Book Description
When listeners last saw Odd Thomas in the phenomenal New York Times bestseller Brother Odd, he was on the road to a new adventure, accompanied by two otherworldly sidekicks: his dog Boo, and one of the few companions who might rival his old pal Elvis – the Chairman of the Board. After grappling with the very essence of reality, and finding the veil separating him from his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, tantalizingly thin yet impenetrable, he longed only to return to his home in Pico Mundo. Instead, haunted by dreams of an all-encompassing red tide, he is drawn on, to the sea, to a small California coastal town where nothing is as it seems and where the forces arrayed against him have both official sanction and an infinitely more sinister authority.

Over the course of three critically acclaimed bestsellers, the saga of Odd Thomas has drawn wildly enthusiastic new fans and burnished Dean Koontz’s stature as a master of suspense and one of our most innovative and gifted storytellers. Odd’s fourth adventure breaks yet more ground, taking this utterly unique hero to undreamed of new places, where both the perils he will face and the stakes for which he fights surpass all that has come before. ... Read more

Book Description
Known for its provocative and engaging issues approach and topical organization, AMERICA AT ODDS explores the current conflicts that truly define America as a nation while involving students in discussion and debate. The engaging content and pedagogical features throughout AMERICA AT ODDS support two main goals of the text: to make students genuinely passionate about learning the ins and outs of American politics and government, and to encourage them to think about the ways their lives are affected by decisions made in the political arena. In every chapter of the text, the foundations and systems of political history, behavior, institutions, and policy are presented within the framework of issues oriented debate, making AMERICA AT ODDS truly unique as an approach to teaching the Introduction to American Government course. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Government is cool!
This book is very helpful and in good shape. Nothing is missing, but you can tell it has been used.

Gotta love Big Ed
Ed Sidlow is one of our foremost minds in American Government today.I have had the pleasure of having both him and Dr. Henschen as instructors, and believe you me, if you could talk to Dr. Sidlow for 10 minuets about Robert Byrd, you would be in stiches!

Good intro text
North Dakota State Univ uses this in its intro to American Gov't course. It is an easily readable text that covers everything that a government text should. Lots of links to the Internet are included as well, and the info is very up-to-date. Covers impeachment and everything else. I'll bet that the next edition includes the whole 2000 election fiasco. I only noticed one error, but that's probably due to the fact that I live in the state referenced. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

As one who actually listened to this as a child...
The talent here is amazing. I am a great admirer of Odds Bodkin. I enjoyed this recording as a child--I would listen to it as I got ready for school, or as I painted or drew.
I would definitely say it takes a certain kind of kid to enjoy it, but it opened the door to mythology for me.
Now I write this in appreciation for the man's talent. He preformed this as a bard would perform it with no script and no breaks, as he performs most of his work. He makes it engaging for the listener with an entire cast of voices and sound effects, both from his own mouth, and music preformed by him.
It's not just a "shut up for god's sake!" tape for the car, it is an experience for your child--one that I enjoyed immensely then, and still enjoy now from time to time.
I can't wait to share it with my own children.

Wonderful!
This version of Homer's Odyssey is captivating! Odds Bodkins is a storyteller extraordinnaire and this CD is no exception. It's a wonderful way to introduce children to The Odyssey - kids will listen to this from start to finish to hear what's in store for the characters next. Bodkins' is the sole voice on this recording, along with various musical instruments - my entire family found him to be amazing.

Kris Bordessa, author
"Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid's Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Greece"

Great story!
This is fantastic telling of Homer's Odyssey.Bodkin regales us of Homer's adventures, beginning with a scene inside the wooden horse of Troy, through confronting the Cyclops, battles with cannibals, and his long awaited return to Ithaca.Bodkin gives each character a distinct voice and develops moods and transitions with his guitar in the background.The changes in voices are so intricate that when I first listened to the tape, I thought Bodkin had put the recording together by blending several independently recorded tracks.But if you listen closely, you can hear coughs in the background, evidence that this was a recording of a live performance, and Bodkin managed to create all of the rich sounds found on the tape while reciting in front of a live audience.

I managed to escape reading the Odyssey while I was in school.On the one hand, that's too bad, because now, having heard this story, I realize what a tremendous influence the story has had on all literature that followed, and how much I have missed over the years by not having any familiarity with the Odyssey.But on the other hand, it was fitting to have my first experience with Homer to be this one- -this story was meant to be shared orally, rather than read.And Bodkin is a master storyteller, who has made the tale come alive.Now that I've heard the story properly, I think I'm ready to study it more thoroughly with a book.

Hear the Odyssey
Your English teacher was wrong: Homer did not write the Odyssey. He sang it. Actually, scholars are still debating whether the blind mythic poet called Homer ever existed at all, but they do generally agree on two things: the Odyssey is one of the greatest stories surviving from Graecian antiquity, and it was originally meant to be sung, not read. Ancient bards, called rhapsodists, wandered through the hoods of ancient Greece, chanting their stories to all who would listen. Hundreds of generations later, we're still listening. Just two months ago, I listened to Odds Bodkin's rendition of the 2500-year epic on my car CD-player.

Homer's Odyssey depicts the 10-year wanderings of Odysseus, as he tries to go home after he and the Greeks successfully sacked the city of Troy. Bodkin's version pares down these 10-year wanderings to a 4-hour audio presentation, but many of the signature adventures are retained (Included are: the Lotus-Eaters; Polyphemus; the Lystrigonians; Circe; Scylla & Charybdis; Calypso; Princess Nausicaa; plenty of storms and waves, crashes and crushes, and a lot more).

What I don't like about this recording is that Bodkin has about three different voices that he uses for scores of characters; after a while, things start sounding familiar... Also, his attempts at female voices are a misfire; they all sound like Ms. Piggy with a sore throat.

What elevates this recording beyond puppet-show drama, I think, are three things: Bodkin's enthusiasm, the musical track, and his sense of story. The soundtrack, a combination of 12-string guitar and harp, is soothing, mystical, rejuvenating, otherworldly; it could be sold separately. And, while most of the drama is shallow, I still have to admit there are moments when I was truly moved by this story.

Know this -- Bodkin's version of the Odyssey is an adaptation, meaning he may skim here and embellish there, but he has full poetic license to do so, because he is adapting the work for children (and adults who love a good story), and for listening. As for the critics who bash this because it's not "true to the original," they, I would say, are missing the point.

Some people just like to hear a good yarn. If you're in the mood for a funny and talented storyteller to make an ancient story sing again, check this out.

The Odyssey Suite
This is a retelling of Homerýs great story by an actor/storyteller, and lasts just over four hours. By way of contrast, Ian McKellenýs reading of Faglesýs translation of The Odyssey clocks in at 13 hours, 10 minutes. One would think, then, that this version must leave lots out. Well, yes and no. It covers all the main adventures Odysseus has, nor does it hurry over them. (In fact, the Trojan horse sequence, which is just alluded to briefly by Homer, starts the story here and is given an expansive treatment, much of which actually comes from later writers.)

So, Odds Bodkin tells Odysseusýs story in full in four hours. Then what does he leave out? He leaves out Homerýs expansive way of telling a story by means of repeated heroic epithets and extended dialogs. He leaves out the gods, mostly: their part of the story is brief indeed. All the careful planning that went into the defeat of the suitors is left out as well. It leaves out the adventures of Telemachus. All Odysseusýs entertaining fabrications during his travels, these have been excised. And, as this version is intended for children, it leaves out the gruesome scenes at the end where the unfaithful servants are killed.

You might say that it leaves out most of the matter that locates the story in a certain heroic pre-classical culture. Yet some flavor of that culture remains, and the well-known incidents in the story are certainly given their due. Thus we have, in addition to the Trojan Horse, Scylla and Charibdis, the visit to the Underworld, the cattle of Helios, the Sirens, the Isle of the Lotus Eaters, the Cyclops, the misadventures on Circeýs isle, and the long languishing on Calypsoýs isle. And it finishes up with a bang as Odysseus strings his mighty bow and lets fly an arrow through all the aligned ax-heads, then, revealed, turns in wrath upon the suitors who have been besieging his wife.

This is certainly an entertaining version, and an excellent way to learn the story ý for child or grownup. Odds Bodkin is good at voices, so he can differentiate his characters well. This adds to the fun as he mixes accents and verbal mannerisms (Polyphemus reminded me of the Cookie Monster) in an energetic and colorful telling. It also helps that there is a more-or-less continuous musical background. Celtic harp and 12-string guitar are rarely obtrusive, but rather provide push to the narration.

Anyway, to us, The Odyssey is a story, not a guide for living, but it is one of the central stories of our culture. And here we get that story (without undergoing trial by recitation), which is all that most of us want, really. ... Read more

Book Description
Known for its provocative and engaging issues approach and topical organization, AMERICA AT ODDS explores the current conflicts that truly define America as a nation while involving students in discussion and debate. The engaging content and pedagogical features throughout AMERICA AT ODDS support two main goals of the text: to make students genuinely passionate about learning the ins and outs of American politics and government, and to encourage them to think about the ways their lives are affected by decisions made in the political arena. In every chapter of the text, the foundations and systems of political history, behavior, institutions, and policy are presented within the framework of issues oriented debate, making AMERICA AT ODDS truly unique as an approach to teaching the Introduction to American Government course. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Horrible Service
It has been a month and still no product.This is because they sent it to a person with my name at a different adress!!!No excuse for such terrible service. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

enjoyable, educational
Okay, quick, do you remember all of the twelve labors of Hercules ?I sure as heck couldn't; which isone of the nice things about Odds Bodkin's oral version of the myth of Hercules.Bodkin is a wellknown storyteller, particularly here in New England, who accompanies himself on twelve stringguitar.That's one other nice thing about this cd set, that it is reminiscent of how these stories andlegends would have been presented when they were first being concocted, though the teller wouldprobably have been blind and playing a lute or something.

For the purposes of this setting, Bodkin imagines Hercules has died and Hades and Persephone prevailupon him to relate the story of the twelve labors before he can leave the underworld.Here they are (aslisted at the Perseus Digital Library) :

Labor 1: The Nemean Lion Labor 2: The Lernean Hydra Labor 3: The Hind of Ceryneia Labor 4: The Erymanthean Boar Labor 5: The Augean Stables Labor 6: The Stymphalian Birds Labor 7: The Cretan Bull Labor 8: The Horses of Diomedes Labor 9: The Belt of Hippolyte Labor 10: Geryon's Cattle Labor 11: The Apples of the Hesperides Labor 12: Cerberus

Bodkin mixes thrills and humor in the telling and also, being "socially conscious", has an ulteriormotive here, the whole epic is sort of structured around Hercules trying to learn how to control hisrage.You may recall that the labors were assigned to him as a way of purging his conscience after heaccidentally murdered his family in a Hera-induced blinding rage.I guess this is Odds Bodkin's wayof preventing another school shooting, a noble enough cause,nd for the most part he keeps it fairlysubtle, though he does go a mite overboard when he has Hercules finally get control of his fury onlyafter spending a few years cross-dressing (you'll have to give it a listen to find out) and getting intouch with his feminine side.

Hercules does lead a pretty violent life, so the recording is not suitable for young children, but anyteenage boys who watch wrestling are certainly old enough for this.You don't have to inform themthat they're also getting a healthy dose of their cultural heritage in the process.

GRADE : B- ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A masterful recording
I first heard of Odds Bodkin when he came to my children's school last year.This was the first tape we listened to and I will soon buy it.Bodkin's many voices combined with his gorgeous instrumental music give this recording a superlative, magical quality.My 12-, 10- and 7-year-old children were enthralled, and frankly, so was I.We could hardly wait until the next time we were all in the car so we could listen to the rest of the tape.Highly recommended.

OUTSTANDING!!!
This tape had my family enthralled for hours on a recent trip - we traveled to New York City and when we arrived at our friend's house, this tape was all we could talk about!It is a wonderful story by a trulytalented man - thank you Odds Bodking for sharing your gift with us! ... Read more

Book Description
Perform timeless Bass works with Towson State College Jazz Ensemble! Perfect for practice, rehearsal, auditions, contest solos, performances, and more!This collection of stage band classics exploits the unusual meters which became the trademark of composer Hank Levy, whose compositions have been recorded by such greats as Stan Kenton and Don Ellis. An exciting exploration of this now-all-too-rare genre.

MMO CD 2047
Accompaniment: Towson State College Jazz Ensemble
Conductor: Hank Levy ... Read more

Book Description
Perform timeless Trombone works with Towson State College Jazz Ensemble! Perfect for practice, rehearsal, auditions, contest solos, performances, and more!This collection of stage band classics exploits the unusual meters which became the trademark of composer Hank Levy, whose compositions have been recorded by such greats as Stan Kenton and Don Ellis. An exciting exploration of this now-all-too-rare genre.

MMO CD 2044
Accompaniment: Towson State College Jazz Ensemble
Conductor: Hank Levy ... Read more

Book Description
Perform timeless Drums works with Towson State College Jazz Ensemble! Perfect for practice, rehearsal, auditions, contest solos, performances, and more!This collection of stage band classics exploits the unusual meters which became the trademark of composer Hank Levy, whose compositions have been recorded by such greats as Stan Kenton and Don Ellis. An exciting exploration of this now-all-too-rare genre.

MMO CD 2048
Accompaniment: Towson State College Jazz Ensemble
Conductor: Hank Levy ... Read more

Book Description
Perform timeless Tenor Sax works with Towson State College Jazz Ensemble! Perfect for practice, rehearsal, auditions, contest solos, performances, and more!This collection of stage band classics exploits the unusual meters which became the trademark of composer Hank Levy, whose compositions have been recorded by such greats as Stan Kenton and Don Ellis. An exciting exploration of this now-all-too-rare genre.

MMO CD 2042
Accompaniment: Towson State College Jazz Ensemble
Conductor: Hank Levy ... Read more

Book Description
Perform timeless Trumpet works with Towson State College Jazz Ensemble! Perfect for practice, rehearsal, auditions, contest solos, performances, and more!This collection of stage band classics exploits the unusual meters which became the trademark of composer Hank Levy, whose compositions have been recorded by such greats as Stan Kenton and Don Ellis. An exciting exploration of this now-all-too-rare genre.

MMO CD 2043
Accompaniment: Towson State College Jazz Ensemble
Conductor: Hank Levy ... Read more

Book Description
Perform timeless Guitar works with Towson State College Jazz Ensemble! Perfect for practice, rehearsal, auditions, contest solos, performances, and more!This collection of stage band classics exploits the unusual meters which became the trademark of composer Hank Levy, whose compositions have been recorded by such greats as Stan Kenton and Don Ellis. An exciting exploration of this now-all-too-rare genre.

MMO CD 2045
Accompaniment: Towson State College Jazz Ensemble
Conductor: Hank Levy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wonderful
My children, ages 5 and 3, enjoy listening to this story on car trips.Odds Bodkin is a master storyteller!

One of the best children's audio tapes around!
My children, ages 9, 5, and 3, (a boy and two girls, none of whom are particularly dinosaur obsessed) all love both the first Little Proto tape and this one as well.Odds Bodkin is such as amazingly skilled storyteller that my husband and I don't even mind it when the kids ask for this tape for the umpteenth time!The story addresses wonderful themes: jealousy of the attention being lavished on a new baby sibling, compassion shown to a former enemy, courage and resourcefulness in the face of fear -- that makes it sound heavy-handed, but it's not at all!Just a good story, wonderfully told, that can serve as a springboard for discussion should you so wish.

Fantastic!
I just finished listening to this story with my 6 year old son for about the 20th time and liked it as much as the first.Odds Bodkin story telling ability is amazing!Using only a 12 string guitar, and his fantasticvoice, Bodkin tells the story of a dinosaur named Little Proto and hisadventure with the T-Rex King Geoffory and the Tricerotops Old Wrinkles. Although perhaps not as good as the first Little Proto tale, this is awonderful tape and you should definitely buy it for your favorite 4-7 yearold (or even for yourself!) ... Read more