Away

Anyone who grew up on a farm will be entranced by this book, and if you grew up on an Iowa farm you will be overjoyed. This book has a series of 12 vignettes of growing up on a farm in the area of Remsen, Iowa in the 1930s. there is a great deal of authenticity, tho maybe more bitterness than I feel is warranted. But the book is one to be savored by those with similar memories.

Curtis Harnack's "We Have All Gone Away" captures with poignant beauty and sadness the end of a period of our country's history -- the family farm. In a heart-felt memoir of his family's farm in Iowa, a way of life gone forever is brought to life. Mr. Harnack could have been describing my own family's history in Indiana and when I first discovered the book in the 1980's, I read the book on tape for my Aunt and Uncle, then in their 80's, because their way of life was by then a thing of the past. "We Have All Gone Away" becomes a memorial for all who contributed to the rich fabric of our agricultural ecomony in a much simpler time.

The book, which reads like good fiction, paints the powerful picture of a proud chapter in our country's growth. While the book doesn't spare the reader the full impact on individual lives as a result of agricultural expansion into big business, nor does Mr. Harnack wallow in the necessary demise of era.

I shared the book with my daughter some years ago. She has passed the book on to more than a dozen people, all who share some remnant of a memory of our midwestern farming heritage. What a treasure this book is! I hope it never goes out of print.

This week our preschool class read "When Martha's Away, Lionel Will Play" by Bruce Ingman.

What a funny book! The main character, Lionel, tells the story. We figured that out and then had to laugh when we realized that Lionel was a cat.

You can imagine that having a cat tell the story begins a pretty silly book. Lionel tells his owner, Martha, about all the things he does while she's away at school.

Among other things, Lionel calls his relatives on the telephone to catch up, reads a newspaper he has delivered specially to him so he can know about the goings-on in the cat world, and makes himself a nice meal to eat in front of the television.

As if those situations weren't amusing enough, the illustrations are hilarious. We laughed out loud at Lionel's adventures.

Perhaps the best part about this story is that it's a fast read that generates a lot of discussion. We all tried to picture what our own pets might do when we are not home. Mrs. Graham said that if her dog, Max, was making long distance phone calls while she was at work he'd have to go get a job to pay the bills.

We recommend this book, which is as funny for adults as it is for kids. One note, however: parents may end up feeling a bit old during the reading of this one. In the telephone scene, Lionel is talking on a sturdy-looking black phone with a short curly cord and a rotary dial. The children asked Mrs. Graham to explain why his phone looked so strange and big. Just remember, moms and dads, this is the cell phone generation!

In short, do read it and do enjoy it. But don't leave it where your own cat can peruse it and get any bright ideas...

Warmth and humor are welcome from the effortless Mr. Ingman. This book is the rare combination of wonderful illustrations and writing. Martha, a cat, has full days while her master is at school; phone calls, visitors and even a miastro performance at the piano for the neighborhood cats. A kid should be so lucky as to have this book near their bed. It belongs right inbetween, "Goodnight Moon," and, "Free Lunch."

I have had this book since I was only a couple feet tall, and I still read it today. The illustrations are wondrous and awe-inspiring, and the story of the sweet, good intentioned little cat will melt your heart. Quite definitly the best children's book I will ever read. Almost equally impressive was Zoom at sea.

I love this book. I have done two book reports on this book for school. It is fun to read and has great pictures. Zoom is so cool and Maria is a great friend. I love the spy glass he finds on his Uncle's ship and the farther upstairs they go the colder it gets in the house. I am eight years old.

This is awesome. Lou goes back to 1956 and meets Elvis Presley. Feel the 50's.

I think this is a perfect companion to the millions of Buk fans. He read his poetry in a clear way, a lot better than Hostage. He has a unique voice. Some claim he is one of the most influential and imitated poet, i'm for this.

Alright now, you must have this compilation... a must have to any true Bukowski fan.

Michael Gow is one of Australia's finest playwrights and is currently Artistic Director of the queensland Theatre Company. This play was written in 1986 and first performed in the tiny 75 seat Stables Theatre in Sydney before being restaged by Neil Armfield for the Playbox Theatre in Melbourne. Following its soldout season in 1986/7 it toured Australia and was eventually staged in all States as well as London, Los Angeles and europe. Playbox restaged the production in 1990 as one of eight works to open the CUB MALTHOUSE theatre complex (a converted 1892 malting house for a brewery), again to great acclaim. The story is a deceptively simple one, where a poor family is enjoying their last Christmas with their beloved son who is dying of cancer. No one knows and his interaction with other people and families enables them to heal emotional storms because of his acceptance. Seemingly serious the play is wrapped in comedy as the events take place while the families are "AWAY" enjoying a typical Australian beach Christmas. Read it but please stage it as it is a joy.

Playbox was established in 1976 and is dedicated to new Australian works which are generally published by CURRENCY PRESS (Sydney) in their first draft (pre-rehearsal) format. They now have hundreds of plays to select from.

I could never do justice to this book in a short review. All I can say is that if you have read "Now Hear This" or "Clear the Decks"; you will not be disappointed in this volume, which continues the saga of Fatso Gioninni. If you haven't, then you're missing more than you know. Find it, and treasure it always.

Anyone living in the Southeast (Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee) will find this travel book to be a practical and useful tool. The author, Eleanor Berman, pairs seasonal activities and local attractions with various locales. For me, this opened my eyes to the many enjoyable short trips my family and I can take without going too far from home. The book contains telephone numbers, driving directions and suggestions for accommodations and restaurants that I likely would never have discovered on my own. My family and I have stayed in several of the book's recommended bed and breakfasts and have been delighted. I keep this book handy to refer to for travel ideas. I reccommend it highly as a thorough and "user friendly" guide to travel in the Southeast.

I have an earlier edition of this book and use it extensively when we travel. On it's own, it's packed with interesting information and trivia. I use it together with AAA guidebooks and find they complement each other nicely. I'm looking forward to getting the latest edition since we found on this last trip up to the redwoods that a few of the restaurants recommended have since changed hands.

I loved this book! It was very humorous and up-lifting. It is about 16-year-old Mabel and her best friend Sarah Jane as they go through their first year of College. They learn many valuable lessons about friendship and kindness. Find out how Mabel becomes friends with her enemy Clarice and if she asks the most popular boy in the school to the first presentation of the year by reading this book. I recommend this book book because it is an easy and fun book to read.