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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded malls, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That’s just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they’ll skip the holiday altogether. Theirs will be the only house on Hemlock Street without a rooftop Frosty, they won’t be hosting their annual Christmas Eve bash, they aren’t even going to have a tree. They won’t need one, because come December 25 they’re setting sail on a Caribbean cruise. But as this weary couple is about to discover, skipping Christmas brings enormous consequences—and isn’t half as easy as they’d imagined.

A classic tale for modern times from a beloved storyteller, John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas offers a hilarious look at the chaos and frenzy that have become part of our holiday tradition.Amazon.com Review
John Grisham turns a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive holiday season, and the result is Skipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25. Grisham's story revolves around a typical middle-aged American couple, Luther and Nora Krank. On the first Sunday after Thanksgiving they wave their daughter Blair off to Peru to work for the Peace Corps, and they suddenly realize that "for the first time in her young and sheltered life Blair would spend Christmas away from home."

Luther Krank sees his daughter's Christmas absence as an opportunity. He estimates that "a year earlier, the Luther Krank family had spent $6,100 on Christmas," and have "precious little to show for it." So he makes an executive decision, telling his wife, friends, and neighbors that "we won't do Christmas." Instead, Luther books a 10-day Caribbean cruise. But things start to turn nasty when horrified neighbors get wind of the Krank's subversive scheme and besiege the couple with questions about their decision.

Grisham builds up a funny but increasingly terrifying picture of how this tight-knit community turns on the Kranks, who find themselves under increasing pressure to conform. As the tension mounts, readers may wonder whether they will manage to board their plane on Christmas day. Skipping Christmas is Grisham-lite, with none of the serious action or drama of his legal thrillers, but a funny poke at the craziness of Christmas. --Jerry Brotton, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (924)

Skip the Book
I kept waiting for something interesting to happen; it didn't. I thought the characters might be well developed and interesting; they weren't. I thought the ending might not be predictable; it was.

Maybe I was expecting too much from someone who can really spin an intriguing story. Hoped it would be funny, or poignant, or just a "cut above." It was disappointing. Don't be disappointed. Don't buy it.

Cute story
I think the real Ba-Humbugs are the negative reviews about this story! Perhaps the publisher's hype of it being the next Christmas Carol are slightly off the mark, but what is wrong with a book dealing with the angst of celebrating the holidays?No one is murdered except the Krank's Frosty (and even that is accidental) so there is no need for courtroom drama. So what! And of course it will not be submitted for a Pulitizer either, but the story deals with what many Americans in our super-sized, over-the-top, commercialization of Christmas deal with every year. As Grisham states in the voice of Luther, lots of stuff has been heaped on the birth of Christ!

Poor Luther is just trying to cope fact that the absence of his daughter during the holiday season will be upsetting to his wife Nora, save some money, finally get more than five days off for a vacation and forgo some of the overboard trappings of celebrating Christmas.

He might seem cranky when dealing with the mulitude requests of trees, calendars, office parties, useless gifts both given and received, zealous neighbors and a doubtful wife but there is no sympathy for a guy trying to divest himself of "too much" except the lonely, hen-pecked fellow office worker.Only if Luther professes to be Jewish or Buddist will anyone consider giving him some slack!

Luther is just the basic everyday person trying to make some sense out of an overblown celebration, while still remaining the caring, generous guy his wife, daughter and neighbors love.

Yes, maybe it's another "Hallmark-esque" story based on the need for mankind to find "peace on earth, and good will toward man" but still a great read!

lighthearted entertaining holiday stocking yarn
After celebrating Christmas for years with their daughter, Luther and Nora Krank decide a holiday change is what they ought to do while their offspring is serving in South America with the Peace Corps.Neither of the Kranks particularly enjoys the holidays due to crassness and the frenzies of late shopping amidst a horde.They agree to Skipping Christmas this year by going on ten day cruise with the money they didn't spend on the holiday.

They ignore charities and their neighbors who insist the lights and Frosty must go up.This year, they will be dining on a luxury ship rather than hosting a gala as they have done for years.However, the Kranks are about to learn an American lesson when it comes to Skipping Christmas as plans of mice and bah humbugs often go astray in late December.

This is a lighthearted entertaining reprint of John Grisham's satirizing a capitalist Christmas.The story line is fun, but not anywhere near the excitement of the author's legal thrillers.Still with a eggnog nod to It's A Wonderful Life, fans who enjoy a warm holiday stocking yarn will want to learn how hard it is to simply skip Christmas.

Harriet Klausner

Easy read in one day
I love John Grisham and to read something that hasn't to do with lawyers from him is fine. This book is very easy to read. I read it in one day, couldn't put it down. Yes, the neighbors are a little annoying, the characters overly dramatic. But isn't it an author's right to do whatever he/she wants with his/her characters? If you don't like this book, don't read it. But I find some people very unrighteously calling this book a bore. It is fun. And I am sure that somewhere in this country, probably on one of the coasts, this is almost like in the book. I have seen some of it.... but after all, it is a book, a fiction! And a GOOD one.

An unbelievable but interesting tale
Luther and Nora Krank - note the names Luther and Krank - have a daughter who leaves them just before Christmas to go serve the world in the Peace Corps. Luther decides that this is an opportunity to avoid Christmas. The holiday cost the couple $6,100 last year because of gifts, parties, cards, trees, donations, and so on. Luther finds that they can go on a Caribbean cruise for half this amount and have more fun. He remembers all the fights that people have over Christmas. He persuades Nora.

All seems fine until they encounter the reactions of their neighbors, coworkers, and others. The Kranks decide that if they are going to avoid Christmas, they should not put up a tree and not place a Frosty the Snowman on their roof. Their neighbors are outraged. A sign appears, "Free Frosty," meaning take the statue out of the basement and put it on the roof. The police association and the firemen association are also stunned even though Luther promises to give the money they want for Christmas for another police and fireman affair.

Will the Kranks survive the reactions of their community? Will the community take revenge? Will the Kranks realize that Christians simply cannot avoid Christmas? What will their daughter think?

... Read more

Product Description
"Schoolyard rhymes are catchy and fun. They are easy to remember. In fact, they stick in the mind like bubble gum to a shoe." writes Judy Sierra in her introduction to this lively collection of traditional playground chants. Included are more than 50 verses ranging from the familiar jump rope rhyme about the mythical lady with the alligator purse to less familiar counting-out ones, from funny rhymes for ball-bouncing and hand-clapping games to "Liar, liar, pants on fire, nose as long as a telephone wire" and other choice insults of children. Melissa Sweet includes bright, colorful fabric swatches in her watercolor-and-pencil collages to perfectly capture the spirit of these funky, street-smart verses that children love to recite and chant. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Okay for schoolyard rhymes
This book was not quite what we were hoping for. Pictures are okay but we wanted more direction in how to do the rhymes.

Good book
Nice book.Has lots of rhymes ... some I knew, some I didn't ... some had more lines than I remember...This book just has the words to the rhymes, so if you are looking for the rhythms or the hand clapping sequence (as I was) this isn't the book for you.

Back down memory lane!
What a wonderful blast from the page! I so enjoyed reacquainting myself with many of the childhood rhymes from my double dutching days. This will be a great gift for me to share with my nieces as they too will be introduced to such famous childhood rhymes. Even the illustrations made the rhymes stand out fully engaging one to try them out on the playground. ... Read more

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Sarah Pekkanen's poignant second novel about marriage, forgiveness, and the things that really matter, which will have readers laughing and crying. ... Read more

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(Gay / Erotica / Erotic Romance / Contemporary / The Arts / Voyeurism) Leo wants nothing more than to leave Paris, the City Of Love, to escape the memories of a disastrous affair. The artist is soured on love and down on his luck, and he doesn't even have the money for a plane ticket. Leo knew his best friend Mark understood heartbreak. When he phones Mark with his sad story, the man offers Leo the money to return to the U.S. and asks him to help out at a resort he co-owns with his own former lover, Reed. Although Leo has never met Reed--the poster boy for heartbreaker of the century--he feels like he knows him, given the letters Mark wrote over the years, pouring out his heart about Bad Boy Reeds' lecherous adventures and insensitivity. And Leo also can't help but resent Reed. Not only had the guy repeatedly broken Mark's heart, but he'd stood between Leo and Mark, preventing them from ever being together. Now, Leo is convinced that he has Reed all figured out, but when the gorgeous, red-hot computer engineer unexpectedly comes home, Leo is completely unprepared for the man who supposedly raked Mark over the coals. And soon, everything gets turned upside down, which might make Leo's recovery from a broken heart impossible this time around, plus destroy a long-time friendship in the process... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Going back
I've learned to appreciate and really like D. J. Manly's writing. There's a heartfelt ache that gets passed along to us in each of her stories.In 'Skipping Stones', that feeling of having to rely on someone to help you out of an unpleasant situation hits home with Leo when he has to call his best friend to pay for his ticket from Paris to Florida.I know and felt what Leo was going through with the feelings of betrayal on top of all else.What I didn't get were the secrets Mark had kept from Leo. I even understood how Leo felt like he was betraying Mark's friendship by slipping Reed a little tongue here and there and some other things too. But, how could Leo have not known about Mark's personality traits since they had been best friends since grade school.You'll just have to read it to find out what his hangups really are.

Coming Home
Manly, D.J. "Skipping Stones", Amber Quill Press, 2010.

Coming Home

Amos Lassen

Leo is inParis and really wants to leave because of the terrible memories he has of an affair that went bad. He has no money and he is bitter. His only resort is to ask his friend, Mark, to help him with a plane ticket and Mark not only does that but he offers Leo a place to work at a resort that he co-owns with his ex-lover, Reed. Leo has never met Reed but he feels like he knows him after having heard so much from Mark. Leo knows that he will not like Reed or at least that's what he thinks. When he sees Reed, however, his opinion changes. He wonders if Reed is the one to help him get over his broken heart but can his affair destroy his friendship with Mark.
Leo is an artist with great dreams but after his breakup, he has lost the desire to paint. When he meets Reed all of that changes. This is a gay "modern" romance with lots of sex.
Of course, as soon as Leo arrives at the resort, Reed pays a visit. Leo is ready to hate him, on Mark's account, but Reed is handsome and kind and Leo is drawn to him even though he knows that this will hurt Mark. It appears that Mark loves Reed and uses Leo to make Reed jealous but Reed is not at all jealous and wants Leo. Then Leo has sex with Mark to comfort him on loosing Reed, but he, himself, loves Reed. Adrian, another guest at the resort, loves Mark but pushes him in Reed's arms since he knows he can't really have him and in the midst of all of this is Leo who is supposedly in love with Pierre, but was in love with Mark when they were young and maybe is wishing to rekindle the flame. However he lusts for Reed (sounds like a soap opera).

Leo is honest enough with himself to admit that, that he still wants sex and Reed is a rebound love, but he makes a deep impression on Leo's. He knows that having a relationship with Reed will cause drama and trouble with Mark, but he is so much in love that he doesn't care.

Skipping Stones by D.J. Manly
This is an example of gay "modern" romance; it's for sure a romance, it's about love and expectation, but it's also modern since there is no the concept of sex indissolubly linked to love. Sex is something physical, for sure it's also about love, but sex can be also comfort, sex can be lust and obsession.

Leo is a young American artist living in Paris; until he was in love with Pierre, an handsome French businessman, Paris was a wonderful city, full of possibilities, odours and colours. Now that Leo has discovered that Pierre is married and a cheater, Paris is grey and rainy and Leo wants to be back home. Mark, his childhood best friend and Leo's first crush, offers him a job as handyman in the fancy gay resort he is managing in Florida; Mark has a similar experience as Leo, he was in love with Reed, the owner of the resort, but Reed didn't love him back, and now Mark is pining waiting for the few times in the year Reed comes back in Florida.

Of course, as soon as Leo arrives to the resort, also Reed chooses to pay one of his exceptional visits; Leo is ready to hate him, on Mark's account, but indeed Reed is handsome, kind and somewhat sad; Reed draws Leo like a moth to the light, and even if Leo knows that there will be the drama, he is unable to resist.

There is a complex game of snap: Mark loves Reed and uses Leo to make Reed's jealous; Reed is not at all jealous and wants Leo; Leo has sex with Mark to comfort him on loosing Reed, but loves Reed; Adrian, another guest at the resort, loves Mark but pushes him in Reed's arms since he knows he can't really have him... In the middle of all of this, Leo is supposedly in love with Pierre, he was in love with Mark when they were young and maybe is wishing to rekindle the flame, and lusts after Reed; plus, he is not blind and is able to see how handsome and clever Adrian is, so even him is another possible player in the game of above.

I like Leo's attitude, even when he is heartbroken, he is honest enough with himself to admit that, even if he is swearing off men, in a love relationship perspective, he is not a liar, and he admits that he still wants sex; sex, as I said, is a comfort for the body, and a good healer for the heart. Indeed, Reed is a rebound love, but on the contrary of most of these types of lovers, he makes an even deeper impression on Leo's heart of the lover he is trying to forget. Leo indeed is really young, and as all the young people, he is able to heal for a broken heart faster and sooner than older men.

I also like that, even if Leo knows that having a relationship with Reed he will face drama and trouble with Mark, he is so madly in lust/love with him that he doesn't care; he is like a willing participant on a crash test who doesn't care knowing there will be a crash, what it counts is the excitement and satisfaction he will find in the race.

DECEPTIONS
Skipping Stones

Artist Leo Waters is heartbroken and desperate to leave Paris after his affair of almost a year suddenly ends.Leo's best friend Mark comes to his rescue by offering to pay for a plane ticket in addition to a job at the Florida resort in which he is part owner.Reed Owen, the other part owner and the source of Mark's unrequited love, turns out to be nothing like the villain he is portrayed by Mark.Realizing he was misinformed about Reed, Leo cannot resist their growing attraction.Now the question is what to do about Mark?

Skipping Stones is a heart wrenching emotional rollercoaster romance.The well defined characters are attention-grabbing and believable.Leo is an artist with dreams of becoming a successful painter.However, his desire to paint is temporarily lost after his breakup with his French lover.Leo is somewhat naïve; he believes what he is told and is in denial when it comes to recognizing the truth surrounding Mark's personality.It is only when Leo watches the interactions between Mark and Reed that their true relationship is revealed.Mark is delusional, self absorbed as well as obsessed with getting his way.He seems incapable of deciphering between his flights of the imagination and reality.Reed is a passionate man who is immediately attracted to Leo, an attraction that soon evolves into love.Reed is determined to tear down the barrier surrounding Leo's heart, which he does in a very sensual way.Reed demonstrates an easy going persona. He is tolerant of Mark, even though he has no feelings for him other than an informal friendship along with pity for Mark's continual love misconception. Reed spends months at a time away from home hoping that Mark will let go of his fantasy as well as move on with his life.It is Leo who is finally able to convince Mark to get a fresh start by changing locations.D. J. Manly has created a fantastic well written saga that I enjoyed immensely.
... Read more

Product Description
In Skipping Towards Gomorrah, Dan Savage eviscerates the right-wing conservatives as he commits each of the Seven Deadly Sins himself (or tries to) and finds those everyday Americans who take particular delight in their sinful pursuits.Among them:

Greed: Gamblers reveal secrets behind outrageous fortune.
Lust: "We're swingers!"-you won't believe who'sdoing it.
Anger: Texans shoot off some rounds and then listen to Dan fire off on his own about guns, guncontrol, and the Second Amendment.

Combine a unique history of the Seven Deadly Sins, a new interpretation of the biblical stories of Sodom and Gomorrah, and enough Bill Bennett, Robert Bork, Pat Buchanan, Dr. Laura, and Bill O'Reilly bashing to more than make up for their incessant carping, and you've got the most provocative book of the fall. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (65)

Very Sub-Standard
This book is written on the popular level -- lots of assertions, tired old myths and assumptions, very little in the way of documented fact. It's more of an excercise in self-justification and moral relativism than anything else. It's poorly written, juvenile in its tone.

The main argument goes -- there are those that profess a moral standard; many of those people violate that moral standard; ergo, they are hypocrites so don't feel bad that you're immoral too because we all are and it's natural and good!

Basic philosophical assumptions: If it feels good, do it. The ends justify the means. Life has no transcendant purpose or meaning, so eat, drink and fornicate -- for tomorrow we die. Savage simply expresses the wealth of his ignorance of the Framers and the worldview in which they lived and worked. He makes an absurd argument (based on zero evidence) that early man lived a "messy, communual" life, so therefore we should as well since that is what is "natural" to us.

The evidence to back that up? None, of course. It was "prehistoric," we really don't know at all how they lived -- they may have had a very formal moral structure. Moreover, even if we took his gratuitous assertions as factual, he needs to be consistent. These communities may have had "free sex" amongst themselves -- they very well may have also raped at will to satisfy their "urges" -- and stole from each other, and probably bashed each others skulls apart to get a desired mate from a rival.

Why not justify rape, theft, brutality and other animalistic justifications along with the sleeping around? I'm sure there may have been plenty of incest and adults having sex with young children, too. Why not? These are just social conventions that the human race has imposed upon itself, just like restrictions against homosexuality and promiscuity, or so the very obtuse Mr. Savage would assert. Isn't that "natural" too, Mr. Savage? Why the pick and choose to justify your perverted, immoral lifestyle?

If you want a book that reinforces what you already believe to justify immoral desires, go for it. If you want considered, thoughtful analysis on the human moral condition and what it means to live a civilized, decent life of modesty and temperance pass this one by and move on. It is crude garbage.

Skipping Towards Gomorrah
I bought the book because it was the title my book group chose to read and discuss in September.
This is not high-class literature but does include information that was new to me.
The author has attempted to commit each of the so-called seven deadly sins in the location in the U.S. where he believes there are many others committing a specific sin; i.e. greed in Las Vegas. His observations about gambling seem to be well thought out and show his understanding of the process. Comments by the author about some of the other sins didn't demonstrate as much deep thought.
The point author, Dan Savage, seems to be trying to make is that it's possible to commit one or more of the seven deadly sins and it won't kill you or send you to hell.

Both interesting and funny
I read this book from my local library a little over a year ago.I am now purchasing a copy for my Kindle.The content is thought provoking and Savage's take on things is, as always, humorous.Check out his column online, and if you like it, give his books a try.

Disgusting Piece of Trash
I cannot believe that any rational person who distinguish himself as human being would gain any value or learn anyhting from this garbage. In fact, this trash is considered a big stain of shame and disgrace on the forehead of the American moral heritage.

So much fun!
This book was incredibly awesome!Dan has a way with his writing that captivates the audience and begs you to keep reading.So much in fact that I found it near impossible to put this book down to stop reading and get some sleep.It touches on some very awesome ideas without making it too personal to the reader. ... Read more

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The most effective message yet found by the hijackers of mainstream religion is Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind series of apocalyptic Christian novels. This wide-ranging study examines the books and the empire behind them. Author Michael Standaert contextualizes the Left Behind phenomenon by probing millennial thinking across cultures, from pre-Christian times to the present, and tracing the evolution of militant evangelism in the U.S., uncovering the links between fundamentalist religious figures and mainstream right-wing politicians through organizations like the Moral Majority. Skipping Toward Armageddon rips the lid off the Left Behind books’ ideological underpinnings, showing how LaHaye uses them to advance the foreign and domestic policy goals Religious Right, from fomenting Middle East violence to promoting homophobia and xenophobia. The book is a timely cautionary tale, revealing that these best-selling books are not simply harmless thrillers written from an evangelical Christian perspective but a tool in a fanatical group’s agenda. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Interesting, if flawed
There's nothing worse than a fanatic, someone who single-mindedly believes in something to such an extent as to exclude the possibility of there being an alternative (and perhaps even legitimate) point of view. Religion and politics are the two most deadly forms of the disease, and when they combine, there is the potential for disaster - think of the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages, when it had something approaching the political authority to enforce its position as The One True Church. While the current situation in the USA is not so far gone, it continues to move worryingly in that direction, with some people clearly determined to establish America as "a Christian country", i.e., a theocracy. And when that comes, you can bet that it will be every bit as intolerant as any Islamic country. But it can't happen - can it?

In the USA, an almost religious belief in America as the cure to the world's ills (as opposed to a prime cause thereof) and Republican politics have combined to produce a frightful monster of an offspring, which has twisted and perverted the whole political discourse in the USA. It may represent the greatest danger to the planet that we have ever seen, and we probably have not seen the last of it.

Tim LaHaye's "Left Behind" books are not merely badly-written religious pulp fiction based on highly dubious theology (anyone who maintains s/he understands Revelation clearly needs his/her head read), but an attempt to promote the narrow ideology of the religious right, with its complete intolerance of, well, everything except itself. They preach the rightness of theocracy by basing the story on the ultimate theocracy, the Second Coming of Jesus to establish a very non-democratic Kingdom on earth. This book documents the attempts of Tim LaHaye and the like to promulgate this ideology of America needing to be a "Christian nation" of this particularly narrow kind. In this, the author allows himself to roam beyond the confines of the publishing phenomenon that is the "Left Behind" series and look at the wider picture and history of the conservative evangelical movement in the USA, how it has become politicized, and how it is seeking to exert ever greater political control. It is a story of very deluded men masquerading as angels of light. During the Spanish Inquisition, the Dominician friars, with tears in their eyes, would plead with heretics to repent, even as they lit the faggots under their feet. You just know that LaHaye and Co. would be just the same.

The book is interesting (and worrying), but it could have used a good editor, one who knows grammar and spelling. It has some real howlers ("the militia movement begins to horde weapons"). It could also have been more even-handed. The author is clearly antagonistic to the evangelicals, which, while understandable, is perhaps not the best attitude to strike. There are many fine Christian people in the USA who have not sold their souls to the lunatic fringe. They will be needed to show genuine Christian values, as opposed to the false ones of LaHaye & Co.

Goodbook, needs a proofreader
I found this an interesting and well researched book.However, it had numerous proofreading errors that were very distracting.

Complete Nonsense
This book is complete nonsense.Perhaps instead of looking at Tim LaHaye as a villain and thinking he wants people in the Middle East dead, it might be better to look at the author's agenda which is to label people who believe in Christ as "war mongers."Clearly the author doesn't understand Christianity at its core or the teachings of Jesus.

Perhaps the author should have taken the time to read the Book of Daniel and The Book of Revelation to have a better view of end-time beliefs.

The wonderful thing is that the God we believe in absolutely believes in the freedom to choose.You can choose to believe or not.However, our ability to believe or not doesn't change truth.

DECENT CONTENTS--AWFUL PACKAGING
The content of this book was interesting and well sourced if a little bit repetitive and heavy-handed. However, the printed text was riddled with numerous typos--sometimes as many as 2 or 3 per page! I can only assume that this is the fault of the publisher and not the author. Don't read this book if typos drive you crazy!

Author: 4 stars
Publisher: 1 star

Unlikely to convince "true believers," but impressive marshalling of facts
A very well researched--might even say exhaustively so--work about the incredibly popular Left Behind series. Standaert delivers an impressive analysis of the dispensationalist, fundamentalist mentality that pervades this book and so much of modern popular Christian culture. He does a great job of exposing many of the hidden assumptions of the series such as its pervasive violence, nihilism, intolerance and anti- mentality (anti-Catholic, anti-Semitic, anti"moderate Christian, etc.). Apologists who would argue that such devices are just literary license to tell a story should bear in mind that without the violence, bigotry and hatred espoused by LaHaye and Jenkins in the books, there would be no story to tell.

This book more properly deserves 3.5 stars, but I went with 4 since 3 would seem like damning with faint praise. There are a couple deficiences that when known make the book more readable. First, the organization tends to be a little slipshod. The chapters read more like a group of essays rather than a cohesive monograph; as a result it often seems like Standaert is trodding over the same ground from chapter to chapter. Second, due to this lack of organization his analyses a) often come across as personal attacks on LaHaye rather than objective conclusions, b) don't really speak to those who may have sympathies towards LaHaye et al's brand of Christianity, even fleetingly, but who need to be convinced more compellingly. Such people may be inclined to see Standaert as vindicating LaHaye's paranoia and misplaced literalism (some further explanation of the author's own spiritual inclinations may have helped delineate his points). Those who do not believe in this type of millennialism will find an impressive array of facts to respond to LaHaye's supporters.

Third, there are small typos and misspellings that may drive those so inclined to notice such things crazy--e.g. referring to German chancellor Helmut Kohl as "Kohn." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Pretty good
I liked this book a lot, but the ending seemed very abrupt.Perhaps you are supposed to read River of Joy and Call Me Graywolf (I think these are sequels).If someone knows, please post the answer.

My All Time Favorite Book
This is a wonderful love story suitable for any teenage girl. A Christian romance that teaches love without gratuitous sex and mature themes. ... Read more

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Skipping Christmas a novel ... Read more

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An Anthology of Hampton Roads, Virginia Poets, Artists, & Photographers ... Read more

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String Skipping & Wide Interval Soloing: 212 Melodic Studies and Patterns for Guitar is a much-needed guitarist s guide to mastering wide interval soloing.This collection of repeating, continuous motion studies shows the guitarist how to develop melodic patterns that are characterized by large intervallic jumps in pitch, from one note to the next, in constant succession. This book presents four unique approaches to developing wide interval soloing, all of which utilize string skipping: 1) double pentatonic scales, which are three-note-per-string pentatonic scale patterns; 2) octave sliding, which uses sliding octave shapes in a variety of ways; 3) stacked fifths, which are wide interval shapes derived from pentatonic scales; and 4) wide interval arpeggios derived from the diatonic major scale.The sound that results from these techniques is exciting and unpredictable because it is such a departure from conventional melodic flow, which tends to be scalar, moving stepwise from one note in a scale to the next. By contrast, wide interval soloing is angular and skewed with big skips and sudden directional changes, creating a complex and fascinating sound. All of the studies in this book are designed as melodic etudes that can be applied directly to soloing in rock, jazz, fusion, and blues music.This book is ideal for serious guitarists in any style who want to break out of typical soloing patterns and create a more explosive, radical sound! CD included. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Every Teen Should Read This Book!
Great book for teens on how to take control of your education, go to college, realize your career goals, and have fun doing it.
I am a parent who read this book because I was not sure if I wanted to continue homeschooling through High School in the traditional way, or place my child in a High School. Now I am sure I don't have to do either one. Blake Boles shows teenagers how to take control of their education step by step to become Self Directed Learners and stay motivated.

A top pick for any collection focusing on gifted and talented education
It's a big step to skip, but it's doable. "College Without High School: A Teenager's Guide to Skipping High School and Going to College" discusses how exceptional individuals and gifted and talented children can skip the drudgery of high school to leap to their future in college. These aspiring individuals tell their tale and give many high schoolers and middle schoolers with high aspirations for life the advice they need to start on that fast track now instead of later. "College Without High School" is a top pick for any collection focusing on gifted and talented education, and as a gift for these exceptional children.

Not what I was looking for...
This book describes ways in which homeschooled/unschooled kids can document their suitability for prestigious colleges with limited enrollment, and it has good ideas for accomplishing that.For kids who plan to begin college in junior college or a local college with open enrollment, this is irrelevant.As an unschooling mother, I was looking for suggested benchmarks, a way to reassure myself and child that he is sufficiently prepared to do college work.This book did not cover that material.

Easy to read & packed with great examples
College Without High School is a great, short read that I flew through in a few hours on my last plane trip. As a young adult preparing for college, this was a refreshing glimpse at the multitudes of possibilities I have this day in age preparing for college. Boles illustrates countless ways to lead a life filled with self-motivated, educational-packed adventures that free the soul and impress college admissions officers at the same time.

By spending your teenage years away from a traditional high school environment and instead chasing down your passions face-first, the prospects of being accepted into a college or university don't crumble, they flourish. Having the ability to prove your interest in a subject with real-world experience, combined with Bole's great tips to study for standardized testing, can set you bounds ahead of the same-old AP and SAT scores that are all today's high-school students have to show for their years of classroom study.

Boles encourages fantastic educational opportunities in not only the academic sense, but in nurturing critical skills such as leadership and logical reasoning, among others, and why these are key to excel this day in age.

The entire book is full of practical examples at every discussion, and wraps everything in the language you need to convey your breadth of abilities to college admissions officers.

I highly enjoyed this read and feel inspired to seriously get out there and thrust my education forward: straight towards my goals. ... Read more

Product Description
Visiting the exciting new Backbeat Cafe+a7, which is owned by the lead singer of a hot band, Nancy, Bess, and George confront an unexpected mystery when a smoke bomb goes off. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Keeps the reader on the edge
It was pretty good.Even though the beginning was a bit boring,the end was cool. ... Read more

Product Description
Some of life's most rewarding activities are the simplest. Take rock skipping. Hidden within this timeless, instinctual pastime is a world of physicality, contemplation, fun, and competition. Rock skipping can be a solitary or group activity, athletically competitive or meditatively energizing, a simple diversion or a trigger for creative thought. Most people have tried rock skipping at least once in their childhood but oddly enough, half of people surveyed do not know how to successfully skip a rock. Designed with four-color graphics and photography, this upbeat and informative book package explores all of the facets of this age-old activity. It features sections on the why, where, and how-to of rock skipping, games for both the seasoned skipper and interested beginners, and includes a stone perfect for rock skipping. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

fascinating
This is a remarkable little book, about something simple, yet as important as anything we do - enjoying the moment.And reading this was a pleasure, as the writer took me on a simple journey, and isn't a thing like rock-skipping fascinating?Well done!

Utterly Charming!!
This book is a little gem. It made me smile and relax just to read it!What a wonderful book for all your friends who need to get back in touch with how amazing the simple pleasures are in life. Great to help with new year's resolutions!I couldn't recommend it more.

nice gift book
This is a very nice gift to give to just about anyone male, female, young & old. Most people grow up trying their hand at skipping and the book brings back those memories.I was surprised at the back of the book gift. I think the inclusion of the rock is a great idea. ... Read more

Product Description
Skipper is the new drummer for the coolest rock band in school. When her best friend Courtney's costumes for the band become a problem, Skipper has a tough choice to make. That's when she turns to Barbie, who reminds her what being a real friend is all about! ... Read more