Book Description

A wise, bighearted, and hilarious look at one teenager's life by a remarkable new voice in contemporary fiction

Customer Reviews (15)

Jack Daniel's and ginger ale and another Bell's...
You can get as mad about it as you want to, but this schizophrenic generation needs a pop writer the way Charles does it, someone who loves the stuff he hears and wants to mix with it, not just watch it sullenly with his mouth open, or plot some matchbox future adjacent to it. Like going to a really good concert with a friend's memories next to your own. Buy it.

Brainstorm
Charles' characters are raw and full of obscure dialogue and irrational thought much like the midwests copy of the Seattle scene. For those that lived through it, the images and situations described incur a "Brainstorm" of thoughts and memories that were once numbed or driven out by the experimentation of drugs and alchohol.

A breakthrough...as if the best book you've ever read and the best album you've ever heard were to breed....
I lost myself in Grab on to me Tightly As If I Knew the Way.
I related to this story on so many levels and the parts that I did not relate to I was drawn in because of the depth of the emotions felt through the writer's musical style.

This novel is a great coming of age story and I laughed outloud quite often!It is not the sappy drama one might be used to associating with coming of age stories.It is told in such a smooth manner that you feel like you were there with the characters.I will recommend this book to everyone I can for a very long time.I think everyone can take something away from this book.It really made me think about life.Grab on to it tightly...TODAY!!!

A Pretentious, Target-Marketed Package
This book takes all the worst instincts of a young writer and wraps them into a pretentious, distasteful, target-marketed package. As Bryan Charles says of his previous 9-to-5 job in the business world, "If one could string words into near-meaningless banalities one was guaranteed at least a few rounds of interviews." I think he took the same approach to the writing of this novel.

Oh, but it's oh-so-hip, with references to Pavement, The Replacements' "Let It Be", Darby Crash, "Bleach", and a Death to the Pixies t-shirt. Very early-90s. So very grunge. Relive your youth with Vim Sweeney!

As you can tell, I truly disliked this book. Summary: It's a book about nothing and nothingness. Now, nothingness can be profound, but that requires an author who (1) possesses insights he wants to share, and (2) cares to do more than wallow in nothingness. Bryan Charles appears to lack both traits. He treats the mundane as though it will magically transform itself into a deep thought in the reader's mind. It's a smarmy book trying too hard for a pat on the back.

Like too many writers of his generation, Bryan Charles crafts an empty novel with a focus on jumpy stylistic tricks. He rants like a bragging drunk or drug abuser, acting as though his brand of nothingness is nothing like anyone else's nothingness. He competes in nothingness. I find only one pleasure in this book, and it's the cheapest of literary enjoyments: recognition. Yeah, I washed dishes at a restaurant with a Hobart dishwasher. Yeah, I drove to another town to get away and found that you only needed to be about sixteen to get served at a bar. Yeah, I could write eighteen pages about a party that unrolled exactly like every other party. Yeah, I was about the same age as Bryan Charles in 1992. So what? In the end, "Grab On to Me Tightly as if I Knew the Way" possesses a false depth brought about by stylistic tricks and banalities.

If it has all been downhill in your life since 1992, relive your glory days and love this book. Otherwise, skip it.

Behold a singular, thaumaturgic talent
Bryan Charles is what I call a Charmer: he wraps you around his finger and then has his literary way with you.

Do you look up after reading his entire book in one sitting and feel disoriented and bemused and a little sad that the story you were just a few short moments ago immersed in has now disappeared back into the ether? Yes. Is that a bad thing? C'mon, that's the bittersweet moment every reader lives for!

The bottom line is Grab On to Me Tightly as if I Knew the Way is an outstanding, more than just a little magical book and sure to please anyone who appreciates such things. I hope that includes you. ... Read more

Book Description
Tom Gatses was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1999. Instead of allowing the disease to take over his body, he chose to fight the disease like he has learned to do all his life through martial arts. He has also been diagnosed with renal failure, and is currently undergoing dialysis treatment. This guide and examples tell an easy to understand story through a personal reflection on staying ahead of Parkinson's Disease, as well as any other ailment or debilitating disease. This book examples how the author stays focused on the positive strategies to improve daily activities and daily life from the onset of the diagnosis through years of struggling with the disorder and dealing with the family.

Customer Reviews (1)

An Inspiration For All
Any person of any age or any health can take away a positive message from this book.Tom's courage is truely commendable.

Stay Positive Tom!!!! ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Horn Book Magazine, published by Horn Book, Inc. on September 1, 2002. The length of the article is 493 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: * Leonard S. Marcus Ways of Telling: Conversations on the Art of the Picture Book.(Book Review)(Young Adult Review)(Brief Article)
Author: Joanna Rudge Long
Publication: The Horn Book Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2002
Publisher: Horn Book, Inc.
Volume: 78Issue: 5Page: 597(3)

Article Type: Book Review, Young Adult Review, Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description
Teaching the S.M.A.R.T.S. Way contains 5 copyrighted teaching strategies (i.e. methods) that can be used with any curriculum, at any grade level, and with any ability level. All S.M.A.R.T.S. teaching and learning strategies combine academic and behavioral goals and are designed for mastery of state and national educational objectives. The strategies are practical, fast-paced, interactive and fun, and enhance learning in regular, gifted, and special education classrooms. ... Read more

Book Description
Teaching the S.M.A.R.T.S. Way contains 5 copyrighted teaching strategies (i.e. methods) that can be used with any curriculum, at any grade level, and with any ability level.All S.M.A.R.T.S. teaching and learning strategies combine academic and behavioral goals and are designed for mastery of state and national educational objectives. The strategies are practical, fast-paced, interactive and fun, and enhance learning in regular, gifted, and special education classrooms. ... Read more

Book Description
Tying The Knot God's Way brilliantly describes how the heartfelt love of a husband and wife can be molded, through Biblical principles to produce a powerful, productive marriage! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

It is a valuable materials for Eliot's negativity
I think this booek is a good book in order to figure out what Eliot think about negativities through Christian doctrine.
Professor Hay searched the whole range of negativity from phiopsophical to christian doetrine.
She started from philoshphical appreaches in negativity to religious approaches. The whole scope of negativity include Eliot's critical doctrine to riligious principle.
this book shows Hay's perspectives about Eliot's spiritual structure ranging from negativity to affirmativity. Changing to affirmativity is achieved through earlier poem to later poetry reaching the still point, the symbol of unification to God. ... Read more