Heart of the Beast: A Novel

Book Description

In her remarkable debut, Joyce Weatherford writes with raw power, muscular beauty, and firsthand experience about life in the twentieth-century American West.

Bringing us to the golden plains of northeast Oregon, Joyce Weatherford presents the saga of the Steele family -- a family built not on love but on farming. Twenty-eight-year-old Iris Steele has inherited the 150-year-old family ranch and all the debt that goes with it -- a legacy, all in all, she is not certain she wants. It is the ranch where Iris has spent her life, where she grew up herding cattle and harvesting wheat, and where her brother and her father both died. It is also, it turns out, the land once owned by the Nez Perce Indian tribe, and suddenly the modern Nez Perce are suing to reclaim what they say is rightfully theirs.

To save the ranch, Iris must spend months untangling generations of family history to understand the land's legitimate ownership -- a process that unearths not only her family past but also the history of the American West and two hundred years of tortured relationships between homesteaders and Native Americans. Meanwhile, she is fighting to manage a new wheat crop, broken machinery, and her ever-fragile romance with her childhood friend, the local farmhand-turned-doctor. And as the truth of the land's ownership begins to emerge, so do surprising realities about the Steele family -- such as the startling stories behind the deaths of Iris's father and brother, and her aunt's institutionalization. In the end, Iris realizes she has inherited not just the land but its history as well, and that it's a history from which she must break free in order to discover love, forgiveness, and who she really is.

Joyce Weatherford demonstrates an astonishing control of language, combining unflinching descriptions of ranch life with the sensuous beauty of the Oregon landscape, communicating such vivid physical detail that we feel we are right alongside Iris in the corral, in the field, on her horse. She conveys perfectly the danger, the suspense, the awe and energy in those moments when man meets, battles, and harnesses nature: fighting wildfire; harvesting grain; chasing runaway horses; hunting coyotes from a beat-up propeller plane; herding, branding, birthing, and castrating cattle.

Heart of the Beast is a portrait of the relationship between the settlers of the Pacific Northwest and the region's indiginous people, of the demise of the family farm in the face of corporate agribusiness, and of the redemptive power of forgiveness. Part romance, mystery, courtroom drama, and American history, this is a family saga of epic power and importance.

Download Description

In her remarkable debut, Joyce Weatherford writes with raw power, muscular beauty, and firsthand experience about life in the twentieth-century American West. Bringing us to the golden plains of northeast Oregon, Joyce Weatherford presents the saga of the Steele family -- a family built not on love but on farming. Twenty-eight-year-old Iris Steele has inherited the 150-year-old family ranch and all the debt that goes with it -- a legacy, all in all, she is not certain she wants. It is the ranch where Iris has spent her life, where she grew up herding cattle and harvesting wheat, and where her brother and her father both died. It is also, it turns out, the land once owned by the Nez Perce Indian tribe, and suddenly the modern Nez Perce are suing to reclaim what they say is rightfully theirs. To save the ranch, Iris must spend months untangling generations of family history to understand the land's legitimate ownership -- a process that unearths not only her family past but also the history of the American West and two hundred years of tortured relationships between homesteaders and Native Americans. Meanwhile, she is fighting to manage a new wheat crop, broken machinery, and her ever-fragile romance with her childhood friend, the local farmhand-turned-doctor. And as the truth of the land's ownership begins to emerge, so do surprising realities about the Steele family -- such as the startling stories behind the deaths of Iris's father and brother, and her aunt's institutionalization. In the end, Iris realizes she has inherited not just the land but its history as well, and that it's a history from which she must break free in order to discover love, forgiveness, and who she really is.

Customer Reviews:

Thoroughly compelling.......2005-01-11

I loved HEART OF THE BEAST so much, I had to own a first edition. If Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres could win the Pulitzer, BEAST certainly should have. While they're both rural family dramas, Weatherford's debut novel is considerably better in every category: first-class writing (almost every paragraph is startling somehow and cliché-free), gripping plot (with truly original turning points, rare depth), and convincing, intense characters like no one I've ever known (with dialogue to match). If Weatherford keeps writing like this, they'll have to create a new genre just for her: Triple Threat.

I've never read a more compelling or vivid exploration of the emotional heritage of hatred and the suffering (and ongoing hatred) it begets. There are paragraphs so divine I keep re-reading them to my friends and myself to try to figure out how Weatherford did it (and in her first novel!).

This novel is single-handedly responsible for raising my standards for literary fiction: Now that I know it's possible to produce a story as full as this, I want it this good all the time.

A Great Novel!.......2004-04-03

HEART OF THE BEAST by Joyce Weatherford

HEART OF THE BEAST is the debut novel by Joyce Weatherford, which tells the tale of a family that has farmed and ranched for many generations in eastern Oregon. Their history ties them to the Nez Perce Indians, who now claim that the land, known as Heart of the Beast, belongs to them, and they plan on fighting for it until they get their land back.

Iris Steele, 28 years old, is the youngest survivor of this ill-fated family. She returns home to see to her dying mother, the beautiful Elise, and to help settle the estate. Iris's father Ike and older brother Jake have long ago passed on, and she is the only one remaining that will inherit the land that her parents farmed. Upon the death, Iris locates her crazy aunt, Hanna, Elise's sister, and she arrives promptly straight from the psychiatric hospital with her "heads", sculptures of several generations of Steeles and Winters. Hanna is obsessed with these heads, and now she needs to complete the very last one, that of Iris. Hanna cannot rest until this is done.

Iris is informed about a law suit against her family, in which the Nez Perce Indians claim the land she's inherited, The Heart of the Beast, is theirs, and she now braces to deal with yet another problem. And as she readies herself for this trial, she remembers her past, her life growing up in Oregon, and the tumultuous story that was her family.

This novel can only be described as tragic. Iris's family history is filled with men and women that farmed for a living, raising horses and cattle and growing crops, from the first generation that traveled the Lewis and Clarke trail as they made their way from the East Coast to Oregon, down to her own parents. But it was not out of love that they lived on the land. It was with a hatred and a violence that is graphically described quite succinctly and with much detail by Weatherford. Iris's father was a man filled with hate, showing only disdain for his children, anger towards his wife, and ruled the land and their home with a military arm. But as Iris relives her family's history, it is obvious why her father Ike Steele was as cruel and sadistic as she knew him to be. A family history of larger than life men and women fill the family tree, and it is this history that Iris remembers in detail, as well as her own childhood and memories of what living on the land meant to her.

HEART OF THE BEAST will be one of my favorite books read in 2004. It's told on an epic scale, taken out of American history books, yet most of it takes place in contemporary times, which is hard to believe as the images one gets from reading this book reminds one of days of yesteryear, when the West was still being tamed. It is mention of songs by Prince and Ever Clear that brings the reader back to the present. However, the story of the Indians and the white men that helped build this part of the country makes one think HEART OF THE BEAST is a story that takes place in the past. This reviewer feels that anyone that loves to read a good novel is going to enjoy HEART OF THE BEAST. Highly recommended!

Eastern Oregon ranch life at it's best (which is HARD!).......2002-11-09

This book was absolutely wonderful- a beautifully written gripping story. It has marvelous descriptions of that harsh and brutal land and the people who have to sometimes be harsh and brutal to survive it. Having been there, she described Eastern Oregon to a tee, although I have no first-hand knowledge of the ranch life (thank heavens!). I chose this for my book club, and everyone loved it. I knew the author when she was in college, got in touch with her after 20 years, and she agreed to participate in our club's meeting via phone. She was as interesting as her writing. I can't wait for her next book!

A psychological journey.......2002-06-14

What captured my interest most in this novel was the psychological journey of the main character, Iris. At the beginning of the story, most of Iris' family is dead. However, all of her dead family members linger on in her internal world, continuing to cause varying degrees of harm.
Throughout the novel, the reader follows Iris as she struggles to continue to operate her family farm, but we also witness a process much more subtle, which is the rebuilding of the main character's mind. In my opinion, this is creatively expressed in the process of recasting the family sculptures, specifically those of herself, her mother and her father. A very interesting book, full of many levels of meaning.

A Beautiful Landscape of Language and Characters.......2002-04-07

I could not put this novel down! When I finished, I sincerely missed Iris, Henry and the rest of the Steele clan. The author's love for her characters is not only evident, it is passed on to the reader. Weatherford breathes life into her characters by addressing their faults and allowing the reader to accept them. Each word is written honestly, intelligently, beautifully, and with tremendous passion. Never have words been more perfectly chosen and never has a story been more deserving to be told. The entire spectrum of emotions can be found on a single page, and the reader feels involved, rather than like an on-looker or outsider. "Heart of the Beast" is an amazing experiance, unique from any novel out there.

Average customer rating:

Way too much plot getting in the way of the romance.

Heart Of The Beast: A Novel
Cassidy
Manufacturer: harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Imminent Thunder (Silhouette Romances)

ASIN: 0373651147

Book Description

Deep in the forest . . .

Bonnie Redding had come to the isolated Arkansas research lab to be reunited with her father, a figure who had sacrificed family for his scientific career. But the man who greeted her was strangely detached -- so different from her dim childhood memories.

Even more mysterious was Nicholas Shepherd, a brilliant doctor who had warned Bonnie that her father wasn't what he seemed -- that there was evil at Redding Institute. Bonnie's instincts told her to flee, but she couldn't bear to leave Nicholas behind.

Nicholas knew bonnie had to get away before it was too late. Because he had a deadly secret -- and it guaranteed that falling in love would destroy them both . . .

Customer Reviews:

Way too much plot getting in the way of the romance........2003-12-18

Bonnie Redding arrives at the Redding Institute hoping to bridge a decades long gap between her and her father. What she finds is a cold, distant scientist, a mystery, and an irresistable hunk of an enigma. Heart of the Beast suffers from both an emphasis on the mystery over the romance and the beauty hugging most of the spotlight. The beast seems to spend a lot of time off stage, which makes the romance seem perfunctory, at first. Nonetheless, I warmed to it (being a horror buff at heart, the werewolf slant and gothic mood made it all worthwhile), liked the characters (although I would have liked to have gotten to know Nicholas better sooner rather than later) and found the bad guy easy to hate. So I'm giving it an extra star.

Book Description

Once the most powerful mage in the land, Jenny Waynest is now a broken woman. After being possessed and corrupted by the demon Amayon, she lost everything she holds dear--even the trust of her husband. Yet Lord John Aversin has torments of his own: memories of the beautiful and cruel Aohila, demon queen of a rival hell, whom he'd tricked into providing the help he needed to free Jenny. Now, condemned to death for trafficking with demons, John cannot forgive himself for opening the door to a far greater evil--an evil that still haunts his dreams. And not only his dreams . . .

For a vengeful Aohila needs mortal aid in realms beyond her power, and who better to provide it than Lord John? Blackmailed into cooperating, John must fight his way through unimaginable horrors in quest of a prize that may doom the world he has left behind . . .

Customer Reviews:

Hambly shows she can think around corners . . . .......2004-12-03

Where the original Dragonsbane was a far more traditional novel of fantasy, Knight of the Demon Queen has blazed a new path in fantasy AND science fiction in general. Her world in these books has become even darker, and introduces a new environment we never expected to stumble upon reading a series originally based on dragons.

My love of Aohila continues in this book, along with the demon Amayon. Like I observed in the previous review of Dragonshadow, Morkeleb continues to be less significant, but hambly has built such a rich world since the original book we can allow this.

Is the book dark? Yes. Is it innovative? Yes. Worth reading? Yes . . . but be sure to have a copy of Dragonstar close by.

Knight of the Demon Queen.......2003-04-14

This is among my favorite fantasy novels. Ever.

It does what I want speculative fiction to do: walk over edges. Yes, the characters are tortured. Yes, a happy ending is not (in this volume of the series) apparent. But this is not a nihilist book: always, in the background, we know that love and loyalty have importance to Hambly's universe. And the grit, the horror, provides a wonderful anecdote to all that Pollyannaish pap that's out there on the shelves.

In addition, Hambly's background as a historian gives her the skills to write wonderfully grounded, believeable fiction. Her worlds work, from ecology to economy. Don't miss this one.

Hopeless Endings.......2002-09-18

Barbara Hambly has a gritty style that I adore. Even this book's dreary Hell of Walls techno-world is an interesting addition and commentary on our lives. Her characters, John and Jenny, are regular people just trying to do the right thing in impossibly difficult situations. I admire their courage, their sense of humor, their will to do the right thing. I found myself swept up in their adventure and wanting to help.

But at the end of Knight of the Demon Queen, Hambly leaves those characters in hopeless situations. I wish I had known there was another book in the series before I finished this one. As it was, this book left me horribly depressed and feeling it was a mistake to read it.

Warning..........2002-06-04

This book is really, really dark. And, as the editorial review notes, it ends in the middle of the story, with the main characters in a really bad spot. Still, it's a great story. And fortunately the conclusion of the series ("Dragonstar") has just been released. Might as well save yourself some agony and get both at the same time.

Where's the love??.......2002-05-12

I started the series in the middle, with Dragonshadow, and absolutely loved it. It was dark and powerful, not a predictable fantasy tale where everything works out sickeningly (and unbelievably) perfect. I found Dragonsbane a little lacking, but still quite impressive. Knight of the Demon Queen, however, made me furious. At the dismal ending of this dismal novel, I got the feeling that something terrible happened to the author, and she was taking it out on her characters. Although I did enjoy the cyberpunk world at moments, overall, this novel should not have been written, unless Dragonstar is somehow able to make it all worth it... Good luck...!

Average customer rating:

Knight of the Demon Queen

Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HIA3Y8

Average customer rating:

Terrific cookbook!

favorite cookbook

Great Basic Cookbook

Awesome Book!

All-New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

The All-New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook (Southern Living (Hardcover Oxmoor))

Manufacturer: Oxmoor House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
South | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Southern Living Slow-Cooker Cookbook (Southern Living (Hardcover Oxmoor))

Southern Living 2006 Annual Recipes (Southern Living Annual Recipes)

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The Taste of Home Cookbook

Southern Living 40 Years of Our Best Recipes

ASIN: 084873114X

Book Description

Bigger, better, expanded, enhanced, and just a whole lot more of the reliable, authentic dishes readers expect from Southern Living. This all-inclusive and completely revised edition packs in more than 1,250 recipes in its 512 pages, all tested for prep times, health-consciousness, convenience, and, of course, exceptional taste. Longtime fans of Southern Living as well as novice cooks will love the comprehensive Kitchen Basics chapter and abundance of enticing photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Terrific cookbook!.......2007-09-09

I checked this book out from my library and quickly realized that I had to have this book! The recipes all sound delicious and easy to prepare. The how-to sections on making bread and choosing cuts of meat are very helpful. You can't go wrong with this book!

favorite cookbook.......2007-09-08

Recipes are easy to make,and taste great. I love that the book includes a nutrient analysis for each recipe, and also highlights family favorite and quick recipes. This book makes a great gift.

Great Basic Cookbook.......2007-03-18

This is a great basic cookbook to have, plus it offers so much more, especially if you are a southern cook.

Awesome Book!.......2007-03-15

I love this cookbook. Has awesome recipes. Would highly recommend it.

All-New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook.......2007-03-01

Like all the annual Southern Living Recipe books, this one is equally wonderful as gifts for my wife and mother-in-law. Husbands & son-in-law, go for this one - it may get you out of the dog house.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding recipes
An All Time Favorite
The Perfect Bridal Shower Gift!!!
A great everyday cookbook!
my favorite all-time cookbook

The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

Manufacturer: Oxmoor House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0848723864

Book Description

A newly created volume of the Southern Living Cookbook series that's even better than the first! It includes the best basic recipes from the "Southern Living" files, each one re-tested to focus on time, convenince and good health for on-the-go familes. The book is full of up-to-date, easy-to-use kitchen classics. It also includes an extensive text update, all new photography, nutritional analysis, as well as preparation and cook times for every recipe. Check out the special sectons on pairing wine and food, a discussion of equipment and ingredients, grilling know-how and entertaining tips.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding recipes.......2007-08-23

I have tried several recipes from this book and they have all been outstanding. I recommend it as long as you are not looking for low fat recipes.

An All Time Favorite.......2007-01-10

This cook book should be in any serious cooks/entertainers collection. The Shrimp Scampi is simply sublime!!! The Menu Index is Fabulous including ideas for "A Hunter's Feast, Ladies Tea Room Lunch, Comfort Food for the Family," and so many more. I have thousands of cook books and this is one I go back to time and time again. The recipes always come out fabulous. Too bad it is no longer in print. If you can get a used copy consider your self lucky!

The Perfect Bridal Shower Gift!!!.......2006-06-09

I have cooked for 30 years and have had hundreds of cookbooks and this one is by far the best of them! Perfect for beginners as there are detailed step-by-step how to technique descriptions but also challenging for old "biscuit makers" such as myself as many of the recipes are very complex. The recipes are fabulous but it's all the other stuff in the book that makes this an indispensible resourse: everything from what size pan to use to descriptions of herbs and when (and not) to use them! I only wish I had this book 30 years ago, and my family would probably agree! THE BEST COOKBOOK EVER!!!

A great everyday cookbook!.......2006-04-25

I love Southern Living cookbooks. Every recipe I try is a success and becomes a family favorite, "tried and true" recipe. The "Hummingbird Cake" is my son's absolute favorite and the baked Artichokes w/Sundried Tomatoes is always a hit with company. You won't be disappointed with the recipes in this cookbook!

my favorite all-time cookbook.......2005-11-30

I love and collect cookbooks, and as much as I have learned from Julia Child and the delightfully over-the-top Paul Prudhomme, this is the one I turn to over and over again for both special occasions and regular evening meals. There is such a wide variety of choices in this book- not just southern classics like Country Captain and Hummingbird cake, but excellent quesadillas, scampi, and teryaki beef sticks, and stardards like peanut butter cookies, all in one book. I haven't found a bad recipe yet, and I've tried a lot! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys having people LOVE what they cooked!

Southern Living Ultimate Quick & Easy Cookbook (Southern Living (Hardcover Oxmoor))

Average customer rating:

Good recipes, times misleading
What a great cookbook!
Southern Living Ultimate Quick & Easy Cookbook
Quick doesn't have to mean processed
Very Disappointed

Southern Living Ultimate Quick & Easy Cookbook (Southern Living (Hardcover Oxmoor))

Manufacturer: Oxmoor House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Quick & Easy | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0848728254

Book Description

Keep the home fires burning and the family happy with fast, tasty meals from the Southern Living Ultimate Quick Easy Cookbook. The ultimate solution for families on the go-traditional homestyle cooking, served up fast and fresh. This new edition features over 400 easy-to-prepare dishes from Southern Living's professional test kitchens. One fabulous menu might start off with Berry Mint Iced Tea; Fast Rosemary-Dried Tomato Flatbread for an appetizer; a Southern favorite like Chicken and Dumplings or Oven-Fried Catfish as the main dish; with some Jalapeo Cornbread on the side. For dessert, try the Pears with Raspberry Sherbet. All recipes include cook and prep times, and those that take 10, 20, and 30 minutes are flagged for quick reference. See how delectable they look with over 100 new tempting color photos. Thanks to the cooking experts at Southern Living, you can put together great tasting, satisfying meals in practically no time at all.

Customer Reviews:

Good recipes, times misleading.......2007-09-10

I've now tried 4 of the recipes in this book, and they've turned out nicely. Pictures are good too. The one thing I have a problem with is that the prep times don't include prep - because the ingredient list contains already prepped items, such as 1/2 c celery, chopped, or 8 oz chopped sun dried tomatoes- items which I actually have to prep, and many of them just don't come that way. I still highly recommend this book for fast delicious recipes - just add an extra 10 minutes to the times. (The molten cakes on the cover are easy and delicious).

What a great cookbook!.......2007-05-17

I saw a similar cookbook while visitng a friend. It was out of print. This one is even better with great, easy & quick recipes. Every one I have tried has been a hit with my family.

Southern Living Ultimate Quick & Easy Cookbook.......2006-08-09

This is a great cookbook. My sister-in-law recommended it to me. I made a shrimp dish for my friends and they also requested a copy of this cookbook. The other day the same friend told me it's her faviorte cookbook. The recipes are easy to understand, easy to prepare and are very tasty.

Quick doesn't have to mean processed.......2006-07-27

I like flavor! I love to eat good food! And I am all about saving time but come on- does this mean I have to use so much tasteless processed food! Very disappointing.

Very Disappointed.......2006-03-02

I've loved other Southern Living cookbooks and read some reviews that greatly overrated this book's appeal. I wasn't able to preview a copy at my library and was very unhappy with the results. Boring pedestrian recipes that might be quick and easy but look tasteless and boring. I was hoping for some quick innovative ideas but instead was presented with many recipes that involved mixing "a can of" with processed frozen foods. Yuck!!! Definitely not up to the usual standards of Southern Living.

Average customer rating:

Excellent book!

This book is really great!

A Must Read for all dog owners

Fantastic!

Excellent, engaging, and clear

The Other End of the Leash
Patricia McConnell
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs

ASIN: 034544678X
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Amazon.com

The Other End of the Leash begins with an eloquently simple premise: "All dogs are brilliant at perceiving the slightest movement that we make, and they assume each tiny movement has meaning." With that in mind, all of Dr. Patricia McConnell's recommendations for communicating with your canine make immediate sense. Don't we all automatically bend forward when coaxing a dog to come and play? Break eye contact when we wish to avoid a confrontation? While these instinctive behaviors are right on target, a number of other habits aren't so positive, and McConnell helps us break them with both humor and common sense.

Chapters are categorized by senses such as sound, sight, and smell; specific pack behaviors such as dominance and play also merit their own sections. McConnell uses the same humor and patience she recommends with dogs on her readers. Whether she's referring to maggots as "a value-added commodity in canine economics" or ruminating on attempts to verbally cue her dogs to exit the house one at a time, her wise and gently self-deprecating book brings training--of both dogs and humans--to new levels. Jill Lightner

Book Description

The Other End of the Leash shares a revolutionary, new perspective on our relationship with dogs, focusing on our behavior in comparison with that of dogs. An applied animal behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell looks at humans as just another interesting species, and muses about why we behave the way we do around our dogs, how dogs might interpret our behavior, and how to interact with our dogs in ways that bring out the best in our four-legged friends.

After all, although humans and dogs share a remarkable relationship that is unique in the animal world, we are still two entirely different species, each shaped by our individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (like wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation.

The Other End of the Leash demonstrates how even the slightest changes in your voice and the way you stand can help your dog understand what you want. Once you start to think about your own behavior from the perspective of your dog, you’ll understand why much of what appears to be doggy-disobedience is simply a case of miscommunication. Inside you will learn
• How to use your voice so that your dog is more likely to do what you ask.
• Why “getting dominance” over your dog is a bad idea.
• Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble–and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of trouble.
• How dogs and humans share personality types–and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alphawannabees!”

In her own insightful, compelling style, Patricia McConnell combines wonderful true stories about people and dogs with a new, accessible scientific perspective on how they should behave around each other. This is a book that strives to help you make the most of life with your dog, and to prevent problems that might arise in that most rewarding of relationships.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book!.......2007-10-10

This book was a truly great source if you are looking to understand the behavior of your dog better. It is not a training manual, but there are things that dog owners and potential dog owners can learn from the information in the book. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in dogs!

This book is really great!.......2007-10-05

I just finished reading this book and I have to say, I loved it! The tone of the author is personable and not at all condescending. She has some fascinating ideas about primates and canids and uses amazing sources to back them up. This is not a training manual. I see it as more as a guide to dog and interspecies behavior that should accompany a training book and some real life classes. I highly recommend this book!

A Must Read for all dog owners.......2007-09-26

"The Other End of the Leash" is facinating reading for dog owners as well as non-owners. Easy reading and lots of eye opening facts about why dogs act like they do.

Fantastic!.......2007-09-06

Reading other peoples' reviews, I noticed that a common complaint is that this book talks too much about primates. Hey, humans are primates too! It's important to understand our own behaviors - why we do the things we do - just as it is important to understand our dogs' behaviors. This book made me hyper-aware of how I was acting around my dogs, how my good intentions were being misunderstood, and what we CAN do to communicate effectively with our four-legged friends.

This is not exactly a how-to reference manual, but McConnell does give some great suggestions for dealing with certain behaviors which I have used on my own dogs. I found this book to be engaging from cover to cover and recommend it to anyone who has a dog, is thinking about getting a dog, or knows someone who has a dog. In fact, I wish everyone who will come into contact with my dogs could read this book first :)

Excellent, engaging, and clear.......2007-08-12

A funny, engaging, and sometimes eye-opening introduction to human-canine communication. This book is less about how dogs act, and more about how they perceive our actions. It is a great book for first time (and often long time) dog owners.

Just today, a man asked if he could pet my dog. He said he'd owned dogs all his life. I told him that he could, and he immediately leaned forward over my dog, grabbed his muzzle, looked full into his face and started smiling at him. After I got the idiot to let go (he looked very offended) I wanted to hit him in the face with a copy of this book. It should be a prerequisite read for owning a dog.

If you don't understand why this mans actions were so dangerous, please buy, borrow, or steal this book and read it before you even look at another dog!

A Dumb Animal At The End Of The Leash: A Trained Police Dog At The Other!

Average customer rating:

A Dumb Animal At The End Of The Leash: A Trained Police Dog At The Other!
Kim Joe Clingan & Robert Whitson
Manufacturer: Joe Clingan & Robert Whitson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Product Description

If you love dogs you will love this book. This high quality hardcover book contains over 50 color images. Joe Clingan is one of the foremost police dog trainers in America and for the first time he reveals his training secrets. The book covers information relevent to any dog owner, not just police dogs, and it provides real life examples of K-9 experiences. The book is written with a touch of humor in an easy to understand manner. K-9 Banshee said, "This is the best dog book on the market!" K-9 Phantom said, "Two paws up!"

The Other End of the Leash the American Way with Pets

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The Other End of the Leash the American Way with Pets
Rice Berkeley
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LC195M

Average customer rating:

THE OTHER END OF THE LEASH The American Way with Pets
Berkeley Rice
Manufacturer: Little Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000URHCHW

Average customer rating:

The other end of the leash; the American way with pets
Berkeley Rice
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00005WJ93

Average customer rating:

The Other End of the Leash
Patricia McConnell
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OW5130

Book Description

California Raisins*t lovers no longer need rely on the grapevine for collector information. Here is the authoritative illustrated guide, complete with more than 500 color photographs of collectible items and their values. Born of popular advertising and projected to near stardom, the California Raisins*t held sway in the United States for nearly a decade. Begun as an advertising venture to promote a farm product, the Claymationr characters actually became their own industry. Starting with figural characters distributed in everything from fast food to fast car promotions, the California Raisins*t soon appeared on everything imaginable, from bed linens to wallets. They even starred in their own books, games, and, of course, videos. The entire range of Raisins collectibles is represented in this captivating and irresistible work.

Customer Reviews:

i really enjoyed getting this reference guide.......1999-08-13

It helped alot with finding what I didn"t have.I have been collecting since the raisins were born. I think there are only a couple of things that I do not have. I"m interested in talking with others that enjoy the raisins,and seeing the different ones from other countries.

Excellent and Iffy.......1999-05-29

I know this book has some wrong dates, but I never noticed until they were pointed out to me here. Other then a couple dates (like two) this book has been an excellent resource meeting my raisin collecting needs. A+

A must have for Raisins collectors.......1998-09-02

I think that this book is a must have for California Raisins collectors, or collectors and dealers in general. Although it might not have all the technical information the last reviewer mentioned, it does let you know exactly what is out there. It has great pictures of numerous items, and it is the only book available right now. It will also let you know if your Raisin is worth $5.00 or $200.00. You don't want to be confused on that fact. This book is one I could not do without.

California Raisins, Pretty Pictures but not much else........1998-08-14

If all you want is pretty pictures than this book is for you. If you want accurate information then wait until someone writes a book on the California Raisins that contains verified facts. The writer substitutes glorious phrases such as "It's raisinable to say that this book might never have been written if it weren't for some grape friends..." for the hard facts that would guide you through the California Raisins. Pamela Curran gives her version of events in the history of the `raisins' which more often than not shows the lack of research or simply a good imagination on her part. In some cases there is `whole cloth plagiarism' when she rephrases material from the California Raisins Grapevine Gazette and doesn't credit the source.

Her dates are the source of confusion among readers who would believe that such a slick production would have been proofread by knowledgeable collectors to insure accuracy. The blue surfboard figurine is given a date of 1988 when the earliest figurine with the loose surfboard actually has a date of 1987. The author doesn't even give such basic information as the reason for the horizontal or loose surfboard. If one examines the 1987 surfboard figurine carefully it would be noticed the surfboard itself is molded in blue plastic and the arm and glove are painted. The reverse is true when the 1988 surfboard is molded to the foot. In this case the surfboard is painted. Looking for the reason for this brings one to the conclusion that the blue plastic surfboard is glued to the purple vinyl figurine which necessitates painting the arm and glove. The 1988 painted surfboard is molded of the same color vinyl as the figurine which is the reason for the surfboard being painted. Such basic information is available but this author never sought out those who knew the facts. This book was written by someone who was more interested in getting the first book out than the best book out.

Another place where facts weren't considered necessary is where the author dismisses the pedestal Graduates with "The Graduates are the original four raisins with a mortarboard added, ..." In reality the pedestal Graduates are totally different figurines. They have pegs molded into the bottom of their feet which are glued into the yellow bases and the mortarboards are likewise glued to the heads of both types of Graduates by the same means. Again accuracy was lost in the hurry to get the first book into print. There are many errors in the text, far too many to be listed in a short review, but those errors are a clue to where the author got her information.

Overall the lack of much verified history leaves the newcomer short of any real knowledge of how the basics of their hobby came into being. Even the brief mention of the end of the California Raisins contains no more than what was taken from The Fresno Bee, the local newspaper. No mention is made that Applause, the Licensing Agent for CALRAB, wasn't the agent after 1991. The petition by the raisin packers that brought about the end of CALRAB (CALifornia Raisin Advisory Board) was three years later in 1994 which is a correct date. The petition was more for distribution of the assets than any other reason although the main complaint was the raisins didn't promote any one brand of raisins but raisins in general. This was serious to California Raisin Growers since raisins are produced in places other than California. However there is much history that was passed over that could have been told in a book of this size and made it a more complete book for a newcomer. Again if all you want is a book of pretty pictures then this is your book. My advice would be to ignore the small amount of text which isn't necessary, nor in some cases accurate, and would have better been devoted to more pictures.

Average customer rating:

Great read

4 for the price of one is always good!

Romance at it's best

Scraps of Love

I like these types of stories

Scraps of Love: Marry for Love/Mother's Old Quilt/The Coat/Love of a Lifetime (Inspirational Romance Collection)
Janet Spaeth , Lena Nelson Dooley , Tracey V. Bateman with Frances Devine , and Rhonda Gibson
Manufacturer: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Romance | Literature & Fiction | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Romance | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Anthologies | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Sweet Treats: Cupcakes for Two/Blueberry Surprise/Bittersweet Memories & Peppermint Dreams/Cream of the Crop (Inspirational Romance Collection)

Hidden Motives: Watcher in the Woods/Then Came Darkness/At the End of the Bayou/Buried in the Past (Inspirational Romance Collection)

A Stitch in Time: Basket Stitch/Double Cross/Spider Web Rose/Double Running (Inspirational Romance Collection)

Golden Gate Gazette: Web of Deceit/Missing Pages/Beyond the Flames/Misprint (Heartsong Novella Collection)

The House Love Built: Foundation for Love/Love's Open Door/Once Upon an Attic/Mending Fences (Inspirational Romance Collection)

ASIN: 1593102542

Customer Reviews:

Great read.......2004-11-28

SCRAPS OF LOVE is a sweet anthology guaranteed to be a quick and enjoyable read. It was fun reading how the quilt in this book got its start and how it was handled as it was passed from generation to generation.

My favorite story in this anthology is Mother's Old Quilt, but all the stories were very good.

4 for the price of one is always good!.......2004-11-16

I rarely read romance. It's just not my thing - much more of an action, suspense, and drama fellow. But this book (along with a few others - e.g. Trolley Girl) managed to keep me interested. The writing is solid, moving, and a great piece of inspirational fiction.

I found the characters much more likable (or should I say real) than I expected. I may have a skewed outlook on romance novels since my mother owns about 2,000 of them and I can barely stand to even see the cove of a romance novel. It's quite possible that books like this one can help me overcome my bias.

N-E-HOW...this is a book worth buying and reading. Great job to all the writers!

See ya next review!
Dan Blankenship
author of The Running Girl

Romance at it's best.......2004-11-10

This is a 5 star book with wonderful authors. I know you will enjoy the stories as much as I did.

Janet Speath starts the book off with the creation of a fun read. The heroine learns how to quilt. Enjoyable.

Lena Dooley pulls your heartstings with a story of loved ones lost and the restoration of the quilt. Pulls the emotions.

Tracey Bateman shows the effects of war on a small family. She turns the lining of the coat into a coat of many colors. A warm story

Rhonda Gibson wraps it up with a cast of characters that are fun and real. The scraps of love, lives and the quilt become a part of a scrapbook that leaves the reader wanting to see more by this author. My favorite.

Carol Begay

Scraps of Love.......2004-11-05

As soon as I saw the title to this book it interested me as I am a scrapper myself....scrapbooks that is. All the stories are well written and loved them all but the one of the scrapbooker for me was the best. Rhonda Gibson sure as a way with her characters to make you laugh, cry and just get some great ideas from. Hoping to see something else she writes soon.

I like these types of stories.......2004-10-23

Scraps of Love is 4 stories, starting in the 1800's through modern day. These stories trace the path of a patchwork quilt and how it weaves through these families. I always have enjoyed stories where an object is passed down or when it ties different people together. Definitely worth the read.

Alaskan Midnight: Northern Exposure/Hand Quilted with Love/Be My Valentine/The Baby Quilt (Heartsong Novella Collection)

Average customer rating:

4 Contemporary Love Stories in Alaska with a Christian undertone

Alaskan Midnight: Northern Exposure/Hand Quilted with Love/Be My Valentine/The Baby Quilt (Heartsong Novella Collection)
Joyce Livingston
Manufacturer: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Mystery | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1593104324

Customer Reviews:

4 Contemporary Love Stories in Alaska with a Christian undertone.......2007-04-07

There are four different stories in this book about love, faith, and secrets. Each story is about 100 pages long so it is a quick and delightful read. If you don't like Christian literature, then this is not a book for you.

In the first book two strangers meet to find that their parents have fallen in love on a cruise ship and are now getting married. Both Victoria and Buck think their parents are acting irrationally and try to break them up. In addition, both of them have also turned their back on God. Do they break up the wedding? Do they find God? What is Victoria's secret about her son's husband?

The second story involves a young widow and how an aunt left her everything she owned in Alaska. Well after losing her husband she decided that moving to Alaska isn't such a bad idea. She meets her aunt's best friend and son. He shows her around Alaska and her inherited house and quilt shop. He is a confirmed bachelor and when Glorianna tells him about something her husband left her with he gets out of the picture fast. Meanwhile another guy will try to marry Glorianna. Will Trapper let Glorianna marry another man? What is her secret? What has her aunt planned all along?

The third storie involves a young woman named Tina who used to live in Alaska and is now returning with her terminally ill grandmother. She runs into her best friend from childhood, Hank. He offers to help her clean up her grandmother's house and gives her a place to stay. He is a lonely widower who wants children and a family. But trouble happens when Lucky, someone Tina knows from Chicago shows up and claims to be her fiance. Who is Lucky? Why is he with Tina? What will Hank do?

The fourth story involves Jackie who has lived in Alaska for 17 years and never married (that we know of). Her friends had met this new pilot and decided to try and set her up with him. Only problem is she already knows him, not only that she has a past with him. What is their past? Will they tell their friends? Or will they both leave Alaska in shame?

Average customer rating:

cross stitch feaver
Romance made with beauty and ease

Romance With Quilts
Paula Vaughan
Manufacturer: Leisure Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1574861824

Customer Reviews:

cross stitch feaver.......2002-08-29

So far I have found no-one who comes even close to producing
any-thing so pleasing on the eye,or so interesting to work.
Her pictures come alive under your fingers.
I have her patterns shipped over from the states.
I live in England and have found nothing likeit over here

Romance made with beauty and ease.......2000-04-13

I was very pleased and surprised at the number of projects in this romantic collection. Fans of Paula Vaughan will enjoy and appreciate the background information detailing her life and inspiration for her beautiful artwork. Projects range from quick and easy, perfect for novice quilters and needlework artists, to full size quilts that will showcase the quilter's experience. All of the projects have detailed instructions, in color, carefully written for those who have difficulty taking on a new technique. I was especially pleased with the time saving techniques used, including rotary cutting and strip piecing. Even an old favorite, Double Wedding Ring, is made easier with an innovative technique using strip piecing and templates. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the look and feel of Victorian romance. Any of these treasures the reader chose to complete would certainly become a family heirloom to be passed down for generations to come.

Average customer rating:

Romance With Quilts
Paula Vaughan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TYBXAS

Book Description

In her stunning new book, fabric designer Mary Norden shows you how to make "country" contemporary. Drawing from the colors, patterns, and textures of nature, she has restated these elements in her elegantly simple, modern interiors. In Modern Country, a dozen projects bring traditional crafts into contemporary focus: chic, monochromatic cushions rendered in classic country knits; stylishly simple table linens appliqud with faded floral borders; smooth, linen-covered pillows; a rug of softly-textured tweed. Beautifully enhanced with 250 color photos, Modern Country is a glorious sourcebook of instruction and inspiration. Mary Norden is a highly successful textile designer whose clients include Ralph Lauren, Liberty of London, Dior, and Yves St Laurent; among her books are Decorating with Wool and Decorative Embroidery.

Customer Reviews:

Lovely photos, and the cutest designs!.......2000-05-07

This is a lovely book. The photographs are really nice, and the designs are really sweet. My only criticism - it's a bit expensive for what it is.

Book Description

Born in the Southside of Chicago in 1930, Lorraine Hansberry and her family moved to a large house in a white neighborhood in 1938. In order to live there, her father had to fight a civil rights case in the Supreme Court against segregationists. Her experiences with racial discrimination fueled her strong commitment to social justice and inspired her works. In 1959, her first-produced play, A Raisin in the Sun, met the enthusiastic praise of Broadway critics and audiences alike. It was the first and longest running play by an African-American woman to be produced on Broadway. When it won the New York Drama Circle Award for the best new drama that year, Hansberry became the first black woman and the youngest recipient to earn that honor. She died just a few years later, in 1965, without ever fully realizing her potential. This reference book is a guide to her career. The volume begins with a chronology that recounts the major events in Hansberry's brief but influential life. Entries are then listed for her plays, including A Raisin in the Sun (1959), The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window (1964), To Be Young, Gifted and Black (1969), Les Blancs (1970), The Drinking Gourd (1972), What Use Are Flowers (1972), and the unfinished Toussaint (1986). Each entry includes a plot summary, critical commentary, and production information, when available. An annotated bibliography of works by and about Hansberry, along with a list of unpublished material and archival sources, complete the volume.

Customer Reviews:

It was incredible.I loved it!.......1999-02-14

I LOVED I

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