5 comments about No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith.

1. Whether you believe Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God, a complete charlatan, or some mixture of the two does not change the fact that he is one of the most fascinating and underrated figures in American history. His life and the religion he founded say a lot about this country.
   
   This is the most famous (or infamous) biography of Joseph Smith. At the time of its publication it was a watershed event. No one with an 'outside' perspective had been given quite the access that Historian Fawn Brodie had.
   
   So after hearing all of the praise and condemnation heaped upon this book, what do I think? Pretty good, for the most part. Mrs. Brodie is a compelling storyteller. As a narrative, it has great flow and keeps your interest. From my perspective, the book's greatest strength is placing Joseph Smith's life within the context of the world views and cosmological theories prevalent in the United States in the early 19th Century. Some of Mrs. Brodie's sources ('Mormonism Unveiled' for example) have been largely discredited, so a careful reading is required, especially when considering the quotes of the some of the more vociferous opponents of Smith.
   
   Is Joseph Smith a true religious prophet or not? You definitely get the feeling that Mrs. Brodie does not think so, but even she is amazed at Joseph Smith's life and transformations.
   
   Historical books about religious figures are bound to be controversial. My advice would be read this book, as well as other about the life of Joseph Smith. But this book, although imperfect, is still an valuable and compelling part of the history of the history of Joseph Smith.



2. I found this book to be greatly informative and interesting. Great book!No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith



3. This book has been around a long time. It is one of the most quoted books on Mormon history. Some of the assumptions and some of the conjectures made have since been found to be a little off, the history that was written was a wonderfully accurate look at the man Joseph Smith Jr. Fawn Brodie is a noted historian and author. In the beginning of the book it seemed that Ms. Brodie was sympathetic to Joseph Smith and the Mormons. As her research and the book progressed, the tone became more negative, just as mine did through the research I did.



4. Because this book tells a story that many people may find offensive; I think it's best that there's different recommendations for different groups of people.
   For currently practicing Mormons who are happy in their religion:
   this probably isn't a book you want to read. Ms. Brodie talks about a lot of things that will be upsetting to you and your faith. If you're happy in your religion you might just prefer to stay away from this book.
   For non-Mormons:
   If you're interested in religion, charasmatic leaders and movements, or just like biographies I think you'll find this book very interesting and readable. Joseph Smith is an interesting historical character who was able to raise up a religion with thousands of followers around him which has grown into millions of adherents today. Much of that religion still gathers strength from Smith's charisma and personality. Understanding him better can help you learn so much more about personality, religion, and psychology. It's worth your time if you have any interest.
   For ex-Mormons and Mormons who aren't happy in their religion:
   This is the group that I fit into. This book helped me to finally break away from the Mormon church. There were so many things that never made sense, but once you can better understand Joseph Smith and how he founded his religion you can better understand Mormonism today. Knowing the truth about Mormonism makes it so much easier to to leave because when it comes down to it Joseph's stories were lies and he constantly did things to better his own position in life. Joseph Smith was the first major cult leader in America and understanding that can help you get away. So I definitely recommend this book for people who are having a difficult time leaving the church or have had a difficult time staying away.



5. An outstanding and at times exhaustive history of Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, the Mormons...Very detailed and excellently researched, but it is obvious--too obvious at times--that the author, Fawn Brodie, has a very low opinion, perhaps even detests, the man she is writing about and the the church he established.
   One wonders if she, like Scott McClellan's book on the Bush administration, is not getting her "pound of (vindictive) flesh," though there may be some truth is what is said.
   
   There is a feeling, a strong feeling, that balance and objectivity may be missing from this work, but even so, it is a good, worthwhile read.
   
   This much is certain: The church Joseph Smith established could never have grown and become it the church it is today until he passed from the scene. It then no longer had to defend him and his wilding gyrating ideas and visions.
   
   It makes one wonder if the Mormon Church has become the church it is today--has found its way--in spite of Joesph Smith rather than because of him.

5 comments about A Vineyard in Tuscany: A Wine Lover's Dream.

1. Mr. Mate's charming and funny story of realizing his dream to own a vineyard in Tuscany is not to be missed, and is even better than his earlier book, The Hills of Tuscany. Mr. Mate's humor, warmth and friendliness come shining through in his wonderful tales of his Italian friends and neighbors, the Italian way of life, and his exploits renovating an ancient friary and developing an award-winning winery in the beautiful town of Montalcino.



2. Out of all the book I have read on Italy, A Vineyard in Tuscany is the funniest and at the same time the most informing book about life in this southern part of Tuscany. Ma`te` has a great ways with words and offers a rare glimpse into secret world of Italian Culture. Other reviewers have summarized the book; I will not do that now. Instead I will speak of how the book affected me. Just the mere thought of the word "Bulls eye" puts a broad smile on my face. When I first read the passage where it's located, I laughed so loudly my wife rushed into the room to see if I were ok. Ma'te' lets us see the dry subtle humor of the people in this area. Although it does a great job of showing the warmth and passion of Tuscans when it comes to food, wine and business, the region itself is the star of book.
   On our first trip to Italy 5 years ago, my wife and I did the usual Milan, Venice, Rome triangle with one day in Tuscany kind of trip. By luck we had chosen the Banfi Castle to dine in and stayed in the near-by hill town of Montalcino for just one night. My wife and I concluded that this 24 hour period was the best of the entire trip. Every year since then we have returned to the tiny village of San Angelo Scolo for days of relaxation, great hospitality, food, wine and the beautiful land of Tuscany. Little did we know that Ma`te` had restored his estate, planted a vineyard and discovered ancient cities and springs just minutes away. Tuscany is that kind of place where adventure and surprises lurk around every turn. Reading his book brought back fantastic experiences of our trips there. We will be back to San Angelo Scolo in 37 days, after reading this book I wish I were there now. I highly recommend it to people who are dreaming of a trip to Tuscany or experienced travelers.



3. Ferenc Mate's second book on Italy (buy the first one "Hills of Tuscany" also, they are distinctly a matched set to be enjoyed one after the other) is, if possible, even better than the first one. He had a wonderful understanding of Italian culture and is able to convey that to his reader. If you have ever visited Italy, or are planning to, then his books are a must read. One of the things I really like about Mr. Mate's writing is it is appealing to both men and women. I love being able to discuss a book with my husband. In fact with this one, it is the first time I have heard my husband laugh out loud while reading. At first I thought he was choking and when I ran into the room he said "honey, it's the part where he is driving the tractor". Michael and I spend two weeks in Tuscany every May and truly, in this book, the essence of the Montalcino area is captured and wrapped up like a Christmas present for the reader.



4. A Vinyard in Tuscany by Ferenc Mate is the second in a series on life in Tuscany. In a genre loosely known as expats move to Tuscany, Mate is truly in a class by himself. If Frances Mayes is the standard ,then Ferenc Mate far excells her in poetry , lyrical description , humor and sensitivity. If after reading this book, you don't want his life then you better check your pulse. A love song to Tuscany and the art of wine, makes Frances Mayes akin to watching paint dry. Read The Hills of Tuscany as well which he wrote about first moving there 20 years ago.



5. Based on the other reviews, I had high hopes for this book; I expected a more thorough story of his experience starting his own vineyard, people he had interacted with and the "terrior" of his vineyard embedded with light-hearted anecdotes. Instead, I found the details lacking. Little time is spent on the characters who appeared in the book, the restoration of the estate, planting and cultivating of the vineyard, wine-making decisions, and his (and his family's) tie to the place. The fact that this book is written in many short chapters averaging less than 10 pages each should have been the first sign. I do not doubt that Mr. Mate will be an interesting guy to have a drink with, and I am sure that he has many interesting stories to tell. But after reading this book, I get a feeling that this is a tale of a wealthy individual (despite his repetitive mentioning of being/getting poor as a result of this endeavor) who spent his way to have people make great wines from a land he has purchased. While this statement may not do him justice, and perhaps that is what this book is meant to be, but more on the people, more on the place, more on his (or the wine maker/consultant's) philosophy of how to cultivate the land and make a great wine will greatly improve the book.

5 comments about Magical Thinking: True Stories.

1. I read this in one obsessive reading jag... just seconds after finishing Possible Side Effects (finished Running with Scissors ages ago). Burroughs is entertaining and horribly and grotesquely lovable. What I love most about him is I know he'll read this review. He won't be able to help himself.



2. Magical Thinking
   Augusten Burroughs
   
   To truly appreciate Magical Thinking, you need to first read Running With Scissors. The good news is that both books are the kind that even an undetermined reader could finish in week (the determined could finish each in a day). Burroughs' prose, aside from many other descriptors, is very easy to read.
   
   This book is snapshots of his life from his twenties to his early thirties. While it is initially shocking to hear intimate descriptions of gay dating (among other things), Burroughs' humor and sincerity overcame my initial gut reaction. As in his memoir, no details are spared - from his alcoholism, drug use and sexual encounters. The fact that he overcame these obstacles (to include his childhood) leaves the reader with an optimism and amazement that makes this book inspiring as well and shocking and funny. Burroughs has a way of viewing the world that one can both relate to and flinch at simultaneously.
   
   This book is not for everyone, and I would not have give it a glance myself but for the strong recommendation of a friend. It is well worth the short time it takes to read it.



3. Although 'Dry' and 'Running With Scissors' were both very original, well-written memoirs, I sense Augusten Burroughs might be overreaching by following the path already blazed by David Sedaris - namely, writing autobiographical short stories. These little vignettes are not in sequence and because they are short in length, they need to quickly capture the attention of the reader. Although most of the little stories in 'Magical Thinking...' are enjoyable, laced fully with sardonic humor, some of them are total duds. These stories tend to be too introspective, and all that I got out of them was the feeling that Burroughs is perhaps deep down NOT a nice person.
   
   
   Bottom line: at times brilliant and laugh-out-loud funny, I think this book is best left to loyal fans of the author. Not a small number of persons I'd imagine.



4. Aug proves that he is a literary genius, time after time. I LOVED THIS BOOK!! The format was interesting, never leaving you bored or lost. It was a compilation of short stories about his life, all humorous and thought provoking.



5. i totally love augusten's way of thinking. he's so funny and smart. love everything i've ever read by him. i feel like i have a best friend when i read his work. i love it!

5 comments about Twelve Extraordinary Women: How God Shaped Women of the Bible, and What He Wants to Do with You.

1. It helped me so see and understand how important these women really were in the lineage of Jesus. How God can change the seemingly impossible. Wonderful book!



2. I have led numerous Bible studies, and this book has been a real disappointment. The writing lacks balance, is often disorganized, and even has an "anti-women" tone to it. I find myself having to work all week to plan our study, to supplement what he's written. I would not recommend this book.



3. We have been studying this for the past few months slowly due to only meeting once a week. We have discovered fascinating new details about some of the women of the Bible that we did not know. While we have found a few discrepancies, they are minor and we talk it out as a group. Overall, we are finding this study to be enlightening and are looking forward to the rest of it.



4. This book is phenomenal and is filled with scripture. John MacArthur does a great job of making these women's lives parallel to our current culture and easy for anyone to relate. Each woman has her own personality but all have lessons to learn from. I have just started the book and am about half way through already and each page has spoken to me that most of the book is underlined and commented on. If you're looking for God to move in your life and teach you some great lessons pick up this book!!!



5. I could only get through the first two chapters before I had to put it down. I sought this book out for inspiration, but found it was sexist and insulting. I write this not because I one of those "new fangled feminist types", but because I posses a brain - a God given one. What I glean from the way the stories are presented is that the author's belief is that women exist only through men and have no real intrinsic purpose or value to God or the world, except through men.
   
   Eve is portryaed as a pathetic figure, the author writes patronizingly about Eve's sin: "As the weaker vessel, away from her husband, but close to the forbidden tree, she was in the most vulnerable position possible..." and "...Adam's sin was deliberate (when he took the apple) and willful in a way Eve's was not. Eve was deceived". So, the author doesn't even think she deserves equal billing in the "downfall".
   
   In chap. 2 about Sarah, when explaining how Sara and Abraham lied when they entered Egypt, saying that Sara was his sister so other men would not kill Abraham for her the author concludes: "...Abraham's motives were selfish and cowardly, and the scheme reflected a serious weakness in his faith. But Sarah's devotion to her husband is nonetheless commendable, and God honored her for it..". So, she is not a whole person in this author's view - they both lied, he calls it "cowardly" on Abraham's part, but believes God commends Sara, because she it was good she supported him - EVEN when he did something "selfish and cowardly".
   
   As a Christian I found the simplistic and ridiculous for the 21st century.
   I cannot recommend this book to anyone with a brain.

5 comments about Red Scarf Girl (rpkg): A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution.

1. This is a great book. It arrived in a timely manner and my daughter and I have enjoyed it very much.



2. This book was the worst book I've ever read. It was scary, confusing and just plain beadly written. Some of my friends loved this book, some of them thought it was a peice of trash. I'm with the people that say it's a peice of trash. I felt like I was forced to read this book. I wanted to trough it away forever. The book was badly written because she decided to jump through different time periods and the story just didnt fit together. I would recomend to NOT read this book. if i would have to rate this book with 10 being the best and 1 being the worst, I would rate this a 1 and a half. I tell you, don't pick this book up!



3. This book is about the cultural revolution. Through her own difficult hard times, the author tells the story of her and her family from the age of 12-14. This book is great for children and adults. It really tells what happened to family's during the cultural revolution



4. I read this book quite a few books ago. What I remember was that it was very compelling. The author is forced to serve the "People" and endures many hardships while working in an Army production camp. Her description reminds one of Siberian memoirs on not such a grand scale, rather a Chinese adaptation.
   The author begins by demonstrating her arrogance through stories of her childhood prior to service in the camp, she was selfish and cruel.
   She excels as a patriot, and is promoted as a leader within her work group, she doesn't prove to have much compassion for others. Her colors most vividly show in one particular scene; when two people are discovered as lovers meeting in secret (male/female relationships are forbidden), with horrible consequences a result. The author eagerly participated in their punishment, only to suffer deep regret later. However, this experience, the enduring exhaustion of the camp, and lack of personal freedoms brings about a metamorphosis.
   She realizes that there is no humanity in Communism, no true accomplishment in which one can truly take pride; her disillusionment brings about her own self-discoveries in the end making her a better person.
   I found the narrative honest, in no sense was did it come across as embroidered to make it more compelling.



5. A compelling memoir from a girl growing up during the Chinese cultural revolution. Filled with patriotic fervor for the Chinese communist government, Ji-li is at first ashamed to be part of her family, which is persecuted because of her grandfather's political beliefs. But as she sees injustices heaped onto the heads of many people around her, she gradually becomes disillusioned and no longer believes government propaganda. Ji-li's authentic voice inspires discussion about family loyalties, government betrayals, and China's history.
   
   This is a great book to read with children. I read it aloud to my daughter, who could not believe that this life happened to this girl and so many like her in China. It prompted lots of discussion about families and government. Even kids as young as 10 or 11 should be able to appreciate the story, and it's fascinating for adults too.

5 comments about Teacher Man: A Memoir.

1. If Angela's Ashes is about the struggle for raw survival, Teacher Man is about the struggle for happiness in the affluent if alienated world of the latter half of the Twentieth Century. McCourt is wonderfully honest about his strengths and weaknesses as a teacher, and his story to survive and excel as a teacher has real drama.
   
   McCourt is able to show the crushing burdens and limited rewards of his profession. But his humor and his ability to show how he ultimately connects with his students make this book in some ways more emotionally rewarding than Angela's Ashes.
   
   The story can be a bit desultory at times, and greater detail, particularly regarding his later years at Stuyvesant High, would have made this a better book. While administration is painted as the great obstacle to teachers, McCourt's treatment of this issue is a bit one-sided and superficial. He may be right, but he does not make his point effectively.
   
   The strength of the book is its emotional honesty and the vividness with which he can portray his own internal conflicts as well as the connections he is able to make with his students.



2. As an up-and-coming teacher, I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Teacher Man." I was unable to put it down and finished it in two evenings on the couch. Some negative reviewers here seem to think that McCourt doesn't like kids... but I didn't get that impression at all. From my reading, it seemed that McCourt had an easier and more willing relationship with his students than their parents.
   
   I think the best part of the book is the insight. It made me feel not so different when Frank McCourt wrote about his fear of the certification proceedure or about how he felt like a fraud. "How am I going to pull this off?!" Perhaps those fears are good. Maybe trying goes out the window once you're no longer nervous. Who knows?



3. That he didn't write when he was younger I can only imagine how funny those stories might have been. As far as this book goes it most definately is a keeper.



4. An admitted late bloomer, Frank McCourt more than makes up for his tardiness with "Teacher Man," the third installment (after "Angela's Ashes" and "'Tis") of his life story. In the years between his miserable childhood in Ireland and his late-in-life success as a writer, McCourt spent thirty years teaching in New York City's high schools and community colleges. "Teacher Man" shows McCourt as he begins to make it in America, moving from the docks by dint of a teaching certificate and even higher degrees. Meanwhile, he struggles with the insecurities and esteem problems that stem from his Irish Catholic upbringing. Ironically, his genius and self-doubt combine to make him (at least in his own telling) a fairly successful teacher who can connect with kids that his more experienced colleagues cannot.
   
   McCourt incisively recalls and communicates the motivations and methods of the major players. There are the other teachers, full of loathing for their students and ever-ambitious for a chance to get into administration. There are the no-nothing teacher college professors, whose lack of first-hand knowledge condemns their lessons to irrelevance. There are the kids, ever on the lookout for an angle to distract teachers from their lesson plans. There is McCourt himself, telling his life stories, first as a way to keep the kids quiet, then as he grows in confidence, as a way to reach them and even teach them. McCourt's honesty is refreshing and often painful. His painful and loutish groping toward relationships with women only lightly veils the most intimate of details. The "Frank McCourt" character he creates here is bumbling, prickly (sometimes to the point of violence), always vulnerable but ultimately true to himself.
   
   McCourt's style, a kind of rolling narrative, dips into the past as often as it pushes the narrative forward. Some may see him tapping his previous works overmuch. But it is a perfect parallel to the way of memory of one as sensitive as McCourt -- ever circling back to touchstones in memory to make sense of the present.
   
   "Teacher Man" is entertaining, illuminating and hard to put down. For an extra bonus, listen to the audio book voiced by author.



5. I was very surprized about this book. Frank McCourt was not the jovial , funny loving man I thought he would be. In this memoir, Mc Court writes briefly about his college education, his early years teaching at vocational high schools, and finally with pride some interesting lessons he taught at Stuyvesant High School.McCourt writes honestly about the difficulty of teaching . There is some humor in his story ( McCourt developed his students' writing skills by having them practice writing excuse notes). McCourt also had some sexual affaires before and during his unhappy marriage.
   
   I liked this book. It was honest.I came away from the book thinking that we shouldn't give up on ourselves. No matter how old we are we can still make a differnce. Frank McCourt was 66 years old when he wrote his first book.

1 comments about Real Benjamin Franklin (American Classic Series).

1. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is well written... even young children could enjoy the stories. Franklin was a remarkable man, he was a man of character. He excelled in many areas as a scientist, inventor, and politician. There are many lies being told about him today to defame his character, and this book will help you understand the REAL man!

5 comments about Puppy Chow Is Better Than Prozac: The True Story of a Man and the Dog Who Saved His Life.

1. I bought this book for my son who is Bi-Polar and before I gave it to him, I thought I would look it over. I was enthralled and couldn't stop reading it until the end. It is written with depth and honesty and even knowing the despair that bi-polar people can experience, this book can make you smile and even laugh. Being a formah Nuyawkah, I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of Manhattan. Being a dog lover, I thoroughly enjoyed Bruce's devotion to Ozzy. Being the mom of a bi-polar son, I now view this disease with more understanding and compassion. This book is enlightening, well written and a must read. Judith



2. I especially enjoyed the author's openness and willingness to share such intimate details about his experiences. I really feel as though I was with him throughout the narration. As a matter of fact, I felt so connected to the author, that I read the book cover-to-cover, in one night, because I wanted to be sure that there was a happy ending. Thank you for sharing your world.



3. There aren't enough good things I could say about this book and the author's remarkable personal journey he shares with readers. It touches the soul on so many levels. The story is a beautifully written biography of a man whose dog helps to improve and save his life after he is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. True dog lovers will appreciate his relationship with man's best friend. If you or someone you know suffers from a personality disorder, you'll find comfort in his words and ideas. If you're just an avid reader (or not-so-avid), you're going to simply find pleasure in his prose. You'd be foolish to pass this one up.



4. I saw this book and immediately grabbed it up, as I absolutely love dog stories like this and was excited to begin reading. It was great to see how Ozzy was able to be such a saving grace. What a great story! HOWEVER, I was not prepared for and did not appreciate the excessive use of bad language in the book (especially the f-word). I think the story could have been told just as well without it. I would have given this many more stars had it not been for the language.



5. I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book. Can't understand why it didn't make the best seller list. The author writes with such emotional candor that you are caught up with page one. Such a wonderful example of the strong bond between dogs and mankind. The author writes with a great warmth and wit, eventhough he is dealing with such mental torment. The combination of the two makes an interesting and compelling ride for the reader. Can't help but worry though what will happen when the great Ozzy must cross over that inevitable Rainbow Bridge. Hopefully that won't happen for a loooong time, but if there is ever a dog that should be cloned, my vote is for Ozzy!! Move way over Marley!!

No comments about Machiavelli's Shadow: The Rise and Fall of Karl Rove.

5 comments about Grayson.

1. (3.5 stars) When seventeen-year-old Lynne Cox is finishing her morning swim between Seal Beach pier and the San Gabriel River jetty, south of Los Angeles, she is hungry and cold. It is March, and the water temperature is in the fifties, but Lynne, a serious open-water swimmer, is in training, regularly doing three-hour workouts in the cold Pacific. When she discovers that a baby gray whale is following her to shore, she realizes that the baby must have lost its mother. Remaining in the water, alone except for the whale, she continues swimming on the chance that the baby, whom she names Grayson, will hear its mother vocalizing or that the mother will find them.
   
   For the next couple of hours, she and the whale swim the one-and-a-half miles from the pier to an offshore oil rig in deep, often rough, water. The whale is confused, often diving deep and disappearing for ten minutes or more at a time, and Lynne begins to despair. When he finally disappears for a very long time and shows no signs of resurfacing, Lynne, close to hypothermia and discouraged, decides to head back to shore, alone.
   
   By now this story is so well known that it gives nothing away to say eventually there is a happy resolution. For Lynne Cox, however, there is a much bigger story than "just" the reunion of the baby and its mother. For her, this experience has been a test of her strength, her will, and her faith, resulting, finally, in her personal triumph.
   
   A morality tale about the interconnections of man and nature, Grayson is full of the "truths" drawn by a sensitive seventeen-year-old who sees the baby whale in human terms. She thinks only positive thoughts, sending mental messages to the baby whale and to his mother, telling them that she will help them find each other. She explains that "there are two ways of thinking--one of possibility and hope, the other of doubt and impossibility," adding that sometimes "the things that make the least sense to other people make the most sense to me."
   
   Thirty years have passed since this experience, the author tells us, and she believes she learned much about life from it, never doubting her romantic conclusions or the words-to-live-by that she presents throughout her narrative. Though the author originally wrote this book for adults, its popularity among junior high students speaks to its appeal. The world she describes is not the nature of "tooth and claw" or the survival of the fittest. It is a world in which humans can interact with nature through positive thoughts and energy, and those, in turn, can reunite a baby whale and its presumably loving mother. n Mary Whipple



2. I love the ocean and found this book beautiful and moving. It describes the experience of meeting a baby gray whale and then trying to help it find its mother. There is some wonderfully descriptive writing of the ocean, and facts added in that give it more meat. It also gives lots of advice and encouragement, not to give up, to follow your dreams and that anything is possible. We bought the audio book for a family vacation and my 4 year old and 7 year old both enjoyed the story very much. They are excited to attend a grunion run and are also excited about whales.



3. A sweet story for any age. True, and the information given is stunning. Imagine swimming with a whale! Would be good to read aloud to a 9-12 year old, but I cry everytime with joy at the ending.



4. While listening to this tale as an audiobook, I was surprised to be sitting at the edge of my recliner! For a very simple premise, Lynne Cox crafted a plot with a lot of excitement.
   
   I was touched by the sense of communion between the human swimmer and the baby whale, each of them vulnerable and exposed.
   
   The communication and intelligence of the whales in this story, plus a mega-pod of dophins, made me think of the line, "Goodbye, and thanks for all the fish!" the title of Douglas Adams' fourth book in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. (Where Wonko the scientist posits that dolphins were the actual creators of planet Earth.)
   
   I now own Grayson in an audio format and as a hardcover book, and I consider it a treasure.



5. Grayson, by Lynne Cox is a wonderful concise book with lots to say. There are three different story threads running through it. The smaller thread is about a girl athlete with lots of will and determination, and the second is a nature story about the sea animals in southern California and the third thread is the most moving. It is an inspirational story about a girl tiring to help a young baby whale finds its mother. It is a story for all ages. I'm 38 and I loved it, bought one for my 1st edition collection, and I bought another for my younger ten-year-old sister.