Looking for Alaska

Book Description

Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults

An ALA Quick Pick

A Los Angeles Times 2005 Book Prize Finalist

A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

A 2005 Booklist Editor's Choice

A 2005 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” even more (François Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . . After. Nothing is ever the same.

Customer Reviews:

mediocre ...at best.......2007-10-02

This book is not very good. Every word seems calculated and is technically "right" but I found myself not caring about these characters.
There is a distinct lack of depth to these characters and we never get to see below the surface. Reading this book is like watching a talented boxer dance beautifully around the ring, but never throw a punch. Something seems to be missing. It moves along in an obvious way, sort of like a new TV show, and its structure is representative of what passes for art in the 21st century, but it left me cold. I want so much more than a tepid, quirky, cleverly concocted story like this. It seems to have been written with a particular audience and a particular batch of critics in mind. The overall tone of the book is very smug, while pretending not to be. I think Green has some talent, but I think he should stop writing what everybody wants him to write.

A new take on famous last words and lessons.......2007-10-01

I liked Looking for Alaska. John Green writes with humor, wit, compassion, and refreshing insight. Told in first-person narrative from Miles ("Pudge") Halter's perspective, the story follows Halter as he enters a southern boarding school in his junior year - tired of his rather lame, somewhat friendless existence back home. Eager for new adventures, he is quickly drawn into the lives of his roommate (Chip "The Colonel" Martin) and the rest of the gang (Takumi, Lara, and the ever-elusive Alaska Young) and their on-going prank war with the rich "Weekend Warriors."

Amidst attending classes, studying for finals, writing papers, planning pranks, and meeting at the smoking hole, Miles and his friends traverse the rocky territory of friendship, trust, peer pressure, sex, relationships, drunken debauchery, and questions of faith, suffering, hope, meaning, and what exists on the other side - eventually having to confront these questions in a far more intimate, direct, and personal manner than they probably ever imagined.

The friendships and interactions are believable, and many of the characters relatable. We probably all knew, or know, someone who reminds us of these individuals. The lessons, while focused on high schoolers in this book, are certainly timeless, and Green does an impressive job of creating and expressing a whirlwind of emotions throughout the book, and particularly in the wake of a shattering loss.

My reservation is the narrow characterization of the females here. There are really only two main female roles in the story (with the exception of a couple cameos by Miles' mother), and each girl is a rather extreme caricature. Lara is the cutesy foreign girl from Romania who is sweet, bubbly, and willing to "run the bases," as it were, rather quickly. And Alaska is the melo-dramatic, angst-ridden, cryptic, self-absorbed, skeletons-in-closet, moody infatuation down the hall. I get that Miles is a bit of an introvert and may not necessarily have the largest social circle, but I was surprised at the lack of female characters and wish that there had been at least one that was as equally interesting but a bit more grounded.

Nonetheless, the story is well written, and it shines. I did not find it to be stale at all. There are dangers to complacency and flippant behavior, especially at an age when consequences are the last things on one's mind, and Green does a great job of telling that tale in a relatable, memorable way with characters who go through heart-wrenching discoveries. Much of the dialogue is spot-on, witty repartee is grin-inducing, self-reflection is poetic, and the topics and questions raised are moving and thought-provoking. Well worth a read.

Just Another "Moral" Book.......2007-09-16

(This is Pat O'Donnell's daughter, not Pat O'Donnell.)
Drinking, drugs, sex, juvenile delinquency, drunk driving...these are all things you can find addressed in any public service announcement, health class, and many other sources. So why write a novel about them? Maybe the author of Looking for Alaska, John Green, felt a personal connection with these problems, a strong desire to show teens the dangers of what is now thought of as normal teenage behavior. Or maybe he thought that all of the public service announcements and health classes didn't address these "problems" well enough. John Green uses a classic example from what he considers to be an average teen's life to warn kids of the dangers of driving under the influence and general teenage delinquency. In this, the author has succeeded, as well as any health class or general warning label on a six-pack of beer does. Why not read one of those?
The answer is that John Green tries to relate this problem more closely to an average teen reading this book. Looking for Alaska tells the story of a boy, "Pudge," who transfers to a new school to get away from his boring life. While he's there, he meets lots of new and interesting friends, including the charismatic and self-destructive Alaska. "Normal" teenage delinquency ensues, climaxing in Alaska crashing her car while under the influence and dying. Now Pudge and his friends need to find the answers to some unsolved questions Alaska left behind. In order to make this story, John Green, develops strong, familiar characters, with interesting quirks. "Pudge," for example, is the familiar stock character of the awkward new kid, unsure and clumsy. John Green makes Pudge stand out from the other characters in other books of this type (there are so many) by giving him personality quirks--such as the fact that he memorizes famous people's last words. This makes him memorable, yet still easy to relate to for an average teenager.
The author's intentions in writing this book are understandable--he wishes to make teens aware of the problem that is teenage delinquency and the disasters it can cause. However, this has been done so many more times, in so many other ways, that this book is all but obsolete.

"Looking for Alaska" is perhaps the greatest teen book........2007-09-16

In the novel Looking for Alaska written by John Green, readers can connect to the humanity and emotions of the characters as they undergo changes, feel the death of one of their friends, and attempt to finish school during the time after she died. Green conveys emotions in the novel more clearly than many writers do today. Emotion helps to make the characters seem human, and changes them from words on paper into aspects of everyday life. It seems that Green reaches a hand out, no matter the time, and creates situations very similar to modern day high school. He (Green) gives a new meaning to "Sex, drugs, and rock and roll," with the LFA cast. Green uses The Colonel (A character) to plan a memorial prank late in the book, using a male stripper to "educate (the school) in adolescent sexuality." Overall, the writing in the novel can be confusing for someone who has not experienced loss on such a level; it does bring a fresh perspective to the old story of "Boy meets girl, boy looses girl." As John Green's first novel, Looking for Alaska is surprisingly well-written and has the feel of an author who has written many more books.

Ambitious YA Novel for Older Teens Only.......2007-07-19

John Green's ambitious YA novel, LOOKING FOR ALASKA, took the Michael Printz Award and probably deserves it due to its excellent characterizations of the title character (Alaska Young), the protagonist (Miles "Pudge" Halter), the protagonist's clever roommate (Chip "Colonel" Martin), and their Asian sidekick (Takumi). The setting is an Alabaman private school, Culver Creek, and the catalyst for Miles is a pair of famous last words, Francois Rabelais' "I go to seek a Great Perhaps," and Simon Bolivar's "How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?"

With its academic setting, the book provides classroom and dorm room fodder for "deep" discussions, chiefly about religion, famous writers, and poets. It also indulges in a few cliches, namely the slightly dorky lead character in search of himself in a world of hormone-crazed teens who smoke, drink, and quest for sex every chance they get.

Readers may be divided on the title character -- some fascinated by the mercurial personality of Alaska, and others annoyed (as are her friends, off and on) by her constant moods and antics. What's more, the book is divided by a "before" and an "after." The "before" succeeds to a greater extent than the "after" for reasons I cannot specify due to spoiler information.

Still, I was able to overlook Alaska's whining, an easily-solved mystery at the end, and a few characters' very bad accents (phonetically spelled out by Green) due to the fact that this YA went the extra mile and didn't depend on plot alone. I had hoped to place this in my classroom library, but there's just no way due to the adult themes. Will it tempt teen readers? You bet. But schools have rules and it's not worth the possible hazards of offering age-inappropriate stuff -- even when it's GOOD age-inappropriate stuff.

Water Bugs & Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children (Looking Up)

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Water Bugs & Dragonflies
Great for Preschoolers to Adults!
A TINY book that encourages TREMENDOUS faith
religious thinking about death
A peaceful explaination

Water Bugs & Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children (Looking Up)
Doris Stickney
Manufacturer: Pilgrim Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0829816240

Customer Reviews:

Water Bugs & Dragonflies.......2007-03-08

What a beautiful and simple way to explain death to children (and adults) using the cycle of the waterbug. This story was told to me 22 years ago by the pastor at my father's funeral and I was so excited to find it in book form. I shared it with families when I was a school nurse-teacher and now with my grandchildren when my mom passed away. I would highly recommend it to all who are faced with the task of helping children (and grieving adults) through a very difficult time.

Great for Preschoolers to Adults!.......2007-01-10

My 3.5 yr-old daughter's great-grandpa passed away. We were going to be attending the funeral, and I was one of the readers at the funeral. I knew she needed an explanation of what was going on. A bright girl, I knew that whatever I told her was going to stick, so I wanted to get the words right. I read a touching review of this booklet and decided to give it a try. It is small - the size of a CD booklet. But the words, written by a minister after his son's friend died, are poetic and poignant. 3 months later, my daughter still understands that great-grandpa is in Heaven (dragonfly) and we're still "in the pond" (water bugs). The word Heaven is not used in the book until the prayer at the end of it, which is also simple and great.

A TINY book that encourages TREMENDOUS faith .......2006-07-02

With I first bought this book, - I thought to myself "The Jehovah's 'Watchtower' is bigger than this!" Doubtful this teeny tiny thing would be of benefit at all.... So many of the books I have bought on this delicate and heartwrenching subject are far too scientific, cold, and frank in their language -- too few support a Religious child's upbringing; to BELIEVE that death is not the END, their love LIVES ON, and WILL be with them again.... And finding so many lacking a message of faith only discouraged me further to hold onto my own.
And all these others were bigger, fancier, far more artwork, many more pages - - But "Great things come in small packages"...BELIEVE IT!
I read it aloud just after I purchased it to a friend as we stood waiting for coffee - and found very quickly I had an audience - the patrons in line and the employees behind the counter were listening to me read, to my embarrassment - BUT..it seemed to reach down into each of us, and touch us all in some way or another. The kind employee confided in me when he handed me my coffee that he had lost his girlfriend to Leukemia 5 years ago,-how she suffered, - how HE STILL suffered... And he THANKED me for reading that outloud - ...and then, recognized me as the girl ALWAYS in the store, ALWAYS with tears streaming down my face, for hours, until closing - drinking coffee and kneeling on my knees in the aisles, SEARCHING every bible, every Religious text, books by every psychic and every therapist --Searching for SOMETHING, and he looked in my eyes and said he always knew what it was.....
I bought this book because my first and only love, left me a widow at 26, just two weeks before Thanksgiving, dying beside me in the car on the way to his mother's house- I thought he was sleeping, - but he had suffered an annuerisym, at age 30. My great heartbreak is I have no children to share this with of ours; we were trying to be "smart" and wanted to have everything ' ready ':( - But his nieces and nephews were so very attatched so very close to him, - I am desperate to comfort them -- even though I have yet to find it myself......
To my surprise, - these few pages seemed to have brought some tiny spark of life back into me.
I was never expecting what I intended to ease these children's hurt, instill hope and strengthen their waning faith in this tragedy - would have done this for ME.
There are even prayers and passages from the bible in the back, and an epilogue as touching as the story itself.
This will prove to be a great and cherished blessing, for whomever you give it to.
God bless The Stickneys for sharing this beautiful tale. And God bless you and comfort you if you are searching, too.

religious thinking about death.......2006-02-24

This little tiny book is a wonderful tale for small children about the difficulty of knowing what lies beyond the grave. In the most delicate and gentle way, the authors use the metaphor of the dragonfly larva, who live below the surface of the water, and the adult dragonflies, to illustrate the notion of someone going beyond our sight, to a marvelous place. They can't return to tell us about it. we just have to wait our turn. The authors' notes help to provide a spiritual context for talking to a young child about the death of someone close. I am an Episcopalian, and found the language and theology very congruent with our tradition.

A peaceful explaination.......2005-11-07

When my oldest daughter passed away 7 years ago, I received many warm and sincere expressions of sympathy, yet only this story helped me make sense of our families loss and put her death into a place of honor and reverence. I since then have purchased many copies and share them freely, with a dragonfly token, to those who experience the "heavenly transition" of a loved one. I highly recommend this book to souls of all ages. Thank you Doris for your inspiration and grounding.

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moving story
As The Mystery Unfolds
MY EYES!!!!! THE PAIN!!!!!
Gone but not forgotten
Looking for Red

Looking for Red
Angela Johnson
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0689863888

Book Description

Twelve-year-old Mike -- short for Michaela -- loves the ocean. The sights, sounds, and smells of her coastal home are embedded in her very soul.

But Michaela loves her brother, Red, even more.

Then one day Red disappears. One minute he's there, the next...gone. No warning. No time to prepare. And Mike must come to terms with that loss or risk never finding comfort in what remains of the life she and her brother once shared.

Customer Reviews:

moving story.......2006-11-30

This novel is a moving depiction of grief, and of the unbearable secrets we keep even from ourselves. I use LOOKING FOR RED in my course on writing fiction for children and teens at Mills College as an example of spare and lyrical writing.

As The Mystery Unfolds.......2006-05-23

I first became aware of this book three years ago as a first -year teacher. It was at this time that I went to the school's library to find a book to read with small groups. I found Looking for Red written by Angela Johnson. Overall, I found it to be a very realistic view of guilt and grief and how a young girl and her friends deal with it. I did notice however, that may of the students had a difficult time following the main character's thoughts and actions as they switch from present to past, yet we forged ahead and finished the book. I really liked Ms. Johnson's style of writing and would recommend her books for Middle School students to read.

MY EYES!!!!! THE PAIN!!!!!.......2005-11-29

practically everything that can go wrong with a book did in this one. i couldn't understand a STINKING word this girl said! i just couldn't follow this girls thoughts. at the end, i finally got to understand what happened to Red, but did it really have to take a hundred pages? i, like another reviewer, had to force myself to finish this book. it was a terribly boring. i think i didn't really enjoy this book because it's one of those stories with a deeper meaning. and i was not about to spend my time with a shovel digging.

Gone but not forgotten.......2004-05-01

I personally hate anything sad. I know things happen but reading about it is even more hard to deal with. This book is about Michaela called 'mike' for short, she narrates about how one day her brother disappears. The book is told in many variation, from current to past times. You have to really pay attention because if not you can miss what is going on. It was kind of hard to read but it really is about a young girl talking fondly of her older brother. I was confused at first about how he died but in the end it explains exactly what happened to him. I did not like that it did not explain why Mona his girlfriend left...meaning did she leave the neighborhood? I wish the author would have given a better conclusion. I personally like everything coming to an end when the book is finished. Altogether it was a very moving story.

Looking for Red.......2004-03-11

Overcoming troubles

In this story Looking for Red there is a girl here name is Michela. She is trying to overcome her fear of losing her brother that she spent all her time with. One night, michela's brother was gone from his bed and there family searched for him for weeks. Then they found his body a couple of weeks later in the woods. Michela could not forget here brother that she loved so much she couldn't look at his body at the funeral. She felt there was no safe spot where she could feel her brother's love again. She felt so lonely after her brother died was she going to do well read this book and find out.
I didn't like this book because it was hard to read. I had to read this book over again to understand it. Also this book is sad and not very many details of what is going on, there is no other big event in this book. The only excitement was in the beginning when her brother dies. This is hard to understand because there are too many flashbacks that I couldn't tell what she was saying or thinking.

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Holding On...While Letting Go: Reflections In Times Of Grave Illness (Looking Up)
Joan E. Hemenway
Manufacturer: Pilgrim Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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When Death Has Touched Your Life: Thoughts, Poems, and Prayers at a Time of Loss (Looking Up)

ASIN: 0829816453

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Believer or Not--Great Story

Looking For Carroll Beckwith - Proof Positive

More Than Enough Evidence for Past Lives!

Very credible

a Past Life book for skeptics

Looking for Carroll Beckwith: The True Story of a Detective's Search for His Past Life
Robert L. Snow
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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$Someone Else\'s Yesterday: The Confederate General and Connecticut Yankee: A Past Life Remembered$ Someone Else\'s Yesterday: The Confederate General and Connecticut Yankee: A Past Life Remembered

Return to Millboro: The Reincarnation Drama Continues

Mission to Millboro

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ASIN: 1579541011

Customer Reviews:

Believer or Not--Great Story.......2006-09-12

I just finished this book. It gave me chills when reading of Cpt. Snow's serendipitous discovery of the hunchbacked woman portrait. His description of being awestruck was moving.

It was a beautiful story and well written. I've recommended it to my "Zen" friends.

Looking For Carroll Beckwith - Proof Positive.......2005-12-03

I purchased this book after watching a show on Sci-Fi called "Proof Positive." On the show, three stories of strange phenomena were put to scientific testing, and only one was proven positive. On this particular episode, Robert L. Snow's story was tested through various means, including a polygraph test, and he was the one who was proven positive. It was because of this validation that I purchased the book, as I only want to read of actual experiences.

I really enjoyed the book. It was a quick, easy read that served to further confirm my belief in reincarnation. To have the facts investigated by a detective, and to have so many points fall into place and be proven can be no coincidence.

I found it particularly interesting that paranormal phenomena are not unusual to law enforcement agents.

More Than Enough Evidence for Past Lives!.......2005-06-18

I just finished reading "Looking for Carroll Beckwith", and I must say that the research done by Robert Snow is absolutely exhaustive! How anyone could question his findings is truly beyond me.

Basically, this book is about a police captain who, on a dare, goes to a psychologist for a past-life regression. During that session, he sees quite a few of his past lives - for several of them, he only saw glimpses of that life, but for 1 of these past lives - that of Carroll Beckwith, he received much information.

Not sure what to make of this regression, he sets on a journey where he continually tries to prove that what he saw during the regression was false - that it was just something that his subconcious made up, a fantasy. However, after his exhaustive research into the life of Carroll Beckwith, he is left realizing that, in fact, what he saw during his regression matches completely with the life of this man from the 1800's.

The one thing that bothered me throughout this reading was that his wife was completely unsupportive. It's apparent that she was unable to let go of her current beliefs, even in the face of such unbelievable evidence. I find that to be quite sad! It was also amazing to me the lengths Mr. Snow went to to try to show that regressions bring up false memories, as opposed to real past lives. It made me wonder, how much is enough evidence to prove to you what is staring you right in the face??? But, then again, that's a judgment that is not up to me to make - but, I must say, that this was a bit unnerving to me.

Overall, this is an amazing story that I think proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that we all have lived past lives at some point in time. If you are at all interested in this topic, this is a great book to read on the subject.

Very credible.......2004-11-11

The author of this book, Robert Snow (aka Carroll Beckwith) should be commended on his courage in putting his thoughts to paper. The aim of him writing this book is clearly not glory or acclaim, but to talk about an experience that frankly, he is clearly uncomfortable talking about. And that is exactly why this book is so credible. Robert Snow, a homicide detective in Indianapolis, with a left-brain mentality, had no background in the "new age" movement, hinduism, or the eastern schools of thought before his experience. He was the biggest skeptic of them all.
Snow reluctantly went to a past-life regressionist to prove to someone that it would be a waste of time. His experience in hypnosis was as vivid as watching a movie. In viewing his life as Beckwith, he came away with 28 vivid details, and a painting, clear as crystal in his mind. He searched everywhere to find this painting, to prove that he had seen it somewhere, that it not been a past-life image. What he ultimately learned was that such a painting did exist, and further, no one had seen it since the early part of the 20th century. Upon learning that the painting was Beckwith's, he conducted an extensive search and ultimately, obtained Beckwith's diaries. He was able to prove all 28 of the details that he had seen in his regression.
The evidence in this book is overwhelming that Robert Snow was in fact Carroll Beckwith. Be prepared to have your worldview altered if in fact, you do not believe in reincarnation.
The only small problem I have is that Snow claims he is the only person in history to have proved a past-life existence. There have, in fact, been numerous cases; some even more well documented than Snow's, if you can believe that.

a Past Life book for skeptics.......2002-06-28

If you're skeptical about past life regressions, this would be a good book for you. The author started out as more of a skeptic than me, and possibly more so as you as well. He dealt with te information he received in a reading, like any detective in his place would. He went and looked at the data. Admittedly, he was doing so to disprove that what he had seen was a past life. After a point, when he hadn't found anything to disprove what he had seen, and numerous points that in fact confirmed what he had seen, he finally came to believe it had been a past life.

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Disappointing...
ASTONISHING!
A Beautiful Slideshow about The Final Destination

Looking at Death (Imago Mundi Book)
Barbara P. Norfleet
Manufacturer: David R Godine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0879239646

Product Description

In centuries past, death was a close companion, an expected visitor. Disease and war, infant mortality and natural disasters eliminated lives routinely. Death was real, and close, and viewed not with terror or astonishment but resignation and compassion.

With this century, attitudes began to change. We assumed that medicine would eradicate disease, that wars would cease and civil order would prevail. If we could not eradicate death, at least we would extend life.

But the past two decades have seen the tides turn. Death seems to be everywhere. Random killings level the innocent with the implicated. AIDS stalks relentlessly. Even our old enemy tuberculosis is resurgent. Death has come back to life.

This extraordinary book, assembled from the vast photographic archives of Harvard University, offers an unflinching look at death as it has been portrayed and experienced over the past 150 years. We see it on stage, in the laboratory, on the streets, and in the home. We see it as a consequence of old age, violence, accidents, and disease. The images contain elements of humor, pathos, anguish, and artifice. This is a book that will provoke thought (and even outrage) and help us come to terms with this natural event in our lives and perhaps, in making us understand its finality, to appreciate better the gift of life.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing..........2004-02-01

Norfleet has assembled an interesting variety of photographs; however, her commentary is scant and superficial. Serious students of social history and of mourning art, in particular, are far better served by Jay Ruby's comprehensive work, _Secure the Shadow: Death and Photography in America_.

ASTONISHING!.......2003-08-07

This book is perhaps one of the very best which deals with the subject of death. It is beautifully printed by Godine, as are all their photographic books. I cannot believe it took ten years to discover its existence and availability. Highly recommended!

A Beautiful Slideshow about The Final Destination.......2002-03-27

This book is well organized and not only reflects some sentimental real life moments, but also some photographs of death scenes from various theatrical plays.

It has some violent photographs included however the reader should be open-minded to see them as reflections of purity and all aspects of our every-day lives.

Death is the final destination and this unique collection gives us a chance to own different perspectives on this manner.

Death through the looking glass: A novel of suspense

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Death through the looking glass: A novel of suspense
Richard Forrest
Manufacturer: Bobbs-Merrill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 0672523795

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There is much more to look for in this book than Atlantis
They loved it!
The Magic of Imagination

Looking for Atlantis
Colin Thompson
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 067985648X
Release Date: 1994-03-08

Book Description

When a seafaring grandfather returns home for the last time, his ten-year-old grandson searches for the great treasure hidden in the sailor's old wooden chest. But Grandfather's legacy is much more than gold coins--it is the promise that the imagination holds the mightiest treasure of all.

Customer Reviews:

There is much more to look for in this book than Atlantis.......2004-05-29

When the narrator of "Looking for Atlantis" was a ten-year-old boy his grandfather came home from the sea for the first time. His grandfather had traveled every ocean a hundred times and visited every country of the world from the plains of Patagonia to the distant volcano of Tristan da Cunha. Before he died the boy's grandfather gives him the large wooden chest by his bed, telling him "Everything you could ever want is in that chest if you know where to look for it." He also talks about the boy getting to Atlantis, explaining that you have to learn to look for the mythical land but that it "is right here, all around you."

After the grandfather dies writer and artist Colin Thompson shows us the lifetime of treasures contained within that chest. "Looking for Atlantis" is primarily a picture book. By this I mean two things. First, that the chief attraction here are the pictures, in which Thompson often fills every square inch with literally dozens of details. You can spend an hour just looking over everything that we see when the boy opens up his grandfather's chest for the first time. But those who are familiar with Thompson's other work, such as "The Paperbag Prince" and "How to Live Forever," know that is exactly what to expect from his books. Young readers will have to ask adults for explanations as to the meaning of "Macho Mariner Biscuits with Extra Weevils" and to point out which bird is the Dodo.

Second, "Looking for Atlantis" is a picture book because after the detailed narrative at the beginning the words disappear for the most part. There are six picture spreads in which there is only a single line to be read. Clearly Thompson knows that once he gets going with his detailed illustrations words are something of a distraction from the main feast. However, there is a point to the story regarding the power of the imagination and the transcendental quality of love, it is just that the art is so visually stunning that you have to remind yourself that there is a narrative thread to the book as well.

There are also references to famous paintings throughout the book, which means that young readers will be able to return to this book as they grow older and find they get more of what is going on in each illustration. Thompson came up with the idea of "Looking For Atlantis" because he wanted to do a book that was a cross-section of a house. Having already used the idea in the 1993 Leeds calendar, Thompson needed a reason for a young boy to go through all the rooms on a house and decided that searching for Atlantis was a much better idea than just looking for a lost book or a cat. Eventually the idea was refined to the point that Thompson clearly had a lesson about how to look for something was more important than knowing where to look for something. Just be forewarned: once you enjoy one of Thompson's picture books you are going to want to track down the rest of them as well.

They loved it!.......2001-08-08

I just spent a week at the beach with my two grandsons, ages 4 and 5. We read this book over and over and over and over again. Searching for objects and moving through tiny doors to each new magical page, their interest never waned. I recommend it very highly!

The Magic of Imagination.......1999-12-02

I am giving this book 5 stars for the benefit of my two sons, ages 10 and 6. Both of them have enjoyed this book so much, it can't be rated any less than 5 stars. The pictures are mesmorizing and add to the magic of the storyline which teaches children to use their imagination. It also teaches them that, with their imagination, anything is possible!

Looking for a Lamb: A Father's Journey up the Mountain of Grief- and Beyond

Average customer rating:

Looking for a Lamb: A Father's Journey up the Mountain of Grief- and Beyond
Tony R Woods
Manufacturer: Marton Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0974984140
Release Date: 2005-09-30

Book Description

Looking for a Lamb presents a father's eye view of the grief process, told in allegorical form and based upon the famous ordeal in the Genesis tradition. Closer to home, the process is seen through the eyes of the author as he watches his 16-year-old son suffer and die from leukemia. Each stage of the grief process is presented as a potential lamb of sacrifice, but not the one God Himself provided. It is only after meeting the Lamb of Lambs that both father and son find their true purpose and peace.

Average customer rating:

What ignorance!
A skeptic's search for the truth
Looking for Insight
It is simply fabulous
Mind-opening terrific

Looking for the Other Side
Sherry Suib Cohen
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Parapsychology | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Supernatural | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0517708280
Release Date: 1997-03-11

Amazon.com

In the case of subject matter beyond the realm of general belief, I find that the most credible witness is the skeptic turned believer. If I find that she has truly been convinced, the evidence for such a change of heart must be overwhelming. Looking for the Other Side is the chronicle of one such skeptic's journey from doubt to discovery. If you deny, wonder, doubt, or believe, you should read this entertaining, witty, and convincing look at the world beyond our everyday lives.

Book Description

If you're going to write a book about worlds with no answers, phenomenon that scientists can't explain and skeptics can't fathom--you'd better do it with the right equipment--the eye of a journalist, the voice of a novelist, an open mind and compassionate heart. In Looking for the Other Side, writer Sherry Suib Cohen is perfectly outfitted with these tools in her exploration of the world of the occult.

It all begins when Cohen, a journalist, takes an assignment to try and contact the spirit of her deceased mom. In her searching, she meets astrologers, past-life channelers, numerologists, psychics, and a host of other practitioners eager to put her in touch with her past, her future, and her heretofore unexplored spiritual self.

"Cohen will hook readers with her determination, wit, generosity and astonishing willingness to try anything. In the end, her personal odyssey becomes ours, and even the most devoted skeptics will find themselves rethinking what might and what might not be possible."
--Betsy Carter, Editor-in-Chief, New Woman magazine

"When I saw the words know thyself carved above the Oracle's gate at Delphi, I shivered--and didn't understand why. Now, I understand. Knowing myself would mean suspending judgment, would mean tapping into banks of information I never before thought relevant to my pragmatic lifestyle. Well, I've tapped. This book is the result," writes Sherry Suib Cohen.

And in a spirited narrative, Cohen tells us about her experiences wherein she confronts death, blame, forgiveness, faith, truth, and family, in addition to Mom. When readers finish this personal odyssey and guidebook into the unknown, they may decide, just as Cohen did, that there's something to these otherwordly spheres after all.

Customer Reviews:

What ignorance!.......2004-02-08

I was enjoying this book until I got to page 31, in which the author writes about someone she knew who had schizophrenia. She says, "Most important difference between a schizophrenic and a psychic? Most psychics are not disturbed people. They look like you, they look like me, they go to the opera, they go to the movies, they make meat loaf and ski at Aspen." I suffer from schizo-affective disorder (which is kind of a mix of bipolar disorder with some schizophrenia). I look like you, I go to the movies, I could ski at Aspen. This book is supposed to open people's minds! There are AMAZING anti-psychotic medications that completely change the lives of many people like me. Even someone who is suffering from schizophrenia, without medicine, is not some kind of scary creature that should be hidden from the world. We mentally ill people are people just like you. Shame on Sherry Suib Cohen. I hope this review has been enlightening.

A skeptic's search for the truth.......2003-03-01

Sherry Suib Cohen was given an assignment by her boss to research psychic phenomena, and the result was this book. From the start, she was highly skeptical of the supernatural world, but did the assignment with an open mind.

The book chronicles Sherry's research though different aspects of the genre. She visits channelers, psychics, mediums, tarot readers, tea leaf readers, astrologers, oracles, and parapsychologists. She often finds herself checking her skepticism througout the book, and reminds herself to keep an open mind. Preceding each section, she gives an in depth explanation of each phenomena, which I found enlightening. She also fills the book with her sarcastic humor, and is unabashedly skeptical, until incidents TOO SPECIFIC are brought up about her.

This book was quite fun to read because of Sherry's humorous personality, and refreshing because it was an earnest attempt by a true skeptic to delve into the world of the paranormal.

A super bonus of this book is that Sherry gives the names, phone numbers, and addresses of the psychics, astrologers, etc., so you can try them out for yourself.

Looking for Insight.......2000-11-20

This was a very entertaining book, written from a skeptic's point of view, which kept the reader in anticipation and in laughter! The author, searching for contact with her late mother, investigates numerous venues, such as astrology, channeling, tarot cards, psychics, and past life regression to name a few. After several different people whom she has contacted validate one another, the author slowly begins to embrace that "there is something else out there."

Does the author directly contact her deceased mother? No, but indirectly she does, which also brings her to a new awareness as well as opening her previously very skeptic mind. I admire her frankness and sarcasm throughout the book, which at times is very humorous indeed! The chapter on synchronicity was very insightful, as we all seem to be experiencing many synchronistic moments these days.

The author helps the reader see that there is more "out there" on the other side and if we but open our minds to other possibilities, we just may receive the answers that we have been searching for.

Very good book and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to learn more who is also a skeptic! This book will definitely change your mind!

It is simply fabulous.......1999-08-04

Where has this book been in my life? I cannot recommend it more highly--it's funny, charming,witty and above all--eye-opening. I'm a serious skeptic but now, like Ms. Cohen, not arrogant any more. I want to pursue her research and the telephone numbers of the practyitioners in the back of the book will let me do just that. I have rarely read a more absorbing, first person account of a person's honest exploration of somthing she laughed at previously--and now, is not laughing quite so hard any more. I ordered 10 copies of this book to give everyuone I know. What conversations it opens!

Mind-opening terrific.......1999-06-28

I'm a skeptic and although I'll always question what can't be proved, this book knocked me out. The author was so fair, so fascinating, so funny! I loved it, I'm giving it to everyone I know--and I think there's other "stuff" out there--although I'm not sure what. What a good read.

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