Duck at the Door

Book Description

One winter night, a cozy house full of animals is awakened by a knock at the front door. They have no idea what they'll find on the other side, and Max the duck is the last thing they expect. Soon this larger-than-life houseguest is making himself at home—and forcing his way into the hearts of his reluctant hosts.

Customer Reviews:

Hilarious illustrations, cute story.......2007-08-15

I saw this lovely book at a fantastic Carnegie Library in Jefferson, Texas. The pictures in this book made me laugh out loud (usually frowned on in a library) and I vowed that I would get this book for our personal library at home. The illustrations are fantastic and encourage you to talk about what's going on in them. The story is also very cute. I highly recommend this book.

Sorry, I couldn't get into it... .......2007-08-11

Max the duck stays behind when his flock migrates away, and winds up living in a big house full of other animals. There, he learns how to watch TV and cook gourmet meals. This book might be okay for very young readers, but we couldn't get into it. One big problem was with the major emphasis on television as the central event in the house Max the duck lives in: no one does anything in this book except eat and watch tv. They don't read, they don't play games, they don't draw pictures, they don't go outside -- they just fight over what to watch and get angry with Max because he hogs the remote and cooks fancy food.

No wonder Max finally decided to fly South after all. (ReadThatAgain!)

Love it - bought one for my daughter and 2 for gifts!.......2007-06-13

This story is so funny and sweet - my daughter laughs when I read it to her and the illustrations are wonderful! After reading this delightful book, I bought one for my daughter and 2 to give as gifts. You can't go wrong with this story!!

A beautiful giggle, a memory maker.......2007-05-29

Do you recall curling up with a large picture book and a parent at the end of the day to read a beloved book? Of my few childhood memories, this is one I can readily summon up. Stored alongside this memory are the joyful moments I shared giggling with my daughter over a favorite book, doing voices and animal sounds. I think "Duck at the Door" could create such a golden memory for the newest generation and the adults that read with them.

The large picture book is cover to cover filled with vivid images of Duck and the animal clan. The images seem to me to be an update of the classic pictures from "Make Way for Ducklings", but this is probably how they feel to me since Duck evokes the classic story in my mind. As Jackie Urbanovic ventures into illustrating and writing her own books, "Duck at the Door" proves her ability to craft a fine, light- hearted story with laughs on every page. And true to form, her illustrations are superb.

A joyful welcome is provided Max the Duck as she finds her wet way to Irene's home. (Oh, I imagine Max is probably a male but I prefer to think of her as Maxime in my imagination.) You'll love the warmth and openness of the clan of characters who live with Irene in her menagerie of a home. I promise a chuckle a page at the cleverness and humor of Max mastering the remote to watch world wide wrestling, nudging his way into everyone's life and heart. It's a joy to find the jokes woven into the art and words. And with a cast of a thousand animals, you'll have a chance to choose voices for all the characters along the way.

My first introduction to "Duck at the Door" was the author sharing her hope that Max would find a good home, a safe place that all of us seek to soothe our souls. The author sincerely wants children and grownups to find the place they need to be and the comfort of love from a family unit whatever that family turns out to be. The depth of her yearning as she composed the story of Max seeking and finding such a place of the heart underlies the story. Here's hoping you find the joy I did when Max makes it back home. Your child will feel it, and if your heart is open you will too.

Let "Duck at the Door" build a memory in your childish heart and allow you, for just a moment, to share that warm safe comfort that Max finds.

Super Duck.......2007-05-14

This is a great little book with humor, a gentle message and quirky animals galore! Max the Duck is a engaging character that children of all ages will love. I recommend it highly! You really can't go wrong with this book as a gift.

American Girls About Town: They're Not Just the Girls Next Door....

Average customer rating:

Fun Fun Fun
Funny and Tender
Fun to read!!
Fun read most of the time
Women Authors

American Girls About Town: They're Not Just the Girls Next Door....
Jennifer Weiner , Lauren Weisberger , and Adriana Trigiani
Manufacturer: Downtown Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416507310

Book Description

Born in the U.S.A....

American gals are taking liberties -- and pursuing happiness on their own terms -- in this star-studded story collection featuring the nation's red-hot women writers.

They've declared their independence!

Jennifer Weiner (In Her Shoes) learns "The Truth About Nigel" -- and the trouble with falling for an incognito Hollywood actor. Lauren Weisberger (The Devil Wears Prada) sends a single New Yorker on a backpacking trip halfway around the world -- where she sees her love life back home with new eyes -- in "The Bamboo Confessions." A harried mom with a hit novel crosses the pond in "My Great Brit Book Tour" by Adriana Trigiani (Lucia, Lucia), and turns a crumbling talk show appearance into a sweet success. Also uniting their talents in this free-spirited anthology are

JULIANNA BAGGOTT • CINDY CHUPACK • LYNDA CURNYN • QUINN DALTON • LAUREN HENDERSON • JUDI HENDRICKS • GRETCHEN LASKAS • CLAIRE LaZEBNIK • CHRIS MANBY • SARAH MLYNOWSKI • MELISSA SENATE • JILL SMOLINSKI • NANCY SPARLING • LAURA WOLF

Customer Reviews:

Fun Fun Fun.......2007-05-01

Out of the 13 short stories, I enjoyed 10 thoroughly. A great way to discover some authors I was unfamiliar with. A great investment.

Funny and Tender.......2007-04-05

I bought this book because I'm an avid fan of Jennifer Weiner. As a result I have been introduced to the fun and whimsical writing of the other authors who contributed their short stories.
Each short story is engaging and very entertaining.

Fun to read!!.......2006-11-10

The book was great- I dont usually like short stories but it was perfect for when I was working out or just needed a quick break from reality!

Fun read most of the time.......2006-11-06

Most of the short stories were quite good and left me wanting to delve into the characters more; others not so much. Overall a good, light read.

Women Authors.......2006-08-20

This was a great way to "sample" lots of new authors. The stories were well written, and I intend to read books by several of the authors, I enjoyed them so much.

The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy

Average customer rating:

Great Lady -Below Average Writing Style of Author
A Very Impressive Woman
Wolves at the Door
Suspenseful, never dull, wonderfully researched
Learning history the fun way!

The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy
Judith L. Pearson
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 159228762X

Customer Reviews:

Great Lady -Below Average Writing Style of Author.......2007-08-28

All the reviewers are correct about Virginia Hall being an extraordinary person. No debate here. My only rather large disappointment with the book has to do with the author's writing style. It resembles the style of pulp romance novels on sale at your local supermarket. For me, at least, this gets in the way of completely enjoying the book. I also got the impression that the author projected what she thought Hall's feelings were about incidents so incidental it didn't seem possible anyone would know. Credibility.

Here's an example of the author's style from page 27:
"The tail end of spring greeted Virginia on her arrival in Paris. As May slid into June, and the Parisian summer began, solace washed over her. The quintessental French conversations, bouquinistes selling books and postcards at stands along the seine, throaty French tunes pouring out of cabaret doors...etc, etc."

It's painful for me, at least, to read prose like this on such an incredibly interesting life.

A Very Impressive Woman.......2007-07-27

Virginia Hall was the daughter of a well-to-do Marylander with no need to get directly involved in WWII. Instead, she played a major role in the French Resistance, leading up to 1,500 men in attacks on isolated German troops, locate and assist in parachute drops, send wireless messages (particularly dangerous, given the Germans' emphasis on quickly locating the source of any signals), helping downed Allied fliers escape to Spain, sabotaging rail lines. Prior to D-Day the Germans put out a "Wanted" poster on Virginia, along with a description. This forced her temporarily out of France, via climbing the Pyrennees with a guide and two Allied fliers, only to be imprisoned for 20 days until the American Consulate got word and was able to help. All this with a wooden lower leg - cut off as a result of a hunting accident.

Virginia's original goal was to be an American Foreign Service Officer - however, this was precluded by her hunting accident, leading her to resign her clerical position to help the French through driving an ambulance during WWII's early days. She then was recruited as a British agent (spoke French fluently), trained (only two of the twelve women passed) and returned to France. Collaborators on both sides were typically motivated by money (France was in a depression also); even a Jesuit priest became involved as a double agent - for the Germans.

After WWII, Virginia was awarded the DSC (turned down presentation by President Truman to remain anonymous), married one of her French fellow agents, and "settled down" in the CIA until retirement.

A very heroic and impressive woman whom I never would have known about without "The Wolves at the Door."

Wolves at the Door.......2007-05-12

Excellent, excellent, excellent. I plan to donate this book to a college library. Written well, engaging and informative about war, governments and resistance. Also, should be required reading for all young women!

Suspenseful, never dull, wonderfully researched.......2007-04-21

Kudos to the author, Judith Pearson. I almost always prefer first person accounts of those who lived through WWII. However, this book gripped me throughout the narrative. This would make a wonderful movie with Virginia Hall played by an actress of Cate Blanchett's caliber. Exhaustively researched and well written. Thank you Ms. Pearson, I'll be looking for your next book!

Learning history the fun way!.......2007-04-06

I loved this book! I have always wanted to know about the role the French Resistance played in World War II and now I know about it in captivating detail! Virginia Hall was an incredibly brave, compassionate and intuitive woman and I found myself having to take a break from the book occasionally because Ms. Hall often became entangled in some very tense situations. This book was engaging from the first, well written, easy to read and hard to put down!

The Collected Fantasies Of Clark Ashton Smith Volume 2: The Door To Saturn (Collected Fantasies)

Average customer rating:

Water-damaged
volume 2 contains two of the greatest weird tales ever written

The Collected Fantasies Of Clark Ashton Smith Volume 2: The Door To Saturn (Collected Fantasies)
Clark Ashton Smith
Manufacturer: Night Shade Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1597800295

Book Description

Published in chronological order, with extensive story and bibliographic notes, this series not only provides access to stories that have been out of print for years, but gives them a historical and social context. Series editors Scott Conners and Ronald S. Hilger excavated the still-existing manuscripts, letters and various published versions of the stories, creating a definitive "preferred text" for Smith's entire body of work. This second volume of the series brings together 20 of his fantasy stories.

Customer Reviews:

Water-damaged.......2007-09-15

I returned this book, because it had some water damage. It was the first time I ever received anything from Amazon with a problem. The book itself looks like a good product... I have been refunded and intend to re-order it.

volume 2 contains two of the greatest weird tales ever written.......2007-08-10

although not all of clark ashton smith's weird tales are classics, almost all of them are worth reading. his best stories are terrific. this volume contains two of his very best; "THE CITY OF THE SINGING FLAME" and "THE TESTAMENT OF ATHAMMAUS". both stories rank with (smith's good friend) h.p. lovecraft's finest. "THE CITY OF THE SINGING FLAME" in particular is one of the most devastating short stories i've ever read. it will knock you out. many such stories (in volumes like this) promise weirdness, this one really delivers. it may also say something (by implication) about the source of weird tales in general. "THE TESTAMENT OF ATHAMMAUS" on the other hand, is a hilarious account of an executed criminal who won't stay dead. many of the other tales in this volume are quite good as well. CLARK ASHTON SMITH at his best is one of the greatest writers of weird tales that ever lived. this volume contains some of his very best. don't miss it.

Average customer rating:

The warm, emotional colors of award-winning artist Barbara L. Gibson
Jewel's Reading Excellence Review: Helps children understand nature's life cycle
A Message of Hope for Children Who Are Grieving
Beautiful and excellent for all who grieve

The Dragonfly Door
John Adams
Manufacturer: Feather Rock Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1934066117

Product Description

Parents will help children identify the beauty and hope in all cycles of life as they follow two insect friends, Lea and Nym, and the struggles one of them endures when her friend disappears. This is a tender story about loss and change, written to help parents express their views about life and death. The book may serve many purposes, such as comforting a grieving child who has lost someone close or providing facts about dragonflies to inquisitive minds. Lea's transformation into a dragonfly may even be used as a metaphor for life-after-death. The Dragonfly Door is beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist Barbara L. Gibson. The book is cherished by parents, grandparents and teachers. It was recently brought to life as a mini-play in Alabama to help children cope with the loss of their classmates. The following is an excerpt from the book: While Nym slept, she heard Lea's voice saying, "Follow me, Nym. I'm going to show you where I am." "Will I see you again?" Nym asked. "Only when it's time for you to die too," Lea replied. "You won't see me in the marsh ever again. But let me show you what I will look like the next time you see me. Here, close your eyes." Nym closed her eyes. "Now look at me," Lea said. Nym opened her eyes and saw ...

Customer Reviews:

The warm, emotional colors of award-winning artist Barbara L. Gibson.......2007-09-07

The debut children's picturebook of author John Adams, The Dragonfly Door dares to confront serious topics - of loss, death, grieving, and transition. Nym and Lea are two close insect friends, but one day after Nym yells at Lea, Lea disappears. Nym searches everywhere for her missing friend, and can't find her. At last Nym falls asleep, grief-stricken, and finally hears Lea's voice one more time. "'I died and went to this special place,' Lea said, her voice full of love. 'But I didn't want you to leave,' Nym pleaded. 'I'm sorry I yelled.' 'I know you're sorry,' Lea assured her. 'I left because my water nymph body died while I was picking flowers in the reeds, not because you yelled.'" The warm, emotional colors of award-winning artist Barbara L. Gibson illustrate this highly recommended picturebook for sharing the bittersweet realities of life with young people.

Jewel's Reading Excellence Review: Helps children understand nature's life cycle.......2007-05-10

John Adams brilliantly invites the reader into the world of Nymphs and Dragonflies to explore the changes that take place when Nym's friend goes to a special place.

When I had lost a family member I had read a wonderful story called, "The Water Bug Story." John Adams adds a fresh approach to this story by focusing on friendship loss and giving a voice to his characters. With the help of Gibson's eye-catching nature illustrations, "The Dragon Fly Door" answers general questions surrounding loss, such as feelings about loss, what happens to the nymph's body when he dies, and how a nymph is transformed into a dragonfly.

Adams creatively normalizes typical friendship rivalry and takes the reader on a nature journey to discover that one chooses to resolve conflict, loss, and changes in different ways. Adams concludes the book with uncomplicated educational facts for the inquisitive science mind.

This is a great educational tool for parents, grandparents or professionals to use to help explain the uncontrollable life cycle changes and loss.

Reviewed by Jewel Sample, MS
Award-winning author of Flying Hugs and Kisses(2006), also translated: Besos y Abrazos Al Aire(2006, Spanish edition) and Flying Hugs and Kisses Activity Book(2007)

A Message of Hope for Children Who Are Grieving.......2007-02-26

As President of a nonprofit organization that reaches out to those who are grieving, I was very pleased to read a book such as The Dragonfly Door. This book provides a much needed way to offer children (and adults) a message of hope following the death of a loved one.

Children can relate to the playful nature of Nym and Lea who are the two young nymph friends, the sorrow of Nym when Lea dies, and the comforting feeling when when Nym realizes that he will one day see Lea again as a dragonfly, when he too has made his transformation into a dragonfly.

Our nonprofit organization recommends this book so highly that we have decided to make it available for purchase at all of our events.
-Valerie Marquardt

Beautiful and excellent for all who grieve.......2007-02-18

I received this wonderfully beautiful book on the 8th anniversary of my son's graduation to Heaven ... that evening, I was able to read it with his daughter, who is now 9... I believe she gained another understanding of her Very Own Daddy in a beautiful place that we have not seen just yet ... and though she already knew he is waiting for her, this was another good reminder of that ... I was unaware of the dragonfly's life cycle and was so blessed to see how it seemingly parallels this life and the next. Thank you, John, for a wonderful way to help us all in our continuing journey with grief and the Hope we can have.

Average customer rating:

A favorite I re-read every couple years
Near genius
DO NOT READ THE BACK OF THE BOOK
Even better the second time around!
One of Heinleins smaller books

The Door into Summer
Robert A. Heinlein
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345330129
Release Date: 1986-10-12

Book Description

Dan Davis was tricked by an unscrupulous business partner and a greedy fiancee into spending thirty years in suspended animation just when he was on the verge of a success beyond his wildest dreams. But when he awoke in the future, he discovered he had the means to travel back in time -- and get his revenge!

Customer Reviews:

A favorite I re-read every couple years.......2007-09-19

It's one of my favorite stories about "true love", yet not mushy at all. I'd say more but don't want to give the story line away. That's the main point, wrapped up in a wonderful science fiction story. It's very well told, a real page-turner with no slow spots at all.

This could be read by teens starting at age 13 or so, and is still a great read for most adults too.

It always amazes me how many inventions and ideas in this book have actually come into being since then. See how many you can identify! Heinlein was truly a man ahead of his time.

Near genius.......2007-08-28

The Door Into Summer was a great novel. I loved the ideas of an inventor engineer who lives in the future of 1970 and who takes the cold sleep to 2001 after being duped by his lover and best friend.
One weakness for me was the love relationship with his friends very young ward (the one they saved after the war) was strange given the criminal age difference. Granted, later the difference is less so but its still weird. If she had been some employee at the plant and if Heinlein had predicted computers and the internet he would have had a perfect book. However, take into account that the novel was written around 1956 and that technology in the prior 15 -20 years had changed dramatically I can see the optimism for robotic advances.
Too bad he didn't set it a little further in the future so that younger readers could still read it without rolling their eyes. Still, he tells a cool detective story and rationalizes time travel in a way that rebels against alternate time lines a bit. As an adult who can consider the time it was written it is still a great discovery.

DO NOT READ THE BACK OF THE BOOK.......2007-07-15

I give this book 2 stars, because I read the back of the book which pretty much made everything predictable and the story dragged. In all fairness, I gave the rating 4 stars because it would have been a wonderful read had I NOT known what was going to happen. Something on the back on the book didn't happen until the last 50 pgs and explains the whole middle.. (without giving anyhting away) and therefore the story was predictable. An excellent book if you go in knowing nothing!

Even better the second time around!.......2007-06-30

I read it in the mid sixties back in high school and just read it again. It's fascinating to see how Heinlein imagined the year 2000. And who would have thought that he could have so accurately predicted the (stock market) Panic of 1987.

I think every Baby Boomer (especially engineers!) would truly enjoy this superb book. The fact that it's dated only adds to its charm!

One of Heinleins smaller books.......2007-06-18

But it's one that I keep coming back to. In the middle, Heinlein offhandedly invents Computer Aided Design. As a minor plot point.

Not nearly as well known as "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" "Friday" "Stranger in a Strange Land" etc, but worth space on your shelf.

The Ghost Next Door: True Stories of Paranormal Encounters from Everyday People

Average customer rating:

Not as scary as you would think.
Very Interesting Reading
Oh, but it IS creepy!
Average but entertaining
Great easy read whether you believe or not.

The Ghost Next Door: True Stories of Paranormal Encounters from Everyday People
Mark Alan Morris
Manufacturer: iUniverse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595297862

Book Description

"A collection of chilling stories...eerily believable and truly spooky...very strongly recommended..."--Midwest Book Review

Most people think of ghosts as rare, elusive creatures that are more or less inaccessible to the average Joe. Sure, we read about them, watch TV shows about them and tell stories about them, but we'll probably never run into one--right? Don't be so sure. Even if you've never personally encountered a ghost, chances are you know someone who has.

The Ghost Next Door takes a revealing look into the lives of average, everyday people from across the country who have had experiences in the realm of the unexplained. Whether you're a true believer in ghosts or a hard-nosed skeptic, you're sure to get a chill or two when you read about the woman who was visited by her grandfather...on the night of his funeral! Or the man who was forced to move by a troublesome spirit...only to find it had followed him!

As you make your way through these and other genuinely spooky stories, you'll probably find that ghostly encounters are a lot more common than you had imagined. Could there be a "haunted house" in your town? Perhaps on your very street? Maybe even right next door?

Customer Reviews:

Not as scary as you would think. .......2007-09-16

This book was a nice collection of short stories, but not as scary as you would think it would be. The reviews make is seem hard to put down. But it wasn't hard at all. There were one or two stories that were creepy. But as a whole, I was dissapointed. I didn't like the way that the author presented the stories either. It was confusing. He didn't introduce the person he got the story from well. His comments on each story, written in italics, and with too many ellipsis marks were overdone...
I don't need to have the author's voice try to scare me as I read. If it is a good story, it will do that naturally. I wouldn't label this book as a waste of money, because it goes on my shelf with the rest of my collection.

Very Interesting Reading.......2007-04-18

This is one of the better books I have read on the subject of Ghosts! It is kinda creepy, and facinating and will keep you interested till the last page.

Oh, but it IS creepy!.......2006-06-20

I have to say that I really enjoyed this title. A bit short, yes, but quality writing. And for me, it's more about quality than quantity. I'd rather have a concise book that is interesting and well-written than a Bible-sized book that's stuffed with poor writing and dry information stripped from some internet site.

One reviewer states that the "creepiness factor" of this book pales in comparison to books by King or Straub. Obviously, somebody needs to point out to that reviewer that King and Straub write FICTION. This book is about REAL occurrences. And, actually, I found parts of this book to be QUITE creepy, especially given that these things actually happened.

The Ghost Next Door is recommended reading by yours truly.

Average but entertaining.......2006-04-28

No one need worry about reading this book alone in the middle of a stormy night. This is an average but entertaining book, and nothing much beyond a "creepy feeling" occurs in it. Unlike the macabre stories of a King or a Staub where a bump in the night is sure to leave you hiding under the bedcovers or calling your best friend for the reassuring sound of a familiar voice, this book is a collection of the strange events that most of us have had in the course of our lives. There is probably no one who hasn't had some sort of run-in with the unexplainable, something that reminds one of the familiar tales told around the camp fire on family outings or scout jamborees. Most of them are of strange sounds at unusual times of day, doors that open when they shouldn't be able to, or lights that go on or off without the assistance of a human hand. It is primarily this simple type of story that rings as true and strikes a familiar tone. An interesting book and one that will reassure the reader that they aren't "the only one" to have such experiences.

As for the why of this phenomenon, read Beyond Coincidence by Martin Plimmer).

Great easy read whether you believe or not........2006-02-25

I am pretty agnostic as to the existence of ghosts, but I enjoy reading people's accounts of encounters. This book is a very easy read. It is no literary masterpiece--it reads more like an unedited diary of other people's oral histories--but it is entertaining. I like to read one or two of the stories at a time as a nice, brief break.

Average customer rating:

Just like my grandparents
First graders loved this silly story!

The Old Man and His Door
Gary Soto
Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0698116542

Customer Reviews:

Just like my grandparents.......2001-05-13

I really enjoyed the book and gave it to my grandparents because that is exactly how they are.(and Mexican too!) A great fun story that teaches about love kindness and patience.

First graders loved this silly story!.......1999-04-28

How many ways can YOU think of to use a door? My first graders loved this silly story of an old man who thinks his wife told him to bring a door ("la puerta") to a friends's barbeque. Of course, she said bring "el puerco" -- a pig -- to the party. But the old man is too busy to listen carefully...and off he goes down the street with the door on his back! On the way, he meets with multiple adventures -- all of which require a door for assistance. By the time he gets to the barbeque, he has a few special gifts -- and a funny story -- to contribute. (But still no pig...) Like all Gary Soto books, the conversation is sprinkled with Spanish. The illustrations by Joe Cepeda are colorful and lively. This was (by a narrow vote) my student's favorite Gary Soto book.

Average customer rating:

Every time a solution resolves another problem pops up!
Glad I Borrowed It
O.k., but not her best
Read One, Read Them All
Through rose-colored glasses...

Behind Closed Doors
Kimberla Lawson Roby
Manufacturer: Avon A
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060593652
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Book Description

Regina Moore and Karen Jackson, lifelong best friends, are living the kind of life most women only fantasize about. With beautiful homes, fulfilling careers, and two adoring husbands, their joy could not be greater, their worlds could not be richer. But suddenly, shattering truths about the loving men they thought they knew turn happiness into anguish and rage. For Karen and Regina, nothing they believed in or cherished can ever be the same as it was.

Yet, in the painful process of starting over, new doors will open, and two women who once had it all will rediscover the power of honesty and friendship ... and learn the true scope and meaning of love.

Customer Reviews:

Every time a solution resolves another problem pops up!.......2006-12-29

The book was terrific, it kept my interest for the book going. Kimberla is a very good author. Childhood friends; Regina Moore and Karen Jackson have achieved the American dream of the successful careers, the handsome husbands and extravagant homes in the Chicago suburbs. Eventually all isn't all well when Karen's husband John begins throwing away his paycheck to the race track, and Regina's husband Larry starts spending his more time at the office 'so he says,' but her woman's intuition tells her he's creping'.

Both women experience heartache and their biggest fears come to life. Regina Moore is a independent, loving, strong, and determined wife who insists on savoring her marriage no matter what the costs. With all the sleepless nights and questions of his faithfulness Regina has stressed herself out, but won't give up on her husband even though he is cheating on her. Some men look at women as always being the strong one, but Regina realizes she is weak at times too and this characteristic is more than believable to me. Behind Closed Doors deals with interesting topics like infidelity, gambling, friendship, and betrayal. Infidelity may be thought of as common. For Instance Regina's husband Larry is cheating on her with a close friend. Also, gambling can destroy a relationship or it can strengthen the bond between a couple as it does in this novel. Karen's husband John has a serious problem with gambling that he is not willing to confront. With the struggles they go through, they continually dust themselves off to rise and put their lives back on track. Friendship is the glue that holds them together.

I enjoyed Behind Closed Doors. It is a reminder that money does not bring happiness and that the grass is not always greener on the other side. The characters struggle with relationship issues such as gambling and cheating and learn painful lessons in dealing with these problems. This is a very shocking and realistic book that keeps you turning the page and waiting for the outcome.

Glad I Borrowed It.......2005-10-12

I knew what was going to happen in this book by the time I got past chapter 2. Husband working overtime, suddenly hanging out late at night, dose'nt want you to go on his buisness trips with him....duh. The most shocking part of this book was to find out the he was cheating with her so-called good friend Marilyn. Should have been less crying and more getting revenge. I gave this book 1 star and I kinda feel like that was too much.

O.k., but not her best.......2005-08-16

I just finished reading Behind Closed Doors. It was an easy read. I could tell that it was one of her earlier writings. The ending was abrupt and some of her add-ins were obvious information. I have read her other books and can easily say that her books have matured as she has matured as a writer. I would still recommend Behind Closed Doors to a friend.

Read One, Read Them All.......2005-04-02

I started not to review this book because I just really didn't have that much to say bout it. I read the book about 3 weeks ago, and can't remember a whole lot about the book, which says that it couldn't have left a big impression on me. This was a book with good chapters, but predictable and not her best. But as I understand it, this is a remake of her first published book. I do remember having to make myself finish it. This is just o.k. If you enjoy her other books and haven't read this one yet, don't bother. You aren't missing anything. Her best books are written after this one.

Through rose-colored glasses..........2005-01-15

Marriage is such a sacred institution, but in this present day and time, it seems that it takes much more to make a marriage work. In order to have a successful union, both parties must give it their all, and if all is not given, the sacredness of the vows taken becomes jeopardized, causing a rift that may or may not be so easily fixed.

Regina Moore and Karen Jackson are both married to men they believe are the perfect spouses. Almost simultaneously, Regina and Karen discover secrets about their husbands that threaten the very essence of all they hold dear. Both women must do some serious soul searching, ultimately deciding whether or not they will fight for their marriages or if they should just cut their losses and move forward to the next phase of their life.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS is the very first novel ever penned by highly acclaimed author Kimberla Lawson Roby. Although the storyline was predictable, Roby's story was well-written, complete with either characters you can identify with ones you want to slap some sense into. All in all, this was a good book, and I can't wait to see what's next from Ms. Roby.

Reviewed by Renee Williams
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

The Good-bye Door: The Incredible True Story of America's First Female Serial Killer to Die in the Chair (True Crime Series (Kent, Ohio).)

Average customer rating:

1930s Ohio
Right in the Middle of an incredible story
A SHOCKING PORTRAIL
A MASTERFUL RECREATION !!!
GIVE THIS FIVE STARS

The Good-bye Door: The Incredible True Story of America's First Female Serial Killer to Die in the Chair (True Crime Series (Kent, Ohio).)
Diana Britt Franklin
Manufacturer: Kent State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0873388747

Book Description

Nicknamed the "Blonde Borgia," Anna Marie Hahn was a cold-blooded serial killer who preyed on the elderly in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine District in the 1930s. Told here for the first time is Anna Marie's gripping story, an almost unbelievable tale of multiple murders, deceit, and greed.

Born in Bavaria in 1906, Anna Marie brought shame to her pious family when as a teenager, she gave birth to an illegitimate son, Oscar. Shipped off to America in 1929 where she initially lived with the elderly relatives in Cincinnati, she married Philip Hahn, a Western Union telegrpher, with whom she bought a new house and opened a delicatessen/bakery.

Pressed economically by the Great Depression, the ever-resourceful Anna Marie found other ways to get the money to support her passionate pasttime -- betting on horses. She tried burning down the house, then the deli, for the insurance, and she tried killing her husband, also for the insurance. Then she took to befriending the neighborhood elderly, latching on to their life savings before feeding them arsenic with deadly results. How many did she dispatched in this way? Some say as many as a dozen.

For weeks her Cincinnati trial for "the greatest mass murder in the history of the country" was a front-page sensation across the nation. Thousands of curiosity seekers came daily to the courthouse to try to get a glimpse of Anna Marie. Nearly 100 witnesses gave damning testimony against her, and the jury's guilty verdict put her on the path to the electric chair. Finally, when all appeals were exhausted, Anna Marie, age 32, was executed on December 7, 1938, at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus. In a handwritten "confession" found in her cell, she admitted to four murders.

Customer Reviews:

1930s Ohio.......2007-07-10

While reading this book I felt I was back in the early 1930s Cincinnati Ohio. The facts are astounding. Diana Britt Franklin put me right on the streets to where all of the murders took place. Reading the book I could even smell the rooms where the victims took their last breaths. After the last page was turned I wanted to go to all of the places Diana factually wrote about. I think Diana should do a Anna Marie tour of the places of interest in Ohio. The efforts and facts Diana had to research made this story a page turner.
Very interesting how the story is over 70 years old, but Franklin made you feel like it happen yesterday.
I sure hope she is researching another killer!

Right in the Middle of an incredible story.......2007-07-01

Few true crime writers I have read can match Diana Franklin's inpressive ability to re-create an incredibe story such as this and place the reader right in the middle of it. This is not a bloody tale of an ax murderer who ran amuk, but it is just as shocking today as it was 80 years ago. I was astounded that this woman, Anna Marie Hahn-of whom I had never heard-could ingratiate herself to so many elderly men and women, then snuff out their lives so callously. She must have had super powers of persuasian to get them to trust her, giving her hundreds of dollars in "loans". I did have sympathy for her husband as he maintained his dignity throughout the ordeal. Her son, however, although young, came across to me as a willing pawn to his mother's activities with lies and subterfuge. However, any child that would have to endure a mother's trial, incarceration, and death in the electric chair deserves some sympathy from the reader, I suppose. This story is absolutely fascinating merely because if it were not true crime, it hardly would be believeable. The author's skillful dedicationto details makes it so.

A SHOCKING PORTRAIL.......2007-05-22

I happened to meet the author, Diana Britt Franklin, at a conference and she was so enthusiastic about her book that I immediately went home and ordered it. I usually read historical fiction and haven't had much interest in books about crime, so I was skeptical. I found the book to be extremely well researched, documented and fascinating. It is not gory or violent in any way. Rather, it is a detailed description and account of a very sick and evil mind and the heinous crimes she committed. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in human nature and the many paths and turns the human mind follows. By the time you finish the book, you feel like you were at the trial yourself. That is quite an achievement for crimes that were committed 70 years ago.

A MASTERFUL RECREATION !!!.......2007-05-17

"The Good-bye Door" is a masterful recreation of a heinous crime that took place almost 80 years ago. The manuscript is so vividly crafted that I felt like a voyeur, watching every move made by this serial killer, Anna Marie Hahn. When she finally was arrested, I was there when police questioned her. When her trial began in a crowded Cincinnati courtroom, I was sitting in the first row. When she stood rigidly before the bar, I felt the judge's pain at having to pronounce the death sentence. And when she went to the electric chair after a year in the Ohio penitentiary, I was swept up by the emotional scene in front of me. Readers will be amazed, as I was, at the author's skill in bringing this story to life. A wonderful book.

GIVE THIS FIVE STARS.......2007-05-03

I really didn't want to read a true crime story--it is not usually my type-but a friend recommended The Good-bye Door and I am really glad she did.It is Fascinating I enjoyed it thoroughly from start to end. The author transported me back to Cincinnati in the 1930's where this serial killer got away with murder time after time. From the sub-title of the book, I knew her fate before starting the book. But how she committed her crimes and hoe she was finially caught makes foe spellbinging reading. The chapters detailing the month-long trial alone are worth the price of admission. Cross the threshold of "the goodbye door" and you,too will be swept up by this incredible tale. My hat is off to the author.

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