MR

This book was above my almost-four-year-olds head, but I can see the positive educational impact it might have for older children in a classroom setting - perhaps children learning about life in war-torn countries.

The illustrations are beautiful and the story is bittersweet - there's war going on all around the poor narrator and the future is so frightening and uncertain. A neighbor - a cellist - makes a brave move to brighten the lives of his neighbors - just a little bit - and help make them feel less afraid.

I'd recommend this book for mid-level gradeschoolers and be prepared to discuss this further with them, using current/recent events for examples.

I work as an elementary school librarian and this is one of my very favorite anti-war books. It has such a powerful message about doing what you can to stand up for what's good in people.
It's a great book about heroism, by the way, and about people looking out for each other. I use it with children from ages 7-10. A great discussion starter. This is a book I thrust into everyone's hands. Read it to your kids!

Mr. O! You have inspired us with your courage and peaceful spirit. Our love of the cello has grown deeper as has our ability to be touched by the warmth and depth of its song. The Cello of Mr. O is a touching story of the affect that one man and his music had upon a community torn apart in war. Mr. O showed courage and wisdom (and a bit of national pride) as he played his cello in the public eye daily, even in the midst of shelling and the turmoil of war. A young girl tells the story. Her life is unpredictable. Her father is away. Her family has to stand in line for water. She plays with her friends under the stairs and pulls pranks on her neighbor, Mr. O. Yet, as she watches the old man she realizes his talent and becomes familiar with what becomes his predictable appearance on the street with his cello. It calms and entertains the girl and those around her. And his commitment to this community service continues even after the shelling destroys his cello. This is an inspirational story. Touching.

Mr. Revere and I is about Paul Revere told from the perspective of his horse Sherry. Sherry goes through three owners, the last her favorite. She expierences what it is like to be the horse of a Patriot. We enjoyed reading this book because it includes humor, facts, and sometimes even suspense. That is why we recommend this book to other kids.

I teach 8th grade US history and recommend this book to my kids, who range in reading levels. It tells the story of Paul Reevere and the Sons of Liberty from the HORSE'S viewpoint. It is a delightful and very accurate depiction of this most important time in our history. This book can spark the imagination and interest young and old!

I had to read this book for reading in school and I loved'd it. Im in 5th grade and it was still great fun. I am recameding this to you. READ IT. on a 1 to 5 chart, it was a 10. off the charts.

Like Michael Cunningham's novel THE HOURS, this novel begins with an interesting premise. I think Mr. Lippincott is also right in saying that Woolf left Richard Dalloway's character in MRS. DALLOWAY deliberately vague. For these and other reasons, I very much hoped to admire this book. Unfortunately, Lippincott's novel is not a great success. Although most of the reviewers claim that his style is Woolfian and that Woolf would have loved his book, I really think she would have found the writing rather amateur and the psychological observations downright embarrassing. The author's handling of Richard's supposed love for his now-deceased brother is mawkish rather than moving; indeed, the author's push to explain all aspects and causes of Richard's desire gives us the very opposite of Woolf's fascination with the mystery of desire, gay or straight. Instead of her modernist enigmas, we have Lippincott's excessively repetitious pop-psychological explanations for all motives. The descriptions of London life also read as if they were written by a visitor lacking a sense of the city's history. So, I'm afraid the reviewer for KIRKUS gets exactly right the author's strangely insistent asides, his clumsy narrative perspectives, the novel's rather weak conception . . .

Clearly, other readers enjoyed this book more than I did. That's fine. But before we rush to embrace this book as Woolfian, perhaps we should pause and ask if the comparison is really accurate and just.

Lippincott's novella is a continuation of sorts of Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway", except from the point of view from Mr Dalloway. The event in this book is the couple's anniversary, which corresponds with a solar eclipse. The author skilfully explores the nature of love, and the nature of women and men. Richard Dalloway adores his wife Clarissa, but he also loves Robert Davies. The three paths converge and come to a sort of beautiful moment, framed by the eclipse. It may be not quite as evocative and potent as Cunningham's "The Hours" or Woolf's books, but this book is still exceptional and beautiful. A book to enjoy and revisit.

Mr. Dalloway exposes the protagonist in a delicate and subtle way, just as Mrs. Dalloway was exposed. We are privy to his most intimate thoughts, as well as to a secret about his life that not only makes sense but is something I believe Woolf would have developed had she been so inclined. The story line is original, fresh, yet echoes the Woolfian tone so well that it often made me feel as though Virginia had come back, reincarted in Lippincott's fingers, to add yet another chapter to her already magnificent body of work. I was not only impressed by Mr. Dalloway, but enthralled. The writing, the story, the other characters--all were solidly developed and superb. BRAVO!

I recently purchased a home and wasn't sure where to begin if something went wrong. This book does a great job of explaining the inner-workings of a home and demistifies how it works. I can now tackle any task around the house thanks to Lou.

He does a great job of explaining in simple terms how each facet of a home works. A must read for any homeowner.

He is also a great guy. I've had the opportunity to talk to Lou via email about some problems I was having with my house. He was extremely gracious and intelligent in his response. You won't be dissapointed if you buy this book.

I have a new friend in the home building and renovating business. Having this book is like having a relative that can answer all of the questions I have about repairing and renovating my home. The information is solid and easy to understand, and it will help me to make the right decisions when it comes to spending money on my home.

Excellent book to help you understand how your home works.

Kay writes this book more for the general reader, but reading it from the Historian point of view is not altogether lost either. There are a few misquoted facts, but the good thing about this was the author's willingness to point this out in her introduction and explain why she took the route she choose. This single aspect does not take away from the whole of the story.

The only disapointment I found personally were the lacking of expansions for some of the entries. She began to weave an interesting tale; and then it ended quickly, leaving more questions than answers for myself, and I would have loved to have seen more details since Kay obviously knew about Mary Todd, and wanted to give her character justice.

Taken together, this formula worked successfully, and I do hope to see other novels like this in the future.

-Lincoln09

Who knew what a romantic and visionary Mary Todd Lincoln was.
Whether fact or fiction M. Kay duPont gives us a powerful and at times "delicious" insights of a (much) misunderstood era of American history. duPont gives the reader an easy to read story of a very complex, strong and driven woman. One who became a power, if not the power, behind a President.
Mary Todd Lincoln comes alive in this book.... you will grow to admire her, want to comfort her in your arms... while scolding her at the same time. duPont gives you insightful compassions of her struggles and tragic personal losses. The reader will come to appreciate these struggles (she) and our country went through during this era of American history. Most of all the reader may come to realize that had Mary Todd been a woman of the 21st Century, (perhaps) Mr. Lincoln would be known as the man behind her.

Good luck with future publications, wish you all the success you deserve.

Paula L.Eichner
111 Holly Hill
Sunset, SC 29685

As the saying goes, "behind every successful man is a woman." And many adjectives have been used to describe those women and their ways. They could probably all apply to Mary Todd Lincoln, the woman behind the 16th President of the United States. Abraham Lincoln has been the subject of a considerable amount of historical writing, both fiction and non-fiction.

Loving Mr. Lincoln is beautifully written, captivating historical fiction. The reader is asked to believe that Mary Todd Lincoln's diaries were discovered in an old trunk purchased at a flea market. The tale is certainly feasible, grabbing the reader's attention immediately.

What follows is a representation of what Mary Todd's diary might have been from December 13, 1939 to the day her husband was shot at Ford's Theatre, April 15, 1865. In between, the reader will find page after fascinating page of dated diary entry records that seem awfully real. As in any well-written historical fiction, I couldn't tell you for sure if what I was reading was actually written by Mary Lincoln.

Frankly, the more I read, the less I cared about who wrote the words, the alleged diarist or Kay duPont. I was hooked. The experience of viewing history through the eyes of this controversial figure was intriguing. I learned a lot, gained a deeper appreciation for the human side of history, and saw the Lincoln legend from a new perspective. The author has obviously done her homework.

After you read this book, you'll be telling others how much you enjoyed it. You'll probably agree with the Georgia Writers Association that Loving Mr. Lincoln deserves the recognition they bestowed as the winner of their Fiction Award. Prepare to be engaged from the first page!

Rarely do I ever review a book that I've read, but I had to review this one and give it 5 stars. It was an excellent read. It was funny and I could not put it down. Poor Torey needed to be loved so badly but the brother had to be fine or she was'nt having it! I know people just like her, that is why I could relate. Mr. Moon McAllister was so real that I fell in love with him myself. Anyway you will enjoy this book I'm sure. You will not be disappointed. I hope there is a sequel!

Surviving Mr. Right is a captivating novel, filled with great plot twists and characters and the kind of heroine I could really relate to. Tory was looking for love in all the wrong places until Moon McCalister came along. I loved the Moon character. He was strong and decent. But I really loved Tory. She was a sister in need of a lot of help, but in the end she found her own voice and was able to see a good life even without a man in it. The ending was perfect! The dialogue was crisp! This is one book that everybody should read. It is intelligent, thought provoking, and extremely well written. Teresa McClain-Watson is the writer of the future. I had never heard of her before, but I hope she keeps them coming!

i really liked this book, victoria's character was naive and a bit shakey, but i have to admit i found bits and pieces of myself in her. and people i know fit into the characters of her best friends. and males i know reminded me of guys i have encountered.

The plot has been well-covered by others so I won't!

I loved the fact that Angela "the cook" couldn't! It was so funny the way she tried to come up with new ways to serve meals. And Craisy Daisy was a woman after my own heart! She sure didn't let the fact that her son was president to cramp her style! Bobby and Angela obviously belonged together even though Angela didn't seem to realize it.

Angela did however confuse me. She came from a very demonstrative family who are constantly crying. She doesn't like it, yet she wants Bobby to be that way. Bobby had a childhood that forced him to be the adult, the strong one, never showing emotion. He was working hard to show his feelings but Angela told him she would leave him unless he cried. Everyone grieves and/or shows emotion in different ways and we should respect that. But she wanted Bobby to fit in the mold of how she thought he should react. She was also very "push-me, pull-me". One minute telling Bobby she loved him, the next telling him she was getting a divorce. She kept going back and forth which got a little annoying after awhile.

Of course, it all worked out in the end! My copy is waterlogged since I read it at the beach and couldn't put it down! And I've already ordered "My Hero".

"Still Mr. and Mrs." by Mary McBride, tell the story of Bobby and Angela Holland, two Secret Service agents on the brink of divorce, buy threats made on "Crazy Daisy" Riordan bring these two people back together.
While I did enjoy the book the reason that I didn't not give five stars was the fact though out the book, Bobby seem to take center stage in dealing with the threat and Angela's abilities as an agent were never really shown. Also the ending seem a little rushed to as if the writer realized that she needed to end the book. Overall, it was good book, but not one that I would keep.

Special Agent Angela Holland believed she was happy. Who wouldn't be with a great job that kept her in shape and a boyfriend like Rod Bishop, rated as the Hollywood Hunk of the Year. Unfortunately, Special Agent Angela Holland is still married to Special Agent Bobby Holland. A year and a half ago, Bobby's brother died and the already stoic Bobby completely closed up emotionally, even to his wife.

Meanwhile, President William Riordan has received death threats for his mother at the White House. He solicits the Secret Service to send in a married couple undercover to his mother's house in Hassenfeld, Illinois. Upon arrival to their assignment, Angela and Bobby act as the cook and butler respectively. Angela quickly learns how to cook food that is a little more grand. However, she also learns the feelings she still has for Bobby.

Angela knows a relationship would never work betwixt the two of them because of Bobby's emotional detachment. . .yet they still manage to sleep together in their servent's quarters on a bed the size of a towel.

The estranged couple fights while Mrs. "Crazy Daisy" Riordan finds love of her own in Professor Gerald Dumaurier Gerrard. Comedy ensues as Mrs. Riordan discovers her help is part of the Secret Service and disappears every chance she gets.

McBride created a wonderful story, filled to the brim with tension only a married couple can relate to. Bobby and Angela sincerely love each other and decide that their love takes work. The author speaks through Angela when she states she wants a macho man who for once would cry and wear his heart on his sleeve. Don't we all.

"Mr Earbrass belongs to the straying, rather than the sedentary, type of author. He is never to be found at his desk unless actually writing down a sentence. Before this happens he broods over it indefinately while picking up and putting down again small, loose objects...He frequently hums more in his mind than anywhere else, themes from the Poddington 'Te Deum'."

Gorey is strange. Not weird strange. Just strange. His glib verbosity is a fantastic challenge. He takes the absurd and the stark into a play-acting of 1920s (I choose this era only because it is a feeling I get from his drawings) melodrama with a twist. I suppose his writing wouldn't have the same impact without his illustrations. His unblinking faces and penguin bodies are black comedy parodies of our over-rated catalogue of mannerisms and expressions. I laugh when I realize how serious Gorey is about taking his characters down a seriously mad path.

In the 'Unstrung Harp', Mr Earbrass' boredom and inability to write are a bizarre focus. Gorey finds so much humor and psychology in our seemingly empty, drifting moments. Makes me realize that boredom really is a thing in itself to appreciate. Mr. Earbrass, after all, gets more from his "straying" than his actually writing, enjoying the "about to happen" rather than the "happening".

Start your collection. His books are tricky to come by, but even more difficult to part with.

Fantods and epergnes do exist - at least they're in the dictionary. One is under glass in this book. It's impossible to review this wonderful book without quoting from it. Roughly speaking it's a short book about a strange-looking man writing a novel but that doesn't tell you much about it. We know he's strange-looking because of the illustrations. These are indescribable.
Come to think of it I might as well give up attempting to describe or review.
You can still get this book legally at Amazon.com so hurry up. For some reason Goreys often go out of print and then you have to resort to begging, which would be bad for your self-esteem, or stealing, which could get you you in more trouble. The unthinkable thing would be not to own this book.

A brilliant tale of how best to go about writing the all-American novel. Or British. Whatever. I carry this book close to my heart, as do all serious authors.

While his little show makes me want to jump out a window, his cookbook lives up to its name. Quick and easy, and the recipes actually work, unlike with many other cookbooks where the recipes do not turn out. I give it 4 out of 5 stars because the book lives up to its name and is affordable.

My husband and I aren't diabetic, but we both need to lose weight. We didn't have much success with any of the brand-name diets, so we went to a registered dietician who put us on a diabetic exchange diet. Initially we had a hard time sticking to it, because it was hard to figure out ways to make food tasty with limited fat and starch intake, not to mention trying to figure out correct portion sizes to fit our exchanges.

This book, however, is making it much easier. I'm learning how to make subsitutions so food tastes good but is still healthy and within our dietary limits. The food may not always be as full-flavored as our favorite old fat-laden recipes, but there are recipes my husband is actually requesting, instead of wishing he could have his favorite fast food or Thai food!

The intro to the book has tips on portion sizes and subsitutionswhich are helpful in knowing what to eat and how much of it. Couple this information with a good kitchen scale, and you'll find that you'll be preparing meals you're actually looking forward to eating!

Brief and to the point, this book was just WONDERFUL. Mr. Food's TV recipes always seem so deliciously decedant. This book is also delicious ... but very far from decadent! Loved it!

I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie and have read many of her books. My favorite is "And Then There Were None," a classic mystery novel. When I purchased this book, I did not know that is was a collection of short stories, but once I dived in to Christie's superior eye for mystery and suspense, I found myself longing to read the book further and further. Mr. Satterthwaite, somewhat reminescent of Hercule Poirot, is a watcher. He has a keen eye and discovers people's inner thoughts and emotions. Harley Quin is a man who still puzzles me and is the reason that this book received 3 stars instead of five. At times in the novel, you long for him to reveal his true identity. Also, the last chapter of the book seemed rather pointless. Christie explained the ballet's plot with such great detail that I found myself skimming over it, and the book lost its luster. If someone wishes to e-mail me explaining the final chapter, please go ahead and do so. For those pondering the book's purchase, I suggest "And Then There Were None," or "Death on the Nile." However, if your penchant is short stories, this one is worth a read.

The only time Agatha Christie ever descends to the realm of "average" is when she writes a collection of short stories.

This is no reflection on her ability to write them, it is simply ebcause of the fact that i personally do not like short stories, normally.

the short stories here, compared with most, are actually quite good, i would suspect. Harley Quinn is a good character, but he sometimes annoys me. Far more entertaining is the brilliant Mr Satterthwaite (who we see again in the marvellous "Three Act Tragedy") who is one of Christie's great characters. He is calm, understated, interesting, clever. And very likeable.

The characters in this collection are well drawn, and the concept of a mysteriious man such as Quinn appearing almost out of nowhere to guide Satterthwaite in the solving mysteries is a very original, mysterious one, which does work well.

Overall, for a short story collection, this is very very good. but for a book by Agatha christie, it's rather average.

Harley Quin shines in the world of aristocratic evil and blue-blooded criminality. His mission is always to see that justice is done. Whether it be a young wife with a shocking secret from her past, a great actress playing her most daring role not on stage but in real life, or a handsome bridegroom whose wedding night turns into a wake, Harley Quin always arrives at precisely the right moment. His unorthodox methods will always be able to target the guilty party.

This book is notable for the appearance of Mr. Satterthwaite, the means by which Mr. Quin makes his riveting revelations. They are reminiscent of other famous duos like Holmes and Watson or Poirot and Hastings as they work together and solve crimes with an uncanny accuracy.

So if you need a little passion, blackmail, and murder in your life, pick up this volume of fascinating short stories.