’s gayest person who is really, really large.”) breaks these rules constantly. He seems to fall in love hourly, and he never stops talking. Will, who appears to just go through the motions of his life, follows reluctantly in Tiny’s wake, and finds his social world expanding when he agrees to become the only straight guy in the school’s Gay Straight Alliance.

will grayson (the gay one), is isolated from everyone. He hates his friends and is emotionally shut off from everyone except his Internet boyfriend, Isaac. When will grayson heads to Chicago to meet Isaac on the same night that Will Grayson and Tiny Cooper are there for a music show, their lives and friendships change in unpredictable ways.

The first thing about this book is that it is laugh out loud funny. Not lol funny, which will grayson would hate, but laugh so loud the neighbors probably hear you funny. Initially the wit is restricted to the Will Grayson chapters, but as the novel continues, even will grayson experiences a little humor. I could quote endlessly from this book since there are so many sections that are hilarious.

Another thing to know is that the novel alternates between Will Grayson and will grayson. Will Grayson’s chapters are more conventional, both in style and in structure, while will grayson uses no capitals and is very closed off. These chapters are will’s stream of consciousness interspersed with excerpts from chats with Issac. Initially these chapters are harder to get through and understand, but as the novel progresses and will opens up they become easier to read.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson falls under the genre contemporary realistic fiction, and yet there is just a touch of magic to it. The characters in this book aren’t perfect; they fail each other, and they fail themselves, but ultimately they get back up and try again. Male friendship gets the attention in this novel that I haven’t seen anywhere else, and both Will and will interact with their parents in ways that are realistic and moving. There are no villains here, just as there aren’t many villains in real life. There are simply people who do the wrong thing, who get scared and make mistakes, who let their friends down and then try to pick them back up.

I loved this book. It’s as good as anything that I’ve read this year, and I’m probably going to force everyone I know to read it. This is definitely a book for the keeper shelf.

Once more, with feeling!
Will Grayson has been Tiny Cooper’s best friend since elementary school. Tiny is, according to Will, “the world’s largest person who is really, really gay” and constantly falling in and out of love–and dragging Will with him everywhere. When his latest attempt to hook Will up with a girl fails, Will meets Will Grayson, another teen who is depressed and discouraged. Both Wills make an effort not to feel too much in life, but are changed after meeting, and continue to change as Tiny puts on his extravagant and fabulous autobiographical musical, “Tiny Dancer”, culminating in an unforgettable and powerful night.

John Green and David Levithan have created a very unique, surprising, and downright hilarious novel. The book is told in alternating chapters, and it’s very easy to distinguish which point of view each author is writing from. Their characters are so different, but at the same time the book is very cohesive and engaging. Green’s Will is a lot like some of his previous characters: funny, self-deprecating, and a bit nerdy and self conscious, but he is a terrific friend and an honest person. Levithan’s Will is a bit darker. He is lonely and depressed, and it’s evident throughout most of the book that he is hurting and doesn’t know how to be himself, or even be happy. Each Will possesses his own authentic voice, and the chapters flow seamless together, playing off each other well with Tiny as a good (albeit a little self-centered) central character.

The plot is complex, and the change in each Will may be gradual as each one sorts out their own myriad of problems and issues, but the journey is funny, rough, and best of all, smart (for example, Schrondinger’s cat is used as an extended metaphor throughout much of the book). Will Grayson, Will Grayson is brilliant and intelligent read about love, appreciation, and feeling with an unflinching and bold style that many teens will appreciate.

Cover Comments: I really like this cover! It is very fitting that since there is a musical in the book there is a spotlight on the cover, and the perspective is different. The font is also pretty cool–I like how some of the letters of the title run into each other. This is just a really excellent cover!

Powerhouse of Awesome
I’ve been waiting for this book to come out since it was announced. Some background on my reading history: I love all of John Green’s books and I love what I’ve read of David Levithan. So, naturally, I had high hopes for this awesome collision of genius.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is the story of two guys named Will Grayson: they are not related, they have close to nothing in common, and neither, in fact, knows that the other one exists. That is, until their volatile meeting in the middle of this book. In a porn store. In life-crumbling circumstances.

As usual with these two authors, the characters are realistically crafted and easy to relate to. There were times throughout the story that I felt myself nodding in sympathy or feeling vindictive hatred for the unfortunately dead-on portrayal of selfishness and angst that’s common in most high school teenagers. What I love about these characters is that they are decidedly fluid individuals who learn life lessons and cry and hope and dissect situations to ridiculous extremes and hold grudges and appreciate love and friendship. This is the kind of book that reminds you what a coming of age tale is supposed to be.

My favorite character was Tiny Cooper. If I had to choose my favorite Will Grayson, I would choose Tiny Cooper. He was just that awesome. Tiny is the very large, very gay, and very fabulous best friend of John Green’s Will Grayson. He has received funding from the student council in order to put on a musical he wrote himself called Tiny Dancer–which is, of course, all about Tiny Cooper. He is the show stealer of the book.

On the opposite end of the character spectrum, I never felt much of a connection with Jane, the love interest of John Green’s Will Grayson. This is probably because I’ve come to expect much of John Green’s girls. I was infatuated with Alaska Young and Margo was a fantastic multi-dimensional character. I had the same sort of problem with Jane as I did with the heroine of An Abundance of Katherines–I just never fell in love with her.

As for Levithan, I’m still pondering why he chose to write his portion using no capitals. I like to think that it’s because his Will Grayson is just too apathetic to care about using a shift key. Authors trying to be innovative with the stylizing their narrative is usually a hit or miss for me. In Levithan’s case, the innovation wasn’t so over the top that it became pretentious, which–and I’m not naming any names–tends to happen.

For what’s it worth, I have absolutely no regrets for paying the twenty dollar price for this book. John Green and David Levithan are a witty powerhouse of a team and I hope that they decide to do more work together in the future. I recommend Will Grayson, Will Grayson to all fans of humorous, romantic, intelligent coming of age tales.

]]> http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/23/will-grayson-will-grayson-discount/feed/ 0 http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/22/hotel-on-the-corner-of-bitter-and-sweet-sale-10-20/ http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/22/hotel-on-the-corner-of-bitter-and-sweet-sale-10-20/#comments Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:16:02 +0000 chase4051028 http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/22/hotel-on-the-corner-of-bitter-and-sweet-sale-10-20/

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Product: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Sale-$10.20!

List Price: $15.00

Amazon Price: $10.20
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

“Sentimental, heartfelt….the exploration of Henry’s changing relationship with his family and with Keiko will keep most readers turning pages…A timely debut that not only reminds readers of a shameful episode in American history, but cautions us to examine the present and take heed we don’t repeat those injustices.”– Kirkus Reviews

“A tender and satisfying novel set in a time and a place lost forever, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war–not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people. Especially relevant in today’s world, this is a beautifully written book that will make you think. And, more importantly, it will make you feel.”
– Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain

“Jamie Ford’s first novel explores the age-old conflicts between father and son, the beauty and sadness of what happened to Japanese Americans in the Seattle area during World War II, and the depths and longing of deep-heart love. An impressive, bitter, and sweet debut.”
– Lisa See, bestselling author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

In the opening pages of Jamie Ford’s stunning debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol.

This simple act takes old Henry Lee back to the 1940s, at the height of the war, when young Henry’s world is a jumble of confusion and excitement, and to his father, who is obsessed with the war in China and having Henry grow up American. While “scholarshipping” at the exclusive Rainier Elementary, where the white kids ignore him, Henry meets Keiko Okabe, a young Japanese American student. Amid the chaos of blackouts, curfews, and FBI raids, Henry and Keiko forge a bond of friendship–and innocent love–that transcends the long-standing prejudices of their Old World ancestors. And after Keiko and her family are swept up in the evacuations to the internment camps, she and Henry are left only with the hope that the war will end, and that their promise to each other will be kept.

Forty years later, Henry Lee is certain that the parasol belonged to Keiko. In the hotel’s dark dusty basement he begins looking for signs of the Okabe family’s belongings and for a long-lost object whose value he cannot begin to measure. Now a widower, Henry is still trying to find his voice–words that might explain the actions of his nationalistic father; words that might bridge the gap between him and his modern, Chinese American son; words that might help him confront the choices he made many years ago.

Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an extraordinary story of commitment and enduring hope. In Henry and Keiko, Jamie Ford has created an unforgettable duo whose story teaches us of the power of forgiveness and the human heart.

From the Hardcover edition.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #156 in Books
• Published on: 2009-10-06
• Released on: 2009-10-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780345505347
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

One of my favorite books ever
I was excited to read this book because I knew it was set in Seattle during the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and that’s a time period that has always interested me. I expected an interesting trip through history, but what I got was so, so much more than that.

Henry Lee is still mourning the death of his wife when he learns that the belongings of Japanese Americans hidden in the basement of Seattle’s Panama Hotel for decades have been discovered. Henry is drawn to the basement, and what he’s searching for there opens a door he thought he had closed forever. The story switches back and forth between 1986 and the 1940s, when a 12-year-old Henry attending an American school (he’s “scholarshipping” as his father likes to say) meets another international student working in the school kitchen. Keiko is Japanese American, the enemy according to Henry’s father, but the two become best friends before her family is imprisoned in one of the relocation camps.

This book does a phenomenal job exploring the history and attitudes of this time period, and Ford’s portrayal of Seattle’s ethnic neighborhoods is amazing. But really, the thing that pulled me into this novel the most was the richness of the relationships — Henry and Keiko, Henry and his father, Henry’s mother and his father, and Henry and his own son. HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET looks at the best and worst of human relationships, the way we regard others, the way we find ourselves reenacting our relationships with our parents with our own children, the choices we make along the way. Mostly, though, this book reminds us that there is always room — and time — for forgiveness and redemption.

I finished this book in tears, moved by the people who came to life so vividly in this story and sad that it had to end at all. HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET is a perfect, perfect choice for book clubs or for anyone craving a compelling story about human nature at its worst and at its best. An amazing, amazing book. It will be one of your favorites, I can almost promise.

A story of hope
As I wipe my teary eyes, I am amazed at the extraordinary journey I have just experienced reading Jamie Ford’s “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.”

The hotel is the Panama Hotel, an old dilapidated landmark in Seattle. It’s 1986 and 56-year-old Henry Lee is among the onlookers who witness the unveiling of recently discovered belongings left in the basement of the hotel by Japanese families in the 1940s. To Henry, however, the trunks, suitcases and crates and their contents are not just mere curiosities or historical artifacts. For him, they bring remembrances of the World War II years, of being twelve years old and trying to fit in an all-white school while following Chinese cultural traditions at home; of being Asian and his father’s dread that he would be confused with the enemy, the Japanese. Most importantly, they bring back memories of a special friendship with Keiko, the only other kid of Asian ethnicity in school.

As Ford deftly switches the narrative from 1986 to the 1940s and vice versa, the readers are taken through a remarkable story that is both sweet and poignant. For me, it brought history to life. All too often we forget that behind the numbers, there were individuals and lives that were deeply affected by the fear, the uncertainty and the hatred. I confess that there were many moments that I was on the verge of tears, such as when young Henry looks on Japanese American families burning their personal belongings for fear that they would be accused of cooperating with Japan or when Keiko and Henry witness the “evacuation” of Bainbridge Island. I also felt moved by Henry, the adult, who is still reeling from the death of his wife. His inability to emotionally connect with his own son, and his struggle to find his own identity as both American and Chinese are familiar to me as I’m too the daughter of Chinese immigrants.

Ford’s novel is a story with many layers. But I was most impressed and touched by the author’s honest and unflinching portrayal of the sentiments that pervaded the years after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Sentiments that led to acts and events that we would rather trivialized or forget today. The fact that they were acted out not only by adults but also by children made them more painful to read about.

I highly recommend this novel to those who remember their first love, have heard about the Japanese American internment camps, or strive to bridge two cultural worlds and to those who just love a good story. To all of you, there is a room waiting at the “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.”

A Bittersweet Coming of Age Story
This story opens in 1986 in Seattle with fifty-six-year-old Chinese American Henry Lee walking past the old Panama Hotel, where he sees that the new owners are bringing out some things they’ve discovered in the basement. Among them he sees a Japanese parasol that once belonged to a girl named Keiko, someone he cared very deeply about. These are things Japanese families had to leave behind when they were taken away to America’s concentration camps forty years earlier, during the Second World War.

Henry has been searching for a very rare and long out of print jazz record that a friend had recorded back in Nineteen and Forty-Two, when Henry was twelve years old. These things are from another time, but it’s a time Henry has not forgotten.

In 1942 Henry was the only Chinese student in an all white school. The kids tormented him, because he looked Japanese and we were at war. His father, a man who loathed everything Japanese, made a button for Henry that said, “I am Chinese.” It was embarrassing. He was bullied at school. The first day they stole his lunch, so everyday thereafter he gave his lunch to a street playing black jazz saxophonist, named Sheldon. A man he’d be friends with forever.

Henry works at in the school cafeteria, serving the white kids. One day a new person, Keiko Okabe, is there working with him. She’s Japanese and a new student in the school. They form an instant friendship. They’re only twelve, but they know the hazards their friendship can cause, still they risk it.

Henry introduces Keiko to Sheldon and one day they go to an alley outside a club where Sheldon is playing with Jazzman Oscar Holden. Holden sees them, invites them in and dedicates a song to them, which he later records. This is the record Henry spends four decades looking for, the record he hopes is in that basement, for it is their song, his and Keiko’s.

Keiko bought him the record, but he couldn’t take it home, because in addition to hating the Japanese, Henry’s father hates Jazz. He’s a stern guy, Henry’s father. So when Keiko and her family are taken to a camp, for their own protection, the record, along with Keiko, is lost to Henry. He is able to visit her and he gets his first kiss and they promise to write and he promises to wait. But he’s only thirteen now and when her letters stop coming, he moves on, meets a postal worker named Ethel, who is Chinese, much to his father’s delight. And they marry.

Forty years later, six months before Henry sees Keiko’s parasol at the Panama Hotel, Ethel dies of lung cancer. Can Henry make things right? Can he fix his life? Is that record in that basement? Can he find Keiko again? Should he? These are all questions that kept me turning the pages of this bittersweet coming of age story. Young love, it’s the finest thing there is.

]]> http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/22/hotel-on-the-corner-of-bitter-and-sweet-sale-10-20/feed/ 0 http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/22/north-by-northwestern-a-seafaring-family-on-deadly-alaskan-waters-discount/ http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/22/north-by-northwestern-a-seafaring-family-on-deadly-alaskan-waters-discount/#comments Wed, 22 Dec 2010 08:48:02 +0000 chase4051028 http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/22/north-by-northwestern-a-seafaring-family-on-deadly-alaskan-waters-discount/

North by Northwestern: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters Discount.

Compare & Purchase North by Northwestern: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $25.99

Amazon Price: $15.20

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

North by Northwestern: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters Description:

In the tradition of Sebastian Junger and Linda Greenlaw comes Captain Sig Hansen’s rags-to-riches epic of his immigrant family’s struggle against deadly Alaskan seas, freezing shipwrecks, and dangerously brutal conditions to achieve the American Dream

Sig Hansen has been a star of the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch from the pilot to the present. Seen in over 150 countries, the show attracts more than 49 million viewers per season, making it one of the most successful series in the history of cable TV. With its daredevil camera work, unpredictably dangerous weather, and a setting as unforgivable and unforgettable as the frigid Bering Sea, The Deadliest Catch is unlike anything else on television.

But the weatherworn fishermen of the fishing vessel Northwestern have stories that don’t come through on TV. For Sig Hansen and his brothers, commercial fishing is as much a part of their Norwegian heritage as their names. Descendents of the Vikings who roamed and ruled the northern seas for centuries, the Hansens’ connection to the sea stretches from Alaska to Seattle and all the way to Norway. And after twenty years as a skipper on the commercial fishing vessel the Northwestern–which was his father’s before him–Sig has lived to tell the tales.

 

• Amazon Sales Rank: #305 in Books
• Published on: 2010-03-30
• Released on: 2010-03-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780312591144
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews:

Bravery/Passion/Family Ties
This is an excellent read. If you enjoy the series as much as I do, you will appreciate this book. I had the pleasure of having lunch with Sig last year at Catch Con, and his personality – that of a vivacious and passionate professional, certainly comes forth in this book. This book celebrates this family, back several generations. There is an extradorinary appreciation and respect for hard work, perfection, determination and drive. This family is clearly identified by what they do and do it extremely well – Crab fishing in the deadly Bering Sea.

This book will be an inspiration to those who read it, as a testimony to what a person can achieve when you put your entire self into your passion. Great job, Sig, Edgar, and Norman.

Elliana Agnello

An outstanding book
If you are a Deadliest Catch fan you will LOVE this book. Sig gives us the history of fishing in Norway back to the vikings and how norwegians came to Seattle and eventually Alaska. There are several story lines in the book, one of the main ones being the story of Sig’s father on a boat that was going down. Sig tells not only his family’s history but that of himself and his brothers, his father and uncles. He explains in detail how crabbing is done. This book is so interesting that you won’t be able to put it down! It is very well written and I’m sure you will enjoy it.

GREAT READ!
I received this book today and read it in one sitting, could not put it down. If you enjoy watching Deadliest Catch you will love this book. The book reads just like Sig talks, which is a plus. He takes us back to his roots and explains how he became a fisherman. I HIGHLY recommend this book. Even if you don’t watch the show, you will enjoy this book!

From Booklist
The fishing vessel captain prominently featured in all three seasons of Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch tells his family’s story and that of the Norwegian American role in Pacific Northwest fishing—and not only in the now-declining crab industry. If this family saga has a hero, it is Sig’s father, Sverre, who survived immigration from Norway, service in the cold-war army, several shipwrecks, and raising three civilized, if somewhat original, sons to become one of the deans of the crab-fishing fleet in its golden era and still die peacefully at home. Captain Sig still takes his father’s boat into the Bering Sea, one of the harshest environments fishermen have ever faced, and is proud in a gentlemanly way of his Norwegian heritage and celebrity status. Nothing more nor less than a cracking good sea story. –Roland Green

About the Author

SIG HANSEN in the captain of the commercial fishing vessel, Northwestern. He has been featured on Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch from the pilot through the first five seasons of the show.

MARK SUNDEEN is an adventure writer and a frequent contributor to Outside, Men’s Journal, The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, and McSweeney’s. He is the author of The Making of Toro and Car Camping.

]]> http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/22/north-by-northwestern-a-seafaring-family-on-deadly-alaskan-waters-discount/feed/ 0 http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/21/the-merriam-webster-english-dictionary-lowest-price-2/ http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/21/the-merriam-webster-english-dictionary-lowest-price-2/#comments Tue, 21 Dec 2010 19:17:51 +0000 chase4051028 http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/21/the-merriam-webster-english-dictionary-lowest-price-2/

The Merriam-Webster English Dictionary Lowest Price!

Compare & Purchase The Merriam-Webster English Dictionary at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: —-

Amazon Price: $6.50

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

The Merriam-Webster English Dictionary Description:

A completely revised and updated edition of this best-selling language reference is now available. Covers the core vocabulary of everyday life with over 75,000 clear, concise definitions. Includes pronunciations, word origins and synonym lists. Special sections and tables.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1874 in Books
• Brand: Merriam-Webster
• Published on: 2004-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .85 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 939 pages

Features

• Sold Individually

Customer Reviews:

Decent Dictionary for Basic Definitions
Being a university student, a dictionary that is compact enough to fit in a backpack amongst many textbooks is a must. This, the latest edition of the M-W Dictionary, fits that requirement. The text is easy to read and there is even a nifty reference section at the back containing “foreign words & phrases, biographical names, and geographical names”.

I rate it at 3 stars because although the cover boasts “Over 75,000 definitions”, words such as ontological and multivalent are not included.

I highly recommend this dictionary for students at the high school level, but university students should keep searching.

This is the one I always seem to reach for first……….
I have a old hard cover Webster’s collegiate dictionary that my parents gave me before I went to college sitting under my bed. I also have a huge 2 volume Oxford Shorter English dictionary gathering dust in my closet. I even have a unabridged Random House dictionary on the very computer I am writing this review on. I use all of the above occasionally, but the one I use the most is this little paperback dictionary that sits on my desk beside my bed. It usually has what I’m looking for and I rarely have to use one of the bigger dictionaries. The size is nice and it is light weignt so it is easy to carry around if you have to. If you need a small desk dictionary this is a good one.

Great dictionary
I bought this for my son who is in grade 5, he had the cheap dollar store one, he was fed up with not finding words he needed for his project, i thought ok its for college students, but he loves it,…loves showing me new words he has learned…Great buy.

About the Author

The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster’s efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster’s son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Webster’s son William also served as an editor of that first Merriam-Webster dictionary, which was published on September 24, 1847.

Although Webster’s work was honored, his big dictionaries had never sold well. The 1828 edition was priced at a whopping $20; in 13 years its 2,500 copies had not sold out. Similarly, the 1841 edition, only slightly more affordable at $15, moved slowly. Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster’s heirs initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them that the Merriams’ decision had been abundantly sound.

The first Merriam-Webster dictionary was greeted with wide acclaim. President James K. Polk, General Zachary Taylor (hero of the Mexican War and later president himself), 31 U.S. senators, and other prominent people hailed it unreservedly. In 1850 its acceptance as a resource for students began when Massachusetts ordered a copy for every school and New York placed a similar order for 10,000 copies to be used in schools throughout the state. Eventually school use would spread throughout the country. In becoming America’s most trusted authority on the English language, Merriam-Webster dictionaries had taken on a role of public responsibility demanded of few other publishing companies. 

]]> http://free-travelblog.com/chase4051028/2010/12/21/the-merriam-webster-english-dictionary-lowest-price-2/feed/ 0