Book Description
Mary Cassatt is most famous for her paintings of mothers and babies, and that's what first attracts "Claire" because she has a new baby sister. But through research for her class report Claire learns many surprising facts about Mary: she was an American who lived in France nearly all her life, she never married or had children herself, and she became a professional artist at a time when respectable ladies simply did not do that! With beautiful reproductions of Mary Cassatt's best-loved paintings as well as lively childlike pictures that illustrate her life, this Smart About Art book gives children a wonderful "portrait" of a great artist and fascinating woman.

Illustrated by Jennifer Kalis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Terrific Children's Book about Mary Cassatt!
This is a wonderful book about Mary Cassatt.It is done from the perspective of a child who admires Mary Cassatt paintings and is in the process of learning more about her.She even copies some of her paintings in photography and drawings.Very sweet and helpful in motivating a child about painting or learning more about painters.They no longer have to fear being a nerd, learning about painting is cool!

Charming introduction to Mary Cassatt
I thought this book was really charming and that its combination of prints by Mary Cassatt and the line drawings of the child who is telling the story made this very appealing to me. But I am an adult and don't know how a child would react to this. Perhaps I can field test it on a great-niece. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great companian book
Kraig Blackwelder and his colleagues have put together an indispensible supplement for players wanting to find a home inthe world of Dark Ages Inquisitor. Kudos to Blackwelder for bringing in one of the field's heavy hitters, Jonny Shepherd, to offer his own unique perspective and clever writing. The play samples in this book are interesting, and explained well. And the parallels raised between the mythos of the Buffyverse and Dark Ages are compelling; both use the structure and symbols of Christian legend and rituals, but by subverting/reinventing their contexts, they imbue them with a bizarre new relevance. ... Read more

Book Description

The term Alternative Medicine encompasses many forms, and elicits at least as many opinions. This authoritative, objective set is in tune with the subjects that matter to students and researchers, presenting four volumes of current, unbiased information on alternative and complementary medical practices. Covering all aspects of the subjectTherapies, Conditions/Diseases, Herbs/Plants and Peoplethe Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine identifies 150 types of alternative medicine being practiced today, including reflexology, acupressure, acupuncture, chelation therapy, kinesiology, yoga, chiropractic, Feldenkrais, polarity therapy, detoxification, naturopathy, Chinese medicine, biofeedback, Ayurveda and osteopathy. For the practitioner or interested patient, there are current training requirements, listings of organizations, as well as descriptions of treatments.

Amazon.com
Kali Israel offers much more than a traditional biography of an eccentric Victorian in Names and Stories. Instead, Israel, an associate professor of history at the University of Michigan, uses her subject--art historian, writer, and socialite Emilia Dilke--as the focus of a well-researched analysis of 19th-century Britain. Israel examines the stories by which Emilia Dilke is made known to us today, and how those create, contain, extend, and multiply the subject. Forgoing the traditional historian's tendency to sort through texts--judging them as more or less truthful reflections of a "real," retrievable person--she critically examines the texts themselves, and in relationship to each other, then uses them to delineate multiple representations of Dilke.

Each of her seven chapters focuses on a particular period of Dilke's history.There are stories about families that circulate around Dilke's childhood, stories about her making (and being made into) pictures, about both her marriages, and about her life at Oxford. Israel also offers compelling readings of Dilke's own texts about sex in marriage and the "adulterous" texts and tales by and about Dilke and each of her two husbands. Although frequently academic, Israel's prose remains tightly focused around her subject, and her argument unfolds logically. Names and Stories offers an insightful examination of the relations and contradictions of diverse political, intellectual, social and aesthetic histories of Victorian England. --Bertina Loeffler SedlackBook Description
"Emilia Dilke" (1840-1904) was christened Emily Francis Strong and known by her middle name throughout her childhood as the daughter of an army officer-cum-bank manager in Iffley, England, near Oxford, and her days as an art student in London. During her first marriage, she was Francis Pattison or Mrs. Mark Pattison, while her published works of art history and criticism were neutrally signed E. F. S. Pattison. Later, in the 1870s, she privately changed her first name to Emilia, a switch made public when she remarried in 1885. By this second nuptial union she became Lady Dilke, the famous intellectual, feminist, art critic, author, and, eventually, the active and popular President of the Women's Trade Union League for nearly twenty years.A rich work of biography, literary criticism, aesthetic history, and sociocultural inquiry, Names and Stories traces the life of this fascinating and remarkable woman as it was lived under many different appellations and guises. In doing so, the book investigates the full spectrum of nineteenth-century British thought and custom. By studying not only an individual life but the many stories that informed, determined, and challenged that life, author Kali Israel considers Dilke as both subject and object--author and character, player and pawn--in the Victorian world of which she was a part. As they are chronicled, explained, and contextualized in this book, these stories--however they were created, told, or interpreted--move through realms both historical and fictional. Israel's central character experienced not one but two highly visible marriages marked by rampant gossip, high-profile sex scandals, and inconclusive courtroom battles; was considered by some to be the model for the character of Dorothea in Eliot's Middlemarch; and similarly "appeared" in many other novels, plays, and even poems in her own time and up through the mid-twentieth century.Names and Stories is not a conventional "life and times" book, even though it recounts a birth-to-death adventure that is both unique and epochal. Rather, the work utilizes Dilke's myriad narratives as the means to broader critical, historical, and theoretical engagements. Debating the very nature of life-study and biography-writing, Israel employs a wide array of published and primary sources to argue that the "names and stories" of Emilia Dilke can help us understand key conflicts and tensions within Victorian Britain, as well as ongoing cultural arguments. This book thus examines several nineteenth-century pressure-points in this light, among them gender, representation, authority, authorship, knowledge, and political thought. Israel's contemporary and cross-disciplinary study also illuminates such broader themes as the family, the body, narrative, figuration, and historical writing and reading. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Jackson's powerful writing
Many people throughout the world yearn for truth, explanation, and meaning in life. They are unwilling to settle for conventional wisdom or generalities; they must dig deeper. They are driven by inner voices leading them on journeys that will transform their thinking, beliefs, and lifestyles. Such people tend to have an impact on the world.

One such person is JT Ross Jackson, a successful businessman, a brilliant systems scientist, and a global visionary. In search of spiritual truth, he embarked on a number of experiences that challenged his perception of what is possible. He attended workshops with renowned teachers. In search of more understanding, he took a trip to India where he had a week-long "awakening." He recorded his experiences in detail in a journal that evolved into his new book, THE KALI YUGA ODYSSEY: A Spiritual Journey (Robert D. Reed Publishers. ISBN1-885003-44-7. October 2000).

"Kali Yuga" is an ancient Vedic term meaning "the age of darkness." It is defined as "an age where spiritualism is deficient and materialism rules."According to the teachings, each age comes to an end eventually, giving way to a new age.

Jackson continued to seek experiences with various figures who greatly influenced his thinking. He had a growing concern for the degradation of the environment. This concern culminated the establishment of Gaia Trust, a self-financing fund based on income earned from Gaia Corporation, a currency fund manager founded by Jackson as well.

Gaia Trust encourages the establishment of ecovillages that are small, sustainable communities where social, ecological, and spiritual aspects are integrated into a holistic lifestyle.This is also the subject of another new book by Jackson called, AND WE ARE DOING IT! Building the Ecovillage Future (Robert D. Reed Publishers. ISBN 1-885003-45-5. $9.95. September 2000).

According to Dr. Rashmi Mayur, Director of the International Institute for a Sustainable Future, "In sharing his discoveries, Jackson describes the role and destiny of humans, and each of our roles in healing an anguished earth." The author's candid description of his experiences with different masters, along with his knowledge of mythology, symbology, and philosophy, make this book an important contribution in the areas of self-help, spiritual development, and metaphysics. ... Read more

Book Description
This book is an allegorical story of one awakening into another world; of the terrestrial "I" "awakening" into his higher Self which is another one of his Soul's manifestations. The multiple "I"s of his existences are his Soul expressing different aspects of itself to try to illuminate it''s inner darkness. The Soul is part of the external Universe (the macrocosm) but is ultimately separate from it as he at the same time possesses an Inner Universe (the microcosm that the Soul is). He shall combine the "I"s with his Soul to become Aware and to eventually transcend Beyond. He is the Individual Soul within the Absolute that will go Beyond the Macrocosm to a realm of his own "creation" in a state of total Awareness where he is United but still with individual identity instead of just returning back to his Source (the Absolute). To do this he must realize and work with the Cosmic Laws, but eventually to Transcend beyond even the Cosmos itself.By uniting the seeming opposites (for it is beyond the dualism of the modern world), which are but different facets of his Being, he will become Aware of all the different aspects of his Soul and through a Magic Love will unite with the opposite and thereby achieve the Divine Unity. The only true "evil" he comes to find are those that resist the Cosmic Laws of Time and Truth with their materialistic existences where they only see this Age (Kali Yuga) and attempt to remain in this one forever because this form of existence-the mere transient earthly one-is the only one they see in their blindness. Thus those opposed to the Cosmic Order are the ones of the Decay which are slaves of the Demiurge.When the Serpent Jormungand awakens at the base of his inner Runic Tree he will become Aware...His God Oski is his guide and shows him the path, while the Fire of Divine Will- Oski''s blood-brother-is the key to the Inner Ragnarök of his Soul which he will Transcend through. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not quite what I expected...
Since there is no summary or other reviews for this book I figured I'd reproduce the back cover here so other people will have a better idea of what this book is about (and hopefully won't make the same mistake I did by thinking it was about something else.)My own review will follow.

* * * * *
A Prelude to the Coming End of Kali Yuga
by Gunther Fuhrer (not "Flhrer") Phildius

This book is an allegorical story of one awakening into another world; of the terrestrial "I" "awakening" into his higher Self which is another one of his Soul's manifestations.The multiple "I"s of his existences are his Soul expressing different aspects of itself to try to illuminate it's inner darkness.The Soul is part of the external Universe (the macrocosm) but is ultimately seperate from it as he at the same time possesses an Inner Universe (the microcosm that the Soul is).He shall combine the "I"s with his Soul to become Aware and to eventually transcend Beyond.He is the Individual Soul within the Absolute that will go Beyond the Macrocosm to a realm of his own "creation" in a state of total Awareness where he is United but still with individual identity instead of just returning back to his Source (the Absolute).To do this he must realize and work with the Cosmic Laws, but eventually to Transcend beyond even the Cosmos itself.By uniting the seeming opposites (for it is beyond the dualism of the modern world), which are but different facets of his Being, he will become Aware of all the different aspects of his Soul and through a Magic Love will unite with the opposite and thereby achieve the Divine Unity.

The only true "evil" he comes to find are those that resist the Cosmic Laws of Time and Truth with their materialistic existences where they only see this Age (Kali Yuga) and attempt to remain in this one forever because this form of existence--the mere transient earthly one--is the only one they see in their blindness.Thus those opposed to the Cosmic Order are the ones of the Decay which are slaves of the Demiurge...

When the Serpent Jormungand awakens at the base of his inner Runic Tree he will become Aware...His God Oski is his guide and shows him the path, while the Fire of Divine Will--Oski's blood-brother--is the key to the Inner Ragnarok of his Soul which he will Transcent through.
* * * * *

Whew!Now for my review.Admittedly, since there was no information about it at the time, I totally judged this book by its cover (and title).I was *hoping* that this was a non-fiction book about the Dark Star/Black Sun and/or the Hindu Yuga cycles.And although the author does occasionally touch on these subjects, the book is primarily a recounting of his own vision quest and spiritual beliefs.

While I'm tempted to compare Phildius' book to the works of Carlos Castanada and Richard Bach, his writing simply isn't of the same caliber as these latter two authors... not even close.And although I have no doubt that the described vision was a very profound experience for the author himself, I personally remained largely unmoved by it.Of course, other people may get more out of it than I did.

Another problem with the book is the frequent poor grammar.In an effort to make the characters' dialog sound more proper and removed from modern-day common English the author attempts to use "thee/thou/thy/thine", "unto", "shalt", "art", and similar language... but not always correctly and consistently I'm afraid.I also ran across a number of words that were either redundant or completely out of context.Spelling errors, however, were minimal.Granted, English may not be the author's first language, but I got the distinct impression that this book never found its way to an editor before being published.

I should also mention that this book has (arguably?) racist overtones, with the pure fair-skinned Thulean race of "gods" pitted against the hedious and wicked brown "beast-men" created by Demiurge.In fact, the last two words in the book are "Sieg Heil!"It is for this reason that I ultimately decided to give it two stars instead of three. ... Read more

Amazon.com
There's nothing hard-edged or particularly profound about JonnieJacobs's series of mysteries starring California lawyer Kali O'Brien, but--like good TV movies--the plots are convincing, the characters colorful, and the writing smooth and competent. The author's latest finds O'Brien handling a trialin her hometown in the Sierra foothills for a lawyer friend, Nina Barrett, who is five months pregnant and just diagnosed as having Hodgkin's disease.

When Nina's husband, Grady--a handsome and successful businessman with a history of sexual conquests--is accused of rape by a blowsy woman he met at a party, Kali very reluctantly agrees to defend him. She is virtually certain that the swaggering Barrett is guilty, and resents his betrayal of her sick friend. But as the investigation and trial proceed, Kali gradually begins to believe his claims of innocence--especially when two people die in suspicious circumstances. Jacobs succeeds in catching and holdingreaders' interest by setting up her characters as generic and then proceeding to fill in the relevant details that make them unique. Other Kali O'Brien books in paperback are Evidence of Guilt and Shadow of Doubt. --DickAdlerBook Description
Scrupulous San Francisco defense attorney Kali O'Brien knows how to play the odds in a system where reality can be shaded. Despite apassion for justice that doesn't allow for compromise, her newest case is casting doubt on the one principle she cherished most: the absolute dead certainty that her client is telling the truth. Grady Barrett, a wealthy computer magnate married to Kali's best friend, has been arraigned in the rape of Deirdre Nicholas. Even if the sex was consensual, that doesn't acquit him, in Kali's eyes, of an indiscretion that has shattered his marriage, and further eroded his dubious reputation as a man of principle. Especially in the shadow of Deirdre's vivid, emotional, and thoroughly convincing deposition--damning testimony that Barrett maintains is a clever and manipulative web of lies spun to trap him. Despite his pleas of innocence, Kali's instincts tell her that Barrett may be as guilty as sin. Then Deirdre plunges to her death from a second-story balcony. A tragic accident? Or cold-blooded murder? Now, bound to a client she is afraid to trust, Kali finds herself straddling the razor-sharp line between crime and punishment. It isn't long before she finds her own life in jeopardy as a veil of lies is lifted, and the pasts of everyone from victim to victimizer, from illicit lover to faithless friend, unfold with their own provocative surprises. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Average.
Easy reading.Mostly dialog.Good plot.Starts snappy but gets very draggy until the trial.

Good book
I don't normally like Jacobs books as I feel she tends to write in the "mystery" genre which I don't always care for.

I am glad I picked this one up though. It is written more in the form of a legal thriller and Jacobs brings us directly in the legal forum for a great close up look. This book has it all, murder, courtrooms and wonderfully fast pacing. Great summer read!

fascinating read
An interesting, fast-paced legal thriller with realistic characters.Kali defends the husband of a friend charged first with date rape (he's been cheating onher friend) and then with murder.At the same time, she's involved with an old boyfriend, who she begins to distrust.I'm going to go back and read the earlier novels in this series.Highly recommended.

gripping story with great characters
This is a new author for me, but am I ever glad I made the discovery.Motion to Dismiss is a well written page-turner with depth and realistic characters.Kali O'Brien is an attorney who reluctantly represents thehusband of a friend when he is accused of date rape.Rape grows to murderand she again agrees to represent him for the sake of her friend. There areseveral subplots - an ex-lover law partner who seems impicated in thecrime, a second death - and they all tie together at the end.Pick up thebook and settle in for an afternoon (or evening) of good reading.Justdon't plan on getting anything else accomplished.

Great Read
This was the best so far of the Jonnie Jacobs books that I have read. It grabs you from the very beginning and won't let go. I highly recommend this for everyone. ... Read more

Book Description
Enthusiastic fans of Jonnie Jacobs's thrillers know what they're getting in bestseller after bestseller: riveting suspense, knockout writing, and a smart, world-weary heroine who can kick butt and take names when she needs to. Now Jacobs delivers another gripping tale of sex, lies, secrets, and murder whose razor-sharp twists and turns don't let up until the very last page is turned.A body count that's rising. A lone witness on the run. A killer who'll do anything to buy silence. It's the most dangerous case of attorney Kali O'Brien's career--and it's hitting way too close to home.

The last time Kali spoke to her brother, John, he was desperate to tell her something but too drunk to get it out. Now he's dead, an apparent suicide by overdose. That would be shocking enough, but the cops have more bad news: John was also the lead suspect in the recent double homicide of two women in Tucson. The victims include the wealthy heiress of the corporation John worked for and Olivia Perez, a pretty college coed whose family is determined to make someone pay for the crime, and Kali's at the top of their list--if she can't clear his name first. It's a tricky case that's about to get even trickier.

Kali didn't know her brother very well, and in death, the only clue he's left behind is as damning as it is mysterious. Hidden in the pages of his dictionary is a photo of three attractive young women. One is Olivia Perez. One is a street-tough runaway named Crystal. The third woman--a strip club dancer and porn actress--has just been found in a ditch, the victim of a brutal slaying. As shocking as the woman's death is her connection to Kali's brother. How did they know each other? What was John trying to tell Kali the night he died? And would someone kill to keep him from saying it? Suddenly her brother's suicide is starting to look a lot like murder.

Kali's only hope for solving the case lies in finding the last girl in the picture--a witness who knows far more than she should, maybe too much to live--and Kali has to get to her before the killer does. It's a search that will plunge her into the secrets and lies of her own family and deep into the sex industry's hidden underworld of going-nowhere-fast girls looking for easy money, where fantasies can be had for a price, blackmail is deadly, and silence can be bought with blood. And if Kali isn't careful, she could lead a cunning killer straight to the last target while putting herself in line to be the next victim... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A+Mystery Lover !
love Jonnie Jacobs books. This is another very good read.If you love a good mystery, you will love this book.Only wish she wrote faster !!!!lol

A very good read
First Sentence:The call came a little after two in the morning and pulled Erling from a particularly pleasant dream.

San Francisco attorney Kali O'Brian is away on the camping trip but, when checking messages, finds a call from her brother in Arizona, with whom she has not had contact for some time.Returning to the city, she learns her bother allegedly committed suicide after murdering a woman and her au-pair.Kali travels to Arizona to settle John's estate and clear his name.

I've always liked Jacob's Kali O'Brien so it was nice to read a new entry.I enjoyed the balance of the investigation and look at the relationship between Kali and her siblings, as she learns things about them she hadn't known.There is an interesting conflict of the lead cop who knows he should recuse himself from the investigation because of an affair he'd had with the victim. It's nice to see Kali taken out of her S.F. environment.Jacobs gives us a good sense of being in Tucson.The dialogue is a bit stilted, but the story definitely kept me turning the pages.

Extra depth and richness in new Kali book
I have always enjoyed Jonnie Jacobs' Kali Obrien books--lots of suspense and really good writing. Her latest book shows us much more about Kali's family when her brother becomes a suspect in a string of murders involving young women in Tucson. Kali and her sister have to put aside their differences to find the truth as the mystery deepens. As well, Kali has to face the problems caused by the distance she's put between herself and her family. The book is told very crisply from different points of view, including the homicide detective investigating the crimes, who's hampered because his secret ex-lover is among the murder victims, causing him constant fear that someone will turn up this fling and endanger his shaky marriage. The mystery was intricately woven and unraveled, but the insight into Kali and her family was just as engrossing. Thanks for keeping me up late again, Jonnie!

What can I say?Well....
this title started with a bang, ended with a few terrific twists and turns, but the slow-moving middle made me itchy.I'm almost at a loss for words to describe my disappointment as I am an avid fan of Jonnie Jacobs books.

Of course, I am still recommending this book to all Ms. Jacobs' fans and I really wouldn't have missed reading this title...it does continue Kali O'Brien's story in a very positive way and for that I am left a happy camper!!!

Still looking forward to the next titles from this author....

great character driven mystery
In San Francisco former District Attorney Kali O'Brien is horrified when she is informed that her brother John committed suicide after killing his ex-girlfriend Sloane Winslow and her housekeeper Olivia Perez.Though they rarely talked, Kali mourns her brother's death and has problems believing John would kill two people.

In Tucson, Arizona Kali joins their other sibling Sabrina to bury their brother and to settle his estate.However, the two sisters are stunned to learn the estate is tied up in probate while a wrongful death civil suit has been wrought against John.Kali and Sabrina seem even more stunned to learn their late sibling has been linked to the murder of a stripper and the disappearance of a teen runaway.Kali needs the truth so she begins an investigation into the activities of her deceased sibling though she fears what dark capers he did.

In her seventh refreshing tale, readers learn more about Kali's family through her investigation into her dead brother.The anticipation comes from wondering if John will be exonerated or guilty by his sister.Kali and Sabrina face a daunting task with the accusations that shred their family.Jonnie Jacobs provides a great character driven drama that shows why the O'Brien mysteries are some of the best toady.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Book Description
This enchanting tales comes with a soft pillow that has abuilt-in tooth box-- perfect for storing bt the bed for that ever-importantvisit from the tooth fairy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Cute story, awesome pillow & a young Asian tooth fairy
Wow, this is a really cool book and tooth holder that is perfect for boys or girls. What I love about this book is the actual tooth fairy is a young Asian girl and not an older lady like most books have the tooth fairy look like.
The pillow is a soft velvety blue material that is neither too girly or too boy looking..... at least to me!

There are two parts to this book ......... a pillow/ tooth container compartment that slides out of the Tooth Fairy Rules Book. On the inside of the pillow/compartment the left side has a chart of your teeth with the tooth's name and an assigned number for that tooth. On the right hand side it has a place to put a number of which tooth lost,date lost, place lost, what I got from the tooth fairy & other stuff I want to remember. On the back it has a place to put down your name. I also love that they didn't give a name to the tooth fairy, that way you can give your tooth fairy your own name... like our families' tooth fairy assigned to us was named Mary.

The book is about a boy named Max who looses a tooth and doesn't believe there is a tooth fairy so he throws his tooth into the trash. The next morning Max looks for something under his pillow and nope no money, but when his friend Amy comes over she looks in the trash can and out rolls a coin and low and behold his tooth is missing. This goes on with Max hiding his lost teeth in various places only to have the tooth fairy finding hiseach tooth and finally Max believes there is an actual tooth fairy. It's a cute story.

Really, how cool is this for your child to have all of this interesting stuff written down to look at when they are older! Just a really cool and well thought idea! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A Book for all Step-Moms
I was given this book from a friend in a blended family (as I am) and have enjoyed it ever since. At times I found it frustrating to hear how Elizabeth treated Kali, but it was wonderful to have such honesty in a very hard situation. Being in a blended family has many unique obstacles and any help or encouragment is always needed. I encourage anyone in a blended family to pick up this book and be uplifted. God is awesome in how all things work for good!

A Moving Journey
This moving "step by step" journey of a step-mom and step-daughter will have you cheering and crying
with Kali and Elizabeth Schnieders from the moment Kali joins the Schnieders family. With no experience
at being a mom, there is no way Kali could ever predict the difficulties that come with parenting. Add
step-parenting on top of the already huge responsibly of being a mom and you have one confused
Step-mom any parent can relate to. As for Elizabeth, who so wonderfully penned her frustrated thoughts
as a child for us all to read, we see a confused little girl grieving for her mother grow into a lovely young
woman who learns to respect - and even love - Kali. These two women are courageous to share their
deeply personal story and disclose to us the mistakes they have made. They truly have a desire
to warn others, so we might avoid making the same ones in our own family journeys.

Offers Hope to Anyone Struggling with a Difficult Relationship, Not Just Stepfamilies
This is an outstanding book for stepfamilies, as well as anyone struggling with a difficult relationship. When I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down! It draws on the perspectives of both a stepmom (Kali) and her stepdaughter (Elizabeth) - using journals that Elizabeth kept during her growing up years. Stepmoms will often see their own struggles mirrored.Kali writes candidly about marrying a widower and becoming a stepmother - making this one of the few books to specifically help women in this situation. Kali and Elizabeth's ten-year journey toward a positive and rewarding relationship - with all its ups and downs - is inspiring. It is raw in its honesty - discussing their family's struggle with anorexia during Elizabeth's college years. One of this book's key messages is that stepfamily relationships do not have to be terrible - there is hope that you can bond with your stepchild and have a positive relationship. If you'd like to know more, I recently did a lengthy e-interview with Kali which is posted on my website at:
[...]

Linda@powerfulappearance.com
I could not put this book down once I got started.I am NOT from a step family, but my mother and I were jealous of each other over my father which created similar scenarios and heated exchanges in my life at home.We did not resolve our differences and I left home at 17.Even though both my parents have since passed on, I felt a healing inside because I have a gained a new understanding how my mother felt during that time.
This is an important book for anyone who came from a difficult family history - blood or step - it won't matter.Gaining a new perspective and realizing there is a better way to handle these issues - that IS what matters - and what this intense read did for me.

Great for anyone in a "step" relationship
Blending families relies on God's grace and guidance and a willingness on each person's part to allow God to work through them.This book is filled with encouragement and hope as you see Kali and Elizabeth struggle on this long journey as individuals with their own ideas of what a "step" relationship should be, and trying to adjust to having each other in their lives.As they allow God to work through them and in their lives, they have grown from not really knowing or understanding each other, to trusting God for the outcome of their journey, which thankfully has become a journey they will share together.

What a blessing this book is and a wonderful resource for anyone in a "step" family relationship.Although my "step" children are grown, this book has pointed out some helpful ways to look at situations I find myself in.I especially liked the sharing from both Kali and Elizabeth on the same event.How insightful this is.This book is an inspiration to me that as we continue to rely on God and the strength that He gives us, all things are possible!
... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Boring read
I got this from the public library.I didn't want to buy the book, as I was a bit suspicious about the glorious reviews that this book has received by the 3-5 other reviewers, who all seem to say the same things in 1 sentence about the book.(If you click on them you'll see they've only written 1 review each, and its about this book-probably the author writing the reviews themselves).Its really a boring, hideously put together book.I unfortunately started to skip paragraphs just to finish the book.

A Great Historical Fiction Novel
"A blood and guts historical romantic fiction oozing period charm, set in the beautiful foothills of the Himalayas and told with all the old tradition of great storytelling.Light years from the India of today 'The Curse of Kali' is set in the leisured world of the Raj, when time stood still and Queen Victoria sat on the throne, contemplating with imperial affection her beloved India -
'The Jewel In Her Crown'."

miras from Portugal
Interesting, relaxing, witty, enjoyed by all the family and friends.Taking us back to the full glory of the British Empire. Certainly would make a good present to anybody.

The Reader
An intriguing tale of passion, witchcraft and historical events written in a compelling fashion.Obviously well researched.

Christopher Pulman - Bench Chairman
A thrilling and compelling read, full of power, passion and romance.Historical events are presented in an evocative style. ... Read more

Book Description
Based on the ancient Hindu scripture, the Devimahatmya, The Veiling Brilliance includes wisdom found in many other Hindu classics such as the Rigveda Samhita, the Upanishads, the Bhagavadgita, the Yogasutra of Patanjali, and traditional tantric works. The title refers directly to that essence of Shakti, Hindu worship of the goddess—although hidden or veiled from the eyes of those caught up in everyday life, the brilliance of her wisdom cannot be kept from those who seek it out. ... Read more

Book Description
"I don't like it," said Raymond Vernon. "I sense a strange presence here."

"Steady, old chap," said the inspector. "I know you've had a scare, but it's all quiet now."

"Too quiet," said Raymond Vernon grimly. "Kali-Ra is here. I know it!"

Suddenly, Nick heard a shattering crash and a woman's terrified scream. He nearly dropped the book in his hand. He must stop reading these damn Kali-Ra thrillers; they were beginning to seem real. But then he realized he had heard an actual scream outside the mansion doors...

Super-bankable, way-hot movie star Nadia Wentworth has found her dream role: the all-powerful, eternally beautiful Kali-Ra, Queen of Doom-one of pulp fiction's most famous characters. Even better, no one stands between Nadia owning all the rights to the Kali-Ra novels. As far as Nadia's assistant, Melanie, can tell, Kali-Ra's creator, dissolute 1920 s novelist Valerian Ricardo, left no heirs. So, it seems that no power on earth can stop the return of Kali-Ra-or prevent Nadia from gaining untold profits and worldwide mega-stardom...

That is, until a cast of mysterious characters descend on Nadia's exotic Beverly Hills mansion-putting the level-headed Melanie in a scenario weirder than anything even she's ever seen. Nick Iversen, Valerian's great-great-nephew from Minneapolis, wants the truth about his dubious heritage. The writer's wacked-out widow, Lila, hungers to spread the "divine power" of his words and control his new fortune on the earthly plane. Haplessly sleazy lawyer Quentin Smith is out to claim the profits of Kali-Ra for his unscrupulous employer. And the mysterious Callie might have a more sinister connection to her Valerian Ricardo's creation than anyone can guess.

Determined to uncover the truth about Ricardo's legacy, Melanie attempts to untangle a web of events as fiendishly difficult as any Kali-Ra herself could devise. But from the moment one of Nadia's unwanted guests turns up stabbed and dangerous forces-including obsessed Kali-Ra Internet fans-stalk the scented night, Melanie must put her own final cut on this deadly script. Even if she must confront the most terrifying perils of celebrity ego, big-studio moviemaking-or the unholy powers of Kali-Ra herself...Download Description
Super-bankable, way-hot movie star Nadia Wentworth has found her dream role: the all-powerful, eternally beautiful Kali-Ra, Queen of Doom--one of pulp fiction's most famous characters. Even better, no one stands between Nadia owning all the rights to the Kali-Ra novels. As far as Nadia's assistant, Melanie, can tell, Kali-Ra's creator, dissolute 1920s novelist Valerian Ricardo, left no heirs. So it seems that no power on earth can stop the return of Kali-Ra--or prevent Nadia from gaining untold profits and worldwide mega-stardom. . . .That is, until a cast of mysterious characters descends on Nadia's exotic Beverly Hills mansion--putting the level-headed Melanie in a scenario weirder than anything even she's ever seen. Nick Iversen, Valerian's great-great-nephew from Minneapolis, wants the truth about his dubious heritage. The writer's wacked-out widow, Lila, hungers to spread the "divine power" of his words and control his new fortune on the earthly plane. Haplessly sleazy lawyer Quentin Smith is out to claim the profits of Kali-Ra for his unscrupulous employer. And the mysterious Callie might have a more sinister connection to Valerian Ricardo's creation than anyone can guess. Determined to uncover the truth about Ricardo's legacy, Melanie attempts to untangle a web of events as fiendishly difficult as any Kali-Ra herself could devise. But from the moment one of Nadia's unwanted guests turns up stabbed and dangerous forces--including obsessed Kali-Ra Internet fans--stalk the scented night, Melanie must put her own final cut on this deadly script. Even if she must confront the most terrifying perils of celebrity ego, big-studio moviemaking--or the unholy powers of Kali-Ra herself. . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

I'm glad I discovered k.k.beck
I came accross my first k.k.beck book in a used book store. I have started collecting them. The Revenge of Kali-Ra is a well crafted tale, a very enjoyable read. Slightly different in style than her books set in the 1920's, Kali-Ra grabs you at the very beginning and I couldn't put it down.

Light and Breezy and Very Entertaining
Actress Nadia Wentworth, well-known for her popularity and anatomy, has found the role that she deeply believes she was born to play: the evil, eternal and gorgeous goddess Kali-Ra, of the now-forgotten, wildly popular pulp fiction series from the '20s. Little does Nadia know that by bringing Kali-Ra and her creator Valerian Ricardo back into the public eye, she'll be setting the stage for. . . a lot of people to come tramping into her life with demands!

Nick Iverson, average guy with a philosophy degree, has just discovered he's Ricardo's heir. Or would be if Ricardo's wife, Lila were dead. Which she isn't. She's very much alive and trying to spread Valerian's "message" to the masses. But that won't benefit either of them monetarily as the book is public domain now and no one owns the rights.

Or do they? It appears some heavy handed fat guy in a Speedo living in some foreign county not only has the rights, but he's sending his goons--a nervous lawyer and an aged lounge singer to be exact--to get his money.

Into this mix, add one Doctor of Literature, who wrote his thesis on Valerian, one burnt-out script writer who just wants some peace and a good drink, a mysterious hot young thing named Callie, and Melanie, Nadia's manager and general dog's body--the only really sane one of the bunch. Stir in one murder, a missing security man and some cheesy pulp fiction and you've got The Revenge of Kali-Ra!

In this tongue-in-cheek, laugh-out-loud novel, Beck manages, easily and credibly, to bring together all these bizarre and seemingly unrelated characters. The story generally flows well and employs a few twists and turns that would have made any pulp author proud. Over all, this is a fun, breezy book and well-worth a read.

This is what I think of when some one says "a good read."
I was recently given a copy of THE REVENGE OF KALI-RA by a friend who thought I would enjoy it, knowing my fondness for Pulp fiction (and all things Pulp related).

Being unfamiliar with the work of K.K. Beck, I added this novel to a precariously balanced stack of other books that had already accumulated in my bedroom that has come to called my "BOOKS TO BE READ...SOMEDAY" stack, figuring that I would get to it "eventually". But, every time I glanced at the mockingly large mound of books in the corner, the gaudy red book cover with the 30's heroine in peril on the top of the pile kept egging me on, "Pick me up and read me," it said, "thrills, spills & chills are waiting for you beneath my tawdry red cover."

Finally, unable to ignore it's lure any longer, I picked up this book hesitantly, unsure what to expect from this intriguingly titled book by an author with whom I was completely unfamiliar...and am I glad that I did.

This story revolves around a hot young Hollywood starlet who stumbles across a long out of print pulp novel written by a long forgotten 1920's hack by the name of Valerian Ricardo (Uncle Sid to his family back in MN). The starlet, Nadia Wentworth, decides that she must play the main character featured in a series of out of print books written by Ricardo about a femme fatale character called Kali-Ra, Queen of Doom (think Fu Manchu in a dress). Out of this simple premise follows a rollickingly good story about a flaky Hollywood starlet and her level-headed but put upon assistant, a hectoring old harridan of a widow clutching for control of her husbands memory, a drunken screenwriter being held against his will, a shady off-shore money man living in exile, a possible illegitimate child, a senile old crooner and his mountain of a chauffeur, a directionless great-great-grand-nephew from MN, and a mad dash to claim the copyright to the long forgotten, but now much in demand, writings of Valerian Ricardo. It all leads to a bevy of twists and turns, a few good laughs, and a very satisfying ending.

This humorous, light-hearted send-up of Hollywood and the self-absorbed characters that live their may not be Shakespeare (or Hammett or Chandler for that matter), but if you're looking for a well told story and a memorable cast of characters, I can sincerely recommend this book.

Great book, though mystery plays second fiddle to comedy
This is not a mystery in the traditional sense.In fact, the crime is committed surprisingly close to the end of the book (and don't be let down by the solution).The real focus here is the wild sendup of trashy pulpnovels from the '20s-'40s, vulturous heirs, crazed cults, and modern-dayHollywood and the idiots and sleazeballs that surround it.

Everycharacter is memorable, as well as a loving parody of some cliche,celebrity, or character type.In disagreement with one of the belowreviews, the fun of the book is that all the characters are one-dimensionaltypes.The best mysteries are usually written that way (even AgathaChristie did it with "And Then There Were None!"), so that theirone domating personality trait (often the one that makes them look guiltyfor one reason or another) can be emphasized and the story, which surroundsthe murder, is not clogged up by character development.Sure, we all lovebooks rich in character, but mysteries often shouldn't be that way.Somewriters (like Sue Grafton) can pull it off, but for most of us, it's justfine.The one side of the characters we see are always uproarious, and thecharacters are very well-drawn: SSelf-absorbed, dumb Nadia; resourceful,studious Melanie; eager, giddy Nick; mysterious, sexual Callie; bitter,drunken Duncan; abrasive, demanding washed-up crooner Vince; hapless,loveless Quentin; sneaky, calculating Lila; and the list rollson.....

It's the most humorously well-written book I've read, too.Theprose is laced with sour humor, even in simple descriptions of charactersand items, and the dialogue is witty and vital.(And the pulp novelsegments are great!)The pacing is fast and interesting, never slowing toomuch to lose interest.All the plots weave together quite nicely, andthere's even an all-around happy ending that could only happen inHollywood.By no means your conventional murder-mystery, and moreresembling some wild satire along the lines of "Soap," this bookjust screams "MOVIE!"This could easily be done with an obviousall-star cast; one's brain automatically fits celebrities into the roleswith no trouble.A fun, light summer read, I picked it up one Sunday inJuly and had devoured it by Friday night.Tuck your cares away and readthis book.you won't be disappointed.

I can think of plenty of funnier writers
I saw the cover of this book and smiled.I used to read Fu Manchu novels and the mysteries of Seabury Quinn when I was a teenager (and this was in the 1970s!) and loved all the trappings of ersatz Asian occultism and thearmy of thugs and dacoits armed with daggers and blowpipes with poisondarts.But Beck's novel is not about those writers' creations nor is it avery good parody of what it attempts to poke fun at.Donald Westlake isfar funnier at the comic crime novel, so is Carl Hiassen.They know theirworlds.Beck seems to have done some cursory research (certainly Rohmer'sseries is evident as well as references to Haggard's Allan Quartermain andShe-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed) but there's more contempt for the genre than anyreal love of the pulps. And any true parodist really loves the subject he'ssending up and doesn't use that subject as a target of moralizing.Beckseems to be one of the writers who jumped on the bandwagon of the popularcomic crime novel because, at this time, it's a moneymaking genre.Hercharacters are lifted out of the realm of cliche (the bimbo starlet; thefailed lawyer with an equally failed love life; the alcoholic, sex-starvedscreenwriter; etc. etc.) and can be found in any number of ho-hum popularcrime novel writers' books.Finally, had I bothered to read the wholeblurb I would've learned this book was more about moviemaking (a topic Iloathe) and the moronic minds in Hollywood and I would've avoided itcompletely.I stayed for the pastiche of pulp writing which IS funny andright on the mark.Overall, this is pretty run-of-the-mill.But foranyone who lingered over the pages of a real trashy pulp thriller from the30s or 40s, craving the action and melodrama of the evil East battling therighteous West, it might be worth a read. ... Read more

Product Description
Kali's Blade is a unique collection mixing poetry, prose, and collaborations to bring martial arts to the page, creating a tapestry that attempts to capture this elusive spirit known as Kali (a martial arts form). Kali's Blade is like walking the edge of a knife between reality and myth, strength and frailty, the physical being and the written body. As Bautista writes in, "How to Battle a Wind Goddess," the only real way to win is to inhale her, for "where she became my flesh / I became the wind goddess." ... Read more