House

I found "The House on Benefit Street" at the 2d annual New England Crime Bake, where author Donna Montalbano was on a panel. My interest piqued, I bought a copy and thoroughly enjoyed it. The main character is the house itself, and I want it myself. The protagonist is newly widowed and making major, unexpected, changes in her life. Against all odds and advice, she buys an old house in Providence. Only after she moves in does she discover that an unsolved crime was committed there. Page-turning writing, great sense of place, people I'd like to have lunch with. The occasional chuckle doesn't hurt. Recommended for mystery fans who can do without the blood-and-guts.

This was an easy book to read, associate with each of the characters and relate to the changing scenes - almost to the point where you begin to feel a part of the story yourself. This may be the case as I was born and continue to live in RI and can relate to all of the places mentioned.
The story was detailed to the point that it drew me in and held my attention - making me read more and more.
Even now that I have completed the book, its enthralling my mind causing me to have flash thoughts of events that occurred in the book and feeling like the story is continuing to unfold, like the characters are people I know.
I hope to see MORE from this author - she has my attention!

The House on Benefit Street is my favorite book this year. I loved the characters and the setting. As someone who does not live in Providence, this book has made me want to visit. The author definitely captured my imagination.

I first read Bernard Waber's The House on East 88th Street as a child and was capitivated by Lyle the Crocodile. How I loved this story about a bright green crocodile living in a bathtub in a New York City brownstone.Though frightened at first, the Primm family is won over by their housemate. Lyle is amazing, he takes out the trash, brings in the milk, (this book was first published in 1962!)helps around the house, and loves a nice, hot bath complete with Turkish caviar! (We could all use a Lyle) The story of Lyle does not end here; Waber went on to write seven more titles about this lovable creature. Out of all the Lyle books, this is his best-known. This charming children's classic is suitable for small children between the ages of four and eight.

When I got pregnant with my son, my mother sent a box of old books she had saved from my childhood. The House in East 88th Street and Lyle and the Birthday Party were in the box. These two books have become favorites of my son as well as my husband and I. I'm glad to see that they are still in print, as I plan to purchase a few more from the series.

The story of Lyle the crocodile who is discovered in the bathtub when Joshua and his family move into their new home. My mother first read this book to me when I was four years old. I am now 35! It is a truly wonderful childrens book. One of those that lingers in your memory as a world you inhabited as a child. Myself and my sisters adored the Lyle books and we are now buying them for our families. Endearing, amusing, full of the joys and sadnesses of life. Lyle is a childs world through a crocodiles eyes. Try them all. You and your children (of all ages) will love them!.

Although I have read most all of Felice Picano's books, I find myself returning to A HOUSE ON THE OCEAN, A HOUSE ON THE BAY most frequently - sometimes just for recalling his atmospheric descriptions of places with and without people, sometimes just to re-visit Fire Island - a place I've never been but that has become for me a solid symbol of East Coast escape. Picano's memoirs at times are overwhelming: how could one man have experienced life so richly and tranposed it to words for us, the voyeur readers? Perhaps the places and people he so succinctly describes are bathed in poetic license, but that only makes the moments in between interpersonal encounters pregnant pauses. Picano has managed to keep us entertained book after book and I eagerly await the release of ONYX.

Checking as to when the next novel by Felice Picano is due out, I realized that though I have read all his books I have never written about them in this forum. Strange, but understandable when I look back over all the experiences of reading his work. Picano writes in the manner of long nighttime walks with a close friend: he shares quips and bedazzling escapades and memories of lost friends like few others. His stories are at once funny, tender, bitchy (in a way that few can imitate), and just plain good stories. In A HOUSE ON THE OCEAN, A HOUSE ON THE BAY he seems to have paused in the midst of memories very special to him...or at least his characters are so acutely drawn that they seem like pages from a diary. If you've ever wondered what Fire Island was like at its peak, here it is. Wonderful tales populated by people you'd like to know....or at least have observed! Felice Picano keeps treating us to fine writing and I eagerly await ONYX!

I am Felice Picano, or certainly am living his life. Well, sort of. When I read straight through this book--a library copy, I am going to buy it now--I said to myself and to my friends that I loved the book so much because of how much I see of him in me, including that he was also born on February 22nd, that we are both gay, and that I am struggling, as he was, to write. If any book can give me inspiration to live my dream, it is "A House on the Ocean, A House on the Bay." Bravo to Picano for writing a book that was written for me.

Story is soooo cute and teaches a great lesson I have not read the book, but have heard the story..when my younger brother was approx. 5 years old (15 years ago) he had a copy of the house that had enough on video..not sure where my mother got it, but it was more like a book anyway, because it was not animated..it was just the pictures from the book, and then someone was narrating.

A hysterical lesson in the old adage that cleanliness is godliness. My children loved it!

My tattered old copy from when my youngest was a boy is now hardly readable. So I wanted a new copy for my first grand child and I can't find it anywhere! Western, reprint it please!!!

Excellent imagintion! Symplicit writing. My favorite kind of writer. Not confusing. I did not have to ready this book twice to get the jest of it. Not too many authors can compare. I find the best writers are the ones with innovative minds. Fantastic writing. Characters are well maintained and right to the point. Aundrea, a natural devil, demeaning, yet professional. The scenery is rather amazing. I saw it exactly as I read it. Great Job!

This book is hilarious, enthralling and well written. I love her articulated "Fade Out" and Fade In". I like that! It makes the reader feel like a part of the entire event.

When Aundrea went to answer the ringing of the chimes, the "Fade Out". That was great, because one would lead you to believe that when she did answer the chimes, the scene with the young man releasing the sail was at the door. This is truly unique and I find her to be an excellent writer, her imagination goes well above and beyond.

Great job!

My favorite chapter? All, but I will give an extra star for the final chapter, "The Reunion". Fantastic!

DEVINE Jennifer!

Sweet and scrumptious!

This novel is like yourself!

I'm stuck, on this novel like I'm stuck on you.

EXCELLENT! Continue your good work.

This is the book to buy before you read the how-to books.

It presents a concise evolution of the American home, explaining the rudiments of its construction and systems from the timber frame to the postwar eras.

The illustrations are excellent.

Beware, you may be tempted to subscribe to The Family Handyman.

This books explains how a US single family house evolved to its current standard, including structure, plumbing, electrics, etc. The author is both knowledgeable on how things in our houses work and very good at communicating his knowledge to a lay person. Although there are a few "fix it yourself" or "complete guide" books that are good at providing quick solutions, this book will help you understand how some of the solutions work. The book is less than 200 pages and takes only a few nights to read. You will benefit from it for your whole life.

This book is a rare blend of the fundamentals of residential construction, expressed in the most friendly language. Duane has an unusual two-fold gift to understand all the technical aspects of our homes and the ability to communicate that expertise in the most approachable manner. It's like having the 60-year wisdom of a construction foreman and a dutch uncle in your back pocket. I have given copies of this fine book to all my nephews and several friends.

It's not easy to cover such a huge subject, but these two architects do a remarkable job. The illustrator gets equal billing, and it's well-deserved, as the drawings alone are worth the price of the book. The best part is on design. I've never seen a book that allowed you to figure loads and size columns, or provided a worksheet to calculate heating requirements. The final section on construction is more of an overview but the important issues are always addressed. You'll need to supplement your reading, especially since newer technologies--housewrap, truss roofs, engineered lumber--are not covered, but everything in this book is useful.

Anybody can sit down and draw a rough floor plan. But this book tells you to think in terms of how you use space rather than rooms. That simple piece of advice makes you think differently about what you want in a house and what you need. If you are thinking of building, GET THIS BOOK. Even if you're going to a contractor or architect, get the book and sit down with your whole family to make plans. You'll find out about personal privacy issues, how your rooms and spaces should flow, how to make your house more efficient not from an energy standpoint, but from a "how I use my house" point of view.

I used this book to design and build my first house 15 years ago. I am now a general building contractor and continue to use it so much that that first copy is worn out and I'm buying a replacement. It offers a wonderful combination of design ideas, structural tables, and common sense advice.

Garry Kilworth has provided us with a delightful insight into the world of mice. The book follows the trials and tribulations of a "visionary" mouse called Pedlar as he attempts to rid a house of humans. With a cast that includes such names as Phart, Flegm, Jarl Forkwhiskers and Ferocious, there is plenty of opportunity for humour from the author. This book is far better than Midnight's Sun and, although the ending seems a little rushed, I challenge anyone to say the story and characters are anything less than charming.

Our history has it's "Iliada" and "Oddysey". Mices has it's own too. If you read "The Golden Fleece" by Robert Graves and you enyojed it it's the best time to look for "House of Tribes" by Garry Kilworth.

A charming and moving story about an adventurous mouse or a profound fable about the whole of humankind? Take your pick because this exquisite book can be enjoyed on different levels. OK so comparisons with Watership Down are inevitable, but this is far lustier and does not get bogged down in melancholy. Try it. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

a very tutorial about buying and selling your home. very well written in laymen's terms so that anyone can read it with interest

The mortgage maze can rapidly become confusing, especially if you are a first time buyer. This clearly written and informative book walks you through every step of the process, providing detailed information on the dizzying aray of loans that most lenders offer; more importantly, it tells you how to appraise each lender so that you reallly do get the best deal. In real estate and lending today, "caveat emptor"--let the buyer beware--is truer than ever, and books like this one are more needed than ever. Katherine Salant, Nationally syndicated real estate columnist for Inman News Features

Books on buying and selling real estate abound, but it is truly rare to read a real estate book that breaks new ground -- or indeed, pioneers a new philosophy and launches a new movement: real estate as consumer advocacy. This seminal work, authored by real estate sales and financing experts Patricia Boyd and Lonny Coffey, sounds the clarion call to buyers and sellers -- as well as to real estate brokers, mortgage lenders and other service providers --for a new consumer orientation in real estate transactions. As the authors note, real estate transactions have heretofore been treated as the selling of a product, whether the product be the property itself or the mortgage loan that finances it. The historical focus has, therefore, been on salesmanship: getting the property sold or the loan made. Lacking in this focus has been the interests of the real estate consumer -- the buyer or the seller. This book introduces something new and something revoluntionary into the world of real estate transactions: a view of the buying or selling of real estate as a "consumer-driven" process, of buyers and sellers as informed consumers, and of real estate brokers and mortgage lenders as consumer advocates. The book serves as a road map for buyers and sellers who want to participate actively and intelligently in their realty transactions... and who want to stop getting "ripped off" by brokers, lenders and other service providers who put their own interests ahead of the consumer's interests. Just as importantly, the book shows real estate brokers and mortgage lenders how to work with this dawning new world of informed consumers -- not in the old way as salesmen, but rather as professional consumer advocates. It is the twin goal of the book, one it certainly attains, of educating real estate buyers and sellers how to be informed consumers and also training brokers, lenders and service providers as to how to be their advocates. Patricia Boyd brings vast experience as a top-producing real estate broker, real estate trainer and instructor and Certified Finance Specialist, to produce a practical, well-written and inspiring book that may well launch a new way of buying and selling real estate. As a former real estate broker with a number of professional Realtor designations (ABR, CIPS, CRB, CRS, and GRI), and now as a real estate attorney actively advocating the interests of buyer and seller clients, I applaud this book as the herald of a new real estate consumer revolution.

I was unprepared for the very personal style of the book: "The sperm cell from which you grew was made in one of your father's testicles." Some of my children are adopted, and the sperm cell that God used to make them was NOT made in one of their father's testicles. This can be a touchy area for some adoptive children.

I've been searching for just the right book for my 11 year old son and this is one has just the right look and information I wanted for him. Many other books were way too long, some with pages in the hundreds and other books were too immature for his age. This is a great beginner book for covering all of the facts and terms. An 8 yr. old would need help reading it but an 11 yr. old could read it alone. I think it would be fine even for 12-13 who hasn't learned much about reproduction and puberty. The illustrations are simple but accurate, not like some I've seen that are more like from a medical textbook or cartoonish. There is a glossary with pronunciations and definitions. I like that it is Christian and family based. It's everything I was looking for!!

This book focuses on health and development with a beautiful Christian perspective on the changing bodies of adolescents. It gives the young reader plenty of information on understanding his or her own body. It introduces areas of social concern, such as homosexuality and pre-marital sex, but mainly focuses on the young reader and how to understand his or her own body. Unlike so many books that give "way too much information" this is a nice option for parents who just want to start with the basics.