The Tea House on Mulberry Street

Book Description

Muldoon's Tea Rooms, beloved for the cozy atmosphere and luscious desserts, has started looking a bit outdated-and the same could be said about the proprietors, Penny and Daniel Stanley. After seventeen years, their marriage has started to wear a little thin, even as their old shop bustles with the energy of the customers who seek refuge from their particular dilemmas, including a perpetually dieting housewife escaping her husband's betrayal; a starstruck, struggling artist; and a mysterious woman returning after twenty years abroad to search for a long-lost someone.

Behind the chocolate cappuccinos are the stirrings of a revolution that will redefine lives, heal troubled hearts, and rock the very foundation of the humble tea house-and through it all, Penny and Daniel manage to discover what truly matters in life . . . and in love.

Customer Reviews:

What a lovely author to discover!.......2007-09-28

Stumbled upon this book and, like always, read the first few paragraphs to see if I wanted to spend time with these people. OH MY! Grabbed me right away and, terrifically, never let go. What a charming, quirky, engrossing and special little book this is. Filled with dreams and disappointments and mistakes and triumphs. Loved it. Loved it. And truly wish I had an original Brenda Brown ... or a ticket to Ireland.

Love this audio book.......2007-08-13

This was the first audio book I ever listened to. What a great introduction! It is the perfect companion for a long car trip. The book intertwines the lives of a handful of Belfast residents beautifully. Funny, sweet, and sad at times, it is always interesting and beautifully read.

A book with a happy ending........2006-08-11

The tea house in Ireland is the gathering place for the many unique customers it welcomes. The regular customers and the owners of the tea house are going through changes in their lives. Some of the changes are more dramatic than others. I found myself questioning some of the changes and cheering for the others. A very enjoybale book with happy endings for all.

Delightful cast of characters!.......2006-05-17

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was written in the style of Maeve Binchy (this comparison is meant as a huge complement to the author). Each chapter is dedicated to a different character. Although the characters are from different walks of life and their paths wouldn't normally be to likely to cross, they all share the common demonator of the Tea House, and their various lives end up intersecting in surprising ways.

I am left wanting to read more by Sharon Owens so much that I've added her subsequent books to my wish list!

A delightful new author.......2006-02-28

The Tea Room on Mulberry Street sat in my "to be read" pile for several months. It didn't help that the person who gave it to me mentioned "she writes like that Maeve Binchy you like so much". Usually when such comparisons are made, the newcommer is lacking.....
Sharon Owens shares the same Ireland that Maeve writes about....but writes in her own unique style. Her Ireland is contained within the streets of Belfast, and the inhabitants are usually hard working, ordinary people. Ms. Owens infuses each with humanity and humor and is never condenscending. Muldoon's Tea Room has seen better days, but is the refuge for several people. Sadie, nipping in to sneak a treat or two without the disapproving comments from her husband and his parents. Brenda writing letter after letter to Nicholas Cage, as she nurses a cup of tea...all she can afford. Henry, escaping from his upwardly mobile wife and her Bronte loving group. While seeking refuge in Muldoon's he notices Rose in the flower shop across the street. Overseeing all this and more are Penny and Daniel Stanley...a married couple who run the tea room. Tea room is almost too grand a title for the bedraggled shop where Daniel perfects his cherry cheesecske and seems intent on hoarding every penny thay comes his way. Penny, at first greatful for Daniel's proposal of marriage has become weary fo his penny pinching ways and worries he married her for the tea shop she inheirited when her parents were killed. She wonders if there is a different life for her, and worries about what Daniel might be hiding. These and others provide the everyday traffic through Muldoon's. Each character is well thought out and the story lines are ubique and believeable. Shelia's storyline is especially enjoyable and the resolution of her marriage had me laughing until tears came to my eyes. I had a hard time putting the book down once I started and became really attaschd to these characters. I was sad to see this book come to an end and look forward to Ms. Owen's next offering.

Average customer rating:

Tea House on Mulberry Street
Sharon Owens
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ3NH4

Average customer rating:

The Tea House on Mulberry Street
Sharon Owens
Manufacturer: Putnam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739450980

The Tea House on Mulberry Street (Audiofy Digital Audiobook Chips)

Average customer rating:

The Tea House on Mulberry Street (Audiofy Digital Audiobook Chips)

Manufacturer: Audiofy/Listen & Live
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Cards
ASIN: 160083325X

Product Description

This Audiofy audiobook chip packs Caroline Winterson's full 10 hour reading of "The Tea House on Mulberry Street" on a tiny memory card. A single Audiofy audiobook chip, hardly larger than a stamp, holds a complete digital audiobook, and saves the last listening position automatically, unlike CDs. With an SD memory card slot or low-cost adapter - like those for digital cameras - this Audiofy audiobook chip can be played on Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh desktop computers or laptops (Microsoft Windows XP/2000/Me/98, or Apple Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above) or transferred to Apple iPod media players. Audiobook chips also move seamlessly to most Palm OS and Pocket PC handheld PDAs with SD expansion slots, as well as Treo and Windows Mobile "smartphones" (Palm OS 5.2 or Windows Mobile 2002 and above)... Muldoons Tea Rooms, beloved for the cozy atmosphere and luscious desserts, has started looking a bit outdatedand the same could be said about the proprietors, Penny and Daniel Stanley. After seventeen years, their marriage has started to fade and wear a little thin, even as their old shop bustles with the energy of the customers who seek refuge from their particular dilemmas: Housewife Sadie Smith comes to escape her diet and her husbands stick-thin mistress. Struggling artist Brenda Brown sits and pens love letters to the actor Nicolas Cage. And Clare Fitzgerald returns after twenty years abroad to search for a long-lost someone. Behind the cherry cheesecakes, vanilla ice creams, and chocolate cappuccinos are the stirrings of a revolution that will define lives, heal troubled hearts, and rock the very foundation of the humble teahouse. And through it all, Penny and Daniel manage to discover what truly matters in life and love. Rich with wit, bursting with charm, The Tea House On Mulberry Street is a vibrant debut of tenderness, imaginationand delicious pastries.

Average customer rating:

Tea House on Mulberry Street
Sharon Owens
Manufacturer: PENGUIN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GT4RA4

Customer Reviews:

It's In Black and White.......2006-12-29

Somehow I missed the part where I was informed the book was in black and white. Major disappointment. The lack of color is a big deal. Be warned. Hey don't get me wrong, I love Spider-Man. He's my favorite but I'm letting people know that the book is not in color. I would think that that would be a good thing to know before anyone buys it.

decay happens........2006-12-28

When Stan Lee bowed out, Gerry Conway took over. Then a young talent who struggled to find his place in the marvel universe. His writing was stiff and clunky. Of course the death of Gwen Stacy has some drama but "worm eating scum" is hardly clever writing. John Romita continues with Gil Kane and some others who prove impressive in style. I like Kane quite a bit. While his sketchy style and inability to render a face are problematic, his layouts are brilliant and he really unstiffens John Romita's art. However when Ross Andre took over, it was a serious decay in quality. Andre is a competent artist who tried to maintain the style of John Romita but that's it. Otherwise it's abismal to see both John and Stan leave Spiderman to far less talented people.
Storylines are mediocre at best. The death of Gwen could have been handled with much more drama and a long-term storyline but instead Peter is linked to Mary Jane. The reason for the death of Gwen was due to both John Romita and Gerry (and Stan at times) finding Mary Jane far more interesting to work with. Oh if they understood.

Spidey at some of his BEST and worst moments!.......2006-11-11

Once you get past the black & white pages (there is much to be said about how color enhances comicbook artwork), the Marvel Essentials stories really manage to pull you in.

Volume 6 has some of Spidey's best storylines ever in Amazing Spider-Man. The pinacle would have to be the character defining two-parter with the Death of Gwen Stacy at the hands of the Green Goblin. Powerful stuff even 30 years later. Other classic villains make appearances as well from Doc Ock to The Tarantula to the Molten Man and Hammerhead and the introduction of The Punisher and The Jackal. Of course there's also some rough spots in the reading like the plotline that had Doc Ock marrying Aunt May...shudder...silly...but keep reading and you'll find a good time with every turn of the page.

Two Goblins, a Death, and LOSTA EXPLOSIONS!!!.......2006-07-22

One of the BEST Spider-man Essentials, I gotta say...the stuff in here is GOOD! We open up with a couple issue arc involving Aunt May, Doc Ock and Hammerhead, move over into the Destroyer story, a two-issue Spidey and the Hulk BEAT-'EM UP in Canada, then KAPOW!! The Green Goblin returns, kills Gwen Stacy, turns the comic book universe into the dark side of the moon, and subsequently dies at his own hands (later retconned in...that...clone saga...ugh...) And from there it's a riptide of friends, foes, and heartache all in the classic Spidey fashion! From Man-Wolf to the PUNISHER (cough cough) to the Tarantula and the Molten Man, to the return of Liz Allen and the Vulture's sickening schemes, Doc Ock and Aunt May's marriage (WHAT??!!!), all concluding in a nice little, innocent two issue story where we learn (Although they build up to it for about 14 issues) that Peter's best friend has gone insane, rigged himself in the kooky outfit that Gwen Stacy's killer wore, and threatens to destroy everything Spidey holds dear!
Well now, the writing of this milestone in Spidey history is okay, I liked Stan the Man better, but Conway takes up the stead all right, although killing one of the nicest characters in the Spidey mythos makes him branded for sure. This begins with Gil Kane's art, which is now (thankfully) a LOT better than his TERRIBLE run from Spidey #99-105 (He did alright in the issues before that...doesn't make sense) and slowly moves in to Ross Andru's art which I actually like EXCEPT for when he once drew Mary Jane...yuck.
All in all, this is a great collection that any Spidey fan should surely add to their collection.

Disregard the Gil Kane tirade..........2005-09-15

He is considered by many, including myself, to be one of the GREATEST comic-book pencillers EVER. The man has a point- it IS generally accepted that kane's faces are some of the worst in the biz... they seem to have "snouts," I kid you not - but his layouts, composition, and anatomy (don't know WHERE that guy gets off) are brilliant. In fact, I find Kane's spidey to be one of the best renditions of the post-silver age, and LOTS of people seem to agree... and spidey doesn't even HAVE a nose while in costume, so Kane's facial eccentricities don't even come into play as it concerns our favorite web-headed wallcrawler. Jeez, the gall to dis GIL KANE...?!?! Next we'll be hearing how "terrible" Ross Andru's work was, and how "flawlessly rendered" Frank Miller's initial attempts at Spidey were...sheesh!
If anything, the WRITING is pretty weak and dated in these stories... I gotta go with the guy who was talking about Morbius being one of the most ridiculous spidey villains EVER! But classics are classics, and this is as classic as they come, so if you like spidey, pick it up already!

Customer Reviews:

a little dated, but still enjoyable.......2001-04-28

I've always enjoyed this author's book "witches of Karres" so it has been interesting to read some of his other, long out of print works. This book should be read after the first book in this series "Telzey Amberdon" to bring it into perspective.

Essentially, this is a series of linked short stories and novelettes. The writing sytle is simple and easy to read. All the main characters are polite, even the the bad guys! They would easily be suited to younger readers.

This second book introduces the readers to Trigger Argee, who doesn't have the mental "super powers" that make Telzey such a striking figure, but who is never-the-less very capable.

These books have been enjoyable so far, but really bring home how much SF has changed in recent decades. These characters are much less introspective than most modern SF characters, even in short stories, and the emphasis is definitely on action!

I also agree about the cover. "TNT" is really on the corny side - ignore it and concentrate on the contents.

Great stories, but the cover...!.......2000-11-19

I read my parents' copies of these stories in the seventies and eighties. They have long been among my favorite short stories, and I'm definitely a James Schmitz fan. I'm glad to see that the stories are being republished. In this collection, I was also glad to see the pairing of Schmitz's "Pork Chop Tree" and "Compulsion" into the single story they are, especially because "Pork Chop Tree" is so hard to find.

This series has definitely been edited, and the more anachronistic technical elements of Schmitz's stories (microfilm, etc) have been suppressed. Other than that, the stories are as Schmitz wrote them.

My one major complaint are the covers, which are a big letdown, especially compared to the covers of the '80s editions. And T'Nt! Give me a break! These books should be packaged to attract new readers to Schmitz's work. The title of this volume strikes me as a cheesy in-joke that will attract people who already know about the stories but which will repel everyone else. These stories are truly classic SF, and they should have classier jackets!

Other than that, buy this book!

More Stories From the Federation of the Hub.......2000-10-19

An excellent book. This the second of four books that Baen Books is publishing that are compilations of the short stories my James Schmitz. While I normally am not a fan of short stories, these are some of the finest that I have read.

An Ending and a Beginning.......2000-07-24

This second reprint volume of Schmitz's Hub tales lives up to the promise of the first. It finishes up the Telzey stories and introduces Trigger Argee, an agent for the Psychology Service. Schmitz was finally hitting his stride with the Telzey stories in these tales, and this volume includes what I regard as some of the best. Resident Witch, Company Planet, Ti's Toys, and Child of the Gods are much better than most of the prior Telzey stories, with only Goblin Night being their equal. She meets Trigger in Compulsion and their relationship is developed further in Glory Day, and The Symbiotes. That is the last Telzey story Schmitz wrote, and I wonder what he might have done further with her character. Her Matri twin, Gaziel, from Ti's Toys, certainly offered opportunity for more story lines. Trigger, by contrast, is not an active psi, and relies on wit, cunning, intelligence, training, and pluck to get out of predicaments. In many ways she is a much more mature, complex, and interesting character. While Telzey is fascinating, powerful (in more ways than one) and has what Flint calls a "solitary splendor" Trigger is more humanly fallible, and humanly competent, despite her latent psi ability. The next volume will feature her, her husband (a married Sci -Fi Heroine? How unusual, human, and normal.) and various associates, and I look forward to it.

Dynamite Heroines Take On Galaxy.......2000-06-29

Telzey Amberdon is the scion of an ultra-rich, politically connected family on the central world of Orado. She lives an outwardly normal life as a privileged college student, studying and taking exams, or accompanying a friend to a luxurious body remodeling resort planet. She is also one of the galaxy's most powerful and versatile psi talents (especially regarding alien beings), essentially a loner but cooperating informally with the shadowy yet powerful Psychology Service. Telzey was featured in the first volume of this Baen reissue series.

Trigger Argee comes from much humbler, possibly hardscrabble, origins, and though a latent psi, as we find out in this volume, relies on quick thinking, resourcefulness, a champion level ability with her beloved Denton pistol, and a wide range of personal connections (she seems to know and work with just about every major character of Schmitz's galactic Hub universe). We'll find out more about Trigger in the third volume.

James H. Schmitz wrote a series of stories about each of these engagingly competent heroines in the 1960's and early 1970's, and brought them together in two tales included in this second volume ("Compulsion" and "Glory Day"). A third tale, "The Symbiotes," is primarily Trigger's, though Telzey does appear briefly; sadly, this was the last significant work by Schmitz, and we'll never find out the results of Trigger's decision at the very end to develop her psi powers. The rest of the seven stories (short novels, really, at over 50 pages each) are devoted to Telzey.

Baen is to be devoutly thanked for their project bringing much of Schmitz's work (the stories set in a human dominated "Hub") back into print. Devotees have for too long been forced to lurk in used book stores, waiting for the rare tattered paperback. Schmitz writes with vigor and verve, and absolute clarity. The characters are well realized, including the truly alien aliens who are among the best ever. Though there are plenty of twists and turns (one can never be too sure who the good guys and bad guys are), the reader never feels cheated.

Average customer rating:

a good book, often a great book

Two presidents not compared often enough

ok, but lacks depth and originality

Well-reason parallel lives

a poor book, often a bad book

The Warrior and the Priest: Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt
John Milton Cooper Jr.
Manufacturer: Belknap Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0674947517

Customer Reviews:

a good book, often a great book.......2006-07-04

I recently became interested in TR. This book brought forth the life stories of two political giants and made sense of their lives together. Though they lived a great portion of their lives in different realms, ultimately the focus of this book, presidential politics, and esspecially foreign policy, bright the two adversaries together. Cooper does a great job demonstraiting their importance to the "American presidency," and esspecially the shaping of twentieth century foreign policy.

Two presidents not compared often enough.......2002-10-17

"John Milton Cooper...blends these contrasting and kindred elements into a masterful portrait of two of our most intriguing presidents," David Kennedy in the New York Times Book Review, November 20 1983. TR and Wilson are often considered to be the same, especially in the in the domestic realm. The New Freedom was simply an extension of New Nationalism. But Cooper espouses the differences through analysis of both important domestic debates and the politics of war and internationalism. For anyone interested in studying Roosevelt, Wilson, and the Progressive era this book is an important read.

ok, but lacks depth and originality.......2001-06-26

When I picked this up, I thought: hey, why not two bios for the effort of one? Why not indeed: you can't delve deeply enough into these two substantial and complex lives in this context. THere is some useful comparisons made of their careers, but it is way way too ambitious. While you do get many of the factual basics, which were indeed interesting, neither of these past Presidents comes alive.

REcommended only for the facts. Look for flavor and pyschological depth elsewhere.

Well-reason parallel lives.......2000-12-13

This is a great work of scholarship dealing with two of the most important figures of the early 20th century. Cooper is able to bring out the differences in the approaches that both men had in setting the US political agenda in the early 20th century. Cooper is always a great treat to read. I must say that the title is somewhat interesting. When looking at Roosevelt or Wilson who is in fact the warrior and who the priest?

a poor book, often a bad book.......2000-09-04

This is a poor book. Indeed, it is often a bad book. Cooper's idea of a biography comparing Roosevelt and Wilson is a conceit that does not come off. This biography has all the genre's vices. Complex movements like Progressivism are clumsily personalized. Although Cooper is mildly critical of his heroes (particularly their criticisms of each other) he ignores their worst aspects. On Wilson and race: "Wilson belived that blacks were not innately inferior to whites and would eventually, probably in two or three centuries, achieve a measure of economic and political, if not social, equality." (210) I challenge anyone to read Wilson's papers and come up with so emollient a verdict. On Roosevelt's artistic appreciation: "...Roosevelt based his cultural views upon wide cultivation and genuine reflection." (87) Now considering that Roosevelt considered Duchamp trash, viewed the Kreutzer Sonata as obscene and sniffed that James, Dickens, Gorky and Zola were not gentlemen, I beg to differ.

Admirers of Roosevelt's foreign policy will not be burdened by any mention of atrocities in the conquest of the Philippines. In fine bipartisan tradition the faked elections in Nicaragua and the massacres in Haiti under Wilson's rule are not mentioned either. Be it Wilson's refusal to pardon Eugene Debs or the dark genocidal streams in Roosevelt's racism, the conservative, reactionary or just downright rotten opinions (on unions, immigration, Mexico, anti-hyphenation) are either ignored or equivocated to death in Cooper's account. Considering America's size, wealth and security, its rise as a world power was almost inevitable after 1865. As such a strictly biographical approach reveals very little. Both presidents were skilled administrators, and especially skilled in belittling liberal causes when they weren't popular, taking credit for them when they were, and trimming one's sails with the conservative tide. As a result they are bestowed the honor and glory that belongs to better and braver men. But one remembers that American history would not be too different if they had never lived and one also remembers not to put one's faith in princes.

Average customer rating:
Warrior and the Priest: Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt (Belknap Press)
John Milton Cooper
Manufacturer: Harvard Univ Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674947509

Book Description

This full-colour, large-format book takes a radically different approach from the traditional geographical perspective and instead, looks at wines grouped by style: dry whites, medium whites, sweet whites, through to dry reds, sparkling and fortified wines. The advantage of this approach is that the reader can really begin to understand the varieties and tastes of wine and gain the ability to compare similar types of wine. It focuses heavily on practical wine tasting sessions to really encourage the reader to teach themselves the art of wine tasting. These sessions will be guided by the author and enable readers to discover for themselves the differences between the main wine varieties. It is backed by the approval of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, who have agreed to endorse the book.

Average customer rating:

Mark Twain meets the 1950's and Topps

I see the boys of summer in their ruin. . .

Christmas treasure

"Goodnight Sibi Sisti, Wherever You Are"--From The Book

A forever treasure

Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book
Brendan C. Boyd , and Fred C. Harris
Manufacturer: Ticknor & Fields
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Mark Twain meets the 1950's and Topps.......2007-08-11

Here's a little time travel for you. I first got my hands on this book when I was a little baseball-loving kid, back in 1974. This book scared the hell out of me back then.

Thirty years later it turned up again, and this time it blew my mind. It's one of the most creative, touching, thoughtful, mildly mean-spirited works of literature I've ever come across (And I read books for a living.)

Here's the backstory on the book. It's the early 1970's in Boston, and two witty, profound, slightly geeky local bookstore employees decide to rummage through their childhood baseball-card collections and write a book about their love of the game. Please note: this book **isn't** about baseball or even about baseball cards (here I'm citing the authors in their preface), it's a book about childhood as recalled through the prism of baseball cards.

This book isn't for everyone. It's for grown-up men who loved baseball as boys, weren't very good at it (as the authors admit about themselves), and were probably picked near the end in gym class when teams were being chosen.

This book is probably best (and most mind-blowing) for people who grew up during the late 1950's and early 1960's, as the authors did. But the generations of childhood baseball fans ever since will also find great pleasure in this entirely irreverent and clever book.

"GOOD NIGHT, SIBBI SISTI, WHEREVER YOU ARE." When I read this line in the book back in 1974, it gave me the willies. Now I just grin.

I see the boys of summer in their ruin. . . .......2005-12-16

Each of us occasionally has experiences that are so vivid that they make immediate and permanent imprints upon the memory. For example, I can still remember my excited first day of kindergarten, as well as my first glimpse of Three Rivers stadium, as our family car approached it along the jumbled, congested streets of the North Side.

Believe it or not, I can similarly remember my first experiences reading this book, as though they were yesterday. I was in grad school in California, and a friend was visiting me with this book in tow. As he spread out a sleeping bag and nodded off to sleep, I curled up with his magnificent book. I can still picture that entire scene, my old apartment as it was then, and even one particular page on which I lingered in fascination (the Joe Fornieles profile.) The feeling of reading it was that electric, that hyper-engaging.

A book has got to be good if reading it is remembered as a formative experience.

Let me try another way to explain how much I loved this book. When I couldn't find this book anywhere (it being out of print), I directed a nationwide book search to try to find it for me. They did, a flawless hardback edition that I still treasure, and still maintain in carefully guarded, pristine condition. Mind you, I was a starving grad student when I did this, and could hardly afford such luxuries.

As you can see from the other reviews below, this book takes that type of hold on those who love it.

There are three major sections in this book; one covering the sensory atmosphere of a 1950s suburban childhood, one on the baseball card industry as it existed in 1973, and one a series of profiles of players as depicted on samples from the authors' baseball card collection. The first and third of these are the great ones.

I adore the opening chapter, which brought childhood back to me even though I didn't grow up in the same era as the authors. But some things are universal I guess, including the way that childhood memories exist as scraps and floating debris of the odd popular cultures through which we guide our children.

Boyd and Harris's childhood world will be recognizable to anyone who grew up in America -- a world of advertising jingles, cap guns, yo-yos, Pez, and of course, baseball cards. A time cycle in which the kids learn to break down the interminable flow of their school year according to the changing weather, the holidays and favorite activities of each mini-season. And even those of us whose childhoods weren't so innocent nevertheless cling to those small fragments of memory of a time when we had no responsibilities and the world was a fascinating and wondrous place. I once wrote a newspaper review of this book in which I referred to this opening chapter as Marcel Proust in Levittown, and I think it still fits.

But the real core of the book is the "Profiles" section. This is a procession of baseball cards, one after another, two per page, each of which triggers a particular set of memories from the authors. Many of these, if not most, are really funny. But others are poignant.

Not all of the little capsule profiles are about the players themselves. Sometimes the authors take the opportunity to laugh over the baseball card itself -- a goofy pose, a bad airbrushing job, an inexplicable caption, an ill-considered description on the back.

It's an exquisite feeling, thumbing through their card collection with them. You feel the pang of reverence for the Ted Williams card. You snicker over Choo-Choo Coleman and the lousy catchers collected by the New York Mets. You ponder how it could be that Charlie Smith was traded straight up for Roger Maris. You nod knowingly over the author's continual confusion of Mike de la Hoz and Bob del Greco.

The visual design of the book is central to its power, which is why I particularly treasure my hardback edition. One page of umpire cards has a colored backround on which is stamped,simply, "Boo, Boo, Boo, Boo. . ." A page with the cards of Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente contains no commentary, just a respectful black background (each had recently passed at the time of the book's original publication.)

Somehow it all seems to mean something, even without seeming to try to mean anything. And therein lies the book's genius.

I know of no other baseball book like this one. It defies categorization, and despite my poor effort above, it really defies description. Buy it, hide it, shut the door and turn out the world, savor it, ponder it, laugh at it, love it.

Have a good time. It's meant to be fun, you know. Let's play two.

Christmas treasure.......2004-04-13

I received this as a Christmas gift one year and was initially disappointed. I had only heard of a few of the guys that were showed on the cards and I set it aside, figuring on sticking it up on my bookshelf with the other boring books that I had and never bothered with. Several days after Christmas we went on the annual family gift return, a day I truly hated. In desperation I grabbed this book off of my pile and took my accustomed place in the back of the station wagon. For the rest of that day and night the only time I put the book down was to eat, and then only briefly. This is a completely irreverent look at baseball as a whole, and the thing that really sealed the deal for me was the card of Whammy Douglas and the comments made by the author. I tried to get my dad to read it because I figured he would get more out of it than I did, (I'm 41 and consider myself to be on the trailing edge of those who might "get it",) but he wasn't interested. Maybe I'll try again. This book might have a limited range of interest, but if you have fond memories of baseball in the 50's and 60's, I think you'll fall right into that range.

"Goodnight Sibi Sisti, Wherever You Are"--From The Book.......2003-12-31

This book is a treasure. I think if I had to pack one bag of books for a long stay on a desert island, this would be one of the first ones included. Like one of the other reviewers, I have worn out more than one copy and find myself puzzled why it's been allowed to go out of print.

"The Great American Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Card Book" has three principal sections. The first, "Where Have You Gone VINCE DiMaggio" is a warm and very witty recollection of the co-author's childhoods in the 1950s and the central role that baseball cards played in them. Part two, "This Kid Is Going To Make It," is a look at how the baseball card business operated circa 1973, the date of the book's original publication.

As entertaining as these openers are, the best (and largest) part of the book is the one simply called "Profiles." Reproduced in full color are hundreds of cards from the early 1950s to the late 1960s, accompanied by the author's observations about the players immortalized on them. You'll find greats on these pages, like Richie Ashburn, Stan Musial and Ted Williams...but the real joy is the rediscovery of the men on the fringes of the game's glory...."immortals" like Chris Cannizzaro, Frank Leja, Foster Castleman, Clyde Kluttz and Coot Veal. It's tempting to quote from the book at length, but that would spoil the fun. Just to give you a sense of the flavor though, I opened at random to the page featuring Hector Lopez, poor-fielding third baseman for the Yankees and Kansas City A's. After judging Lopez not to be just a bad fielding third baseman for a baseball player, but for a human being, they declare, he did not "simply field a ground ball, he attacked it. Like a farmer trying to kill a snake with a stick."

This is a wonderful book for any baseball fan, and should especially be treasured on those short, cold winter days when the crack of the bat and the warm blue skies and green grass of summer seem oh-so-far away.--William C. Hall

A forever treasure.......2003-02-05

Beautiful, brilliant and witty. Once you have the book, you'll never forget it, and you'll probably keep wanting to show parts of it to fellow fans. However, in the name of humor, the book is a little cruel to some players -- for example, "Hal Griggs was to pitching as Wayne Causey was to hitting -- that is to say, nothing." Even as a kid I was made uncomfortable by things like that. But, some of those things, I just LOVED, like the teasing about how ugly Don Mossi was and about how lousy a hitter Hank Aguirre was ("...I mean to tell you, he couldn't even come close..."). So, where should they have drawn the line? Heck if I know. Also, the book seems to show a bias toward players from Boston and Philadelphia, giving them more space than they deserve, and a lot more kindness. But actually I enjoyed that, since, as a New Yorker, I've always been embarrassed about the disproportionate attention that is usually given to the Yanks and Mets. It's nice to see a couple of other towns getting their turn.

The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading, and Bubble Gum Book

Average customer rating:

The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading, and Bubble Gum Book
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Manufacturer: Little brown and Co. 1973
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K5QIFG

Average customer rating:

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASEBALL CARD FLIPPING,TRADING AND BUBBLE GUM BOOK
BOYD BRENDAN C. AND FRED C. HARRIS
Manufacturer: Little Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTPQHO

Average customer rating:

Ideas Galore

Good Recipes....Would be better with fewer Crafts....

Gooseberry Patch Christmas: Book 6 (Gooseberry Patch Christmas)

Manufacturer: Leisure Arts Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Christmas & Hanukkah | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Seasonal | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Gooseberry Patch Christmas: Book 7 (Gooseberry Patch Christmas)

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Gooseberry Patch Christmas (Gooseberry Patch) (Gooseberry Patch)

Gooseberry Patch Christmas (Book 4)

Gooseberry Patch Christmas: Merry Ideas, Recipes & How-To's for the Happiest of Holidays! (Gooseberry Patch Christmas)

ASIN: 1574863231

Book Description

Where do you go for old-fashioned, country-style Christmas fun?To Gooseberry Patch , of course! New Country Friends art and heartwarming decorating tips, fail-proof craft instructions, and irresistible holiday recipes make this the perfect guide for creating a memorable Christmas. Decorating ideas such as making a story blanket or family memory wreath get everyone involved. Includes easy-to-follow instructions for charming gifts such as handcrafted snow globes, aromatherapy candles, and beaded watchbands. Plus oodles of tasty treats for entertaining at home or giving as gifts. Also includes helpful tips and favorite recipes from devoted Gooseberry Patch readers.

Customer Reviews:

Ideas Galore.......2005-06-28

I just ordered this book after finding it in my local library. As with all Gooseberry Patch books I have found many ideas for crafts and recipes. I plan on adapting the wreath on the cover for part of my holiday decor and the marshmallows dipped in chocolate and stuck on a peppermint stick will be made and shared with co-workers and friends. You really cannot go wrong with these charming books and I enjoy looking through them again and again.

Good Recipes....Would be better with fewer Crafts...........2004-11-06

I'm a big fan of the Gooseberry Patch Cookbook series. Particularly the large spiral bound versions, but the'Christmas' series produced by Leisure Arts is a little hit or miss for me- Mostly because I prefer recipes instead of crafts, and Christmas has over 80+ pages of crafts and about 40+ pages of recipes.

There are some great recipes in this one. Seafood Lasagne, Eggnog Cookies, and Christmas Tree pull-apart rolls. The presentation is cute, and the stories and ancedotes nice and heart-warming

If there were fewer crafts, and more recipes, I'm sure I'd like this series more. 4 stars, because the crafts dominate the book a little too much.

Book Description

This volume deals with political, military, social, architectural, and literary aspects of fifteenth-century England. The essays contained in the volume range across the century from some of the leading scholars currently working in the period.

With contributions by Mark Arvanigian, Kelly DeVries, Sharon Michalove, Harry Schnitker, Charlotte Bauer-Smith, Candace Gregory, Helen Maurer, Karen Bezella-Bond, E. Kay Harris, Daniel Thiery, John Leland, Peter Fleming, Virginia K. Henderson.

Book Description

The Graphic Idea Resource series presents good design in an affordable format. Each book in the series presents inspiring, contemporary, graphic design projects, and focuses on a single area of design technique. With examples of finished work ranging from brochures to packaging to self-promotion, this series is a valuable resource for designers working in any specialty.

Good graphic design can be a powerful force behind the sale of products, companies, or a service. Graphic Idea Resource: Promotion presents the finished designs and the creative process of the designers who are making sales for their clients and themselves. This book presents outstanding work by top market-savvy designers showing finished graphics which have increased sales for the client.

Great design and commercial smarts is a combination that makes a graphic design business succeed and this collection provides both the inspiration and the insider information from working designers who have achieved success.

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