My Woman His Wife

Book Description

For most couples, inviting someone into their bedroom is totally out of the question. Any normal woman would flip if her man even thought about trying a threesome with another woman. Jasmine is that woman, and more. It's not until her husband James pressures her into having a threesome that their once happy lives get turned into nothing but drama. FIC000000

Customer Reviews:

My Woman, His Wife.......2007-10-10

I purchased the book to read as part of a book club reading. I thought it was terrible. No storyline and it was very racey.

threesome wives beware.......2007-09-29

this wa a very good read even thou i just couldn't understand how this couple could be so stuppppid, they let this woman ruined there lives while they both was being selfish, things that happen in this story was a little over the top but it was entertaining.i will get the seguel to see what will happen

GREAT PAGE TURNER!!!.......2007-09-24

I received this book from a friend as a suggested read. Once I got pass the first sentence, I was hoooked!!! I finished the book in two days. I ready to read another one.

Okay, note to self...stay away from the threesomes!.......2007-09-24

I would say that I felt bad for the wife in this book, Jasmine...but that goes without saying. She shouldn't have allowed her husband into bullying her into this little threesome ordeal with this crazy chic, Monica. On the other hand, instead of James going to another woman to feed his sexual desires, he should have done it another way that wouldn't have allowed the marital couple to share their bed with anyone else.

And least of all, this no good, low down, whore of a woman manipulates all that cross her path - whether it be for money or for sex, unknowingly everyone falls to her feet. And bringing a baby into the picture...are you kidding me you psychotic chic?

Well written book that I managed to read in a few hours. I would read more books by this author.

I applaud you!

My woman His wife.......2007-09-12

This book was EXCELLENT! A page turner if I ever read one!.

My Grandfathers Blessings : Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging

Average customer rating:

Transforming Truths
A truly inspirational book!
Beautiful
A Blessing to Read
A Blessing In Itself

My Grandfathers Blessings : Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging
Rachel Naomi Remen
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1573228567
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Amazon.com

When doctor and author Rachel Naomi Remen (Kitchen Table Wisdom) was young, she was caught between two different views of life: that of her rabbi grandfather and that of her highly academic, research-oriented parents, who believed religion was the opiate of the masses. As Remen gravitated toward academics and serving the world as a medical doctor, her grandfather became an "island of mysticism in a vast sea of science." But over time, Remen discovered that two seemingly divergent paths could lead to the same destination, especially as she learned to blend her spiritual beliefs with her medical treatment.

Remen uses the heart-rending stories of her patients to teach readers how to follow in her example, that is, combining a life of service with a life of receiving and giving blessings (a combination that avoids common problems such as burnout, self-sacrifice, and navel gazing). Remen also includes personal stories of her grandfather, who showered the world with his mystical beliefs and wizened blessings. While this story-by-story structure is similar to the bestselling Kitchen Table Wisdom, it is still a tearful and satisfying formula. --Gail Hudson

Book Description

As a small child, Rachel Remen sat at the feet of her grandfather, an orthodox rabbi and scholar of the kabbalah, and learned the secret of life: that love and blessings given to others heals our loneliness, unhappiness, and in fact all our wounds. Remen uses her power as a master storyteller to bring to life the extraordinary blessings of ordinary existence. These exquisite pieces show us how we bless and serve each other most often without knowing it, how much life gives to us, and how many of our own blessings we have still yet to receive.

There is nothing more comforting than hearing Rachel's grandfather speak of love, life, and God to a small, lonely, and very spiritual child who was trying to find her way in an unspiritual world. These are stories for keeping at the bedside, for those dark nights when we go out in search of our souls.

Rachel's grandfather has blessed not only his beloved granddaughter but, through her, has blessed us all.

Customer Reviews:

Transforming Truths.......2007-10-20

Through her close relationship with her grandfather, the author, even though she was raised in an atheistic home, gleans understanding of the value of spirituality and learns to respect the spiritual side of life. The importance of her family, especially her grandfather and the impressions she received from him, are aptly reflected in her choice of title and in the many stories she shared within this book.

The grandfather was a patriarchal figure, depicted as having a personality as firm and strong as an oak tree, its roots sunk deep into the richness of his faith in God. His vital influence upon the author's life are evident, for the memories of him that she shares consist of deep questions and wise insights, yet she was only seven years of age when he died. Although her family did not share his beliefs, in his strength of conviction, he taught her from a young age the purpose of a life, the reasons for joy, and the acceptance of self as God's beloved handiwork.

Her family was remarkably well-educated, with numerous medical degrees among them, and she would follow in their footsteps. Despite their lack of acceptance of a human being's need for spiritual fulfillment, her family exuded an acceptance of each other, which closely parallels the unconditional acceptance that God offers to believers. When the author was faced with a life-altering disease, her family and the faith of her grandfather became a refuge for her. She grew especially close to her mother during this period, seeing for the first time her mother's strength, and respecting it. This experience would provide her with compassion, understanding, and insightful strategies to help others who were faced with pain, disappointment, and grief.

It is interesting that the author never married and never gave birth to children of her own, yet within herself, faith and trust in the overseeing eye of a loving God was birthed, and she was filled with a sense of belonging. Although she began her career as a pediatrician and was very successful in that field, she was drawn to work in the area of counseling others, because this is where she felt she belonged. In being willing to listen to others' sorrow and sympathize with their pain, the author offered her patients a sense of belonging to a greater plan, where everything happens for a reason, just as the blood and sweat of childbirth results in a beautiful new life.

The author, while embracing her grandfather's faith, did not ever make a concerted effort to discern the underlying reasons for that faith. Maybe it is because her grandfather died before he could teach her the fundamental doctrines that formed the basis for his great strength as a spiritual leader. As I read the book, I realized that the author was open to many philosophies that had the scent of spirituality, but she failed to seek wholeheartedly for Him who is the Author of life and the Designer of the eternal spirit. I also felt that some of her stories, while very moving, were more sentimental and anecdotal to her personal journey, rather than being a gem of wisdom that a reader could apply to his own life.

A truly inspirational book!.......2007-10-11

I was deeply moved and inspired by this book. I bought 3 more copies and gave them to friends and family.

Beautiful.......2007-09-24

I love this book - it's absolutely beautiful. The stories can help you grow. I would recommend this treasure to anyone.

A Blessing to Read.......2007-09-14

Easy to Read, Much food for thought.....Life lessons for all of us to learn and use. Short chapters with a new theme in each. Can read short snippets at a time.

A Blessing In Itself.......2007-07-22

I feel bad. Apparently, I'm only the 6th person out of 47 people to give this book anything less than a 5-star rating. And there's only one reason I did that. As a writer myself, I feel that there are too many stories in this book. Some of these little narratives just aren't as powerful or focused as others. And I would have left them out. But please don't let that get in the way of your enjoyment of this wonderful work. It is every bit as inspiring, uplifting, and profound as most of the other reviewers say it is. I especially like the common theme I see running through most of the pieces presented here. And that's the idea that the wholeness of an individual not only includes his or her health, talents and accomplishments, but his or her pain, suffering, shortcomings, and illnesses, too. In life we are called to embrace it all, and resist nothing. And that is the key to a life that is truly fulfilling and rewarding.

Steven Lane Taylor, author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat: A Guide For Living Life In The Divine Flow

Chasing Justice: My Story of Freeing Myself After Two Decades on Death Row for a Crime I Didn't Commit

Average customer rating:

You will not be able to sleep until you finish this book
Moving true-life account of perfidious injustice
Justice-Texas style
If you believe in Justice in our court system, read this....
Justice?

Chasing Justice: My Story of Freeing Myself After Two Decades on Death Row for a Crime I Didn't Commit
Kerry Max Cook
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 006057464X
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

Kerry Cook is an innocent man who wrongly served two decades in Texas's notorious death house for the brutal 1977 rape and murder of 21–year–old Linda Jo Edwards. His struggle for freedom is said to be one of the worst cases of police and prosecutorial misconduct in American history.

In the summer of 1977, Cook was staying in Tyler, TX. He met an attractive young woman named Linda Edwards and was invited back to her apartment for a drink and left his fingerprints on the sliding glass door. Four days later, Ms. Edwards was found brutally murdered. When the police dusted for prints, they found Cook's and immediately arrested him. Edward Jackson ly testified that Cook confessed to the murder during a jailhouse conversation. Jackson was set free, only to kill again several years later. Cook, on the other hand, was convicted and sentenced to death.

He was thrown into a world for which no one could be prepared, and he survived beatings, sexual abuse, and depression; all the while, he fought against a justice system that was determined to keep him quiet and loath to admit a mistake. Through the work of a crusading group of lawyers who forced a series of retrials, his case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ordered the case be reconsidered.It wasn't until the spring of 1999 that Cook was finally able to put the nightmare behind him: long–suppressed DNA evidence had linked James Mayfield, Linda Edwards's ex–lover, to the crime.

Customer Reviews:

You will not be able to sleep until you finish this book.......2007-06-04

I have read the book twice. This is a first hand account of one of the worst cases of injustice in American History. Kerry Max Cook has brilliantly written his own book about life before and after death row and the scars that he still carries with him from the experience. I highly recommend this book to all. I have already bought copies for all my friends.

Moving true-life account of perfidious injustice.......2007-05-30

There have been a spate of books lately about how poorly the American criminal justice system performs. This is surely among the best, though it is not without fault.

Kerry Max Cook was convicted in 1978 of a brutal rape and murder. He was sentenced to death. Over the course of 21 years with the help of a series of committed criminal defense attorneys and capital punishment opponents, he was able to obtain three re-trials. One resulted in a hung jury, another in guilty verdict and the fourth pending trial led to an agreement that saw him released from prison and death row, still as a convicted murderer.

After 20 years on death row, several appellate court decisions and DNA testing, it is abundantly clear that Kerry Max Cook didn't committ murder, rape or any other crime against Linda Jo Edwards in 1977. It is also clear that a long line of Smith County, Texas prosecutors, police officers and others committed crimes against Cook, the least of which is perjury. Nothing of course happened to those who perpetrated frauds upon the court, violated their canon of professional responsibility or flat out perjured themselves. The man the DNA evidence and early eyewitness account pointed to as the murderer has never been charged. In fact, the Smith County, Texas District Attorney's office still maintains, despite the proverbial mountain of evidence against it, that Cook is guilty.

Cook is literate, but not overly articulate. His tale of unbelievable hardship drags in places, but the message resonates clearly: there are proecutors and cops who lie simply to get a conviction. There are criminals who will conjure up stories with the help of prosecutors and cops to get a good deal for themselves while an innocent person is condemned.

I live in the Chicago area where dozens of convicted murderers have been set free because DNA evidence, unavailable or untested at the time of their trial, has established that they could not have been the perpetrator of the crime. The man who headed the State's Attorney office that secured many of these false convictions, Richard M. Daley, has been repeatedly elected Mayor of Chicago. The media never questions him about how all these innocent men were convicted. The same holds true in Smith County, Texas: the several District Attorneys who used perjured evidence or even perjured themselves go unpunished as does the suspect most likely to have committed the murder.

With the recent case of the three Duke University lacrosse players accused of a non-existent rape by Mike Nifong, dubbed a "rogue prosecutor" by the North Carolina Attorney General, we've seen once again how easy it is for prosecutors with the help of dishonest law enforcement officers to frame totally innocent victims. (The NC Attorney General called the three accused innocent.)These three young men were fortunate in that their families had enough resources to get them good legal help and that mostly conservative bloggers investigated and started poking holes in Nifong's stories. It was months before even parts of the mainstream media began to doubt Nifong and the accuser. Kerry Max Cook and the many other convicted innocents weren't as fortunate.

Kerry Max Cook has written a compelling account of his life. That he can have any hope at all is indeed inspiring. His story is a caution that the guardians, above all, must be guarded. The innocent are, as we learn almost monthly as more convicted murderers are found to be innocent through DNA testing, condemned to lengthy prison terms or even death based upon mistaken or knowingly false testimony.

Jerry

Justice-Texas style.......2007-05-08

In March 2007, I attended a talk by Kerry Cook with a 80+year old nun who asked me to go with her. I did not have a clue the subject, I just went to drive for her. What an eye opening experience hearing Cook talk about his experiences in the small room crowded with college students, some of whom are part of various programs to help those imprisoned who are innocent. I later bought the book and I was angry the entire time I read it and ashamed I am a Texan, but relieved that Texas lawyers were the ones who finally helped Cook get free. Cook's story will change your life; if you are in favor of the death penalty, it will change your mind. If you are on the fence, you will get off it. You know in your heart and by current events that there are many more innocents wrongly on death row, put there by "evil" prosecutors, sheriffs, lawyers, etc., not to mention just sloppy police work. It's a crap shoot how you are treated. Kerry Cook is white, can you imagine how Blacks and Hispanics are treated in the criminal justice system?? I am still reeling and Kerry Max Cook has the rest of his life to have nightmares....

If you believe in Justice in our court system, read this...........2007-03-17

because you won't be a believer for long.

Kerry Max Cook tells us exactly how it is to be on death row in this country. He paints the picture of being wrongly convicted that chills one to the very core of their being.

If your pro death penalty... you won't be so sure of that belief after reading this.

One has to give this man KUDOS for enduring a 20+ year nightmare. As well as the attorney's that stuck by his side and believed in him and worked pro bono. It takes a hell of a belief system to get through what this man survived.

I recommend this book to everyone, pro or anti death penalty. It is very educational on our justice system, prosecutor misconduct, judges who are blind to "real justice" & Investigators who will stop at nothing to gain a conviction.

TRUST THE EVIDENCE, NEVER TRUST THE AUTHORITIES.

Justice?.......2007-03-15

Having just finished reading Chasing Justice I probably should be waiting a few days - or even months - to calm down a bit, but I'm finding that impossible. The anger I feel, not only for what the author somehow managed to endure for over 20 years, but how little has been done by the people of Texas to rid themselves of the continuing menace that infects their legal system makes me wonder what kind of a people we are, to continually put our heads in the sand, ignoring the continuing abuses perpetrated by the police, prosecutors, judges and politicians that are supposed to be serving us.

In one of Cook's final chapters he tells us what most of the main participants are doing today. Aside from a few that have died or retired, all police, prosecutors and judges are still doling out Texas-style justice. The person who all of the legitimate evidence points to as the real murderer is still free. Of course all of the residents of Death Row who were there with Cook have been executed. I realize that this thirst for blood is not just peculiar to Texas - much the rest of our nation isn't that much better - but one would think that if we're going to be handing out the ultimate punishment so frequently, even though it doesn't accomplish anything other than satisfying a savage hunger for revenge, it might be wise to make sure that we get it right and make sure that the innocent don't get flushed down with the guilty. One also has to wonder how the family of the murdered girl managed to go along with the charade all of this time, knowing full well that the wrong man was being persecuted.

It's also interesting that who should make an appearance in this Kafka-like saga other than George W. Bush himself. As Texas Governor between 1995 and 2000 one of the first things he did was to sign off on legislation to make it easier to execute those on Death Row by limiting the appeal process available to them, resulting in him signing off on over 150 executions in 5 years. How many of those men were innocent? Is this where he developed his officials-can-do-no-wrong attitude that he has ruled with since he came into power in 2001? In the case of Texas vs. Kerry Max Cook errors and incompetence led to lies and cover-ups which led to more lies as witnesses were coached into changing stories, forensic evidence misinterpreted and pages from witness accounts "lost." All this so officials in charge of the case wouldn't have to admit that they erred in the first place -something that they've refused to admit to this day. In the case of the Bush Administration vs. the U.S. - or perhaps it should be the World - errors and incompetence made after 9/11, accompanied by a huge dose of arrogance resulted in lies and cover-ups which have led us to where we are today. If those parallels aren't enough and we need more all we have to do is throw in a huge portion of a public that is willing to accept practically anything that is told to them because we must "trust our leaders."

Kerry Max Cook is an example of what a human being is capable of. He's managed to take those 20 years that were stolen from him and make them meaningful to all of us. He shouldn't be ignored.

Who Moved My Church? - A Story About Discovering Purpose in a Changing Culture

Average customer rating:

Who Moved the Church?
Who Moved My Church
Overhyped and overpriced book - should have been a pamphlet
Easy To Read Winner
Very enjoyable read, with an important call to action

Who Moved My Church? - A Story About Discovering Purpose in a Changing Culture
Mike Nappa
Manufacturer: RiverOak Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1589199901

Book Description

How would people respond if they showed up at church one Sunday morning only to discover someone or something had actually, physically moved it? Undoubtedly, they would go out and find it! And that's what four unforgettable characters from Who Moved My Church? set out to do! But how they go about locating it and then how they respond and #151;and what they do and #151;once they find it is so different, you'd never guess they attend the same church. Ultimately, Nappa's parable will spur church attendees to tackle one of the enduring questions of Christian history: How is the Church to interact with culture? The question is all the more pressing for pastors and laity in light of dramatic and rapid changes taking place in society on what feels like a daily basis. Humorous, entertaining, and thought provoking, Who Moved My Church? will be the center of discussion in homes, small groups, Sunday-school classes and churches everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

Who Moved the Church?.......2007-06-26

Our Church building did move! It burned to the ground in 2003 and since then the different personalities mentioned in the book, not all, the folk can relate too. The Church building left the corner in the center of town and is now located on the edge as a Gateway into Town. Light reading and quick!

Who Moved My Church.......2003-03-18

A quick read and a good book and gets right to the point on the subject of problems in America and elsewhere. I cannot recommend it enough.
Read it many times and never forget it.

Overhyped and overpriced book - should have been a pamphlet.......2002-03-20

Do the earlier reviewers KNOW this author? I can't understand the rave reviews! Although this allegorical story is good, it's not EXCELLENT and it's not as great as its "press."

I have finished a borrowed hardback copy of the book and was incredibly disappointed with the fact that this was put in an expensive hardback book form when it should probably have been packaged as a pamphlet. It's 125 pages, yes, but with incredibly oversized top, bottom and left margins. The content is not worth the hardback price, in my opinion. THANK GOODNESS I didn't purchase it myself!

Easy To Read Winner.......2001-12-19

Who Moved My Church is an easy read. (I read it over a Saturday morning breakfast.) The book's overstated characters are amusing because we find parts of ourselves in them. Nappa uses this overstatement to make his point that we let our own agendas for what the church should be over-ride the mission Jesus has for the church -- to be a place where grace is found and shared.

Very enjoyable read, with an important call to action.......2001-11-14

After enjoying reading another book with a similar title, I was intrigued. I was not disappointed. This is a very enjoyable read, in a parable-like perspective, with an important, easy-to-grasp message that really hit me.

This book provides a unique look into contemporary thinking and belief systems when it comes to how Christians should interact with today's culture. How would I set out to rebuild a ministry if, suddenly, my comfort-zone disappeared? The author gave me a lot to think about with the introduction of several interesting characters who each set out to find their church after it mysteriously vanished from it's usual spot on the corner.

There are people I know who, like those in this book, do God's "work," but don't seem to get it. For one reason or another, they labor in vain. The isolationist, the socialist, the militant...all trying to do it on their own, thinking they have it all figured out, but completely oblivious to the end-game. This book made me aware that a little of each of these characters lives in me, and it was a good reminder of how to (and not-to) interact with our culture.

I would highly recommend this book.

Pros: Very inspiring and easy to read. Makes a great gift for pastors, and for those who are new to ministry, or perhaps had bad "religious" experiences.

Customer Reviews:

A Dark Ugly Book.......2007-09-28

"Pimp" is a dark, ugly book. It's author Robert Beck, aka Iceberg Slim spent much of his life as a pimp. It's written to leave a bad taste in your mouth. That is the intent of the author. This is a chronicle of how he wasted twenty-five years of his life.

Maya Angelou's brother told her a pimp is one of two kinds of men. Either he hates women or he fears women. The process of encouraging, enforcing a woman to sell her body is neither sexy or romantic. The life of a hooker, especially one working the streets is harsh and degrading. A `good' pimp only cares about using his women until they have no more left to give. Only someone who hates or feels the need to control women would make a `good' pimp.

Iceberg Slim hated women.

His father deserted them while he was a baby. Bobby and his mother lead a hand-to-mouth existence for his early years. Early on he is sexually abused by his babysitter. Stability came into his life when his mother marries an older man who was a successful businessman. Young Bobby loved his stepfather. They lead a comfortable upper middle-class existence until his mother runs off with another man.

The image of his stepfather crying in the street begging his mother to stay is repeated throughout the book. He took his hatred of his mother out on women - as a pimp.

Of course things go down hill for his mother. Eventually she gets her act together. But even though stability is restored in his life, Robert wants to be a pimp. Possessing a superior I.Q. (175), he was a straight-A student. In a time of blatant racial discrimination (the 1920s, 30s, 40s) he is given a college scholarship. But his path is set, the seeds of hatred planted years before take root and flourish.

For more details about his descent into depravity and his redemption - read the book.

His writing style is not polished. His language is not refined. But his imagery is stunning. He induces mood and feeling brilliantly. Mood and feeling are enhanced by his lack of polish.

The reader may have trouble with his slang. It's been out of style for 80 years. For example, "vines" means clothes. A woman "georgias" a man when she uses him for sexual gratification without paying. A "square" is a cigarette, etc.

I have noticed a disturbing trend. The black pimp is a role-model for some segments of society. Performers such as Ice-T extol the pimp lifestyle. Iceberg Slim is 'the man'. Whenever this book is discussed as a movie project, the gangsta rappers start lobbying for the part. These guys want to be like him. But not the man he became but the man he was - a depraved parasite. Some of them talk about this book as though it's the Bible.

While this is an excellent book, it is ugly. Richard Beck wanted it that way. He wanted to send a message against pimping and it's lifestyle.

Sometimes I wonder if these pimp wannbes can read.

Pimp.......2007-09-23

I just finished reading this book for the second time, cover to cover in 2 days this time, it is possibly one of the best books I have ever read and keeps you enthralled throughout the whole read.Everyone should read this book because it really gives an insight into a world that most will never see.I have read all of the man's books and this is by far his best work although Mama Black Widow and Trick Baby are up there as well they just don't equal this masterpiece.They only have a 5 star rating but if I could this book would rate 10 stars.

Vivid and raw but dated and bumpy.......2007-09-05

Wanted to like this book better than I did. I was hoping for something great but instead found the tale merely lurid.

Iceberg Slim's tale of pimping in and around Chicago in the 40s is raw and vivid. His life is twisted and he revels in showing us its brutality.

If there is moral clarity anywhere here it must be at the end. I ground to a halt after 75 pages of beatings, betrayals, kinky sex and drug use. The 40s ghetto slang is almost impenetrable at places, a fact acknowledged by the publisher's placement of an (inadequate) dictionary at the end of the book.

Far and away the best of the pimp books.......2007-08-30

Isn't it funny how pimps and pimping are totally mainstream pop culture terms and attitudes among young people these days? From multitudes of 18 year old white boy "pimps" on Myspace, to several HBO documentaries about pimps, to grown white men saying things like "keep your pimp hand strong" and dressing up as parody pimps trying to be funny (this has to be the most tired joke on the planet at this point) to Uncle Toms like Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent doing their modern day minstrel show on Mtv, to those who have "game", the con artists, deceivers, and criminals being the heroes to a good portion of the black community. Those enlightened social engineers and producers of our pop culture sure do enrich our society don't they!?!?

I also notice there are multiple books about pimps and "how to be a pimp" type books on Amazon which at casual look seem so ridiculous that they almost seem to be comedic parodies reminding me of those books written for losers that tell you how to bed beautiful women. If you want a good laugh just read some of the Amazon reviews of the pimp books.

Excluding Magic Don Juans book which is somewhat entertaining Iceberg Slims book is probably the only one worth reading and is head and shoulders above any other books by or about pimps. He doesn't try to glorify himself or being a pimp and while he does give glimpses in the life of being a pimp, drug addict, criminal and eventual prison inmate this book is just as much a self analysis for him as a look into that lifestyle. He states most of the stuff that he experienced and did matter of factly but you get a feeling that writing this book served as therapeutic introspective for Robert "Iceberg Slim" Beck. He does a good job of showing what a scumbag he was but he doesn't get preachy or come off as an attention seeker. Its like he took a step back and made an appraisal of what he once was and put it down on paper. He does a good job of painting a picture of the times in which all this occured and situations he was in. I have to be fair and give the guy credit he really was a good writer.

Good But Underwritten.......2007-02-20

This is a very entertaining, fairly informative novel that is worth the read, particularly if you have a novice interest in the subject matter. The problem I have is that some important aspects of Slim's "life story" are too sketchily described. He writes in sufficient detail about the lessons he learned on how to pimp (from Macks he befriended). He effectively pulls you into the story with his vivid anecdotes of the drug abuse, crosses and petty crime that plague urban street life. He goes into the life of a prison convict. Although it's set in the early 20th century, it doesn't read back as dated even with some of its old-fashion slang. It has a contemporary, almost timeless feel which I appreciated. It also has its fair-share of humor and I found myself laughing several times.

But as stated before, it's glaringly underwritten in many places. All of the female characters lack clear personalities traits; this is even true for women he had for many years like "The Runt", Chris, and Rachel. They should've been made more dimensional and distinct from each other if only to provide a more beneficial read. It also would've been intriguing if Slim had depicted the daily life of his stable, to show what being a part of that group was like and how they interacted and co-existed. I realize that the book is entitled "Pimp" but the lives of his ASSETS, on the streets and off, were never described. It almost leads me to believe that Beck had no clue about that part of the life, and that raises my misgivings.

It's also just a little too convenient that he never turns out a normal but troubled, fresh square with finesse and true manipulation. Every woman he cops is a brainless nymphomaniac who's already in the game to begin with (or headed there anyway) and all too happy to work for him after a weak rap or a nasty reproach. To me this is just uninspired and not wholly credible.

While his youth in the first half is painstakingly detailed at a steady pace, some parts of his life in the second half were rushed that shouldn't have been, like his endeavor to get off of heroin. That takes up only about a page. The circumstance of a love-struck girl bent on murdering him is almost mentioned in passing. I would've rather read about these things than about his Tuskegee years or his Georgia affair with the cop's mistress. I saw a lot of wasted potential with this book. As good as it was, it could've been even better- a definitive masterpiece.

All that being said, it's recommended for being intelligently written, somewhat informative, and above all entertaining. Read if you are curious about the subject matter and like hard-boiled, unapologetic fiction.

A Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life

Average customer rating:

Ghastly
do not buy this book
Frustrating, Hard to Understand
horrifying
No pleasure read

A Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life
Jon Katz
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 140006189X
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Book Description

“People who love dogs often talk about a ‘lifetime’ dog. I’d heard the phrase a dozen times before I came to recognize its significance. Lifetime dogs are dogs we love in especially powerful, sometimes inexplicable ways.”–Jon Katz

In this gripping and deeply touching book, bestselling author Jon Katz tells the story of his lifetime dog, Orson: a beautiful border collie–intense, smart, crazy, and unforgettable.

From the moment Katz and Orson meet, when the dog springs from his traveling crate at Newark airport and panics the baggage claim area, their relationship is deep, stormy, and loving. At two years old, Katz’s new companion is a great herder of school buses, a scholar of refrigerators, but a dud at herding sheep. Everything Katz attempts– obedience training, herding instruction, a new name, acupuncture, herb and alternative therapies–helps a little but not enough, and not for long. “Like all border collies and many dogs,” Katz writes, “he needed work. I didn’t realize for some time I was the work Orson would find.”
While Katz is trying to help his dog, Orson is helping him, shepherding him toward a new life on a two-hundred-year-old hillside farm in upstate New York. There, aided by good neighbors and a tolerant wife, hip-deep in sheep, chickens, donkeys, and more dogs, the man and his canine companion explore meadows, woods, and even stars, wade through snow, bask by a roaring wood stove, and struggle to keep faith with each other. There, with deep love, each embraces his unfolding destiny.

A Good Dog is a book to savor. Just as Orson was the author’s lifetime dog, his story is a lifetime treasure–poignant, timeless, and powerful.

Customer Reviews:

Ghastly.......2007-10-14

This author is the literary equivalent of a puppy miller - making money over the bodies of his dogs.

do not buy this book.......2007-10-14

As the owner of two herding dogs, I know first hand how hard it is to train them well and keep them out of trouble. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book, and for that I will give it two stars. But what a waste of a vacation day I felt I spent reading this when I got to the end of the story. Poor Orson. How I wished he would have been retired to a home that knew the value of a leash, a dog run, and a crate. I will not be buying any other books from this author.

Frustrating, Hard to Understand.......2007-10-10

The first few pages were great - a story about an intelligent dog with a mind of its own, out chasing school buses, corralling skate-boarders and others, and protected by an owner who had bonded with him. Orson also learned to open the refrigerator, eat whatever he wanted, and then hide the packaging.

But Orson didn't fit in with urban N.J., leading its owner to buy a small farm in N.Y. and get over his own "mid-life" crisis. Unfortunately, Orson became less and less predictable, and more and more likely to nip at people. So Katz (owner and author) took Orson to the vet ($1,000 worth of tests with no result, then to an animal talker, and finally a shaman. Some improvement came from acupuncture (Orson had been hit by a car during his early days in N.J.), but the biggest improvement came when Katz bought an ATV to help his own mobility limitations due to injured legs.

Sadly, though, Orson again starts nipping, and even draws blood in instances when there was no known reason for him to. Katz, worried about his liability, decides to have Orson put to sleep.

So was Katz really bonded to Orson, or just decide he was a nuisance? Why didn't he put the dog away when people were around, and/or put up "Beware of the Dog" signs?

Definitely not the happy man-dog story I was looking forward to!

horrifying.......2007-10-08

When I was given this book, I had no idea what it was about. Once I learned, I was almost sick to my stomach. Incredible to me that someone could write a "dog love story" that ends in the cruelest, most heartless betrayal imaginable. There is no justifying his action. Simply appalling. Be warned this book is no sweet story, but a frightening tale of justification.

No pleasure read.......2007-10-07

First I must say that many reviewers were too harsh on Katz. The problem was that Katz made a name for himself writing about dogs on his Bedlam Farm and one of the protagonists pays with his life in this book. Readers were expecting another easy read about happy dogs in New York.

Katz is not a dog expert nor a dog trainer. He simply is a good writer who writes about his dogs and his farm. His temperament is better suited for more docile breeds like retrievers and Labradors. A border collie and Katz are just a volatile mix. Collies need constant work and attention and are by nature restless. They need a steady job, they need constant life around them to be happy dogs.

Katz is a good writer and this book reads well. What bothered me were the last 30 pages; after the dog is euthenized it seemed the book lingered when it should have ended with Orson's last heartbeat. He spent the remaining pages defending his position to put his dog down. After hollistic treatments, visits to a shaman and accupuncture, he never once took the dog to a certified dog behaviorist? That seemed odd, and that is why I had little compassion for Katz. Orson deserved more.

Katz is of the belief that dogs must be trained, must not be dangerous and should not be treated as humans. If a dog bites or attacks, its fate is doomed. Many urbanites will agree with that. Orson was one such doomed canine, although I don't understand why he couldn't find a home for him (despite his feelings that he can't "recycle" pets with behaviorial problems) when there surely could have been people willing to take the dog in? With all his fame and website there were no takers? He put the dog down without telling anyone but his own veterinarian, and now he has to pay with his decision and spend more time explaining his decision. Had he been a true lover of Orson, he could have easily found a home for Orson that didn't have the stimuli that triggered his biting attacks. He needed a female to tend to his spirit. Instead Orson was paired with an impatient, demanding, overweight middle-aged man.

This was my first book by Katz and it will be my last. He can write all he wants to about dogs but the image I have is of his "good dog" Orson dying in his arms. Orson was a good dog. It was the owner who was bad and failed him. I don't understand how Amazon could recommend this book along with the more upbeat "Marley and Me" by John Grogan.

Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God: The Life Story of the Author of My Utmost for His Highest

Average customer rating:

An Excellent Biography on a Fascinating Man of God!
Prayer Answered By Crosses
Truly Inspired and Detailed
The Life Story of A Man Dedicated to God's Service
Must Read

Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God: The Life Story of the Author of My Utmost for His Highest
David McCasland
Manufacturer: Discovery House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1572930500

Product Description

Oswald Chambers was born in Scotland and spent much of his boyhood there. His ministry of teaching and preaching took him for a time to the United States and Japan. The last six years of his life were spent as principal of the Bible Training College in London, and as chaplain to British Commonwealth troops in Egypt during World War I. After his death, at age 43, the books that bear his name were compiled by his wife from her own verbatim shorthand notes of his talks.

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Biography on a Fascinating Man of God!.......2007-04-15

For a number of years I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and being blessed by "My Utmost for His Highest". While I have been greatly blessed, I knew little of the author other than he served British troops in Egypt as a servant of the YMCA. Thankfully, McCasland has written a most interesting read of Reverand Chambers.

Among the areas covered in Chambers' life include:

1. Early life and large family he belonged to - parents and siblings.
2. How and when he came to Christ.
3. His education at various schools.
4. Marriage to his beloved "Biddy" and enjoying his daughter Kathleen.
5. His service for the YMCA and other Christian-related organizations.
6. Ministry to British troops in Egypt during WWI.
7. Many travels and friends he made throughout his life.
8. Circumstances leading up to his death at the early age of 43.

The book was so well-written and detailed about Chambers' life that I have grown to respect and appreciate the man even more. I (in addition to many others I'm sure) am also deeply grateful for his wife Biddy's efforts to publish many of his addresses to the British troops that ultimately resulted in the devotion "My Utmost for His Highest".

Read and enjoy the book and come to appreciate Reverand Chambers even more! Highly recommended.

Prayer Answered By Crosses.......2007-03-23

John Newton wrote a poem with the above title.

Mr. McCasland has written a very readable biography of a true man of God. In every chapter following the first, the reader walks with Chambers throughout his spiritual growth. Our Lord has told his followers that life will not be easy as a disciple and 'OC' is a shining example of living the life of faith--real faith unlike today where many so-called people of God have replaced faith with conservatism or patriotism or judicial capitalism.

From the 6th and last stanzas of Newton:

Lord, why is this, I
trembling cry'd.
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to
death?
"Tis in this way," the Lord
reply'd.
"I answer pray'r for grace and
faith.

"These inward trials I
employ,
"From self and pride to set
thee free;
"And break thy schemes of
earthly joy,
"That thou mayst seek thy all
in me."

The school of Christ involves learning the basics of the Christian faith but that is NOT the end. Be of good cheer, because when Jesus says he is their with us in our trials, he really means it! In the life of 'OC,' we know and believe this is true.

Truly Inspired and Detailed.......2007-03-12

Thank you David McCasland for your biography of a true disciple of Christ.
If only we still had Oswald Chambers! I loved this book. I would have loved to have met Biddy Chambers as well. Such inspired lives they had!

The Life Story of A Man Dedicated to God's Service.......2007-02-09

Most people are familiar with My Utmost for His Highest, one of the great classic devotionals. But few are familiar with the man, Oswald Chambers. Oswald Chambers was originally from Scotland, formed a Bible College in England, and eventually went to Egypt where he served as a chaplain for WWI servicemen. He left this earth at a very young age. The marvelous thing is that Chambers had a wife who trained to be a transcriptionist. Her earthly ambition was to be the transcriptionist for the Prime Minister of England, but when she met and married Oswald Chambers, she began transcribing his words from his many teachings at the Bible College and to the servicemen. My Utmost for His Highest was published a year after his death, after Mrs. Chambers gathered together some of the gems of his teachings in one volume. Many more books followed over the years. Oswald Chambers would surely not be remembered today, if not for the partnership and labor of his wife. This book is wonderfully written as it tells the marvelous story of one man who dedicated his life to God's service...and whose words are treasured today because of his wife's gift of transcribing his words.

Must Read.......2007-01-11

A must read for all who enjoy the daily devotion book "My Utmost for His Highest".

A Chair for My Mother 25th Anniversary Edition (Reading Rainbow Book)

Average customer rating:

one of our current favorites
Loved it
mom and grandma
Another missing Dad
A great book for kids

A Chair for My Mother 25th Anniversary Edition (Reading Rainbow Book)

Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0688040748
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Book Description

After a fire destroys their home and possessions, Rosa, her mother, and grandmother save and save until they can afford to buy one big, comfortable chair that all three of them can enjoy.After their home is destroyed by a fire, Rosa, her mother and grandmother save their coins to buy a really comfortable chair for all to enjoy. "A superbly conceived picture book expressing the joyful spirit of a loving family."––Horn Book.

Customer Reviews:

one of our current favorites.......2007-10-03

This, along with Something Special for Me have been top picks for our 3 1/2 year old for the last few months. She asks for them over and over. I love how this book tells a simple story yet illustrates wonderful family values without being preachy. I imagine this will be in the regular rotation at our house for years to come.

Loved it.......2007-05-11

THis is a book that I and my students thoroughly enjoyed. I love teh emphasis on hardwork and perseverance.Most children can relate to the notion of saving money to purchase something they really want to have. Written from the perspective of the child makes the story easy for children to identify with. The notion of harwork and perseverance is weaved through out the story. From the mother's long hours at the diner to the family's year of saving change in a jar. The Coldecott-winning illustrations allow the reader to feel the emotions the little girl is feeling and correspond beautifully with the text. The cover of the book is an outsiders view of the diner where the little girl's mother works. Ths vantage point lends to the perspective from which the story is told. I feel this is a story that can transcend time. There will always be the need for hard work and perseverance. There will always be hard times one has to overcome. The notion of earning and valuing material pocessions can cross all cultures.

mom and grandma.......2007-03-13

A beautiful book, visually and story-wise. My children loved it, I loved it and now the grandchildren love it. It has drama and kindness and an appreciation for small things that make life rich.

Another missing Dad.......2007-01-16

Where's the father in this story? With all the unfortunate divorcing going on in this world, I plan to inundate my child with stories about happy families with both a mom and a dad. If it doesn't work out for him when he grows up and gets married, at least I can say I tried my best. I'm tired of forcing the feminist agenda on our kids. They need to know that not having a GOOD husband/father at home is not a good thing. Also, I thought the book was boring and the chair was ugly.

A great book for kids.......2006-09-29

I recently bought this book for my 7-year-old, and was really impressed by both the story and the beautiful illustrations. I felt it was a good story for my daughter to read as it told how the young girl, her mother and grandmother survived a fire that destroyed their home and built a life for themselves afterward. The reward to being able to buy a comfortable chair after all their hard work and savings drives home the point of how much we have and how little we may sometimes appreciate it.

Average customer rating:

The Social stories book
Didn't live up to the Hype
social stories carol grey
School Use
Presicion through simplicity

My Social Stories Book
Carol Gray
Manufacturer: TAYLOR & FRANCIS/ROUTLEDGE
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1853029505

Book Description

Carol Gray's social stories have been used all over the world to teach social and life skills to children on the autism spectrum. Taking the form of short narratives, the stories in My Social Stories Book take children step-by-step through basic activities such as brushing your teeth, taking a bath and wearing a safety belt in the car. These stories are written for preschoolers aged 2-6 and form a useful primer for non-autistic as well as autistic children.

My Social Stories Book contains almost 200 stories, arranged in sets, and is illustrated throughout with line drawings by Sean McAndrew.

Customer Reviews:

The Social stories book.......2007-08-28

It is a great book to do with children that need that extra little help in how to deal with socialsituations

Didn't live up to the Hype.......2007-06-05

I bought the book after reading heaps of info about Carol Gray and her social stories. Unfortunately the book could possibly benefit 3 year olds and young 4 year olds. Certainly children any older will not get any benefit from it. For me it was a complete waste of money and I have since donated the book to the local library.

social stories carol grey.......2007-05-24

this book has relevant stories for the appropriate disorder and I expected it to be useful for the child in mind. However in my case it was the child who decided whether it was useful or not. He has no interest in them at all.They're boring is his comment--he's 5--and refuses to participate. what he would prefer is the 'real' book--far more colourful and exciting.Maybe some colour graphics would make them more appealing.I purchased them as they were recommended by our psychologist.
Jacinta O'Reilly

School Use.......2006-11-10

The book itself was ok, but what I bought it for was to use it during school time and it didn't have much to use at school. What I needed was social stories I could use with my students at school situations. For home and outside of school there was some great social stories but not enough for me.

Presicion through simplicity.......2003-06-03

As an individual unfamiliar with the nuances of AS, I found "My Social Stories Book" particularly effective in identifying, conveying and demystifying what is mundane for most people, but what can be overwhelming for those with AS. Sean McAndrew's brilliant translation of the text via child-friendly illustrations relevant to their respective scenarios are what make a publication like this one truly work. Much like crosswalk symbols, these illustrations must be absolutely simplistic in order to be unmistakeably understood. Much respect to McAndrew who rendered the abstract idea of divorce in such tender illustrative grace.

Raymie, Dickie, and the Bean: Why I Love and Hate My Brothers (Book and CD)

Average customer rating:

Good example for would-be children's book authors
Our family loves this book!
Lacking so, so much...
Ray's Sense of Humor
Really not...good.

Raymie, Dickie, and the Bean: Why I Love and Hate My Brothers (Book and CD)

Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689864515
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Amazon.com

Tossing his hat in the ring of celebrity children's book authors, Ray Romano of the popular TV show Everybody Loves Raymond pens an affectionate tribute to his own boyhood with help from his two brothers Richard (Dickie) and Robert (the Bean). The good news is most everyone will still love Raymond after reading his children's book debut, a nostalgic vignette of sibling rivalry and revelry.

The story begins when the narrator (his family calls him Raymie) is 10 years old and the boys' parents are taking them to the amusement park: "Finally, after what seems like four hundred hours, they get in the car and we are on our way. Dickie is so excited that he gives me some noogies. I hate that, but he and Bean think it's hilarious." Kids with younger siblings will relate to having to ride on Chuckie the Choo-Choo before cool rides like the Vomitizer and thinking that the youngest is faking being asleep so he doesn't have to help unload the car. Because this is a book about three young boys, farting is inevitable (complete with green wafting gas), as are bathroom antics, good-natured insults, and rampant silliness. Gary Locke's skillful oil painting caricatures of the slightly (disturbingly) adult-headed boys are expressive, comical, and varied by interesting perspectives. If you can't get enough of Ray Romano, listen to the audio CD of the story included in the back of the book. (Ages 6-8) --Karin Snelson

Customer Reviews:

Good example for would-be children's book authors.......2006-09-18

If Romano weren't famous,this book would have never made it to print. Lacking in almost every element of a good story, it is a great example to use if you are teaching people how to write children's books--how NOT to do it, that is. I imagine it sold a bazillion copies. Oh well.

Our family loves this book!.......2006-01-31

Perhaps it is because my boys are the same ages as Raymie and his brothers in this story, but we found it very humorous. Any family with boys in it should be able to relate to the antics of these brothers as they go through their day. The artwork adds to the story as the illustrator has captured well the expressions on the faces. I recommend it to fun-loving families of sons. Those who wish to bring up genteel, cultured children may prefer to stick with more proper literature.

Lacking so, so much..........2005-07-03

It was during a trip to my local bookstore that I first encountered this literary waste pile. Romano, along with two other hardly mentioned brothers, recount a fictitious and very 'mild' trip to a theme park. The trio's day goes along quite predictably, with the brothers anticipating the trip, naturally and, upon getting to the park, having to ride annoyingly named 'kiddie rides' with the youngest of the three. C'mon people, 'Chuckie the Choo-Choo'?

The rest of the day, chock-full of wedgies, noogies, and farts, goes on with Ray, called Raymie (pl-ease!), and the other one, Dickie, maybe?, finally going on 'The Vomitizer'. So much for a climax, eh?

Finally the family goes home and...I forgot the rest. But I'm telling you, this book is terrible. No joke. Lacking even a mild plotline, among other thing, the title doesn't even make sense. Raymie, Dickie, and the Bean: Why I Love and Hate My Brothers. If Ray is the narrator, then why does he refer to himself as Raymie and not simply 'Me' or 'I'. Oh wait, I know; because then his name wouldn't be first.

Oh, and the illustrations; why is it that every book written by a comedian, or in Jason Alexander's case, a guy in a funny show, seem to have the same illustrations. Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, the aforementioned Jason Alexander. All feature the same caricature-like illustrations in their books. What's up with that!?

R, your friendly neighborhood reviewer.

Ray's Sense of Humor.......2005-05-10

I love EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, so this book really made me laugh. My sons found it funny but some of the drier humor went over their head. Still, a very funny book.

Really not...good........2005-04-15

I picked this up at the bookstore I work at and read it on my break one afternoon. Having been delighted in the past by Raymond, I expected a lot more from him. This truly was one of the worst children's books I've read. The Borders I work at is huge, filled with talented artists and writers whose children's picture books will continue to go unnoticed. However, a celebrity can write anything and get full recognition for it. This book plays out merely as a remembrance of a day he took at a family outing. No redeeming quality or sense of entertainment to keep a child's interest in here. Just randomness of a charicature of his childhood that had potential of being interesting, yet fell very short of being just that. Stick with Sendak, Rey, Yolen, or Eric Carle if you want something that will peak interest.

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