Christmas Day Books

Stephen White continues to please with Missing Persons. It starts with a bang when Alan and Diane find a coworker's body in her office and doesn't let up. As the story progresses, more people disappear without a trace. When Diane goes missing in Las Vegas, it is her husband Raoul to the rescue. Maybe that is one reason I like these novels so much. The main character doesn't have to always be the hero. His supporting characters are multi dimensional with lives and feelings of their own.

Onto his next novel, Kill Me!

While I have enjoyed most of the books in this series thus far, this installment has me thinking that maybe the best of the Alan Gregory stories are found in books 1-12.

Once again Alan Gregory finds himself involved in a dangerous situation that is revolved around his psychology practice. Like Dr. Gregory says on page 80..."Karma does seem to deliver mayhem to my door with disturbing regularity." No kidding!

When I picked up this book after a long day, I didn't get that sense of urgency to get to the next sentence, paragraph, or page. Mostly, I read to get to the end of the chapter, so I could mark my place, and get a good nights sleep. The pages turned about as fast as they would if I were reading the DSM-IV code book cover to cover.

I can appreciate that Stephen White is himself a psychologist and he writes about what he knows. Up until now, I've found his work interesting and his stories fun, however this latest addition just didn't do it for me.

I read Blinded by Stephen White and liked it. This book however left me wanting from page one!! The characters are uninteresting; and the author introduces new evidence and characters that are dull and have nothing to do with the story. The story itself is so Convoluted that I soon just started reading the dialog, hoping that it would `get better' or finally be worth reading. At the mid-way point I gave that up too!!! And just read the ending, something I have never done before. My advice would be to skip this book it's not worth your time or mine. The `mystery' is less exciting then a cracker jack box prize and makes less logical sense too!!!

Funny thing: my guilty pleasure is pop fiction stuff like Stephen White or Patterson or whoever the trendy pop writer is. I love a quick read, a non-thinker, a throw-disbelief-out-the-window experience.

But Missing Persons fails to reach even such banal reading expectations.

The first word that comes to mind is lazy. After having picked up Missing Persons, I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I have read many of White's other novels. That said, this is a weak one, and one that hobbles on an all-too-familiar crutch in a sad attempt to propel a story:

Jon Benet Ramsey.

Just freakin say it! Or type it! Do you have any idea how insulting it is to the reader to continually refer to such a commonly known historic episode and try to dance around it without saying it? Give me a break!

I'm going to write a novel based upon the murder of a former pro football player's wife and her supposed lover. The former baller husband is then going to flee in a dramatic slow-speed chase scene in a white Bronco. And it is going to take place in Los Angeles! What do you mean that you've heard all this before? My story parallels the OJ story! But it is a little bit different! It really is different! (Sheesh!)

I can't believe I'm doing this, but in all honestly, tonight I threw this book into the garbage bin, after reading only up to page 173 (paperback version). The continual and overt references to the JonBenet thing were so insipid that I couldn't stomach it anymore.

I read a lot. I read everything that I read from beginning to end. Not this time. What a joke. This is the perfect example of jumping the shark. If I ever buy another Stephen White novel, I'm the fool for it.

Disappointed for certain.

Another Dr. Alan Gregory mystery. Intersting plot twists. A growing pile of missing persons. What I enjoy most about Mr. White's novels are the psychiatric pathologies of his "clients" and this one has some good pathology. There is probably too much hand wringing about ethics for my blood but A GOOD, QUICK READ!!

I really give this book NO stars.
This was the dumbest book I have ever read. By reading the reviews of this book before I bought it-it sounded like it would be really funny. It is soooo disappointing, I couldn't finish reading it. Wish I could return it! It's going right into the charity box.

This book is not funny. There is not much else to say. It felt like a Jay Leno gag that is not going well, and yet it keeps going anyway.

I guess humor is subjective, but I cannot see how people could find this book amusing.

I don't think I read a single page of this book that didn't make me burst out laughing. Some of the material aims a tad low, but a lot is fairly cerebral, too. And it's high time someone did a send up of cloying self help books.

I think the book could've been a bit longer; I wanted to keep laughing. And I was disappointed they didn't satirize any of Dr. Laura's books. But, this thing was FUNNY. This is one of the best parodies around. It's "Spinal Tap funny."

I read the Amazon reviews before buying this book, so was expecting to find this book funny. This book is not the least bit funny--it is so not funny, it is even painful to read. The cover states that one of the authors wrote for Bob Hope. Do you know how long ago that must have been? I can't fathom how anyone could have found this book funny. Making fun of self-help books is a good premise, but the jokes are so lame--real groaners. I never found Bob Hope that funny either. This book gets zero stars.

Admit it... you read all those popular so-called self-help books and put their advices, exercises, recommendations, suggestions, plans, ideas, mantras, meditations, visualizations, affirmations, prayers to work only to find that none of that silliness works, and then you turned to this book and had a NECESSARY GOOD OL' LAUGH!... I admit it.

I tried this once, where I left the kids with the cat while I went to see my parents (who definitely didn't want to see their grandkids), it didn't work as well as a Rottweiler because when I got home the kids were crying because that stupid cat didn't even feed them. Their diapers hadn't even been changed. This book gives a false impression that if you leave your kids alone with your pet they will go all sorts of places and be taken care of, let me tell you maybe Carl is really special but I have know just a select few who can leave their kids with their pets, and actually have their kids provided for.

Excellent illustrations - allows prereading skills to develop before connection to print is made.

Carl is a big dog who baby sits his family's baby and they have lots of fun adventures. You have to figure out what is going on by the pictures because only the first page has words. You will like this book. Carl is cool and we wish we had a dog like him.

The fantasy story in this book is delightful, as are the illustrations. However, the book repeatedly shows a baby riding on a dog. There is no way I'm going to give the idea of riding a dog to my 2-year-old, especially because we have a dog in our household. This book would be better suited for older children who are able to recognize the difference between real and pretend.

In spite of the reservations of some earlier reviewers, I'd say our kids love the Carl books precisely BECAUSE nobody would use a rottweiler as a babysitter or as a pint-sized saddle horse for a toddler! We laughed and made a big deal to our kids that nobody would ever do any of this.

It is a bit over the top to consider this a dangerous book. If you've ever read the stories made up by very young children, in fact, these are quite tame. They enjoy thinking about being in control and what wild things they could do if the grown-ups weren't around. It's not as if your kids are going to try balancing a cake in the air while standing on a ball or will try flying a kite indoors after reading "Cat in the Hat." Although the pictures are realistic, these books are in that league.

PS The art in these books is beautifully and lovingly done, almost love letters to dogs and young children. They are a pleasure to look at, regardless of your age.

RHYMES OF THE TIMES was unique for me in two ways: first, I had never seen a recovering addict write of his recovery so openly in poetry, and secondly, it had the longest introduction I have ever seen in a book. Then there are an additional two and a half pages of introduction about the co-writer further in the book.

The poems share life experiences, and Harold Nash uses rhyme to vividly describe events in his life, from bidding farewell to his addictions in "Goodbye to Getting High," to his feelings about relationships in "Love". The poems are expressive and interesting, but there are grammatical errors that for me, took away from the meaning of the poetry.
Charla Hultmann's poetry is deeper, more reflective of her inner feelings. She only has four poems in the book, but each of them causes me to think after I read them. However, I found myself so weary after reading her introduction; I could not focus well on the poems.

Personally, I do not believe an introduction should tell your entire life story--it should give the reader a little background about the writer, but not the whole background.
If they can correct the introduction problem, I believe these poets have a promising future, as the poetry of Nash truly reflects the world around him from his own unique perspective.

Reviewed by Rowena Winfrey
for the RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Rhymes Of The Times is a thought-provoking collection of poems designed to spur original thought and stir deep emotion. In it, Harold Nash provides the reader with an unflinching look at the world from a soul borne of pain and skepticism. The view is all at once jaded, cynical, resounding, and optimistic, and the poet's perspective is one of seasoned wisdom.

Consider, for example, this passage from "I Pray":

"I do not pray for luxury - nor for a pay increase.
I only pray for noble things - I pray for love and peace.

I pray that this is reasonable - that God would take my breath;
and take away two vicious things - crack cocaine and meth."


And this passage from "Love":

"Love has many synonyms, like happiness and joy. It
sometimes makes an elderly man feel like a little boy.

It will enhance your social life - if you just believe. But first
you have to give some love before you can retrieve."


Such sentiments undoubtedly reflect the hearts and minds of dozens of individuals the world over, and they obviously emanate from the well of common experience deep within Nash, which facilitates his ability to express them so effectively.

More than just a collection of poignant introspection, though, Rhymes Of The Times has a sharp political undercurrent that ebbs & flows throughout the opus. Nash is particularly critical of the current American president, whom he flays in passages such as this one from "W Stands for Wrong":

"Lord knows why we let this man become The Executive Chief.
Rich men get much richer. And the poor men reap much grief.

He's stubborn as a mule. he [sic] ain't nothing nice. The only
person he listens to is Condoleezza Rice."


And this one from "Shattered Dreams":

"Here I am upon this day, oh Lord I come to you and pray.
All I see is much damnation, that plagues the most of your
creation.

Most of us are down and out. Democrats just lost a bout.
Half the country feels dejected. George Bush was re-elected."


Clearly, Nash doesn't mind expressing how he truly feels about the policies and legacy of George W. Bush, thus giving poetic voice to the silent chorus of numerous others who also hold the president in the same regard.

Rhymes Of The Times is further bolstered by the inclusion of a few pieces by guest poet Charla Hultmann, who lends a tender touch with passages such as this one from the poem "Visions":

"Visions of joy, visions of peace.
Guidance God has given me.

Life is what I choose freely.
Whether it be good or bad - it is mine."


And this one from "Light":

"I praise the Alpha, Omega for allowing
me to see
This beautiful rich light that all can
wish to be.
It brings me to my knees seeing you
change your life for me.
Thank you Jesus, praise be.
Thank you ever so much for loving me."


The lightness of Hultmann's approach adds a complementary counterbalance to Nash's straight-ahead polemics, which does much to round out Rhymes, giving it an harmonic overall tone.

Rhymes Of The Times is a short, but effective tool of poetic enlightenment. Through it, Harold Nash and Charla Hultmann compel the reader to see the world from an invaluable perspective that he/she may not have previously considered, and, with such a feat being the ultimate goal of all literature - mission accomplished.


Wendy Paulson
Apex Reviews

Rhymes of the Times encapsulates a multifaceted reality. Harold Nash's poetry is witty and real; he speaks of love, hate, simplicity, disappointment, and complexity. Some of my favorite poems are "The Martian and the Wino, "Resentment (The Essence of Hatred)," and "Fasten Your Seatbelt." Although Harold's poetry is well-rounded and involves many emotions, I think the most interesting and complex are the poems that reflect the darkness of life, many of which reveal important lessons learned. I would be curious to see some of these poems evolve into short stories about Harold's life, I have a feeling they would be quite fascinating.

Rhymes of the Times is one of the best poetry books that I have ever read. I particularly liked the poems " Fasten Your Seatbelt " and " I can't find it. " The author Harold Nash opens with an introduction that you will never forget. Harold Nash condemns drugs in the poems " The Martian and the Wino " " I Pray, " and " The Space Age Pimp. "
There are also some very beautiful poems about the seasons that I found to be fascinating.

I want to share this particular poem in Rhymes Of The Times. It is about Bill Clinton. It is called " America's pride and joy. "

It was early in the space age, the year was '92.
The presidential debates showed that George Bush
senior was through.

It was time for America to embrace the new man of
the hour. He sexually harassed Paula Jones, and
also Jennifer Flower.

They say he was a womanizer, plus he smoked some
weed. When it was time for the draft, he did not
want to bleed.

He tried to start free health care, although this
was rejected. But yet when '96 came around, this
man was re-elected. Monica was drawn to him, so
they messed around. He left his semen on her dress
is what they truly found.

This reminds us of a fairy tale, like the one about
Jack and Jill. He was the president of the century.
He was simply Bill.

Harold Matthew Nash is one of the best poets of today, but yet he is very underrated. I want to share another poem in this book called
" Escape " on page 35.

Yesterday has come and gone, tomorrow is so near.
We have so many problems, so many things to fear.
9/11 shook the world, we tremble like a leaf.
It was the manifestation of Osama Bin Laden's beef.

The chaos has us all stirred up, all the stress
and strife. We haven't been so shook up since
O.J. killed his wife. We wonder how they let him
go, some say he had finesse. It only proves our
judicial system is a filthy mess.

The world has many troubled spots. Five dollars
I'm a bettin', that Israel and Palestine's the
cause of Armageddon.

The Christians are a praisin' God, Jews waiting
on Messiah. I just try to escape all this, and
listen to Mariah.

I seem to find relaxation in her soothing voice.
When it comes to relieving stress, her songs are
my choice.

This book is not about drugs, but it does have a few anti-drug poems in it. This is the poem " Goodbye to Getting High " on page 24.

I wrote this message to say farewell, 'cause you have
sent me straight to hell.

Let me get straight to the point; don't want no beer
don't want know joint. Don't want no girl, don't want
no boy, 'cause human lives it will destroy.

When I reflect on yesterday, I feel remorse and have
to pray. You took control of my damn life, and left
me sick without my wife.

It took a lot to be this brave. I hate the way you
made me crave. Then in chains I became your slave.

From the auction you beat and sold me, and made me
say my name is Tolby.

I use to think that I was cool, until you turned
me into a fool. Now I feel that I must cry,
and say goodbye to getting high.

You say we are the best of friends, yet you destroy
and make no amends. You do all this with no remorse.
And so I file for this divorce. This is something
that I must do, just like the vaccine for the flu.

Above all things that I have mentioned, I wrote this
for relapse prevention.

Footnote: Girl is a nickname for cocaine. Boy is a
nickname for heroin.

These footnotes that Harold Nash used are very essential to understanding
this poem. In the 1970's the street people and drug dealers called cocaine girl, sometimes they would call it white girl. This is just a coded name that street people used to keep police and detectives from knowing what they were talking about. And heroin has been known by the nickname of boy, for the same coded reasons.

At times in order to get over certain events within our lives, we have to write them down and not allow them to take up space within our body. Rhymes of the Time by Harold Matthew Nash and Charla Angeline Hultmann, reflects on things of the past such as drugs, political disappointment, and a connection with God.

Mr. Nash focused mostly on drugs and the state of our government. Like most people, he agrees that George W. Bush should have never been elected once and definitely not twice in "W Stands for Wrong," "Untitled," and "Shattered Dreams."

Ms. Hultmann tells of her connection with God; how her life change and what seemed bleak turned into hope when she forged a relationship with a Higher Power.

The poems in Rhymes of the Times were as real as the stories in the news. I did a few head nods because I did agree with some things. However, the continuous sing song, rhyming meter of the poems annoyed me. I almost felt like I was reading a book of nursery rhymes. I recommend this book to those with a strong viewpoint on drugs and politics.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

I haven't read any of the other "Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbooks," so I'm not writing with some sort of comparison to other versions. On its own footing, this book was certainly tolerable, if less than spectacular.

My primary complaint is that it was hard to decipher the intended purpose for this book. After reading some more practical suggestions, it felt like it was supposed to be a genuine help for folks who have problems during the holidays. But after reading some of the more outlandish suggestions, it seemed as if the primary purpose for the book was just to be funny. I just didn't like being yanked back and forth from these two divergent approaches.

If a book is supposed to be practical, then make it all practical. But if, as I suspect, this book was supposed to be funny, then plant that tongue firmly in cheek and make it funny. And that would include cutting out the various entries that were just plain boring. The schizophrenic nature of this book left me disappointed.

Nonetheless, there was enough humor throughout to make it enjoyable. I'm not going to buy copies for all of my friends, but we'll keep our copy in the bathroom during each Christmas season, knowing that some folks will enjoy spending a few minutes perusing these clever and often funny recommendations for surviving the holidays!!

The original Worst Case Scenario handbook was a good guide, essential for your paranoid friends. I enjoyed that one, so for some reason my family has given me all the follow-on books as gifts. None of them really compare to the original, but this one comes close in some respects.

Many of the scenarios are completely outlandish, so don't buy this looking for practical advice. Unlike the original, this isn't a book to buy your paranoid death-fearing friend. Some advice is practical, like dealing with swallowed mistletoe, driving in a blizzard, or dealing with a canceled plane flight, but it can get lost in the more outlandish, like fending off unwanted kisses, jumping from a runaway sleigh, fending off a charging reindeer, dealing with a meddling parent, etc. Some situations just don't boil down to 3 easy to follow steps and a diagram.

I do love the section on repurposing a fruitcake, though.

Enjoy this for a small laugh and pass it around amoung the adults for the holiday.

While you won't find information on how to safely jump out of a 2 story window into a trash dumpster, you WILL find information on how to gain control of a one-horse open sleigh, how to defend yourself against a charging reindeer and how to extricate yourself or someone else who is stranded in a chimney.
Some survival tips are pure fun, like How To Repurpose A Fruitcake (doorstop, object d'art and tire block for your car are just a few), while others may actually be quite helpful in an actual situation: How To Prevent A Turkey From Exploding; How To Extinguish A Burning Turkey; and How To Treat Mistletoe (and food) Poisoning In Both People And Pets.

As stated in other reviews, this covers many situations with a mix of humor and practical advice. However, be forewarned that the final entry is how to handle a child asking the dread question that crosses them over from Christmas innocent to member of the vast conspiracy we adults participate in. While the answer is very well written it can cause upset and upheaval if you have a reader who hasn't caught on yet. It's a bright, shiny holiday book and the silliness attracts kids like a magnet. Beware. On the other hand, if you've been looking to broach the subject, their approach is wonderful.

In their successful 1999 publication, "The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook", the authors Piven & Borgenicht gave us useful advice for surviving everything from a shark attack, to how to take a punch in the face with the minimum of injury. Now, as we swiftly approach the holiday season, they give us their latest work which focuses on holiday survival.

While you won't find information on how to safely jump out of a 2 story window into a trash dumpster, you WILL find information on how to gain control of a one-horse open sleigh, how to defend yourself against a charging reindeer and how to extricate yourself or someone else who is stranded in a chimney.

For the "rest of us" who aren't likely to find ourselves descending chimneys or dodging rutting male reindeer, there are LOTS of very helpful bits of advice for those things you're very LIKELY to encounter during this holiday season, including How To Wear Tight-Fitting Clothing that you've "outgrown" due to holiday eating, how to guess at what's inside a present (and how to PREVENT people who snoop on their presents!), as well as how to avoid kisses under the mistletoe and how to prevent yourself from being swept away by a marauding crowd of holiday shoppers.

Some survival tips are pure fun, like How To Repurpose A Fruitcake (doorstop, object d'art and tire block for your car are just a few), while others may actually be quite helpful in an actual situation: How To Prevent A Turkey From Exploding; How To Extinguish A Burning Turkey; and How To Treat Mistletoe (and food) Poisoning In Both People And Pets (you DID know that the berries of mistletoe are poisonous, didn't you?)

Naturally, this book is heavier on how to act in social settings (like dealing with meddlesome relatives and annoying carolers) and entertaining guests (how to open a bottle of wine with a broken cork, how to make an emergency menorah) than it is on actual dangers, but for anyone who's looking for a fun read and some practical advice, this and the other Worst-Case books are definitely worth getting! With it's festive, reflective silver cover, it's a perfect gift for the holidays as well as displaying prominently among your holiday displays. Besides, you just never know when disaster might strike, and you should always Be Prepared!! Highly recommended!

Geddes' manages to degrade and isolate her subjects. Her prehistoric "cutsie" images, though appealing to a kitsch market, do not allow for a social comment to transcend the visual confines of her exploitive commercial "photography". In some senses, she could be seen as a radical post-modernist artist, as she abstracts the subject from social normality and removes any dignity from the development of the child, if that was her so calling in contemporary art. Yet it is frightening to be in an age where people will grasp such superficially degrading images. Geddes has made a personal fortune off photographing babies, subjects usually positioned in inhumane circumstances (ie: babies in flowerpots or dipped in custard), which removes human dignity and allows us to question Geddes moral intent.

Anne Geddes is talented at photographing babies in cute and unique ways. You will like this book if you like babies. The book goes through the 12 days of Christmas-each page tells what day and what the true love gave and a picture-for example-on the fifth day the true love gave 5 gold rings--there are babies each laying on a big yellow cloth ring. All of the pictures are darling and some of them have humorous elements to them.

Anne Geddes did a beautiful job of illustrating the song with adorable pictures of children in various costumes. She is truely talented at photographing children and capturing their spirt.

This book is great! It's pictures take an old song and brings it to life! It is a great book for little kids. My niece loves this book! She loves to look at the pictures and she laughs at all the silly babies. I will buy this book for all my future nieces and nephews. It is sure to be a classic.

It has colorful pictures and it is full of cute babies. Anne Geddes always manages to capture the babies in it's best position. I recommend this book because it is, like I said before, beautiful. -Kate

I would like to review this book, but I need Large print and hard cover When will that be available??????????

Found this story very difficult to read. Would have preferred if the author used a name rather than K.O. Distracts from the smoothness of the story.

Christmas Wishes: Christmas LettersRainy Day Kisses

This book was laugh out loud funny!!!! I have just recently discovered Debbie Macomber, and I thought this book was considerably different from the Blossom Street books I have been reading. I think Debbie Macomber is a very versatile author. It isn't often I read someone's work that I can both laugh and cry at!!! Way to go!!!

Oh, and I love the confrontation between author/doctor and just a regular family member!!!!

Christmas Wishes: Christmas LettersRainy Day Kisses
Debbie Macomber never ceases to amaze me. She keeps your heart strings pulled and always makes the best reading for any time of the year!!

'Loved It! I have several of these Good Day Orphanage Books and like them all very well. I wish there were more or I could find more - kind of a reverting to my childhood thing, I guess. This one was probably my favorite

This book was given to me by my grandma when I was around 9 or 10. I adored it. It truly captures the magic of Christmas that children understand better than adults. The pictures are beautiful. I haven't read it in many years, so I can't provide much more detail, but I plan on finding my old copy and rereading it this Christmas. My best friend also had this book and absolutely adored it. Good for 6-10 year olds.

What a delightful premise that dolls can "speak" to selected listeners (kids only, of course) even while adults are present. This results in natural dialogue confusion, since the grown ups remain clueless to these private conversations. This is a simple little tale of bonding between a little girl in an orphanage and two "rejected" charity dolls. Child and dolls work together to avert disaster on Christmas Eve: by providing each other the best presents--unconditional love and each other! This cute, short fantasy will appeal to elementary girls. York has captured the spirit of a kinder, gentler age in this charmer.

I was really disappointed with this book. If you are a Carl fan, you will not like this book. The illustrations do not bring the family or their plight to life. Some of their belongings, i.e. a commercial popcorn machine, didn't quite fit in the scheme. It would make a nice Christmas gift book for a child. Perhaps the story would have been better suited to the late 1800's or early 1900's.

Delightful tale of twelve animals and three humans moving house on Christmas Eve. A warm-hearted fantasy world where all the animals do their share. It gives a hopeful message that even in hard circumstances, working together to a good plan the family can survive. The enchanting pictures remind me of The Tompten and other Scandinavian picture books. The magic things (such as Pinnochio) move with the creatures as well as the practical (the dryer!) A real Christmas classic, about hope and sharing, reminding us that the first Christmas was spent in the barn.

I don't have any children nor grandchildren in this age group. I have not read any of the "Carl" books for which Alexandra Day is evidently noted. I saw the cover drawing with a goat toting a Christmas tree & was intrigued. Looking through the book brought smiles & a desire to own this book. At home I found the pictures drew me back again & again. The wild collection of possessions & the large number of pets made me feel right at home. I enjoyed this book so much I went back to get more copies for friends but the book store was sold out. Thus, here I am at amazon.com finding the book I was seeking all over the state. As you can tell, this book is one of my favorites & if I were still a preschool teacher my students would be enjoying it right along with me.

This small book is packed with precious stories that your family will love. There is a scripture verse with each day, questions to ponder and other fun surprises. This book really puts Christmas into the right perspective.

Every advent season our family reads through some kind of daily readings book. We were not overly impressed with this book. It was "OK" according to our 10 year old. Other Christmases we've read CS Lewis and Arnold Ytreeide so the bar is set pretty high. We didn't always agree with what the daily readings were saying but it lead to some good discussions amongst the four of us. In short, this collection of readings is OK, not great. There are other books I'd recommend before this one.