A delight to read and enjoy!
593529
It provides laughter and wisdom and leaves the reader better for having read it! Touching, honest, and easy to read.
4041251
As a child I remember the joy and interest I had when listening to stories (both fact and fiction) from family members or while in church and receiving the sermon. Unfortunately, this art seems to be finding it's way into the archives of culture in so many homes. The prospect of being able to articulate and share our own stories is a delight and a practice I enthusiastically look forward to doing.
John Walsh has an easy and approachable way of offering these steps to his readers and lays out the crafting and presenting of this fun activity in a way that isn't daunting or overwhelming. I really appreciate the clear and clean writing style and easy to follow method.
As a spouse, mother, and adult facilitator this has also lent itself to appreciating and appealing to different audiences even though the message may be rooted in the same great wisdom. The Give it a Try sections are fun and provide an interactive way of integrating the information, as well as fun!
This will be a book that goes into the home library but will not collect dust !
4451367
What a wonderful reading treat! This book is like freshly baked bread--I can grab little pieces while on the go, but I definitely kept coming back for more. This book became my go-to read this past week while my schedule was heavy and I needed to fit reading in wherever I could manage. The only disappointment in reading these stories is that I never wanted to stop! So much fun, and I loved the way I kept thinking about the characters long after the last sentence. For me, that's always is a big hoped-for experience--when I start thinking later about what happens to the characters later. The variety was excellent as well--a true smorgasbord of terrific short story reads.
2998551
This was a delightful read!  I savored it slowly because it is so well written and the characters are so likable.  There was at least one good laugh or chuckle per page.  Chapters are short  with no wasted wordage.  The subtitle summarizes the story and posits a promise that is fulfilled:: "comic, terrifying, romantic, loopy round the world journey in search of linguistic happiness" with young-at-heart professor Charlie Baker who is on a late-life quest to test the outer boundaries of literary translation, as well as his endurance, and who discovers adventure and romantic love (oh, Svetlana!) in very unlikely places.  An important take-away by the reader: do not attract the attention of the clandestine services.  Highly recommended!
2284494
What a wonderful book to read and enjoy.  Not only has Miss Compestine used her own experiences and memories from her youth to help spin these delightful tales, she has also included Chinese history and fables and a delicious selection of Chinese influenced recipes.  The stories were fun and had the right tone for young adults.  And I loved how each story ended with a comparison to actual history in China and a recipe.  I can't wait to try the recipes myself!  They all seemed easy and delicious.
2589771
I've been savoring this book in pieces, which has given me the pleasure of several mini retreats in the French countryside with warm company (friends and dogs), touching discoveries of nature's little wonders and deep-belly laughter.  Ken offers this joy in his book through a fresh curiosity, a genuine appreciation for wildlife and simple pleasures in life, and an unpretentious, highly-amusing point of view.

Whether you are suffering from nature deficit disorder or simply need to recharge the batteries, this book is sure to please.
2730225
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  The characters were absolutely delightful and the stories about them were believable. I would recommend this book to any P&P fan as it contains the joys, the sorrows, and the  insights of old and new situations and impeccable accuracy of the Regency era. Thank you, Ms. Kerr, and I am pining for another great book from you!
1942148
This is an absolutely delightful book, easy to read, and inspirational.

The stories Jane Knuth tells capture both the joy and heartache that often accompany working to help make the lives of those on the margins of society more bearable.  Sometimes the joy and heartache are found in the same individual!  Those who have worked with people seeking help, whether through the St. Vincent de Paul Society or another means, know that there are many colorful characters who come seeking help.  Knuth shows that some are as honest as the day is long, some are practiced schemers who know the ropes, and many others fall at some point along the spectrum.  We meet all types in this book and are often left with amused amazement at the people the author  introduces to us through the stories she recounts.

Jane Knuth is a good writer and has an wonderful ability to catch the irony, delight, and challenge of working with those on the margins of society.  This book is appropriate for a wide range of age groups, from teens to the elderly.
2165454
superbly written , an absolute delight- one of the best novels ive ever read and re read !
3879787
I absolutely enjoyed this book and realized early into it that I've been short-changing myself by passing up short stories! Reading Mr. Moffett's collection felt like I was cruising across the country and randomly dropping in on someone's slice of life. This book is simply good stories. The plot, characters, scenery, etc. are all the right amount of information to paint the picture, the people and the emotion. I became invested in every character and story from the onset, and couldn't put the book down until I knew how it all ended.

I really have a whole new appreciation for short stories; this was such an engaging and enjoyable book! And I have a whole new respect for short story authors such as Mr. Moffett. He has a true gift, even if you only consider the sheer number of characters and stories he created for this book, but especially because it all works together to create a book full of satisfaction and amusement.

If you don't have time to sink into a full-on novel, and need some relaxation and diversion, Mr. Moffett's book will not disappoint!
4856155
This book was an enjoyment to read!  It kept me interested from beginning to end.  Throughout my first reading, the history, plot and characters kept me and my emotions captivated.  (The ending was most satisfying.)  I plan to embark on a second reading in which I will pay more attention to the clues that were dropped throughout the development of the story, to appreciate the character development and to simply re-enjoy a good tale.
1420664
This is a truly delightful collection of adventures taken from author Lily Temmer's own life...and what fun, madcap adventures she's had!!  These short tales recount zany situations with over-the-top interesting characters (mostly real-life family members and friends).  It's more than just situational splendor, though.  It's the *way* the stories are written that brings a sense of whimsy and delight to the reader.  I laughed out loud many times - and imagined the scenes as if I were actually there.  It takes a skilled writer to experience a moment in time and capture the hilarity of it in words.  I can't wait until the next volume of stories emerges! (fingers crossed that there will be a second volume!)
3160109
This was a charming and endearing story that was very hard to put down. Thoroughly enjoyable and easy to read, it takes you through a world of strife, rejection, endearment, love and success and how we perceive them in the light of life's eventual disillusionment. I found the characters classically defined and the plot very well enunciated. While it's my belief that everyone lives many of the same themes (to virtually the same conclusions) the author has put them all into an absorbing story we all can enjoy just for it's own sake of pure enjoyment. Definitely recommended!
3609549
Miss Read is a treasure; and the life that you enter when you open her books is a pleasurable experience. There are 2 cautions for anyone purchasing this book. In the review posted by the publisher, it says  "The final section contains short stories". This was not in my book. The other caution is a frequent one, that you need to be aware of; this is not a separate `new' book, it is a compendium of two previous books - `Affairs at Thrush Green' and `At home in Thrush Green'.

We meet and pick up with characters that, if you have read other Miss Read novels you know; but if you haven't read others, you will still be at ease with and well introduced to the citizens of Thrush Green. The story is set in the marvelous Cotswolds of England in villages where shops except for the (horrors!) 2 new supermarkets, still close for midday. You meet at the village coffee shop, The Fuchsia Bush and go to the village school. There are the all important events such as making a Guy Fawkes for Bonfire night. Enjoy the bright a gold of autumn, be greeted with "Happy Christmas" and learn of the worries that damp weather brings.

Some of the village citizens you meet are: Kit Armitage, a widower returning to look for a retirement home and possibly a wife; and the Lovelock sisters: Ada, Bertha and Violet. Violet flings caution to the winds and orders double cream as Ada and Bertha draw in their breath at the expense. "What was the world coming to". This is indeed a visit of simple pleasures with the charming `unchangeable' people of  an English village.

If you have ever had the most fortunate experience of visiting one of these villages or better still living in one; this book will bring back warmhearted recollections. If you haven't been there it will give you friendly memories. It is a perfect book to curl up with and enter another world. And you can be assured if you have a mother or grandmother who likes to read you will be confident she will enjoy visiting Thrush Green too.
4820455
Searching For My Wand was a truly enjoyable novel, and I hope to read more from Bridget!  I found her sense of humor, mixed with wry and literal weavings of life and friendship a joy to read.  The story is crafted with alternating present and future views, which introduces ideas and character growth in an intriguing puzzle. While I found it a bit disconcerting at first, I quickly found that I really enjoyed the style.  You get glimpses of future hope while Glinda's struggling with her life, and it really makes you want to find out how she gets there.
Glinda, Adam, Paul, and Sophia are believable in their foibles, hopes, and decisions. Their characters flesh out slowly and steadily, and the past/present style draws stark contrasts that pull you in.  There is no bad guy really, a refreshing change from most stories ... they're all human, flawed, and real.  Sophia has shades of that perfect friend that we all think we have, but if you scrape off the varnish you find they struggle just as much as you do.  The illustrations scattered throughout are a great touch too, an unusual treat.
4704266
A wonderfully written book that is a pleasure and a joy to slowly read.  More than 1/2 way through it now, and enjoying every word and every minute.  We are reading it as a family, and it is all the more amazing having just returned from traveling in Japan for a month.  This book is for anyone that wants more out of their life, or who is dissatisfied with what's happening in today's society, and would like to make changes.  It is a very uplifting read, and something to savor rather than to rush through.  The individuals he profiles are really fascinating people living wonderfully rich lives.  Thanks for writing this terrific book!
3024292
What a delightful book, and one you can pick up even when your time is short. Whether seeking a history to the word listed, or just entertaining yourself, a lover of words will be thrilled with this capturing of pertinent and sometimes fun reasons behind the words we use today.