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Rabbit-Proof Fence: The True Story of One of the Greatest Escapes of All Time

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A true story of the "stolen generation"
The movie was Outstanding!
M*E*G*O
An amazing story
As Slow Moving As the Escape Itself

Rabbit-Proof Fence: The True Story of One of the Greatest Escapes of All Time
Doris Pilkington
Manufacturer: Miramax Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Rabbit-Proof Fence
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ASIN: 0786887842

Book Description

Following an Australian government edict in 1931, black aboriginal children and children of mixed marriages were gathered up and taken to settlements to be institutionally assimilated. In Rabbit-Proof Fence, award-wining author Doris Pilkington traces the story of her mother, Molly, one of three young girls uprooted from their community in Southwestern Australia and taken to the Moore River Native Settlement. There, Molly and her relatives Gracie and Daisy were forbidden to speak their native language, forced to abandon their heritage, and taught to be culturally white. After regular stays in solitary confinement, the three girls planned and executed a daring escape from the grim camp.

Customer Reviews:

A true story of the "stolen generation".......2007-04-14

A true account of the author's mother who was part of the "stolen generation", a group of aboriginal children who were taken by the Australian government's as part of their policy for the protection of indigenous children.
It is hard to believe that this policy was once considered the right thing to do, and not so long ago either, 1930's. But then again, Australia only granted Aboriginal people the vote in the late 1960's.
This book is about Molly, who was taken by the Australian government as a young girl and put into a settlement, and her journey back to her family.
A great story of courage and determination. Well worth a read.

The movie was Outstanding!.......2006-07-20

I visited the Amazon site after viewing the DVD "Rabbit Proof Fence." Although I have not read the book, the DVD contained a lot of landscape and many periods during the movie were what some may consider "quiet." When experiencing literature from another era or culture, I believe it helps to try to put self into the environment of the characters. The pace of "Rabbit Proof Fence" helped me be there.

I would reccomend reading the book (even though I didn't...) and highly recommend viewing the DVD. I experienced the grace and courage that exists in all of us at some level.

M*E*G*O.......2006-04-01

Sorry folks I just could not get through this book. Unanimously the "critics" said the first 50 pages were disorganized and tedious. I read up to page 10, "zzzz" I then skipped ahead to page 50 thinking "OK NOW the action will begin" nope just more of the same rambling sentences. I am keeping the book for its historical reference, and maybe someone else will read it and then convince me of the story's value.
M*E*G*O = My Eyes Glazed Over!

An amazing story.......2006-03-16

Rabbit-Proof Fence is the story of 3 young part-Aboriginal girls in Australia, the oldest only fifteen years of age. Historically, "half-caste children", (half-Aboriginal and half-Caucasian) were considered wards of the Australian government and were, therefore, forcibly removed from their families and taken to settlment schools that were little more than jails. The purpose of these schools was to prepare these Aboriginal children for their role in white society as domestics and farmworkers. This book is a true story of 3 girls who escaped from the Moore River Settlement school. Their story is nothing less than amazing. The description of the "weevily porridge" that they were served for breakfast at the school, or the sheets that were only issued when the big inspectors were coming to visit and the other hardships they faced should sadden and anger every reader. Unfortunately, there are many similarities between their story and the treatment of Native Americans in this country. It is a must read!

As Slow Moving As the Escape Itself.......2005-09-27

Even the best of countries has its dark spots. In one of the best of countries - Australia - half-white, half-aborigine children were taken from their homes in a forced assimilation into white society. RABBIT-PROOF FENCE is about three young girls who ran away from this forced assimilation and walked back to their native people across the Australian outback. Although the story is interesting, the writing is such that getting through the book, even at a slim 130 pages, is as slow and plodding as the girls' trek itself.

The first half of the book is a snapshot history of Western Australia. Although some points are interesting, it is far too disorganized and even rambling to provide a solid picture of the period. This is further complicated by the author's slant of the native people living in peace and harmony before the brutish white man came along. No doubt there is truth to this, even a large degree of truth. But as the aborigines are later described as voluntarily working for whites and describing certain employers in positive terms, it is obvious that the full story and texture of the environment is not provided.

The latter part of the book describes the girls' actual journey from the southern part of Western Australia to the north, following the rabbit-proof fence which dissects the country and will lead them home. Even given the lifeless writing style, one cannot help but be impressed with the tenacity this required, especially as they had professional trackers on their trail. This book is good for someone interested in Austalia but be forwarned that the writing is not up to telling a tale such as this.

Average customer rating:

Andrew Henry's Meadow
A Must-Have!
Still good; could be better
Next generation
Andrew Henry's Meadow

Andrew Henry's Meadow
Doris Burn
Manufacturer: San Juan Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Christina Katerina and the Box
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ASIN: 0970739923

Product Description

Andrew Henry's Meadow by Doris Burn is a children's classic. This 40th Anniversary Edition will entertain children and adults alike. The creative antics of Andrew Henry Thatcher and his friends will inspire your imagination.

Customer Reviews:

Andrew Henry's Meadow.......2007-06-06

I have loved this book since I was very little. There is something in it for everyone to love. Non-readers love the illustrations. Bigger kids love the freedom of reading. Adults appreciate the well-written story and fantastically illustrated pages. And who doesn't love imagining living in a world of children and forts? Now that I'm a parent and reading this book to my children I feel transported to my childhood! I buy stacks of this book and give them as gifts whenever I can to boys and girls. You can really enjoy this story over and over again.

A Must-Have!.......2007-05-19

About 15 years ago I scoured my local library in search of this book. It is the only book from my childhood that I have actively sought as an adult, and after having read all 50 reviews thus far posted here it is clear it was a favorite of many, enough to send them on similar scavenger's hunts. Not recalling the title or author, my only search image to go on was that it had a limey green hardcover, about 9" x 12", and I swore that the cover picture was of a boy walking away from the reader down a fence line, his footprints visible in the tall grass he was walking through, a tall canopy tree on the left side. Having only just submitted my order I can't wait to find this picture somewhere in the beginning of the book. I also can't wait to see all the other illustrations I spent so many hours pouring over - my imagination on fire. I ordered 11 copies (1 original and 10 new to give away).

Still good; could be better.......2007-05-12

Of all the books that I had as a child, this is the one that I always remembered. My parents reminded me of how much I enjoyed it growing up. I bought it for my son who is only two... thinking that we'll get around to reading it later on. No. He's already started to pick it out from other books to read!

My only disappointment was in the illustrations. It would be nice to see an updated version of this book. Not so much in the text, but in the drawings. The entire book is in black and white. In today's world of computer generated graphics, this book may struggle to keep up. Even just adding some colorization to the existing drawings would be a major improvement.

Next generation.......2007-04-20

I am thrilled to buy another copy of this book. My children loved it and now my adult son has a son of his own. One of the things our son sought out when his son was born was a copy of this book which he himself still remembered so well after all these years. We can't find our original copy so I ordered more today.

Andrew Henry's Meadow.......2007-02-24

I loved this book as a child and gave it to my children who also love it. We read the book all the time and when my copy wore out I bought another. My pre-K daughter shared it with her class and they loved it. Everyone needs to read this book.

Average customer rating:

ideas, ideas, great writing, and more ideas...opens the mind and heart
Unfortunately, I gave Up...
THE GRANDMOTHERS, is comprised of four very different novell
I must detest racist author's work
Read it for "A Love Child"

The Grandmothers: Four Short Novels
Doris Lessing
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Time Bites: Views and Reviews
The Sweetest Dream: A Novel
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ASIN: 0060530111
Release Date: 2005-01-04

Book Description

In the title novel, two friends fall in love with each other's teenage sons, and these passions last for years, until the women end them, vowing a respectable old age. In Victoria and the Staveneys, a young woman gives birth to a child of mixed race and struggles with feelings of estrangement as her daughter gets drawn into a world of white privilege. The Reason for It traces the birth, faltering, and decline of an ancient culture, with enlightening modern resonances. A Love Child features a World War II soldier who believes he has fathered a love child during a fleeting wartime romance and cannot be convinced otherwise.

Customer Reviews:

ideas, ideas, great writing, and more ideas...opens the mind and heart.......2005-10-31

I had been away from Doris Lessing too long;I had fogotten too much, even or especially about myself. You can read the plot summaries in the other reviews. I'll not repeat them and I didn't get past line 2 of SCI-Fi one...never do. Oh but the others...who has the grace of love? a generous heart? needs? mistakes, consequences...all in prose that seems efortless but is not.

a lovely, lovely treat

Unfortunately, I gave Up..........2005-08-05

There is nothing I hate more than just giving up halfway through a book, but I couldn't take this one any longer. I also don't like writing a review for a book I didn't finish, but I feel that since I didn't finish it, people should know why, so they can avoid this awfulness.

The book is made up of 4 short stories, of which I read 2 1/2. The first story, The Grandmothers, was ridiculous. Two woman who've been best friends for life start having a sexual relationship with the others son, and both are OK with it...very disturbing. And the writing style is so annoying, very dramatic and theatrical-like.

The second story, Victoria and The Staveneys, was very unbelievable as well. A little black girl goes home with Edward Staveney one day after school, is in awe of their huge home, and for the next 10 yrs thinks of nothing else. She then at the age of 19 gets pregnant by his brother Thomas, but doesn't tell him for 6 yrs, and once she does, they lavish the little girl with all the perks of the good life, while Victoria slowly loses her daughter.

And the third story, The Reason For It, is where I finally threw in the towel. What's it about? I haven't a clue. It was absolutely painful to sit there and try to force myself to read this drivel. In the end, as you can guess, I do NOT recommend this book. I'm not sure about the author, maybe some of her other novels are better, who knows, I'm not going to find out though. If you see this book anywhere, keep walking and don't waste your time.

THE GRANDMOTHERS, is comprised of four very different novell.......2005-02-14

THE GRANDMOTHERS By Doris Lessing
Doris Lessing is eight-four years old and for more than fifty years has distinguished herself as one of the most intelligent, provocative, influential and courageous writers in English. Her body of work includes novels, novellas, short stories, essays, political treatises, plays, operas, poetry, memoirs and an autobiography. The breadth of her work stretches from life on the veld in South Africa to life on other planets. Her themes center on the relationships between women and men; the painful side of interactions between children and parents; how individuals perceive themselves in society and how they believe society perceives them; how personalities are shaped or shape themselves as a result of the circumstances and experiences of the individual lives they represent; and the way political actions affect the populace and the role the individual needs to employ as a result of the political system under which they live. She believes that most psyches employ extraordinary feats of emotional, social and cultural compartmentalization in order for life to move on.

Lessing has been lauded as a staunch supporter and defender of feminism (she denies categorically this interpretation of her work). She writes about communism; her commitment to it and her later rejection of the entire movement. With no fear of exploration and an insatiable thirst for knowledge, she adopted the Sufi way of life. This "conversion" came after she reviewed a book about it, which inspired her to read everything about this mystical yet pragmatic belief system. To find a coherent path that rejects propaganda, prejudice and ideology was a gift for Lessing. The tenets of the Sufi way of life reinforced her already cemented ways of thinking. Her novels are considered especially important because of their daring and wide range: she moves from realist narrative to science fiction and fantasy without losing her focus. She is fearless and is considered one of the most forward thinking and groundbreaking writers of the twentieth (now twenty-first) century.

Her latest book, THE GRANDMOTHERS, is comprised of four very different novellas. Each one is a prototype of how Lessing perceives the possibilities available to the individual and human dramas that fill every life. These four tales emerge as a prism through which readers can catch a glimpse of the myriad issues Lessing has nurtured from her early fiction, THE GRASS IS SINGING and her feminist opus THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK, to her visionary and cautionary books like BRIEFING FOR A DESCENT INTO HELL and MEMOIRS OF A SURVIVOR.

The first story in THE GRANDMOTHERS uses the book's title for its own and begins, " ... six people were making the gentle ascent, four adults and two little girls, whose shrieks of pleasure" were prompted by reaching Baxter's, a local café where they would be rewarded with goodies for good behavior. "Two handsome men came first ... then two ... handsome women of about sixty --- but no one would dream of calling them elderly." The little group settled in comfortably, the waitress knew them and brought them their regular treats. "They all sighed, heard each other and now laughed, a full frank laugh that seemed to acknowledge things unsaid." The mood quietly relaxed and intermingled with some secret the adults share and enjoy with looks and smiles.

The Grandmothers of the scene at the hillside rest came about because two little girls who met in primary school instantly became best friends. They have always been as close as sisters and live their lives as though this were true. When they finish school, Lil becomes a competitive international swimming star while Roz turns to drama and the theater. They enjoy a double wedding, move into houses on the same street and give birth to their sons at the same time. The women have very different personalities but are more devoted to each other than anyone else. Roz's husband shouts at her, "It's you, and Lil. Always. And what difference would it make if you were [lesbians?] Obviously sex doesn't matter that much. We have ... more than adequate sex but it's not me you have a relationship with." Roz is slightly bewildered but feels no great loss when her husband leaves.

On the other hand Lil is always worried that people will think they are "lezzies." But they are so far from being homosexuals that by an unspoken agreement and cunning desire they each bed the other's son. These liaisons go on for years with much joy had by all. The whole concept raises issues of possible incest, the role of mothers in the lives of their male offspring, how to define the boundaries of different kinds of love and the impact of an arrangement like this on the development of these boys as they mature into men. Lessing presents this story without judgment on the women or the sons and clearly wants the reader to ponder the decisions these people have made and what it has cost them ... if anything.

"Victoria and the Staveneys," the second piece, works on a different plane. Here, a young black girl from "the projects" or council housing has a terrible childhood filled with loss, abandonment, illness and death. She loses her mother, is reluctantly taken in by her aunt, who develops cancer, and while she is dying insists that young Victoria take care of her. When the aunt passes away a close friend, Phyllis, who is a social worker, moves Victoria into her tiny apartment with her three children and an old, ailing grandfather.

The years pass. Victoria grows up with the knowledge that she is somehow different; she has always felt herself an outsider but makes strides to overcome her deprecating concept of herself. She develops into a stunner, which is a constant worry to her guardian, who knows too well how easily a good-looking girl can ruin her life with one act of recklessness. And, of course, Victoria does. After a series of jobs that didn't always pay well, she meets and has an affair with a middle-class white boy, becomes pregnant, doesn't inform the father, has the baby (a "mocha" little girl) and keeps her. A few years later she marries a musician who, despite always being on the road, manages to impregnate her and she gives birth to a black little boy, Dickson, who is unmanageable and "sweats too much." Soon after he is born, his father is killed. More years pass, and one day Victoria decides to tell Thomas he is Mary's father. This decision holds many terrifying possibilities for the future relationships Mary will form.

His entire family takes the news in stride. They are all liberal-minded, educated and, though sometimes feckless people, truly fall in love with the little girl. As a result of their affection, status, connections and money, they can offer her a life filled with the opportunities her mother never even dreamed of. Victoria must make the most painful decision of her life. Her daughter's entire future depends on it.

The third narrative is "light science-fiction" about a place that had once been conquered by another nation. However, in this piece, that was good because the old culture was infused with learning, storytelling and beauty, all seeped in a high sense of morality, loyalty and peace. Like all oligarchies, not every leader was benign, but the most influential was Destra who, as a child, was chosen out of twelve (The Twelve) to be taught how to care for their world and everyone in it. Under her watch this place was a glorious paradise, an Edenesque landscape. But when she dies, her son is elected by the other eleven to take her place. From that moment on, their world becomes barbaric --- warring, poorly managed and grotesque. The narrator, the last of The Twelve, tells his story in slow and with deeply felt emotion, as a storyteller should. This gives readers a chance to conjure up the images he brings forth.

This is one of Lessing's cautionary tales. In it, she harkens back to her communist days for a taste of laissez faire living with each contributing to the best of her/his ability. In other words, she flips to black --- the dark side of humanity, of how worlds erode, grow dim, lose hope and regress back to primitive levels of survival. This theme is tightly woven into the fabric of Lessing's oeuvre, as seen in some of her early works, BRIEFING FOR A DESCENT INTO HELL and MEMOIRS OF A SURVIVOR. All of these novels speak to the downfall of societies, where corruption and wrong- minded people are able to take power for their own agendas. Lessing believes that when a society loses respect and interest in its culture, art, music, language, books, freedom to think and debate and discuss, that community will not survive. When nature is desecrated and people squander the riches of the world, only barbarism, ignorance and flat-mindedness will result.

The fourth and final addition to this collection is "A Love Child," an enigmatic, World War II love story that takes place in South Africa and then in India. James Reid is an Englishman who, with his mates, boards "... that great ship in its camouflage dress, designed to make it look ... like a blur or a cloud or perhaps a school of flying fishes, at any rate something ephemeral, now seemed solid, sinister, even furtive. Five thousand soldiers with their attendant officers crammed the dockside" waiting their turn to board the vessel that was designed to accommodate seven hundred eighty passengers and crew. Lessing describes the voyage in painful detail, as nothing worse than a passage through Hell. The men suffer enormously from seasickness, blazing heat, lack of space and fear. When the ship finally reaches port in Cape Town and the soldiers began to descend the gangplank, it was obvious they had had a bad time. They were more like invalids than soldiers, holding on to handrails and not looking healthy.

A lonely married woman named Daphne is a volunteer "hostess" who agrees to shuttle the men from the port to various places where they can recoup their energies. By chance, James stumbles into her car and over a four-day period he convinces himself that she is the love of his life and they have an affair. She becomes pregnant and to him this is a lifelong commitment. Then he is sent on a mission and fully expects her to be divorced and ready to marry him if/when he returns from the battle. She, on the other hand, is conventional and provincial, despite her indiscretion, and has no desire to speak to him or ever see him again. This romantic man and the pragmatic woman represent a major feature in Lessing's work, i.e., the miscommunication between intimates that leads to heartbreak, disillusionment, even madness. The way she details their psychological and physical problems makes for fascinating reading --- she points to another way to view human behavior and its consequences, regardless of the chilling effect it may leave.

In her early memoir, "A Small Personal Voice," she talks about the plethora of letters she receives from young women wanting answers to the "big" questions of life. While somewhat flattered, she is more frustrated with these readers. She wants them to explore the issues she raises and analyze the ideas she proposes. THE GRANDMOTHERS is a perfect vehicle with which to approach Lessing's work if you have not read her before. Fans can rest assured that these novellas are pure Lessing, radiating with everything that brought you to her work in the first place. She has always had the chutzpah to say what she believes, even when she is not willing to explain why. And at the end of "A Love Child" much is left to the reader to decipher. This collection is a keeper!

--- Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum

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I must detest racist author's work.......2004-03-16

Anybody who heard the March 15th Interview of Ms. Dorris on Public Radio must have supprised how racist she is.
She deliberately kept on using discriminatory words although the DJ tried to correct her.
Beautiful sentences cannot hide the ugliness of her personality.

Read it for "A Love Child".......2004-03-10

I almost rated this book "5 stars" in spite of the fact that the first novella ("The Grandmothers") is almost unreadable, because "A Love Child" is one of the most moving and beautifully-written things I have ever read. I almost missed it because after I read "The Grandmothers" I nearly put the book away in disappointment.

Buy the book, read "Victoria and the Staveleys" and treat yourself to "A Love Child".

Average customer rating:

A MUST READ TO CHILDREN
Christian homes with young children should have this book

God's Blessings Story Bible
Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton
Manufacturer: Zonderkidz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0310709326

Book Description

This classic story Bible for children 4-8 includes over fifty stories retold from Scripture, a “Faith to Grow” feature that highlights key foundations of faith, followed by a prayer. Four-color artwork throughout by Doris Ettlinger, illustrator of the Little House on the Prairie series.

Customer Reviews:

A MUST READ TO CHILDREN.......2005-12-18

Whenever one of my friends or coworkers have a baby I get them this book and they enjoy reading it as much as their children enjoy listening. Good natured and heart warming.

Christian homes with young children should have this book.......2004-10-11

God's Blessings Story Bible is a collection of the best-loved Bible stories for children. Each story is just two pages long and includes full color illustrations. At the end of each story is a one or two sentence summary of the most significant point and a short prayer related to the lesson. It even includes a ribbon style bookmarker so you can find your place easily for the next story. If you want a quality book of Bible stories to teach your children you can't go wrong with God's Blessings Story Bible.

Andrea's Voice: Silenced by Bulimia: Her Story and Her Mother's Journey Through Grief Toward Understanding

Average customer rating:

The story of a beautiful and talented young woman who suffers, and eventually dies from, an eating disorder
An Important Book For Parents, Especially Mothers
Shows long-term effect of bulimia
EVERYONE needs to hear Andrea 's Voice.
Moving Must-Read Tribute

Andrea's Voice: Silenced by Bulimia: Her Story and Her Mother's Journey Through Grief Toward Understanding
Doris Smeltzer , and Andrea Lynn Smeltzer
Manufacturer: Gurze Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Learning to Be Me: My Twenty-Three-Year Battle with Bulimia
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ASIN: 0936077018

Book Description

Vibrant, talented, strong, and beautiful, Andrea Smeltzer seemed destined for a great future. But after a one-year struggle with bulimia, she died in her sleep at age 19, catapulting her mother Doris into a wrenching but ultimately rewarding journey of discovery. This unabashed account not only speaks about one family’s tragedy, but also critiques the social and personal attitudes toward our bodies and appearance that create victims like Andrea. Andrea's poetry and journal entries, combined with her mother's reflections, offer insight and understanding about a crushing disorder that afflicts far too many young people.

Customer Reviews:

The story of a beautiful and talented young woman who suffers, and eventually dies from, an eating disorder.......2006-09-14

"Andrea's Voice Silenced By Bulimia: Her Story and Her Mother's Journey Through Grief Toward Understanding" is a final legacy organized and co-written by both Andrea's mother, Doris Smeltzer, and Andrea herself in the form of her journals and papers. This compelling account tells the story of a beautiful and talented young woman who suffers, and eventually dies from, an eating disorder. "Andrea's Voice" represents a great lesson woven from painful experience. Doris Smeltzer is co-founder of the eating disorder prevention nonprofit organization, Andrea's Voice Foundation. Through the finely crafted voices and carefully chosen writings in "Andrea's Voice," her mother presents both the deep isolationism of the disordered eater, her daughter, and the close bond that still enriches her life today, when her daughter's living voice is silenced. "Andrea's Voice" is both a deeply compassionate, inspirational tribute to the life of Andrea, and a search for clues and tools to stem the outcome in others with disordered eating. "Andrea's Voice" is both a clinical and a very human look at the relationship between Andrea and her mother, shared to help others afflicted with eating disorders -- or have loved ones who are faced with such potentially dangerous health issues.

An Important Book For Parents, Especially Mothers.......2006-07-17

I highly recommend this book to parents of young women with eating disorders. Andrea's Voice is a deeply personal and eloquently told account of a mother's quest to bring her daughter through an eating disorder. This book offers something more than publications written by the "experts"--the books that tell parents what the best treatment is--it describes what it's actually like to confront an eating disorder, and how it affects a family. This is the real thing.

Shows long-term effect of bulimia.......2006-06-20

Reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for Reader Views (6/06)

"Andrea's Voice" is written by Doris Smeltzer, the mother of Andrea Smeltzer. Andrea Smeltzer was bulimic. Throughout the book, Doris Smeltzer tries to understand what caused the bulimia. She incorporates Andrea's journal entries and poetry through the book. This lets the reader feel Andrea's confusion and helplessness.

Doris Smeltzer internally battles the blame for Andrea's disease. Like so many mothers, she wonders if she did everything she could do to be a good role model for her daughter. She writes, "One of the most important goals in my life, prior to Andrea's death, was to become the best mother ever--another aspiration toward perfection. This target provided a secure hiding place for me...I think that Andrea sensed, at almost a primal level, that her mother was in hiding. Maybe if I had faced my fears, Andrea would have been able to face hers."

This book does not explain why Andrea developed bulimia. It does not describe how the family has come to terms with her death. However, it shows the long-term effect of the disease on Andrea and her family both before and after her death. This book is clearly a healing tool for Doris Smeltzer. "Andrea's Voice" can be a healing tool for bulimics and their families. As Doris Smeltzer explains, "Grief must be shared."

EVERYONE needs to hear Andrea 's Voice........2006-06-14

Thank you Doris for not preserving your journey with Andrea but for sharing, reaching and teaching all that you learned from her. I heard Andrea's voice when I was unable to hear my daughters'. She guided me on what I needed to do for them and told me what I needed to hear.....and I listened...for the first time...I listened ..... Thank you for your bravery and courage and inspiration. Thank you for sharing the deepest part of your soul, and thank you for trusting that we needed you to.

Moving Must-Read Tribute.......2006-06-13

Andrea's Voice is a moving tribute to an incredibly wise young woman and a family whose bond is inspiring. As someone who has been deeply affected by Andrea's struggle with an eating disorder and my own, this book both warmed my heart and broke it anew. There is so much here to be learned and reminded of regardless of whether or not one has been directly touched by an eating disorder. Doris' words, along with Andrea's, have the potential to begin a critical societal discussion about how we - as parents, siblings, partners, friends, co-workers, educators, treatment professionals, media personalities, policymakers - contribute to the thoughts that encourage disordered eating behaviors. As importantly, though, this book helps us begin to reevaluate and change our expectations and judgments of others and ourselves. In writing Andrea's Voice, Doris Smeltzer has given us incredible gifts: insight into her own journey and the gift of her daughter. Each person who reads this will be changed.

Average customer rating:

Caveat emptor
Caveat emptor
interesting though not as good as i expected
Disapointing, Playboy-style
A Coffee Table Story of O

The Illustrated Story Of O
Pauline Reage
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Story of O
Return to the Chateau
The Story of O
Carrie's Story: An Erotic S/M Novel
Story of O

ASIN: 0312266057

Book Description

When Story of O was first published in 1954 in Paris by Jean-Jacques Pauvert, it became the most widely translated French novel in the world. Now Doris Kloster, a photographer specializing in issues of womens sexuality and power, has realized a long-standing dream by creating a photographic representation of one of the most famous and controversial erotic novels ever published.

Customer Reviews:

Caveat emptor.......2006-02-25

Having recently seen a television documentary on the author of the 'Story of O', I decided to re-acquaint myself with this story which was all the rage when I was an undergraduate. I had decided to put icing on the cake by purchasing an illustrated version of this famous story of erotica. Imagine my surprise and disappointment when, upon receiving the volume, I found that it comprised the photographs and only a partial version of the text. Not only that, but the photos have a curiously static and posed quality to them! 'O' is a story of the imagination and I am now not sure that it can be illustrated. Perhaps I should have read the catalogue description more carefully! At least Amazon cheerfully refunded my money. Still a great place to buy books.

Caveat emptor.......2006-02-25

interesting though not as good as i expected.......2003-07-20

this is a midiume size coffee table version of the story of O which on the surface looks like a very good idea, one of my favorite books beingillustrated by one of my favotire erotic photographers, two of the most importent women, to my opinion, in SM erotics joined together to this creation, what can go wrong?

well it's not completly wrong there are a few really nice shots, especialy the one who are influenced by the compositions of great art work like los manianes by valasquese or the greek school by paphael, the models are very pretty and the whole thing's very nice light and posed. but it has nothing to do with the book, first of all not all the book is there, only parts of it, basicly it was done to match 3 major location from the book, the palace of roasy, her time with the training woman who also brands her and a few smaller scenes with rene and sir stephen. it's very unlike the atmosphere paolin reage was building in her book it looks too much like fun, nothing hurts, no pain or mentioning of pain. it's very cheep erotic magazine style, done in a perfect professional way, but lacking any emotions or intention.

it's a nice photo book to give somone as a present, somone very vanilla who would like to see himself as kinky, i'm sure i'll look on it a few times more, but it doesn't worth the money if you are looking for somthing interesting or original

Disapointing, Playboy-style.......2002-01-19

The power and ongoing appeal of this tale must lie the imagination, because I could not get into Ms. Kloster's photographs. Appeal of the women is surely a metter of taste, but these are all of the heavily made-up, big-hair variety, a la Playboy. The "action" is uniformly soft-core and not really intriguing. The lavish sets themselves do not create a real presence for me as much as they seem dressed up and rather silly. Ms. Kloster has some other work I would recommend before this.

A Coffee Table Story of O.......2001-11-16

Most of us have read the familar white cover paperback version of this erotic classic. Ms. Kloster has excerpted quite a bit of the text and illustrated it with photographs taken on location in Paris. The full color photographs exude a rich sumptioness of color and texture that would befit a fashion shoot. The models are uniformly pleasing to the eye - the women nicely built with an air of erotic fear; the men with a sexual menace. The photos (and text) follow O as she is introduced to Roissy where her lover, Rene, has taken her to learn the ways of sexual servitude. We see how she is made to perform for several "masters" and is chastized by them. Later after leaving Roissy, Rene introduces O to his older half brother Sir Stephen. Sir Stephen eventually takes over ownership of O and delivers her to Ann Marie (in a very delightful photo) where her training will be consumated. There O has her labia pierced with a ring and her buttocks branded by Sir Stephen. Along the way, she is whipped by another girl while tied upright to a column(rather than spread eagle on a dias; this is one area where Ms. Kloster's photography does not follow the original text).The book concludes with O being presented to a group of party goers - led naked by a leash attached to the ring in her genitals. Overall, a good read and quite erotic. One can only wish that Ms. Kloster had even more photographs to illustrate this "Story of O."

The Pampered Chef: The Story of One of America's Most Beloved Companies

Average customer rating:

I want to sell Pampered Chef
Absolutely Inspiring
Insights on how the company expanded and handled its challenges
A story of personal success comes alive in audio
The best book for self starters

The Pampered Chef: The Story of One of America's Most Beloved Companies
Doris Christopher
Manufacturer: Currency
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Company Profiles | Biography & History | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Build It Big: 101 Insider Secrets from Top Direct Selling Experts
Presentations for Profits
The New Food Lover's Tiptionary: More Than 6,000 Food and Drink Tips, Secrets, Shortcuts, and Other Things Cookbooks Never Tell You
Come to the Table
Making Millions in Direct Sales: The 8 Essential Activities Direct Sales Managers Must Do Every Day to Build a Successful Team and Earn More Money

ASIN: 0385515359
Release Date: 2005-07-05

Book Description

The Pampered Chef is Doris Christopher’s extraordinary account of how she turned an innovative concept and $3,000 investment into a business with annual sales approaching the billion-dollar mark. It is packed with real-life lessons and inspiring insights for small-business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

In 1980 Doris Christopher, a former home economist and teacher, was itching to get back into the workforce after an eight-year hiatus as a stay-at-home mom. Drawing on her personal and professional expertise, and determined to make cooking easier and more convenient for families, she started selling high-quality kitchen tools through cooking demonstrations to groups of women in their homes. Today, the company she started in her basement, The Pampered Chef, is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary and has grown into a corporation (now owned by Berkshire Hathaway) with tens of thousands of independent Kitchen Consultants who present more than a million Kitchen Shows a year, attended by more than 12 million people.

The Pampered Chef is the story of the vision, energy, hard work, and chutzpah that drove Christopher and her company to the height of success. She describes her early days as a “one-woman show,” chronicles the company’s gradual expansion, its challenges and growing popularity, and the process, offers invaluable advice and sound strategies on how to found and grow a business, including:

• Hard learned lessons for start-up entrepreneurs

• How to create a business concept and set your priorities

• Knowing when to expand and when to slow growth so that demand doesn’t overwhelm your operations or supplies

• How to counter the naysayers and deal with adversity

Today, as at the company’s founding, achieving a better balance between work and family remains central to The Pampered Chef’s mission. The Pampered Chef brings Christopher’s recipe for success to women, and men, everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

I want to sell Pampered Chef.......2006-04-08

I absolutely loved this book. Doris Christopher's ideas and humble beginnings are absolutely inspiring! She has built an amazing company and shares it for everyone to realize their own potential. Her basic no nonsense attitude towards life and her company are shared in this incredible story. I do not sell Pamperd Chef, but if I was not trying to build another direct sales business I know I would after reading this book!

Absolutely Inspiring.......2006-02-04

I have been purchasing Pampered Chef products for over 16 years and my husband and I have always been huge fans. After many years of buying from someone else, I decided to give it a try and then so did my husband. . . yes, we are both consultants because we believe so much in the products.

I signed up as a consultant a few days after the book was released and read it in one night! After reading the book I was more of a fan than ever. The story is very inspiring to anyone who wants to take the leap of faith in themselves and try to start their own business.

Doris' vision of having a business to earn extra money and still have time to raise her family is very much alive today as it was 25 years ago. The book takes you through the 25 years of her dream from where she started the business in her basement with $3,000 to being the founder a of multi-million dollar company with thousands of women and men who work with The Pampered Chef as hobbyist, part- and full-time consultants.

A must read for anyone who wants to be inspired to start their own business.

Insights on how the company expanded and handled its challenges.......2005-11-07

In 1980 author Doris Christopher, former home economist and teacher, wanted to return to the workforce after raising her children: she began selling high-quality kitchen tools through cooking demonstrations and began her company, The Pampered Chef, from her basement. Twenty-five years later it's a corporation specializing in kitchen shows - and The Pampered Chef: The Story Of One Of America's Most Beloved Companies tells of how she became a culinary industry success. Insights on how the company expanded and handled its challenges provide entrepreneurs and cooks alike with much inspiration.

A story of personal success comes alive in audio.......2005-10-10

An interview with the author and her daughter, who grew up in the culinary business, supplements The Pampered Chef, a story of Doris Christopher, a former teacher and home economist who returns to the work world with a vision of making cooking more convenient for families. Selling high-quality kitchen tools through demo groups and growing her business, The Pampered Chef, from a basement enterprise to a successful franchise. A story of personal success comes alive in audio.

The best book for self starters.......2005-09-14

I am a Pampered Chef Consultant. I am also a small business owner. This book will teach you how to avoid mistakes, how to find what you want to do and how to do it successfully. Dori puts you into her shoes and shows you the way. I highly suggest this to anyone who wants to succeed in there own business.I have also learned so much more about the company I work with.

Average customer rating:

Doris Day: Her own story
Doris Day , and A.E. Hotchner
Manufacturer: William Morrow and Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Doris Day
Considering Doris Day
The Doris Day Special
Doris Day - It's Magic
Her Life in Music 1940-1966

ASIN: 068802968X

Cork and Fuzz: Short and Tall (Viking Easy-to-Read)

Average customer rating:

The return of Cork and Fuzz

Cork and Fuzz: Short and Tall (Viking Easy-to-Read)
Dori Chaconas
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Cork and Fuzz (Viking Easy-to-Read)
Cork and Fuzz: Good Sports (Viking Easy-to-Read)
Move Over, Rover!
Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)
My Cat, the Silliest Cat in the World

ASIN: 0670059854

Book Description

Even though Cork is a short muskrat and Fuzz is a tall possum, they can still be best friends. Or can they? "I am older," Cork said. "I need to be taller. It is a rule." Can friendship break such rules?

The gentle, humorous story in this second Cork & Fuzz title will captivate beginning readers, while the charming illustrations add just enough visual cues to help them along.

Customer Reviews:

The return of Cork and Fuzz.......2006-12-31

This is the second chapter book featuring Cork, a small muskrat, and Fuzz, a tall possum. Just as in their first encounter, the two friends continue to discover their differences and to try to overcome them so that they can remain friends. This time, the issue is the relationship of height to age. Cork is older but Fuzz is taller, and that seems wrong. The two try to compensate by finding ways to make Cork taller or Fuzz smaller. None of their approaches seems to work, and their friendship appears to be doomed as a result -- until they realize by studying a pair of nuts (!) that it's perfectly all right for them to be different in this respect.

Lisa McCue's illustrations bring the buddies to life and make otherwise awkward animals lovable. Dori Chaconas' dialogue is simple enough for young readers to handle, and it's interesting as well. "Cork and Fuzz: Short and Tall" will resound with those children who notice that they and their classmates are not growing at the same rate. This pair of animated characters will assure them that the situation is acceptable.

Average customer rating:

Fascinating- fantastic collection of work

African Stories (A Touchstone Book)
Doris Lessing
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster (Paper)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

The Summer Before the Dark (Flamingo Modern Classic)
Proper Marriage (Children of Violence)
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything

ASIN: 0671428098

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating- fantastic collection of work.......2004-10-11

THis is a collection of the best of Doris Lessing's short stories and a couple of novellas all set in her native Africa. From Rhodesia to Kenya and such we see many different stories and perspectives. We meet colonial Boers, English farmers, native legends, native peoples, miners, scholars, women, children, men, hunters, animals- just about everything!
Her stories begin in the early part of the 1900s and as they progress into the 1950s and 1960s the political tone changes with the times without being a political narrative. The focus is on people and storytelling. It is no wonder Doris Lessing is known as one of the best writers in English fiction- this book is amazing!

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