Where You Once Belonged

Book Description

The red Cadillac pulled down Main Street and sat by the tavern for hours, unnoticed. Then Ralph Bird of the Men's Store recognized the driver as Jack Burdette and bolted to the sheriff's office. The prodigal son of Holt, Colorado, had returned--and he was far from welcome.

In Where You Once Belonged, acclaimed novelist Kent Haruf tells of a small-town hero who is dealt an enviable hand--and cheats with all of the cards. In prose as lean and supple as a spring switch, Haruf describes a high school football star who wins the heart of the loveliest girl in the county and the admiration of men twice his age. Fun-loving, independent, Burdette engages in the occasional prank. But when he turns into a man, his high jinks turn into crimes--with unspeakable consequences. Now, eight years later, Burdette has returned to commit his greatest trespass of all. And the people of Holt may not be able to stop him. Deftly plotted, defiantly honest, Where You Once Belonged sings the song of a wounded prairie community in a narrative with the earmarks of a modern American classic.

Customer Reviews:

Fun quick book.......2007-03-13

Small town life and characters are this author's specialty. This one read very quickly and as usual, has characters that one really grows to like. I prefer Plainsong and Eventide because the characters seem richer and less one-dimensional in those than they are in this one. Be prepared for an unsettling, but realistic, ending. If you're going away for a weekend, this would be a good book to take along. It will be finished before you return home.

Kent Haruf is a Poet.......2007-01-11

.... and his poetry comes through clearly in his last 2 books, "Plainsong" and "Eventide." "Where you Once Belonged" is shorter and, perhaps less poetic, but his writing is lovely nonetheless and this is an earlier work.

A really good story.......2006-10-04

This is a book that I read in one sitting. It is relatively short, and the pacing is rapid. It is told through the eyes of the town newspaper editor, Pat Arbuckle, whose life is intertwined in various ways with the town rogue, Jack Burdette. Jack is the lovable rogue who causes havoc in the lives of an entire town, but especially in Wanda Jo who loves him, Jessie who marries him, and Pat who loves Jessie. Not to mention the people he stole from. The ending is abrupt and the only one that is plausible. This story doesn't need a storybook ending and we don't get it. Haruf is a masterful writer who can depict his characters with only a few words--a way of speaking, a gesture, even omissions. He knows his territory and people. We can only hope that he makes Holt, Colorado, into the basis for a saga.

More Holt, Colorado!.......2005-07-18

Kent Haruf populates the landscape of Holt, Colorado with difficult situations that evoke his memorable characters' humanity--or lack thereof. This book is slightly more experimental than Plainsong and Eventide, but I found it engrossing and valuable. If you liked those books, you will probably like this one too.

Jack Burdette's nickname should be "Id.".......2005-06-01

A blurb on the back of the book refers to WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED as "A beautifully told parable-simple and stark and true." The only parable I remember is "The Prodigal Son," but it seems to me that a parable should teach a lesson. If Haruf was trying to teach a "moral attitude or religious principle" as Websters defines the word, I can't imagine what it would be.

In Haruf's second novel, Jack Burdette returns to Holt, Colorado, where he encounters Sheriff Bud Sealey who handcuffs him, then pistol whips him. The story goes on to show us why he got off easy. Burdette is a completely selfish individual, almost a sociopath, who spurns his girlfriend of eight years for a woman he met at a weekend workshop. Burdette has no patience with education, competition (football in this instance) where he can't be the star, or a cushy job that is handed to him after he flunks out of college. Jack is either a spoiled brat or he's got terminal ADHD.

Pat Arbuckle, the narrator isn't introduced until well into the story. He's the editor of the town newspaper and a former classmate of Jack's; he also becomes enamored of Jack's wife when his own marriage fails.

Although this story isn't as good as PLAINSONG, it has its moments. I was most impressed with a minor character who has more humanity than all the members of the Moral Majority put together. When Jack leaves his loyal girlfriend and marries another woman, she hits the skids, drinking and sleeping around. The man I'm talking about is her supervisor at the telephone company where she works. Instead of firing her, he transfers her to another town where her story isn't known. Haruf manages this with just a few sentences, and we never see this character again.

WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED is a short book, only 176 pages, and I was disappointed in the ending (It comes to an almost screeching halt), but I was so absorbed I read it in two days. I'm convinced that Haruf uses real people or composites to fashion these characters. All of us have known a Jack Burdette someplace along the way. Unfortunately they're more numerous than that telephone company supervisor.

BACK TO WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED.(inactive Catholics return to church): An article from: U.S. Catholic

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BACK TO WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED.(inactive Catholics return to church): An article from: U.S. Catholic
Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda
Manufacturer: Claretian Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from U.S. Catholic, published by Claretian Publications on January 1, 2001. The length of the article is 3808 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: BACK TO WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED.(inactive Catholics return to church)
Author: Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda
Publication: U.S. Catholic (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2001
Publisher: Claretian Publications
Volume: 66 Issue: 1 Page: 12

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Where You Once Belonged
Kent HARUF
Manufacturer: Summit Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OP8KIU

Book Description

She's Dr. Isabel Favor, America's diva of self-help.

He's Ren Gage, Hollywood's favorite bad guy.

Sometimes you just know that God has a sense of humor.

She's lost her money to an unscrupulous accountant, her fiancé to a frumpy older woman, and her reputation to headlines denouncing her as a fraud. Lately it seems Dr. Isabel, America's favorite self-help guru, can fix everyone's life but her own. Even the shelter of a simple stone farmhouse nestled in an olive grove can't provide Isabel with the refuge she needs -- not when the townspeople are scheming to drive her away, her plan to restore her good name has come up empty ... and a movie star villain with a face to die for refuses to leave her in peace!

Viciously handsome and sublimely talented, Lorenzo Gage makes his living killing people ... on the silver screen, that is. Despite his success, he hates the feeling that everything he's neglected in life is catching up with him. Then he spots Isabel sipping a glass of wine in a sidewalk café. A good guy wouldn't think of seducing such a tidy-looking woman ... but Ren Gage never saw the fun in playing the hero.

Sometimes all it takes is a special place ... a special love ... a little breathing room ... for life to deliver all its glorious promise.

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Join the New York Times bestselling author on a journey to the sun-washed hills of Tuscany. Another sexy, wonderful, contemporary love story with all the heart, wisdom, and wit that have made Susan Elizabeth Phillips the gold standard for women's fiction. She's Dr. Isabel Favor, America's diva of self-help. He's Ren Gage, Hollywood's favorite villain. Sometimes you just know that God has a sense of humor. Dr. Isabel Favor, author of Four Cornerstones for a Favorable Life, has sacrificed everything to build her self-help empire. Then, in a matter of weeks, it all comes crashing down. She loses her money to an unscrupulous accountant, her fiancé to a frumpy older woman, and her reputation to headlines denouncing her as a fraud. America's diva of self-help soon discovers she can fix everyone's life but her own. Broke, heartsick, and soul-weary, she heads for Italy in search of a little breathing room. Lorenzo Gage makes his living killing people... on the silver screen, that is. He's viciously handsome and sublimely talented. But as he begins his vacation in Italy, he's also vaguely dissatisfied. Being a villain with a face to die for has its rewards, but he hates the feeling that everything he's neglected in life is catching up with him. Then he spots Isabel sipping a glass of wine in a sidewalk café. A good guy wouldn't think of seducing such a tidy-looking woman... but he'd never seen the fun in playing the hero. Breathing Room is a book for any woman who's dreamed of wandering through a vineyard, of lazing under the Tuscan sky, or of reforming a deliciously wicked man. This is a story of hope and renewal, of love and redemption when it's needed the most. Sometimes it takes a special place... a special love... a little breathing room... for life to deliver all its glorious promise.

Customer Reviews:

fun read.......2007-09-30

I thought I read all her books, and then I came across this one and had to get it, I am a big fan of this author. Although I was not disappointed, it was a bit tepid, but I liked the characters, their back and forth banter, and hence, the story. It was fun

One of her best.......2007-09-20

I've read almost all the Susan Elizabeth Phillips books, and enjoyed all of them. But this book has a special place in my heart. I loved the sensuality AND the introspection. I love that this is really a dual story, although Ren and Isabel are at its center. But the addition of Harry and Tracy was special to me (secondary romances are not uncommon in SEP books, but I thought this was exceptionally well done) because I don't think that marriage needs to be the end of romance and excitement. The story of Harry and Tracy is the story of the GROWTH of a marriage. It was a welcome addition, although Ren as the bad-boy-who-isn't-quite-bad -- mmmmm. Loved it.

Breathing Room.......2007-06-01

All her books are of a pattern,so you know what you get when you puurchase her books and they do not disappoint- the same for this one.

Pleasantly Surprised..........2007-03-16

Unlike many of the other reviewers, I'm really not a SEP fan at ALL. I've read a few of her other books, and I was pretty unimpressed (although to the last one, they are really funny with great dialogue. Just not that interesting). I wasn't expecting much from this one either, but I had a long plane ride the next day so I bought it the night before. I was so pleasantly surprised. I had to force myself to put it down so I had enough to read on the plane! The reason I'm not a SEP fan is because I usually find her main characters either unlikable, unrelatable or unrealistic. Conversely, I thought the hero and heroine in this one were really refreshing and a little different from the run of the mill romance book staples. I really cared about Isabel's character and liked watching her journey towards accepting a little disorder. I also liked that both of them were at a point in their lives when they were doing a little introspection. Loved the subplot with Tracy and the kids. Wasn't too fond of the villager "mystery" subplot but it didn't detract too much and gave the main characters an excuse to spend time together. Also, SEP definitely has a way with writing and Ren practically sizzled off the page. After I read this, I gave SEP another chance with a vengeance but sadly, this remained the only one I really liked. Very good read and would suggest it to people who Aren't SEP fans because I think its different from her normal (which may be why I like it) but keeps her trade mark humor and excellent writing style.

Funny and sexy - a real treat!.......2006-12-08

I am now re-reading this book for probably the fifth time since I bought it. What I like best about Breathing Room is that the characters seem real to me - not that I'm on first name basis with either a Bad Boy (of the movie star kind) or a Four Cornerstones guru, but I do know women who are trying so hard to be perfect or good that they are miserable, and men who act tough because they are scared and know they are jerks some times. I probably even am or have been just like Tracy, a mom at the end of her rope and don't know we know men who mean well, work hard and have a hard time expressing themselves! That's why I keep going back to this book - I laugh really hard, love love love the steamy scenes (sex in a vineyard - works for me!) and believe in and care for the characters. I think this one of Phillips' best - I'm sorry it just took me so long to realize it!

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Loved it from beginning to end
Somewhat Disappointing
This is a book I'll keep for a lomg time
ENJOYABLE AND EXHAUSTING
Different type of book

Breathing Room
Patricia Elam
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Mothers & Children | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 067102843X

Book Description

In her dazzling debut novel, award-winning author Patricia Elam takes us into the lives of two completely different women whose friendship has helped them weather just about everything. But now they're at a crossroads where understanding may not be enough -- a place where they must risk it all to rediscover what they cherish most. Photographer Norma Simmons-Greer has a loving husband, a lively young son, and an upper-middle-class lifestyle. Probation officer Moxie Dilliard is as dedicated to her ideals as she is to her talented teenage daughter, Zadi. Best friends after meeting in college, Norma and Moxie are each other's reality check and reassurance. But suddenly the bond between them begins to unravel in unexpected ways. Anguished over the loss of her second child and her husband's recent withdrawal, Norma takes refuge in a complex love affair that puts her at odds with Moxie -- and with herself. Haunted by her beloved mother's inspiring yet disturbing emotional legacy, Moxie struggles to understand her friend, while her own refusal to compromise threatens to shatter her relationship with Zadi. And a devastating crisis will challenge both women to face the hardest of truths. With insight, humor, and heartbreaking immediacy, Patricia Elam presents a beautifully written portrait of two unforgettable women, and the teenager they both cherish, as they negotiate the ever-shifting terrain of friendship and identity. A wise, tender novel of what love can and cannot survive, Breathing Room is also an exploration of how the past can at once inspire and limit us, and of the pain -- and promise -- that accompany us on the journey we all share.

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Customer Reviews:

Loved it from beginning to end.......2005-01-05

Breathing Room by Patricia Elam was truly phenomenal. I was a senior in high school when I first read Breathing Room and this book really brought it home for me. I could really relate to the overprotective mother and how her daughter wanted to make her own decisions and not be forced to always see things through the eyes of her mother. I recommend this book to all teens and especially their overprotective moms.

Somewhat Disappointing.......2004-07-16

After reading several reviews of this book, I was excited to read a powerful and thought-provoking story that shows the true nature of family relationships. Although the book is entertaining and offers us a realistic look at several families surviving and/or thriving in DC, I was a bit disappointed with the characters and their development (or lack thereof). Moxie's self-righteous consciousness and overbearing attitude towards Zadi gets to be a bit much. Norma's lack of emotion for her husband and son is understandable but seems misdirected towards Woody. Further, while the author portrays both Moxie and Norma as educated and strong women, she uses juvenile (and somewhat vulgar) imagery to describe their thinking ("Patches of dirt, resembling ringworm scars, spread between the sparse patches of grass. Lopsided bushes shoot up as if spit from the ground."). In contrast, Zadi (and her journal) provide an interesting and novel perspective to the story and her character contributes to the book's depth and honesty. Although the story is primarily focused on the female characters and thus doesn't provide insight into Ponsey, Haleem and Lawrence, the book is also enhanced by the strength and conviction of the male characters. Overall, I think that this is a good debut by the author and that with her own development as a writer, there are great things to come.

This is a book I'll keep for a lomg time.......2003-03-12

I liked "Breathing Room" because it dealt with everyday issues. The book seems so real. It dealt openly about real problems and the book didn't give you some fairy tale ending. It gave you today's society as we see it everyday."Breathing Room" talked about problems that "we" as teenagers go through everyday.I would highly recommend "Breathing Room" to anybody because it is a good in-depth book.

ENJOYABLE AND EXHAUSTING.......2003-02-21

A WONDERFUL BOOK...EACH CHARACTER BRINGS YOU IN AND ALLOWS YOU TO FEEL WHAT THEY FEEL BECAUSE WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE BEFORE...A REFRESHING REMINDER HOW IMPORTANT FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE NO MATTER WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE...A MUST READ

Different type of book.......2002-11-04

Breathing Room was an o.k. read. The author is a mature author, with a mature writing style. It did take me a long time to get into the book. She doesnt do alot of he say she say style writing. This book consisted of alot of journal entrys by Zadi a teenager in the book. That was interesting reading from a childs perspective, or point of view. But her mother Moxie wanted everyone to have her beliefs on everything, she was the one kinda silly in a sense. She was to overprotective about Zadi. The book has many lessons in it, for parents raising kids and teenagers. Norma, Moxies best friend is having problems with her son, Miles (a preschooler). Get a belt, put your foot down, stand your ground or something, she really got on my nerves. But overall the book was ok. Good Luck Ms. Elam on your future books. I will support you.

5 Titles By Susan Phillips - First Lady - Just Imagine - Breathing Room - Ain't She Sweet - Match Me If You Can

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5 Titles By Susan Phillips - First Lady - Just Imagine - Breathing Room - Ain't She Sweet - Match Me If You Can
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000MGSKZO

Product Description

5 Massmarket Paperback Titles By Susan Elizabeth Phillips - First Lady - Just Imagine - Breathing Room - Ain't She Sweet - Match Me If You Can

Breathing Room: Creating Space to Be a Couple

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A must read
For me, this book was, quite simply, revolutionary
The authority for interpreting your partner's need for space
Excellent couples book!!
A ground breaking book!

Breathing Room: Creating Space to Be a Couple
Elayne Savage
Manufacturer: New Harbinger Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Love & Romance | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Marriage | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Conflict Management | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1572242213

Book Description

Intimacy is a balancing act that leaves most people teetering between their need for closeness and their need for autonomy. Couples often fall into treacherous patterns of hurt feelings and misunderstandings as one partner pushes for more intimacy and the other pulls away. In Breathing Room, psychtherapist Elayne Savage shows readers how to recognize what the space struggles in their relationships are really about. Thought-provoking exercises and examples from her her friends, practice and workshop participants help couples get past old resentments and negotiate a shared space that satisfies each person's expectations and needs.

Customer Reviews:

A must read.......2007-10-01

I checked this book out at the library because my boyfriend and I were having some conflicts related to "space." Bottom line I loved it so much and found it so helpful that I bought one for the both of us to have and mark up the areas that we found important. The book really cleared up what intimacy is, as well as what it isn't and the positive ways we can create it in our relationships. I found this book to be especially helpful at guiding me to an understanding of my anxieties surrounding "space" in a relationship. I did check out many other books along with this one, but this and "Getting the Love You Want" were by far the most helpful.

For me, this book was, quite simply, revolutionary.......2007-01-15

I just received this book from an Amazon seller yesterday, and finished it this morning. Since I was confounded by some of my relationships with regards to closeness/distance, and often found myself being "flooded" by
too much analysis of certain relationships that seem to deteriorate into conflict, hurt,misunderstandings and
ambivalence, this book gently eased my soul. It explains how and why get into these stalemate predicaments in some of our relationships - whether we're the "pursuer" or the "distancer" (or both), and does so in a non-judgemental way that doesn't pathologize what is common, to some degree, in experience of being human. There are also invitations to take risks to make things different and she tells us how. Throughout the book, Elayne Savage opened doors for me to understanding healthier intimacy that is respectful of differences. That she writes well and uses humor is a major plus. It is a delightful, reassuring read. I highly recommend this book.

The authority for interpreting your partner's need for space.......2003-04-01

My now-fiancé and I have been trying to understand each other's respective need for space / intimacy for over a year now. This book is the Rosetta Stone and serves as a translator for those who confuse the need for space with rejection. This wonderful book has helped me not just understand her point of view, but my own as well, as if from a third-party perspective. That has been the real key in helping our previously-floundering and questioning relationship achieve a new level of intimacy and understanding.

Excellent couples book!!.......2001-04-22

I am the webowner of Mental Health Today. This book discusses the all important and often misunderstood art of being intimate without being stifling. Great Affirmations along with couples discussion topics and exercises. Great primer on setting boundaries both inside and outside your relationship. Also discuss your behaviors when your boundaries have been crossed. I would consider this a wonderful book for the couple searching for intimacy, without feeling overwhelmed.

A ground breaking book!.......2001-01-23

Breathing Room is a "must buy" for anyone that is currently in or wants to be in a relationship. Dr. Savage takes the notion of space to new heights. The reader comes away with a better understanding of space, self, and the insight to give his/her relationship room to grow. Breathing Room is an informative book that is written in a way that is easy to understand. This is a deep and thought provoking book. I highly recommend it!

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But, I like lots of them

Breathing Room: Poems
Peter Davison
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

“Peter Davison, for years, has pondered with clear insight the perspectives of affection, attachment, loss, and memory, his language spare and his tone classical and deceptively quiet. The poems of this new collection look at the same world with surprise and speak of it with a startled and startling freedom, feeling ‘entitled to the liberty of breathing easy’—a freedom that brings with it the old clarity and eloquence.”
—W. S. Merwin

The poems in Peter Davison’s exuberant new collection contemplate the paradox of growing old—of having a mind still “a juicy swamp of invention” in a body beginning to falter.

Both intimate and generous, these poems celebrate the cycle of the seasons, of death and rebirth: snapping turtles lay their eggs and new ones hatch; a ruffed grouse drums his spring mating dance. Memory is central: a mother’s lost face; a father’s voice that “plumbed the marrow of poetry as tenderly / as if a darling had crept into his arms”; a wife’s “rueful eyes, cornflower blue.” And the poet pays tribute to the literary life—to reading, to the precise moment a word rises to consciousness, to getting over Robert Frost, to the mind of Sylvia Plath.
These are poems that expand time for us and deepen place, whether Davison is taking us on a path along a limestone cliff under canopies of holly and ivy, or is revisiting the instant while recovering from surgery when it becomes clear he is going to heal. “To learn poetry,” Davison writes in his foreword, “we need to take poems into our breath and blood, and that requires us to hear them as we read them, to learn to read with all the senses, especially with the ear.” Breathing Room gives us a splendid array of poems that we want to read with all our senses.

Customer Reviews:

But, I like lots of them.......2005-05-18

The pros who reviewed this book have a different agenda than casual readers, I think. (Or is it that there are so few casual readers of poetry? I note that there are very few customer reviews of books of poems...) It seems to me that most readers enjoy having their emotions stimulated by use of poetic language and form, and are less interested in edginess, or newness, or technical fireworks. On that basis, I recommend reading the poem You, referred to by one reviewer as a trite generalization directed at a distant you. Doesn't feel trite or generalized to me--in fact, as it transports me into the experience of someone yearning for his dead mother (pretty specific, huh?) it makes me cry. I don't feel manipulated, just moved. I'm not lost in admiration of Davison's technical achievement, just moved. But I think that's what a poem should do.

6 Book Set By Susan Elizabeth Phillips; First Lady; Breathing Room; Dream a Little Dream; This Heart of Mine; Nobody's Baby but Mine; Honey Moon.

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6 Book Set By Susan Elizabeth Phillips; First Lady; Breathing Room; Dream a Little Dream; This Heart of Mine; Nobody's Baby but Mine; Honey Moon.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000WUHZQ0

Product Description

6 Book Set By Susan Elizabeth Phillips; First Lady; Breathing Room; Dream a Little Dream; This Heart of Mine; Nobody's Baby but Mine; Honey Moon.

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Breathing Room
Barbara Fisher
Manufacturer: Brighton Street Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0960964207

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One of my all-time favorite romance novels

Breathing Room
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXWIC2

Customer Reviews:

One of my all-time favorite romance novels.......2007-09-14

This is a terrific read, one of my keepers. The heroine is a self-help guru and the hero an actor who plays super-villains in the movies.
When they meet each of them is unraveling in different ways. They plunge in and have great sex right off the bat and they gradually develop a great friendship.
This is a dynamic, fun read... as I said an all-time favorite of mine.
This author has never disappointed me though. Woody Allen once said, "the worse sex I had ever had was pretty good." The same can be said for Susan Elizabeth Phillips' books.

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Breathing room
Barbara Elmore
Manufacturer: Royal Fireworks Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

Winner of The 1995 Texas Institute of Letters Award, Best Book for Young People.

The story focuses on Texan Alberta Samantha Sims, a sixth grader who suffers from asthma. In school she feels awkward and lonely, but as the school year progresses she not only learns to cope with the reality of the disease, she triumphs over it. She finds a way to conquer her loneliness as well.

As Albertas story unfolds, we move forward with her from negative feelings about her over-protective mother, Mary Lou, and her quiet stepfather, Roger, to more open relationships and understanding. Rather than stewing alone in her thoughts, Alberta begins to speak her mind so that others can react to her needs and opinions.

Through Alberta we meet professional allergists and glimpse the school nurse who seems more concerned about drugs and their abuse than necessary medication. And we meet Bethesda, a savvy, well-dressed classmate who becomes Albertas best friend.

As Alberta expresses herself more, she begins to make things happen. She forges a true friendship with Bethesda who finally shares a secret about her mother with Alberta. She re-evaluates her stepfather and finds he is a true friend as he responds to her needs and provides a bridge and another perspective to Mary Lou. And she finally perceives Mary Lous facet of protective mother as part of a person who can also be understanding.

Freed from asthmas symptoms by effective medication, Alberta becomes a member of the school cross-country team and builds on her own physical abilities and positive self-perceptions.

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Breathing Room! Indoor Pollution Activity Handbook
Terrific Science Press
Manufacturer: Terrific Science Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1883822459

Product Description

Whether you breathe it in, smear it on, drink it down, or wash it off..."stuff" in your environment can make you sick...or help you thrive. ------ Part of the 5-book Strive to Thrive! series, this teen-friendly, magazine-style activity book challenges teens to explore important and timely indoor air issues that they confront in their daily lives including health risks due to dust mites, mold, and odorless gases. ------ Breathing Room! is designed to draw teen's families and friends into discussions on this important topic. Breathing Room! includes hands-on activities (using readily available materials), magazine-style readings, thought-provoking questions, games and puzzles. A free companion website offers games, learning, and links to current news on indoor pollution. ------ Breathing Room! is also a fantastic supplement for middle and high school teachers of science or health who are looking for fresh materials to spice up their curriculum. A free web link provides National Science Education Standards connections. This high-quality resource was developed with the support of a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) from the National Institutes of Health.

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