MY

I read this book the first time almost 20 years ago and it is still one of my favourite. I finish it in one day, while in the classroom! I borrowed it from my friend in the morning and by the school finished I already read the whole book (and cried many times). After school, I rush out to buy one. The one I own is in Thai and I am looking for the English version. I'm so disappointed that it is out of print. I wish it will be back soon. I really recommend everyone to read it. This book will remind you of the childhood imagination and innocence but also the painful reality.

I read this book many times already, and I've cried enough to soak two Kleenexes every time I read it. "My Sweet Orange Tree", through the eyes of five-year-old (shh... he's supposed to be six) Zeze, one learns and relearns joy, sorrow, and most importantly, love.

By the way, this is not a romance story. Zeze's too young for that.

Zeze's story is obviously a reflection of the author's childhood. Zeze is a highly imaginative, precocious child whose best friend happens to be his small, one-branched orange tree in his back yard. There are no such things as secrets between Zeze and his tree. The people around Zeze are good people... but very few, if not none, can take the trouble caused by Zeze's tricks. Zeze pays dearly for the trouble as well, and sometimes, the trouble he pays for isn't anything he's responsible for himself - poverty, for example. Zeze has no choice but to turn to his small tree, as no one can understand him better than his orange tree. Until one day, Zeze finally finds someone who can understand him, who can be his friend, who can teach him to love.

I read both of them (Book 1 and 2) in Thai 16 years ago (when I was 13) and I still think of it from time to time. I remember reading it at the back of the classroom while my teacher was teaching, with my tears running down my cheeks. It is my all time favourite and the only book that I constantly think about.

It's interesting to watch the jagged leaps and bounds by which this hilarious, unsentimental Lower East Side memoir became a sentimental tearjerker about a beautiful mother dying of cancer in L.A. That Hollywood gets Jewishness wrong again and again should come as a surprise to no one (Remember Melanie Griffith in "A Stranger Among Us"?) But the story of "Unstrung Heroes" is a rather spectacular example of Disney not getting anything about New York at all. The movie is a sanitized ode to motherhood, that is that it is practically impossible to watch without crying. I cried (many times) while reading the book, but somehow the tears felt more honest.

Unstrung Heroes is one of the most touching and simutaneously disturbing books I've read in quite a while. In an unforgettable series of memoirs, Lidz succeeds in retelling the astonishing events of his life in an affecting and heartfelt manner. Somehow, through all of this, he keeps you rolling on the floor in laughter.

can't write about writing so will simply say that i find it excellent, very strong and moving - all the visual writing in particular - it seems to me of the highest order.

I've read this book twice already and have told all of my friends. I met Anfra a few months before her book was released and she inspired me to make a decison about my own life and the job I was working. We kept in touch becasue I wanted to be the first person to purchase one of her books and I was. The messeages within these pages were written for me and me only. Everyhthing in the book touched my life and were so on target. I didn't know that so many women were experiencing the same spiritual battles that I am, and Anfra touched on every subject.

Anyone who reads this book and meets Anfra will know that her messgages are heaven sent and her life has been annointed. She is the most positve women or person I've every met. Thank you Anfra for being my sister.

Lillian Memphis, TN

Anfra, You Are My Sister is the most awesome book I've ever read. I felt like you had written my life story and I was reading it to myself. All of your messages are true and described exactly what I've been going through, I was especially moved by "Weight Problems", because I'm a full figured women with low self-estem and that message made me realize that my problems are not just about my physical weight but my spriitual burderns as well. Thank you for this eye-opening and uplifting book. You Are My Sister and thank you.

You Are My Sister - An Inspirational Book That Promotes Sisterhood and Spiritual Growth by Anfra is a definite must read. I really enjoyed this book. This is indeed a winner.

You Are My Sister by Anfra takes you on a wonderful spiritual journey of reflections and self-upliftment that humbly reminds us that we are somebody. I was very inspired and it really eased a lot of my inner stress that I had while reading the book. I feel not everyone can produce writings for inspiration and spiritual growth; it's something that has to come natural to the writer. Anfra not only captures and reflects that definition, but she naturally does "encourage, enlighten and empower" with her writings.

Although I had many favorites, a few elevated themselves to me as being my inspiration. "What's Blocking Your Blessings?" was a rude awakening to me and I humbly enjoyed her writing. It is a compelling reminder that we tend to overlook stress related issues that can impact the blocking of your blessings.

Another of my favorites was "Weight Problems." I realized from that passage that we have to stop, think, and come to terms of what is actually weighing us down. We have to realize that it's not always about the physical, that it's about the religious, mental, and spiritual growth and development that we must acquire within ourselves to survive the heavy burdens that we unconsciously put on ourselves.

I also enjoyed Anfra's poetry section. Three of my favorites were "Someone Else's Eyes" A Message From An Unborn Child" and "I Got It." All three including her other collections had me nodding my head up and down and side-to-side. They were definitely on time.

Finally, the last section was what I consider a serious grand finale because this section was about YOU doing a self-inventory. The title alone is self-explanatory - "To Thine Own Self Be True" You Are My Sister-Personal Inventory. Anfra provides you with an opportunity to now examine yourself with various questions, and exercises that can only do one thing and that is encourage you to take charge of your life.

Although I could go and on about my favorites, I think words would be well spent if you get the book yourself and enjoy a magnificent collection of her writings, poems, reflections, and inspirations, that I know will do more then "encourage, enlighten, and empower" but will bring a humble "amen" "wow" and "thank you" to Anfra for sharing her spirituality and inspiration with us. You will truly enjoy this book and will want to keep it nearby for those pick me up days. I give it a rating of 5.

Reviewed by Kalaani

I recently read Terry's inspirational story of his battle with a disfiguring cancer, his struggle to deal with the challenges he was faced with as a senior in college as he embarked on a tough road, and the ultimate enlightenment he was blessed with that was the outcome of such a painful journey. After enduring the painful struggle of seeing one of my own children who is battling pediatric cancer, Terry's self-told story only reaffirmed my belief in the unbelievable strength of the human spirit and the fact that this is the only life we have. There is no second chance; no replay. His faith and the love and support of friends and family helped him overcome a challenge that few of us will ever encounter. A fast read. I couldn't put it down. Thanks to Terry for sharing his story with us all!

Terry Healey's book, At Face Value is a lesson in hope and the power of positive thinking. Terry is a cancer survivor who's disfiguring scars become much more than physical - they become emotional because after over 30 surgeries he isn't who he once was. Terry teaches everyone a lesson in valuing a person for what's inside - not their cover. Terry takes a very honest approach to the way the book is written - he doesn't hide his feelings nor the descriptions of his surgeries, or the people he deals with in a day to day fashion. His mental and spiritual growth throughout the book teach everyone who reads it a lesson in their life and the love of his friends and family throughout his ordeal teach us not to take those people for granted. Terry not only writes about cancer but he writes about the power one has in keeping an open, honest and positive outlook on life and to never give up.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be very easy and interesting reading. I can honestly say that it took me for a ride through all the many emotions that Terry experienced. You feel like you really get to know him well through his candid and very honest description of his experience. Whether you're a cancer survivor or know someone who is or who may be going through a similar journey, or whether you simply want to read a very worthwhile book and experience how one person can influence change in others in a positive way.

I was surprised at how it educated me and made me aware of how I unwittingly behave sometimes toward someone who may look different from what has become accepted as the "norm." I feel I'm much more sensitive in things I say, things I do, and how I react to situations that bring challenge into my life. This book teaches you about perspective and how to maintain a healthy outlook on life. It teaches you about love and family, adversity and despair, friendship and rebirth. It's wonderful. I loved every page and would highly recommend it.

I've the utmost respect for the author. And this world is a better place having people like him in the world to help teach us all about what's important and how human and imperfect we all are and how we can rise above those bumps in road in this journey we call life. And how important it is to influence change by sharing life experiences from which we can all benefit.

I received a copy of this book in 1998 as a thank you gift from a relative. I was interested in "My Cat Saved My Life" from the moment I received it. I didn't read it because it dealt with the subject of death, which I had not experienced yet with any of my four cats. So I put it on the bookshelf.

A year later, one of my cats, "Tig", (she was 9) developed kidney disease and we tried to fight it. After about two months, the battle was lost. Our hearts were torn out of our chests. My husband and I felt a loss we had never felt before, and it felt deep. About six months after Tig's death, I noticed "My Cat Saved My Life" sitting on my bookshelf still waiting for me. I knew it was time for me to read it. It took me about three days to complete, and I cried from the moment I read that Alice began showing signs of an illness (Tig had the same symptoms) until I finished the book.

I thought it was a wonderful story, especially because it's a true story. I didn't feel so alone. It touched me deeply and comforted me in that I could continue to mourn Tig even after so much time has passed (It's now 2001, and I think of Tig often). This book really comforted me when I needed it and helped me through a rough period. It made it personal.

I thank Phillip Schreibman for writing this wonderful book. I think the illustration is adorable and so sweet.

I also thank God for giving him Alice.

Reading Phillip Schreibman's book, "My Cat Saved My Life", was hard for me to do at first. That's because not long before, I too had lost a very special cat who was killed by a car when he was only 3 years old. But with each new page that I read, I began to share in the calming realization that I was not alone in my loss. And happily, I was also not alone in experiencing the gift of a pet's unselfish and total love. Anyone who has ever known the companionship of an animal will immediately identify with this book. Phillip has perfectly captured the very essence of the Human-Animal Bond through his skilled writing. Although we are told that this book is "a small story in the stories of the world", it is truly a delight to be invited to share in the adventures of Alice, and the very special relationship that was formed between man and cat. I thoroughly enjoyed each warm and touching anecdote that came straight from the heart, and it is easy to see how Alice had such a strong impact on Phillip as she truly "saved his life". Be prepared to gain a much greater appreciation for the times you spend with your beloved furry friend.........and don't forget the kleenex!

Don't let the title or short length of this book fool you - it contains a huge amount of wisdom. You don't have to be a cat lover to appreciate what the author is going through and what he learns. He has put exactly into words what I have been thinking for a long time. He has done an amazing job.

This book is by Ruth Stiles Gannet. It is fiction because a dragon is in it and animals talk in it. Ruth Stiles Gannet wrote My Father's Dragon a couple years after finishing college in 1944. This book was a great success and won a Newberry award.

The main character is a boy named Elmer. Elmer wishes he could fly. He finds a stray cat that knows a dragon that can take him on a flying ride. Before he can do that, Elmer has to free the dragon from Wild Island that has an extremely thick forest. The dragon is a slave of the animals in the jungle and is used to fly them across the river on the island. To free the dragon, Elmer has to get by vicious animals that want to eat him.

My Father's Dragon makes me feel that I'm in a jungle getting chased by ferocious animals. I loved reading this book because Elmer goes on a gigantic adventure. I recommend this book for people who like reading adventurous stories. Also, it won the Newberry award.

This Book is a fiction story about a kid named Elmer, who loves to go on adventures and one of his adventures is rescueing a baby drogon who has been captured by animals, and taken to Wild Island to be used as a way to get across the river there. Elmer hers this news from a stray ally cat that he finds one day, and decides he going to run away and go to Wild Island to freethis dragon. Elmer has to outsmart a buch of animals to get to the dragon but it's easy for him because he's relly clever. I thought the book was very exciting and fun to read. It the kind of book you don't want to put down and want to read it over and over agan.

MY FATHER'S DRAGON tells the story of Elmer Elevator. When he hears the plight of a baby dragon captured and enslaved by the residents of Wild Island, he leaves home to free the animal. Armed only with gum, lollipops, magnifying glasses, hair ribbons, and other such items, he sets out. But will this be enough to face lions, tigers, gorillas, and crocodiles?

This is a fun early reader chapter book. The chapters are the perfect length to hook the beginning reader. The story is imaginative, delightful, and downright funny in spots while still being simple enough for young kids to follow. I reread it recently for the first time in years and was surprised at how short and simple it really was. When I was a boy, it seemed much longer and more complicated. There are numerous drawings that wonderfully highlight some of the funnier parts of the story. Adults should enjoy it just as much as their kids.

Readers of this book will want to get the other two in the series and read the further adventures of Elmer. This is a series that will be enjoyed for generations to come.

What a wonderful book! Willie Morris is a wonderful storyteller and his re-telling of his childhood with his dog skip is just wonderful. He weaves a story that every pet lover and childhood pet owner can relate to. Willie is 9 years old when he gets Skip and they become inseperable. Skip is like a little brother to Willie who is an only child. Together they have many adventures in the Delta and spend so much time together. Skip is well known throughout the whole town and is pretty much treated like a little person.
The reader is transported back into the 40's with Willie and his dog. The imagery is so vivid that you really feel as if you are there. I love books set in this time period when things were so much simpler. Morris' story took me back to that time.
I very rarely cry at books, but I bawled at this one. It brought out so many of my childhood memories and I could hardly put it down. The adventures were wonderful, the scenery was vivid, and the characters are some that I will not forget for along time to come. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to take a little break from our fast paced world and visit Skip's!

Willie Morris was one of America's finest 20th century writers, in the same category as William Faulkner. So it is no surprise that, since he wrote a dog book, it is the ultimate dog book ever.

Simply stated, MY DOG SKIP is his memoir of his love affair with his dog. Like so many little boys, especially only children, his relationship with his dog was one of the purest, strongest loves that any person can know.

In describing their great love, Morris inescapably also must describe his childhood in a small town of the American south, circa 1930. As a direct result of the lyricism of Morris' prose, this book then becomes a perfect snapshot of the slow, honest, rhythms of life in towns like his.

The book ends as all these stories do. A tribute, once again, to Willie's skill is that the inevitable does not become maudlin.

The movie which was made from this story was extremely well-received. I had read that Mr. Morris had visited the set very shortly before his unexpected death, and that he had proclaimed himself pleased with the film. I am so glad that this gave him pleasure, because he has given so much pleasure to so many readers over the decades.

Willie Morris has recounted the life of not just a boyhood pet, but a dear and close friend.
The Story of Skip's life as told by his owner is full of mythic adventures of childhood. Where every new day was full of joy and wonder. Morris' storytelling brings the dog, his family and the lush southern landscape into full and brilliant view.
When you read My Dog Skip you can just feel how much this young man loved and revered his dog.
Any of us who have had a much loved pet know that the bond between animal and human can reach so much further than just "pet and owner". Willie Morris makes the statement that Skip wasn't just his dog, but his brother... that is a beautiful thing. Morris grew up an only child but did not feel alone by any stretch of the imagination. He was loved deeply by and deeply loved his dog Skip.
Another great point made in this book is how Willie Morris learned so much from his dog Skip. He clearly states that the most lasting lessons he has learned about love and loyalty came from knowing his dog.
This book captures so well the love a boy or any human being can have for a pet... I loved the story and highly recommend it!

A compelling look at imprisoned Native American activist, Leonard Peltier. So many people have come to understand a bit of his case involving the deaths of two FBI agents in a shootout on the Pine Ridge reservation in 1975, which resulted in now over 23 years of incarceration. Now, take a look at Leonard the man, a view from a place many consider to be the darkness of a political prisoners cell. This book provides a basic understanding of some of the circumstances leading to the tragic shootout in South Dakota. More importantly, Leonard's own words demonstrate dramaticly, his compassion for all people and the need for healing with Native American peoples.

With "My Life is my Sun Dance" Leonard Peltier proves that though his body may be imprisoned... his spirit, his soul still roams free. Though this book did not have the same profound effect on me as either of Mumia Abu-Jamal's prison writings, it does shed light on the mind of a man possesed with the anger of Malcolm X and the compassion of Ghandi. This is a must read for any individual in America (especially "white America") who recognizes the need for revolutionary change as we enter the year 2000.

I have read every (just about) American Indian book that has meaning and truth to it. Leonard Peltier is a man who means a lot to just about every Indian and every non Indian who knows his story. I would do some online research about him and what was going in South Dakota during the 70s prior to this book in order to understand the magnatude of BS this man has endured (not only him but American Indians as well). He tells his story, his feelings and his thoughts. He had my upmost respect prior to reading this book and this book has helped me "get to know" him.
It's a great book. You won't be disappointed.

After reading My Brothers Keeper, I find it hard to believe this is a debut novel. ReShonda Tate Billingsley is a name that literary readers will come to know and love. This novel is by far one of the best debut novels I've read to date and has been placed thus far as one of my best reads of 2001.

ReShonda takes us inside the lives of the James' clan, at one time the picture perfect family with a loving father, doting mother and three carefree children. That is until the patriarch of the family loses his job and with that his identity as a man. Their father's only sense of self-worth is in the nearest bottle of alcohol, a dime bag of ... and the bruises he leaves on the woman he promised to love 'till death do us part'. One night during his tirade Gerald (father) goes too far and forces his children to come to the aid of their mother. Their son Eric and youngest daughter Jada comes to their mother's rescue while Aja (pronounced Asia) stands by and does nothing. The course of events that happen that night will change their lives forever.

Meet Aja who thirteen years later has taken on the role of Eric and Jada's keeper. Aja seems to have it all; great looks, a job she loves and a best friend that personifies the true meaning of sisterfriend. However, Aja uses her siblings as a crutch to hold onto the past, avoiding all future happiness with handsome sportscaster, Charles Clayton. Charles is the epitome of the perfect man, willing to stand by Aja as she deals with her ghost from the past. Their romantic attempts are continuously interrupted by Eric, who's anger has become parallel to that of their father. Eric is an NBA hopeful who's so concerned with not being like his father that he becomes him anyway. Aja and Eric complement one another's anger as they continue to wallow subconsciously in the past, harming all those who love them emotionally. Jada is the only one who seems oblivious to the incident that occurred so many years ago, as it has left her mentally handicapped.

Mrs. Billingsley does a wonderful job of teaching us the pitfalls of harboring hatred and anger. She immediately pulls you in from the very first page and holds you captive until the end. I found myself laughing out loud, wanting to shake the characters but she threw me for a complete loop as I got near the ending of the story and cried as if I had lost my best friend. My Brothers Keeper is a wonderful read, full of every emotion known to man. If I learned one thing from this book is that a child should be protected, but that's not always the case. We may not be responsible for the things that occur to us as a child, but we have to find a way to overcome it or it will destroy you in one way or another.

Reviewed by Tanya

The story of the James family takes us into their world of despair, domestic violence, anger and hatred. As the book opens you are exposed to a tragic act of violence that will haunt the children into adulthood.

Aja, the oldest takes on the responsibility of being her brother and sister's keeper at the expense of her own needs. Aja was so concerned about Eric's need for help that she didn't realize that she too had a need for help. The one theme that struck this reader was Aja placing blame on her brother's behavior on the father. While that may have been the case to a certain degree, Eric needed to let it go to heal. Little sister Jada is the one that helped all to realize that to forgive is to be free. And Roxanne, aka Roxie, was funny as all get out and provided some much needed humor and insight for Aja.

The one lesson learned and overall message was to forgive and overcome hatred or it can destroy you and your relationships. You will learn something about forgiveness with this one.

This book ranks among my all-time favorites. One reviewer was right when she wrote "full of every emotion known to man." I could not put this book down. I especially liked that I was unable to predict what would happen. It was full of twists and turns. It disturbs me when I see people write stuff like the below reviewer "a good book for silly women who stay with abusers." My mother was one of those "silly women" and until you've walked a mile in her shoes, you can't judge her. You (nor I) may ever understand her reasons for staying with my abusive father, but it definitely wasnt because she was "silly." This book was a healing of sorts for me. Now I will pass it on to my mom and maybe it can do the same for her. By the way, I also think its a great book even if you've never been abused. Its simply an entertaining read. Do your thang Ms. Billingsley. You now rank among my favorite authors!

"Waiting for my Cats to Die" Is a book you must read. It's about Stacy Horn. It's about Pamela Benton. It's about your friends. It's about you. It's about the human condition in the new century. It's about time you read it. "Waiting for my Cats to Die" is that book that only comes along every once in awhile, out of the blue, by an unknown author, and takes the world by surprize with it's charm, wit, intellegence, heartbreak and laughter. On the exterior, you see a excerpt from a middle-aged woman's life, dealing with her mid-life crisis. However, once you delve deeper into it's pages you see it's not just for aging women. The issues it deals with pertain to us all. Mortality. Living single. Losing loved ones. Fear. Friends. Wading through the shallow end of the dating pool. Career. Money. Love. Redemption. LIFE. "Waiting for my Cats to Die" will most certainly touch you, stir your soul, and make you examine your own life. It will make you feel better, live happier, and just maybe.. smile. It will probably change you, most certainly entertain you, and maybe make it all a litlle easier for awhile. You don't have to care about Stacy's life... although you will. You just need to read her book, and understand yourself a little more. No, it's not just a mid-life crisis book. It's not an avid reader's self-help book. It's just one great little piece of literature that's really effected me deeply. I'm not a book person, and I don't need to feel young again. I'm just a 24 year old whom ran across this page on Amazon and decided to take a chance. And you know what? I'm glad.

Stacy Horn is a 40-year-old New Yorker, strikingly aware that her life is almost over. In Waiting for My Cats to Die: A Morbid Memoir, Ms. Horn writes of her own personal experiences, past and present, hoping to find some comfort in the fact that she is eventually going to die. "We've all read about how men act out their midlife crises over and over and over. Yeah, yeah. What do women do? This book will show you. I've started to act out in all sorts of ways. My pain will be your amusement." Yet this book isn't just for middle aged women. We can all learn from this book about love and hope. Loss and fear. Life and death.

The initial question most readers - including myself - ask is, "Why does she want her cats to die?" There is a severe misunderstanding here among cat-lovers of the world. Stacy adores her cats. She lives, breathes, and works for their very existence. Basically, her cats, Veets and Beams are all she has in the world. Once they die, then she can quit. Oddly enough, her felines are laden with medical problems. They are both diabetic, and Beams also has kidney disease. Stacy goes through extreme lengths to keep them alive, including insulin injections to them both, every twelve hours. I find this kind of love for a pet very endearing, and I admire Stacy for her immense dedication to them, even if it does seem a tad obsessive.

Speaking of obsessions, Stacy is obsessed with death. "I keep coming back to death the same way I can't stop touching a sore tooth with my tongue to see if it still hurts. Death. Still terrifying? Yes. How about now? Yes. And now? Yes. Death is at the heart of the midlife crisis." She goes to every death movie, reads every death book. She even went through the belongings of an eighty-eight year old woman who died, finding the most obscure things - a seventy-something-year-old appendix, for example. Small, short chapters on death are scattered sporadically throughout the book. Stacy visits abandoned cemeteries and funeral homes housing forgotten ashes. She wants to "unearth the unremembered...because if I can resurrect these abandoned histories, I win."

Meanwhile, when Stacy is actually living, runs a New-York-based internet company - Echo. She has been credited as one of the industry's first women to begin such a venture, and it has been around roughly ten years. She is constantly on the phone company's hit list, falling deep into debt, and desperately trying to sell Echo. In the end however, no sale transpires, and Stacy is still the owner. Taking numerous polls from her Echo users, she puts their statistics in the book. "Are you happy?," and "What do you miss the most from your youth?," being some questions that are asked.

Waiting for My Cats to Die: A Morbid Memoir is such an insightful and interesting reflection, not just on the aspects of death, but life itself. It is THE reason why you are never to judge a book by its cover. What I enjoyed most about this book was how honest and straight-forward Stacy Horn was about all her thoughts, feelings, and dreams. "I find it comforting - and liberating - to admit that I don't know anything. Neither does anyone else." I found myself devouring each page numerous times, as if I could gain more information out of it after each read. Although she and I live completely different lives, I could connect, relate, and truly care about Stacy. This is not your average mid-life crisis, self-helper. Stacy Horn stirs your soul to revel in her own seemingly average life, urging you to enjoy your own small glory moments before it's too late.

I stumbled across this book by accident. I laughed, I cried, and I learned the meaning of life and death, all from this strange book with its compellingly weird title. It was as though Stacy Horn peered inside my soul, found my secrets, exposed them, and set them free. I don't feel quite as alone in my eccentricities as I did before. Now I'm waiting for her next book - and the tv series.