I Heard That Song Before: A Novel

Book Description

In a riveting psychological thriller, Mary Higgins Clark takes the reader deep into the mysteries of the human mind, where memories may be the most dangerous things of all.

At the center of her novel is Kay Lansing, who has grown up in Englewood, New Jersey, daughter of the landscaper to the wealthy and powerful Carrington family. Their mansion -- a historic seventeenth-century manor house transported stone by stone from Wales in 1848 -- has a hidden chapel. One day, accompanying her father to work, six-year-old Kay succumbs to curiosity and sneaks into the chapel. There, she overhears a quarrel between a man and a woman who is demanding money from him. When she says that this will be the last time, his caustic response is: "I heard that song before."

That same evening, the Carringtons hold a formal dinner dance after which Peter Carrington, a student at Princeton, drives home Susan Althorp, the eighteen-year-old daughter of neighbors. While her parents hear her come in, she is not in her room the next morning and is never seen or heard from again.

Throughout the years, a cloud of suspicion hangs over Peter Carrington. At age forty-two, head of the family business empire, he is still "a person of interest" in the eyes of the police, not only for Susan Althorp's disappearance but also for the subsequent drowning death of his own pregnant wife in their swimming pool.

Kay Lansing, now living in New York and working as a librarian in Englewood, goes to see Peter Carrington to ask for permission to hold a cocktail party on his estate to benefit a literacy program, which he later grants. Kay comes to see Peter as maligned and misunderstood, and when he begins to court her after the cocktail party, she falls in love with him. Over the objections of her beloved grandmother Margaret O'Neil, who raised her after her parents' early deaths, she marries him. To her dismay, she soon finds that he is a sleepwalker whose nocturnal wanderings draw him to the spot at the pool where his wife met her end.

Susan Althorp's mother, Gladys, has always been convinced that Peter Carrington is responsible for her daughter's disappearance, a belief shared by many in the community. Disregarding her husband's protests about reopening the case, Gladys, now terminally ill, has hired a retired New York City detective to try to find out what happened to her daughter. Gladys wants to know before she dies.

Kay, too, has developed gnawing doubts about her husband. She believes that the key to the truth about his guilt or innocence lies in the scene she witnessed as a child in the chapel and knows she must learn the identity of the man and woman who quarreled there that day. Yet, she plunges into this pursuit realizing that "that knowledge may not be enough to save my husband's life, if indeed it deserves to be saved." What Kay does not even remotely suspect is that uncovering what lies behind these memories may cost her her own life.

I Heard That Song Before once again dramatically reconfirms Mary Higgins Clark's worldwide reputation as a master storyteller.

Customer Reviews:

On The Street Where You Live Was Better........2007-10-19

This is my second MHC book that I've read. The author uses her fine tactics of deeply defined characters, brief chapters, & cliff hanger endings to create a modestly good read. The story takes place at the Carrington family mansion in New Jersey. The young librarian Kay Lansing, asks Peter Carrington for permission to hold a fundraiser for a literacy program at his estate. Soon romance blooms & a dizzying courtship finds Kay married to the far older Carrington. For two decades the latter has lived under a cloud of suspicion in the disappearance of Susan Althorp his neighbor, as well as in the drowning death of his pregnant first wife. Could the naieve Kay be in danger? Now a former step-mother resides at the estate, a married couple who runs the kitchen, a gambling addict- art gallery owner, a cranky caller who gets no responce, a grieving mom, & a private detective who is ardently trying to solve a cold case. Some of the dialogue felt forced & seemed very unrealistic. Nonetheless, you will enjoy this novel. I just think you will prefer "On The Street Where You Live More?"

Disappointed Long Time Fan ..........2007-10-06

I've been a huge Mary Higgins Clark fan since day one. Her books are always dependable - page turners with likeable characters and good twists and turns. Her past few books have shown growth as an author, as well. This book, though, almost felt as though it were written to fulfill a contract ... the characters didn't really come to life, it was hard to feel any kind of caring for Peter or Kay, and it was fairly ridden with cliches. Despite occasional modern touches (one character refers to their mapquest directions), there are many dated instances in this book, such as when one character refers to another character's marriages not "lasting long enough to wash the tea towels." Say what? I adore this lady - her memoir, Kitchen Privileges, is a treat! - but this one didn't fit the bill.

I Heard that song Before.......2007-09-28

It's time for MHC to pack up her computer. She has lost the knack of writing good novels. The killer is obvious from the beginning; the motive is so obvious I wonder why I bothered to read it. Read instead, Karin Slaughter, Brian Freeman, Harlan Coben, Joy Fielding.

Comes with a quality guarantee!.......2007-09-14

Librarian Kay Lansing marries Peter Carrington, head of the wealthy Carrington family.

Peter Carrington has long been under suspicion for murdering his childhood sweetheart, and as after 22 years her body is discovered on the Carrington estate in Englewood, New Jersey, Peter is charged with her murder.

The fact tht Peter Carrington is a sleepwalker, adds an interesting twist to the story, and I got urged to read more about sleepwalking by reading this book.

I'll not reveal more details about the murder investigation - in fact, the investigation of several connected murders - but leave it to the readers.

"The queen of suspense" has a unique talent for intricate plots as well as phsycological insight into the human mind.

As all her books, "I Heard That Song Before" is a real page-turner. I brought it with me on holiday. Thought it would last me a few days but finished it overnight!

Mary Higgins Clark's books come with a quality guarantee. Her fans can always trust her to deliver the best.

Enjoy!

I am a fan!!!!.......2007-09-12

I am a big fan of Mary Higgins Clark. The first section that I visit in the library is where her books are shelved. I am always looking for a new one. I think I have read them all. The nice thing about MHC is that her books are never smutty or improper and she doesn't use strong language, but the stories are still gripping and wonderful. I appreciate that!!! This was a page turner. I was hoping for a happy ending and it didn't disappoint! I am not a big fan of 'first person' dialog though. I prefer to read the novel from a third person point of view, but the story was still good. Different angles of the story really kept you guessing.....yeah, he's guilty...no he's not, yeah, he's guilty, no he's not!!! Kept me on the edge and up reading until I fell asleep with the book in my lap!

Average customer rating:

Pay Attention
Life is better with poetry
" Why I Wake Early: New Poems
Beautiful
The Poetry of Presence

Why I Wake Early: New Poems
Mary Oliver
Manufacturer: Beacon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0807068799

Book Description

"Mary Oliver continues to tutor us in attention, gratitude, and reverence in this new collection of forty-seven poems."—Frederick and Mary Brussat, Spirituality and Health

Praise for Owls and Other Fantasies:

"Mary Oliver is beautiful and accurate in this book of poetry and prose about birds…all rendered with the precision of a line-drawing of a single feather that puts the entire wing into perspective."
—Orion

Praise for Mary Oliver's poetry:

"These are life enhancing and redemptive poems that coax the sublime from the subliminal."
—Sally Connolly, Poetry

"Mary Oliver's poems are natural growths out of a loam of perception and feeling, and instinctive skill with language makes them seem effortless. Reading them is a sensual delight."
—May Swenson

"The gift of Oliver's poetry is that she communicates the beauty she finds in the world and makes it unforgettable"
—Miami Herald

Customer Reviews:

Pay Attention.......2007-10-11

Savoring Mary Oliver's poems bring me joy, they are a respite from the news of our times and a balm to my soul. The theme throughout this book is to pay attention, to stop and watch and be amazed.

Look and See
This morning, at waterside, a sparrow flew
to a water rock and landed, by error, on the back
of an eider duck; lightly it fluttered off, amused.
The duck, too, was not provoked,but, you might say, was
laughing.

This afternoon a gull sailing over
our house was casually scratching
its stomach of white feathers with one
pink foot as it flew.

Oh Lord, how shining and festive is your gift to us, if we
only look, and see.

Last night I attended a talk at The Wisconsin Book Festival by Rick Bass and Terry Tempest Williams. Their theme was to not only pay attention to the wonders of nature, but to pay attention to what is happening to it, local warming, the lack of water in the West, the disruption of migration patterns and habitat. Pay Attention.

Life is better with poetry.......2007-05-29

It's Mary Oliver. What else can I say? Her poems, along with those of David Whyte, provide comfort, consolation, encouragement, and thrills as I meander through my days.

" Why I Wake Early: New Poems.......2007-05-13

Mary Oliver newer fails her fans ! Everyone should read this lovely, earthy poet. " The Poet goes to Indiana" was a favorite for me....Sent the poem to a friend that grew up in Indiana and he returned with a rememberaces of a horse nuzzeling him in his youth....he had forgotten all about that beautiful time. Isn't what poetry is all about ! Thank you Mary O
diane

Beautiful.......2007-04-06

Mary Oliver's keenly-observed descriptions of nature rekindle the joy of living, even in times of sorrow and loss.

The Poetry of Presence.......2007-03-17

This is what I'm talking about...

There are things you can't reach. But
you can reach out to them, and all day long.

The wind, the bird flying away. The idea of God.

And it can keep you as busy as anything else, and happier.

From Where Does the Temple Begin, Where Does It End?

Certainly, Mary Oliver knows this haiku by Zen poet, Basho?

The temple bell stops
but I still hear the sound coming
out of the flowers.

What poem could you write?

Why I Turned Right: Leading Baby Boom Conservatives Chronicle Their Political Journeys

Average customer rating:

How some liberals grew into today's conservative leaders
Chilling
An Interesting look at moderation as a quality
Real (Intellectual) Diversity
Found My Own Experience, Throughout

Why I Turned Right: Leading Baby Boom Conservatives Chronicle Their Political Journeys

Manufacturer: Threshold Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Political | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History & Theory | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1416528555

Book Description

Political vicissitudes aside, with or without a conservative administration, whether or not America is engaged in war, or regardless of who next holds the majority either in Congress or the Court, the United States as a whole (as the infamous red and blue map made unforgettably clear) has boldly, unabashedly moved Right. But the question remains: Why? How did a movement that appeared so sidelined and embattled only a generation ago emerge as such a strong, influential, and enduring united front?

In Why I Turned Right, eminent and rising conservatives -- at odds themselves on a number of issues from religion, family, sex, to stem cell research, abortion, and war -- answer the question. And they answer it not through polemic, reactionary preaching, or rage, but in the most practical and sensible way possible: via the sharp, critical, and unfiltered voices and canny observations of uniquely positioned authors, editors, humorists, and political refugees inadvertently born of the sexual revolution and the PC movement, who ultimately landed on the conservative side of America's red-blue divide -- in some cases, much to their own surprise.

A fascinating intellectual journey, this "family of opinions," as contributor Peter Berkowitz terms it, represents the extraordinarily varied paths that have led these authors from the championed liberalism of their youth to eventually fuel the world of conservative think tanks, magazines, blogs, and book publishing.

Whether you are for the Right or against, guarded supporter or puzzled progressive, Why I Turned Right proves an entertaining, enlightening, and edifying read for anyone with an open mind -- both the red and the blue, and everyone in between.

Customer Reviews:

How some liberals grew into today's conservative leaders.......2007-10-02

A terrific collection of inspirations, insights and road-to-Damascus-style epiphanies, this book shows how the logomachists on the right side of the American political spectrum got where they are today. For some it was the amorality and vapid pangamy of college life. For others it was later on, as the dissonance between professional/intellectual honesty and cherished liberal shibboleths ultimately midwifed a transformative reevaluation of their weltanschauung.
WITR is an entertaining and illuminating read. Even if you disagree with a PJ O'Rourke or a Sally Satel, their reflective stories will give you pause and provide fodder for lengthy and lively discussion.

Chilling.......2007-09-06

I am far from a bleeding-heart liberal, and generally find David Brooks in the New York Times reasonable and his ruminations well-tempered and well-meaning. His autobiographical essay made interesting reading -- he often disagreed with the editorials he was paid to write at the Wall Street Journal. Sally Satel is likewise clear in her compassion -- as a practicing psychiatrist, she seems on a quest to seek different methods to end the drug addiction of her patients, and is far from didactic in her reflections, rather genuinely frustrated with her efforts to work within the Veterans Administration.

But so many of the other writers just come off as rich, ignorant and mean-spirited. DeSouza just sounds like an idiot -- gleefully relaying his worship of the Dartmouth Review faculty advisor who kept a set of wooden pinchers in his office so he wouldn't have to touch ugly women, who stooped to attack his political enemies on the basis of their looks, rather than their thinking.

Perhaps because the author of this essay grew up in India, he embraced the backward-thinking "satire" publication for commenting "the question isn't whether or not women should be educated at Dartmouth, but if they should be educated at all." I didn't realize he was this bad.

Heather McDonald claims that homeless people are on the streets of New York because they genuinely want to be there -- under her watch as think-tank advocate, she noted they didn't flock to the many housing alternatives offered them by the city. She doesn't tell us whether or not she visited the accomodations then provided, if they had running water, electricity, rats, etc. The fact is, since she was involved, scores of buildings have been successfully renovated into clean, well-functioning Single Room Occupancy dwellings, and most of the single men who populated the streets in the early 90s when I volunteered with the Coalition for the Homeless are now housed. Most of the men were not drug addicted, but mentally ill Viet Nam vets, very grateful and well-behaved.

She also claims that "the welfare queen mentality is alive and well." That she "met one" -- One!! My goodness! A person she describes as tall, wearing an animal print outfit and high heels, living off of SSI. I wonder -- does the fact that she was born tall mean that she can't possibly be ill with a kidney disorder, MS, hepatitis, etc. or some other illness, physical or mental that prevents her from working? Are the heels the issue? Does the flamboyant outfit the essayist objects to not in itself indicate a lapse of mental acuity?

Or, on the other hand, is this possibly ill personage condemned for expressing herself through creative clothing? Should she be walking around in sack cloth and ashes? So far removed from the realities of life is this author, she didn't figure out that homeless people, and those collecting disability, are usually clothed in donated wear -- you see them in designer goods, gaudy impulse purchases, and brand new clothing, purchased and donated at Christmas drives. I left with the sense that the author doesn't think anyone on social services is legitimately ill or in need. Her suspicion of veterans is especially disheartening.

I was actually surprised at the mean-spiritedness of these essays. I do recommend this book to anyone interested in the great divide between right and left.

An Interesting look at moderation as a quality.......2007-08-23

I almost gave it a five, but when you read a series of personal pastiches, some are always better than others. I liked them all and was amazed at the "thread" that connected all of the personal experiences. No extreme kooks here, just people who "when they grew up" as some never do, were not afraid to examine their earlier predjudices and misgivings. I would enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone, and especially to extremists, except most extremists probably never read anything except what they write themselves anyway.

Real (Intellectual) Diversity.......2007-05-20

Mary Eberstadt has done a fine job with this. It's breezy reading, for the most part, but the collection is consistently diverting, sometimes funny, and occasionally moving. As a group, the essayists demonstrate the ideological range of the brand of conservative thinking found in "National Review," "The Weekly Standard," and, to a lesser extent, "The American Spectator." Some of the most interesting writers in here could be described as moderates or old-fashioned liberals (pre-counterculture, pre-Great Society, pre-McGovern debacle) driven into the conservative camp by the excesses of the academic and activist left. What the contributors share is a belief in personal responsibility, a rejection of moral relativism, and an understanding that all free societies depend on strong institutions and some sort of respect for some sort of tradition.

Tod Lindberg provides a nice description of a young John Podhoretz, with whom he shared a college dorm, while Richard Starr writes charmingly about Emmett Tyrrell and scathingly about Jimmy Carter. Rich Lowry's selection is notable for its description of his high school years--"I would be watching a videotaped episode of 'Firing Line' and trying to follow the niceties of a discussion between Bill Buckley and . . . Malcolm Muggeridge, when my friends would pick me up at home for a bout of drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon behind the local strip mall"--and for the end of the piece, when he discusses how reading Whittaker Chambers' "Witness" influenced his religious faith. Dinesh D'Souza, of whom I generally am not a fan, serves up some tasty anecdotes about "Dartmouth Review" antics and about the hilarious (and irreplaceable) Jeffrey Hart: "When I first heard of the French Revolution . . . my reaction was that I was against it."

P. J. O'Rourke is funny as usual, but underlying his humor (basically, "I was a college lefty for the girls and the scene") are telling truths about how much people's politics depend upon the images they would like to project. Danielle Crittenden explains how feminism was hijacked by radicals, who now seem to be as enthusiastic about surrendering to the imams as they once were to the Soviets, despite the extreme, umm, inconspicuousness of women in the Politburo. Sally Satel, who would be considered a social liberal if the left still had most of its marbles, describes how she became a pariah among psychiatrists for daring to believe in individualism, personal responsibility, and the institutionalization of the stark-raving mad.

Speaking of insanity, Stanley Kurtz recounts his years in the academy, and includes many useful observations about intellectual freedom and severed pig heads. Heather Mac Donald, who just might be the best reporter/thinker in America (see "The Burden of Bad Ideas"), also delivers a well-justified drubbing of the academy, with the not very Reverend Sharpton thrown in for fun. David Brooks's essay, which is excellent, explores the tensions between American conservatism, eyes cast forward, and the rear-view vision of Burke and Kirk and most European conservatives. Peter Berkowitz is a liberal, but a kind of Straussian liberal who recognizes liberalism's debt to a source of value (or virtue, as Berkowitz would have it) that cannot be derived from liberalism itself; his essay led me to his "Virtue and the Making of Modern Liberalism," a book I also recommend. Joseph Bottum is a good bit more socially conservative than I am, but his piece is the literary highlight of the collection, powerfully and vividly written.

If you're looking for a collection of vomitous Ann Coulter-style screeds, this is not the book for you. If, however, you're a truly open-minded (dare I say liberal-minded?) person interested in finding out why a number of bright people don't mind rejecting the prevailing intellectual orthodoxy, "Why I Turned Right" is well worth reading.

Found My Own Experience, Throughout.......2007-04-03

I am a bit skeptical of edited books, probably because I have read so many that were poorly done. But I confess, Mary Eberstadt did a wonderful job. Not only were the writers across the conservative spectrum, but the premise of the book, leading conservatives discussing their own personal journey turned out to be both interesting, enlightening, and reflective of some of my own experiences.

Without going into detail about each of the writers, and the personal journey's they experienced, one thing is clear. Like all political philosophies and affiliations, there are many strains of thought. More importantly, how each person arrived at those beliefs is certainly unique.

And so we have 12 conservative thinkers/writers who discuss their coming around to being a conservative. For some, like Sally Satel, what draws them to conservatism are issues that are crtitical to her (psychiatry). Otherwise, many of her positions would be considered liberal. Or Richard Starr whose journey to conservatism was aided and abetted by President Jimmy Carter. There is Rich Lowry who, wouldn't you know, a life long conservative, although he didn't realize it until college. Or Heather Mac Donald who revolted against what academia had become. Each with his or her own story.

And in each story, a little bit of what many readers will have experienced themselves. This is by no means a book about how a group of leftist radical hippies turned out to become leading conservatives like David Horowitz. What you do find is are people that grew into conservatism. Much like, I suspect, many readers of this book.

I highly recommend.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together

Average customer rating:

Read WITH Your Child
Great partner read-aloud for adults & children
a wonderful book
Fun fairytales to read together
Cute to Read for Older Readers

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together
Mary Ann Hoberman
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Short Story Collections | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0316146110

Book Description

his cheerful companion follows the enormous success of You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together. Designed with budding readers in mind, each of the 8 fairy tales has been given a new twist and is set in three columns and three colors as a script for two voices to read separately or together. From the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk (in which Jack negotiates for the ogre's hen!) to Goldilocks (in which Baby Bear helps the famed intruder find her way home!), acclaimed writer Mary Ann Hoberman cleverly disguises reading skill development in her child-friendly rhymes, while Michael Emberley's warm and witty watercolors make for another irresistible package. Two proven formulas-the format of the New York Times bestseller, You Read to Me (Volume 1) combined with the beloved characters and themes that have nurtured children for generations-come together here in a winning read-aloud.

Customer Reviews:

Read WITH Your Child.......2007-03-09

I am a language therapist working with communication-impaired children and their parents. While most parents read to their children, they fail to do it in a truly interactive way - asking questions, making comments, asking for predictions, encouraging the child to reflect on the action and characters in the story. This is a wonderful series for children who are able to read. It's like performing a little play and the parent serves as an expressive model for the child. I use it with my students and it is highly motivating, fun, and recommended!

Great partner read-aloud for adults & children.......2007-01-10

This book is a FUN read-aloud for parents,grandparents,aunts & uncles who want to model "just for fun" stories for their young aspiring readers. We taped ourselves orally reading (w/great expression & character voices) our favorite tales from this book & presented each of our great nieces & nephew w/ a copy of the book and both a personalized tape & CD of our readings. They were a tremendous hit & among the "favorite Christmas gifts!!"

a wonderful book.......2007-01-05

I love this book. When I leave it out on the shelf in the classroom, the kids actually ask to read it. They love reading to each other. Perfect for bilinguals or kids just starting out.

My own kids and I can still recite parts of it from memory ("I found a dime! You found a dime? I found a dime at dinnertime!") The illustrations are adorable and are entertaining all on their own. Buy it and share!

Fun fairytales to read together.......2006-03-29

I really liked this book and think that it would be great to use in reader's theater. Hoberman takes the original fairytales and shortens them in kid friendly language. There are usually two different characters that tell the story. One reader would read the first character and the second reader reads the other character's part. When the text appears in the middle, both readers read at the same time. All the stories end with the two characters coming together to read a book together. Pastel type pictures are scattered throughout the stories and are humorous. For Jack and the beanstalk, the giant has his nose pierced and jack is wearing sun glasses. This book could be used in K-3 classes. Great Book!

Cute to Read for Older Readers.......2006-03-28

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You is based upon a very cute idea. The entire book is a variation of a play for two people. The author's note at the beginning suggests that the one part be read by an advanced reader and the other be read by a beginner. The actual stories within the book, however, may be too difficult for a beginning reader. Since the stories are based on familiar fairy tales and are accompanied by many colorful cartoon drawings, it may aid slightly in beginning readers. However, the fairy tales all end with everyone becoming friends and getting along, which is great to teach to children, but may confusing to younger kids since it does change the way the some of the stories end.

I Don't Know How to Cook Book: 300 Great Recipes You Can't Mess Up

Average customer rating:

Simple Meals/Easy To Prepare
This book is great
Cook book
great basic recipes
Good for any beginner

I Don't Know How to Cook Book: 300 Great Recipes You Can't Mess Up
Mary-Lane Kamberg
Manufacturer: Adams Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1593370091

Book Description

Foolproof recipes for even the most hapless chef!

Burnt toast, soggy sandwiches, and charred roasts are soon to become a thing of the past with this handy book! From home-style favorites to new and creative dishes, kitchens all across the country are about to change forever.

The I Don't Know How to Cook Book bring ease and fun to any kitchen, with more than 300 fantastic recipes and surefire instructions for making perfect meals every time. The easygoing "you can do it" tone is certain to bolster confidence and reveal hidden culinary talents among even the most inexperienced novices. Anyone who can boil water can learn to make the quickie breakfasts, grab 'n go lunches, elegant dinners, and decadent desserts featured in this cookbook.

Customer Reviews:

Simple Meals/Easy To Prepare.......2007-09-19

This cookbook is excellent! Inexpensive meals that are perfect for my two sons that are away at college. Easy and clear instructions help them to fix meals that only take a few minutes to prepare. Makes a perfect gift!

This book is great.......2007-01-20

My Wife and were stuck cooking the same things over and over again until we got this cook book. Reciepes are easy to follow and they wonderful.

Cook book.......2007-01-18

Really great book for my daughter who is a college student and does not know how to cook at all. It was a xmas gift for her and she has already made two dishes out of it and is very proud of herself.

great basic recipes.......2006-11-20

I bought this book at a public book show put on by Scholastic outside a cafe where I sometimes eat lunch. I'm not unfamiliar with the kitchen and cooking, although I'm by no means a gourmet. But I've long been embarrassed by the fact that I just plain didn't know how to make a lot of "basic" items that a lot of cooks learn from experience. There were also a lot of gaps in my knowledge: for example, I knew what separated eggs were but I didn't know how to do it without making a gawdawful mess and imperfectly separated parts.

Enter this book. It's got a lot of good basic stuff, the kind that doesn't require expensive ingredients or unusual cooking implements. It's more than enough for good meal planning and many of the recipes are useful for the fairly competent cook who just wants something quick and cheap, but still tasty. The format of the recipes is also very easy to follow: ingredients are listed in the order of appearance and there are notes that explain timing issues ("while you are waiting for this to happen, do that.") There are also useful sidebars about various cooking-related issues; including, to continue my example above, one about methods for separating eggs.

Those looking for more adventure in the kitchen are probably going to be sorely let down, and mentions of microwaves are few and far between. But for someone looking for the basics in order to facilitate good meals and meal planning with good time management, this is an excellent choice...even if the title is a little bit embarrassing.

Good for any beginner.......2006-09-06

For a person who normally burns food and can't get things right, this is definitely the book for you. I've had great success with all the recipes I've done so far and couldn't say more about it. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who is new to cooking and doesn't want to deal with any elaborate, complicated ingredients. I recommend the book so much I think I may end up buying my brother a copy so that he can use in college :)

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together

Average customer rating:

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You
GREAT FOR BEGINNING READERS
Great concept - Great Writing!
Three Thumbs Up!
I love reading, too!

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together
Mary Ann Hoberman
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Short Story Collections | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0316013161

Book Description

oin the fun as 17 familiar nursery rhyme characters take starring roles in this latest addition to the New York Times bestselling series You Read to Me, I'll Read to You. Designed with budding readers in mind, each of the tales is set in three columns with color-coded type as a script for two voices to read separately and together. Whether it's Humpty Dumpty negotiating with a doctor to fix his cracked shell, Little Miss Muffet inviting the spider to share her curds and whey, or Old King Cole enjoying a feline fiddle recital, these tales with a twist will delight and amuse young readers.

Customer Reviews:

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You.......2007-10-05

I bought this book for my granddaughter who is 5 and is just learning to read. She lives in NM and I live in MI. I thought this would be a good way for us to share something together over the miles and over the telephone or computer webcam. The stories are cute and snappy keeping the interest of the young reader. It is a perfect way for us to stay connected over the miles. We take turns reading and then we both read together.

GREAT FOR BEGINNING READERS.......2007-09-04

I BOUGHT THIS BOOK FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTER WHO IS JUST BEGINNING TO READ. SHE LOVED THE FACT THAT ANOTHER PERSON WAS READING RIGHT ALONG WITH HER.
SHE WOULD READ THE PINK LINES AND I WOULD READ THE BLUE. SHE ESPECIALLY LIKED READING THE RIDDLES.

Great concept - Great Writing!.......2007-07-25

My seven-year-old and I have fun reading this together. My only caveat to parents wanting to buy this for their kids is that they are going to want you to read this over and over! It's a little exhausting :) But it's terrific to have kids who are excited about reading which makes the book a very worthwhile purchase!

Three Thumbs Up!.......2007-06-12

This is the most wonderful series of three books to use with your child - fun and interactive, a lovely shared reading experience. I'm a language therapist and have used it with bright 5 year olds who can read, and older 10 year olds (especially those who love to take a role and use character voices and be a little dramatic). They all enjoy it - and so do I. It's also a great gift to give for a birthday party! Run to the store - unusual and creative!

I love reading, too!.......2007-04-16

FUN! FUN! FUN! A great collobration of rhythm and rhyme between child and parent making reading a perichoretic BLAST of whimsical pictures and design! As a parent I enjoy reading this book, too, which helps convey positive reinforcement for my children's reading.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Gift Book - Susan Gatlin
Every mom should read this to their children!
Can I give it 100 stars?
An Excellent Answer to An Oft Asked Question
Excellent Answer to a Common-Heartful Question

I Love You the Purplest
Barbara Joosse
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0811807185

Product Description

This touching story will help children to understand the importance of friendship, the strength in a family, and how to deal with the feelings that they must face each day. Hardback.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Gift Book - Susan Gatlin.......2007-04-05

I'm a mother of two boys (one red, one blue) and this book is my favorite!!! I have purchased over 20 copies and given away to women I meet who have two sons. They all love it and can relate to the message.
My supervisor at work says that we all need to learn the message from "I Love You the Purplest"!
Illustrations are exceptional!! I love the Carolina Wren!

Every mom should read this to their children!.......2004-07-15

This is the perfect gift to give to a new big brother or sister. I bought it when we had our second baby, and it has the perfect message. My children love this book as well.

Can I give it 100 stars?.......2004-02-08

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!! What a great message! The kids love it too.

An Excellent Answer to An Oft Asked Question.......2004-01-27

My children ask this regularly, especially my six-year-old Emma.
"Who do you love the best?"

She wants so badly to be loved "the best".

Through Joosse's book, I learned an incredible new way to express how I love her "the purplest" or the "chocolatiest" or "the bell ringingest".....

By using a more descriptive word than "Best", the Mother in this book speaks to what is real and true about her sons Max and Julian so that they are each more than "just satisfied" with being loved the best.....

She uses colors to describe her love for each of her boys after she has described other possibly conflict, competitive situations by being more specific with what is special instead of labeling or judging one above the other.