Out-of-print

This was a good, fast-paced Scudder novel, but not much of an ending.

"Out on the Cutting Edge" follows the two best novels in the Matthew Scudder series, "8 Million Ways to Die" and "When the Sacred Ginmill Closes." It is also the first novel in which Scudder conducts a case (in this instance two cases) while not in an alcoholic stupor. We catch up with Scudder a few years after he joined AA. He has a sponser and has managed to recover control of his life. His day to day existence, meanwhile, hasn't changed much. He still lives in a residential hotel and still conducts cases off the books as "favors" for friends.

The two cases are interesting. One is for pay; a family wants to know the whereabouts of their missing daughter. One is personal; an AA companion apparently commits suicide just before he is ready to confess his sins to Scudder. Both take Scuder in some unlikely directions and the payoff is typically messy. Meanwhile, author Lawrence Block introduces one his most interesting side characters to the series, the Irish gangster Mickey Ballou. Overall, this is a solid Scudder novel that is not quite on par with the best of the series. But any Scudder novel makes for excellent reading.

Once again Lawrence Block has managed to blow me away with another fantastic Matt Scudder book. This one is about a guy who is looking for his daughter, who went off to New York to try and find fame. He hires Scudder to find his missing daughter, but the only problem is, there arent many leads. He searches and goes through all the motions and has stumbling blocks in his way, but manages to get around them. I wont tell you the rest, because I dont want to ruin the book for you, but I will just say this. THE ENDING WILL SHOCK YOU!!!!!

This tape is a great way to unwind - for younger children - ages 8 and up will think it's too babyish except for the ocean sounds. I enjoyed that myself!

As an artist, I've been very concerned about the development of my daughter's imagination, given the amount of television time that children today are exposed to. I found that Patti Teel's tape has helped my daughter to develop her own mental imagery. Beth Amine (artist and mom)

This is a innovative bedtime lullaby that actually helps my son relax and go to sleep. I recommend it to everyone with small children or adults that want to get some sleep. The beautiful music and Patti's soothing voice is a perfect combination to get little ones to fall asleep, and to develop good sleeping habits.

This story actualy tells the truth about what practicaly any man would do in a certain situation which meant life or death. You would have to forget every humaine thing you've learned to survive. This story proves it.

White-Out is a powerful novel of survival on the most desolate place on earth--Antarctica. Marshall weaves one man's tale of human survival with the majesty of life on the desolate continent. The protagonist, Lockwood, finds himself trying to survive on the most inhospitable place on earth and in the process comes to love the god-forsaken land. Its majestic beauty and rich varied wildlife, unmarred by human-kind becomes the sole confidant in Lockwood's fight for survival. The end finds Lockwood returning the favor in a compelling moral climax.

British author James Vance Marshall, best known for his novel of the Australian outback, "Walkabout," has written a riveting psychological study of an ordinary man's struggle for survival through an Antarctic winter in 1942.

The novel begins after his rescue, in the office of a military psychologist assigned to treat the uncommunicative Lt. James Lockwood, sole survivor of the Royal Navy's secret mission to the forbidding continent. The doctor, directed to break through Lockwood's suspect amnesia and uncover the results of his top-secret mission, sympathizes with his patient's obvious trauma and recommends he be left alone.

Later, the case haunts him. "I am afraid that if Lockwood keeps his secrets (whatever they are) perpetually bottled up, they will become an incubus, like a dead albatross tied for the rest of his life round his neck."

The novel then drops back to the beginning of the mission, ostensibly a military weather station, but also an urgent, secret hunt to find uranium for Britain's nuclear bomb project. Meanwhile, a German U-boat, forced south by an Allied ship, discovers the station and destroys it, killing everyone but the commander, John Ede, who is badly wounded, and two men out fetching rock samples, Lockwood and Petty-Officer Ramsden.

Returning to the devastation, Lockwood and Ramsden realize their only hope is to reach the Antarctic Peninsula before it's iced in - 200 miles in two or three weeks. Carrying their helpless commander and the uranium rock samples will render their task even more hopeless. But Lockwood cannot abandon Ede and Ede will not abandon the uranium, so the two able-bodied men take turns dragging the heavy sledge.

Weather favors them, giving rise to hope. Each day Ede grows weaker but remains alive. Ramsden, more practical than Lockwood but accustomed to following orders, would abandon Ede to save themselves and their mission but Lockwood will not. Their streak of luck falters, fails, and the continent batters them.

Marshall slowly strips Lockwood of the accoutrements of civilization - bodily comfort, companionship, food, light. Isolated in the frozen dark, on a continent abandoned by all forms of life, Lockwood falls back on the primal instinct to survive. His mind becomes his only solace and his greatest peril.

The vast, majestic, terrifying beauty of Antarctica comes alive in this penetrating and sympathetic portrayal of a man thrown upon his deepest resources. Instinct and spiritual epiphany meet and mesh in a manner impossible in civilized society, a contradiction Lockwood must reconcile upon his return. But can he? And if he could, would anyone understand?

Marshall's plain, simple style, and attention to detail, reflective of Lockwood's mind, makes a perfect foil for the immensity of the landscape and the man's ordeal. Powerful, suspenseful and moving, "White-Out" succeeds on many levels.

Thumbelina is not normal girl she is about the size of your thumb, but don't let her height mistake you she can do alot of things other people can't do. Like she can fit into small spaces that you can't. So if you like books that are about people doing extremely different things that you don't think that can do then this is the book right for you to read. This book will amaze your eyes with the colorful pictures inside, and with the amazing things Thumbelina can do.

Hans Christian Andersen's story of Thumbeline is so endearing that it's no wonder that so many authors have written their own versions of it and so many illustrators have had a go at making tiny Thumbeline come to life. This version, translated by Anthea Bell and illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger is brimming with charm, rustic folk sensibilities, kindness and compassion spiked with just the right amount of perilous adventure to make it interesting, and a lovely magical feel. The story is well told in satisfyingly descriptive language. The illustrations are superb! Zwerger does a wonderful job with all of the animal characters that Thumbeline encounters and manages to infuse them with emotion and intelligence as well as country charm. Little red-haired Thumbeline is delicate and sweet in several lovely costumes with a peasant feel to them. You know the tale...a woman tells a witch that she wants a "tiny child" and the magic gives her exactly what she wishes for, a tiny child no bigger than her thumb. Thumbeline is born from the heart of a tulip. She's so beautiful and sweet that every small suitor in the neighborhood wants her hand in marriage, including a toad, a mole and a June beetle. They are not interested in the fact that she does not want to marry them! She gets help from other wee folk in the woodland community and makes a good friend when she saves the life of a swallow. The story ends happily for Thumbeline. It may be desirable to point out to your young ones that not every unattached female needs to find a husband, especially very young ones like Thumbeline, and that kidnapping and force are not true ways to get a girl to marry you! Children are smart enough to know that but it's still a good idea to talk over the odd concepts that a child may be thinking about after you read this story. I love this old-fashioned story and this re-telling adds beautifully to its charm and therefore justifies its conception.

The familiar Hans Christian Andersen story of Thumbelina has received the royal treatment from Susan Jeffers. Her large, lovely pictures make this seem like you are stepping into the story for the first time. Thumbelina is so dainty and sweet that it's no wonder the toad wishes to marry her but poor Thumbelina has a harrowing time escaping from her warty suitor. Share a trumpet vine blossom with Thumbelina, a pair of hummingbirds and a fat bumble bee or take a ride with her on the back of a gallant swallow. This whole story is enchanting from start to finish and the pictures are a delight!

This book reminds me so much of my family, one day you'll be nice and the next you're picking at each other non stop!

this story is so fantastic because it's realistic and it happends to everybody! Brother & sister bear always get along but not today they're picky, sister bear takes too long in the bathroom and brother bear wont sit with sister bear on the school bus! but how does mama and papa bear stop them? read it and take some advise!

Brother Bear and Sister Bear are in a big fight. They are not speaking to each other and if they are they don't say anything nice.

This teachs kids how even if you and a brother or sister are fighting how to work through it. It is a great book for kids!

"The Berenstain Bears Get in a Fight," by Stan and Jan Berenstain, is another wonderful entry in this excellent series of illustrated children's books. In this volume, there's trouble brewing in the Bear family when Brother and Sister Bear start feuding. But, with a little helpful guidance from their caring parents, the sparring siblings learn some life lessons about fighting--and about making up.

This book pairs an easy-to-read text with colorful illustrations. These semi-human bears have an amusingly "cartoony" look to them, and the best of the book's illustrations contain delightful details. I especially love the pictures that show the Bears going through their daily routine--eating breakfast, riding the bus to school, etc. I give "The Berenstain Bears Get in a Fight" an enthusiastic recommendation.

I loved this book, expecially because of the way its wrote. Classic dont be scared its all imaginary book. Besides the Berenstain Bears are completely awesome children stories and Teach little kids a nice lesson while decorating their minds with bright pictures.

I think this book is a pretty good book for people that like to read to young children, or just for anytime reading. This book features all of our favorite Berenstain Bears characters. Mama bear, Papa bear, Brother and Sister bear all play important parts in this book. In it, sister is read a scary book by brother and then is afraid of the dark, but will the scarer become the scaree?

This book is about brother bear and sister bear going to the library to get some books. When they arrived home it was reading time and brother bear scared sister bear reading her his scary book he checked out. That night sister bear couldn't fall asleep because she was scared so papa bear gave her a nightlight. That helped her fall asleep and she wasn't scared of the dark anymore. The lesson this book teaches is to not be afraid of the dark. It's a good book and I recommend it for children ages 3-10.

I think this books is a good review of the life of a black gangster and the troubles that he fought through to become who he is today i would recomend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about the hood.

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Assuming that the editors chose what they thought to be "best" examples of each show for inclusion in this anthology, the quality of the shows is as uneven as the various formats. The shows that seek to capture gritty realism include "Tales of Texas Rangers," "This is Your FBI," "Dragnet," and "Gangbusters." More traditional detective/mystery shows are "The Saint," "Philip Marlowe," "Richard Diamond," and "Ellery Queen." Two shows could be classified as radio comic books: "The Green Hornet," and "Boston Blackie." "Sherlock Holmes," of course, stands in a class by itself for radio mystery.

As a kid I watched the T.V. versions of both "Dragnet" and "Tales of Texas Rangers," and I still try to watch "Dragnet" on cable. Consequently, I was surprised by how bad "Dragnet" was and how good "Texas Rangers" was. "Texas Rangers" rates as the best of the reality shows in the collection and "Gangbusters" ties with "Dragnet" for last.

Among the traditional mysteries, the quality was much more even, with Vincent Price as "The Saint" edging out the other competitors for best in this category.

"The Green Hornet" and "Boston Blackie" were just plain dumb.

Whatever the quality of these pieces, they all entertain. They also give us a window into what entertained our parents and grandparents when the nation was younger and, if we were not a bit more innocent, at least our sensibilities were not quite as jaded as they are in these postmodern times.

Drop the lights, and light a candle as you go back to the time of mystery and mayhem. These tapes offer a great spectrum of the detective genre.

The scandal of the 1919 Black Sox is probably the most disilluisioning chapter in the history of baseball. Asinof captured the feeling of America and its reaction to the scandal on and off field. The story is told accurately and with great insight. "Shoeless" Joe was a wonderful player who made bad decisions. He can be both admired and loathed by fans who now know that he wasn't completely innocent as the Sox threw the Worl d Series. It shows how baseball perserviered throught the gambling. Baseball tradition has kept the game alive through many adverse situtations and when gathered together make the history of baseball very rich. A must read for ALL baseball historians and fans.

A great book that shows what led to this infamous scandel with the 8 White Sox ballplayers. Not only will baseball fans want to read this book but anyone who likes to read. It also makes you wonder if throwing games is still going on today.

This is the first Brother Cadfael mystery that I have read. In the past I have enjoyed the Brother Cadfael Mysteries on PBS and that is what prompted me to read one for myself.

The language is difficult to understand at times, (I suggest keeping a dictionary handy)but the mystery is a masterful "who done it". In this story the husband of a former love of Cadfaels suddenly dies and it is discovered that the victim was poisoned by the deadly Monk's Hood. The same tincture that Brother Cadfael himself has prepared for medicinal purposes. There is a large cast of characters that may have purpose and reason to murder Gervase Bonel but when the authorities believe the murderer to be his young stepson Brother Cadfael takes matters into his own hands to prove the youth innocent.

This is not a light read. Stick with it. You will enjoy it.

The third book in the Brother Cadfael series, "Monk's Hood," is a powerful parable of forgiveness.

The more I read of this series, the better it gets. I recommend it to anyone.

Historically, I have not been much of a reader of mystery writers. The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael have made me a fan of Ellis Peters's writing. She does not write the one-sided characters that too often fill such books. She consistently surprises me with the depth and realistic humanity of her characters. This is seen most clearly in the "villain" of "Monk's Hood."

Peters's vision of medieval Shrewsbury becomes, like Cadfael and fellow monks, more interesting with each book. It is a perfectly conceived (or reconstructed) world in which to act out her tales.

I am pleased to see Brother Robert's return to a place of prominence within the storyline. He is the perfect personification of pomposity-a delightful foil for the straightforward Cadfael.

I give a heartfelt recommendation to "Monk's Hood" and the whole Cadfael series. Check it out.

"Monk's-Hood" is Ellis Peters' third Brother Cadfael mystery, following nicely on from "One Corpse Too Many". It is set at the close of the year 1138. Almost six months have elapsed since King Stephen's army laid siege to and finally took the English town of Shrewsbury. But, whilst the King may have withdrawn his forces, and departed the town to impress his claim to the English throne on other areas of the Kingdom, murderous deeds are still afoot on the Welsh Marches. And, once again, Brother Cadfael finds himself firmly in the midst of it all.

The tale this time involves the mysterious poisoning of a guest of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul, by means, what's more, of one of Brother Cadfael's own healing concoctions. With his own - as well as the Abbey's - honour at stake, Cadfael refuses to let matters lie, especially when the sheriff's somewhat over-zealous sergeant appears to be rather hastily leaping to the wrong conclusion as to who is responsible for the dire deed. To add further complications to the task before our mediaeval sleuth, Cadfael suddenly finds himself confined to the Abbey precincts by a more than usually overweening Prior Robert. As always, though, Cadfael's greater humility and wit (aided somewhat by divine providence) win out in the end, with our hero triumphing over arrogant authority of both secular and cloistered varieties.

Ellis Peters uses her own flawless wit and easy flowing prose to spin an enchanting and compulsive story around the central mystery, although the book is not really of the classic whodunnit mould. Her ingenious tale of family intrigue unfolds at a wonderfully leisurely pace, with the reader following a tantalising breadcrumb trail of snippets of information, released at just the right rate to ensure that the reader does not solve the mystery before Cadfael himself. Along the way, we learn something of the complex political and social webs common to Mediaeval life on the English/Welsh borders, as well as much more about the past life of the book's central character. As ever, attention to historical detail is meticulous.

Whether you read this book in sequence or not depends on how much of a purist you are. Reading later volumes before this one will give away something of the book's very ending, though not so much that it will in any way be spoiled. Reading this (or any later ones) before the first two would be a mistake, though, as that undermines some aspects of the first volumes' mysteries. There is no need to have read any earlier volumes, though, if you just want to pick this one up and enjoy it!