Audiobook Books

This book is wonderful help for women, in particular, to assess and respond to potentially dangerous situations. I am sure it would benefit men, as well, to read the book, but it especially struck home to me, as a woman. I will give it to my daughters.

Women and men alike should read this book. Gavin de Becker gives names and numbers to the alarm bells women too often ignore, and helps lay out some of the differences between the sexes' experiences of their surroundings. When I first encountered this book, as an excerpt in a magazine, I photocopied it for my coworkers to read. Only two people voiced negative reactions to it. One was my then-boyfriend, who turned out to be an obsessive, overbearing manipulater fueled by insecurity. The other one - believe it or not - wound up stalking me for months.

I got him to stop by following Mr. de Becker's advice.

I think this book had a lot of insight into remembering how to use our instincts. The author does talk about himself a lot and that part gets pretty boring. I found that basically the second CD is all you need and CDs 1 and 3 are basically just fluff. But besides that, i really did enjoy CD 2 and i am glad i purchased it.

I FIRS SAW THE AUTHOR ON OPRAH'S SHOW. I THEN CHECKED THE BOOK OUT AT THE LIBRARY. AFTER JUST READING A FEW PAGES I KNEW I WANTED IT FOR MYSELF. I ORDERED IT AND GOT THE CD'S, BUT I STILL WANT THE BOOK. I ALSO ORDERED "PROTECTING THE GIFT" KEEPING CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS SAFE (AND PARENTS SANE) BY THE SAME AUTHOR. IT STATES ON THE COVER, 1.SAFETY SKILLS FOR CHILDREN OUTSIDE THE HOME 2. WARNING SIGNS OF SEXUAL ABUSE 3. HOW TO SCREEN BABY-SITTERSAND CHOOSE SCHOOLS 4. STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING TEENAGERS FROM VIOLENCE. CAN'T WAIT TO FINISH READING IT.

I heard Mr. DeBecker speak on Oprah about how we have built in signals that cue us and help keep us from danger, if we allow them, and that fear is a gift. It was interesting and I wanted to know more. In listening to him and now the CDs, I recognize that there are times I know, just know that I should avoid something but because I don't want to make someone else feel bad, I will go with it anyway. I bought the tapes because I wanted to hear them in detail and I wanted to give myself permission to love and care enough about myself to keep myself safe. I also want to develop my inner sense and not be so busy that I don't pay attention. If I am in error about the other person or event then I can apologize later. Keeping yourself and your family safe is the most important key. I am glad I bought it and would highly recommend The Gift of Fear, it made sense.

My son has been listening to Magic Tree House for a year, and will listen over and over in the car. I got the second box set for his 5th birthday, which is today, so he hasn't listened to them yet, but I KNOW he will love the whole set. All his (boy) friends love MTH and they talk about the stories (we also have some of the books which we have read a lot too). The books are recommended for 2nd and 3rd graders, but my now 5 year old concentrates and listens to the stories, asking questions about some of the words or events that he doesn't know. Even my 2 year old will ask for Annie in the car!
A few friends with girls have tried the books, and the girls just weren't that into them.

The service was exceptional as always and, the CD's are a great hit for my children as they follow along with the books. Ages 5-7

just loves these stories. They really are fun to listen to, and now he can hear them when ever... no waiting for mom!

These books on CD are fabulous. My five year old loves them. He tells me that he doesn't need illustrations because he can create images in his own mind. They are very educational. Each story covers a topic in such an interesting way that I now use these them to introduce that topic. These stories generated interest in history, science,art and much more.

My six year old loves these CD's! He wants to listen to them whenever we are in the car to go anywhere! I will have to buy more!

These are great CD's. My 4-year old daughter loves Frog and Toad. Someone gave her the book series for Christmas, which she now keeps in the car where we listen to Frog and Toad. The CD's don't have the beep to turn the pages (since they don't actually come with the books) but she's able to keep up. The voices are great. When I ordered this from Amazon it was missing 1 of the CD's but they were great with the exchange and replaced it immediatetly.

These stories are classics, very well read by the author Arnold Lobel. My four-year-old loves them and demands them over and over.

My three year old loves frog and toad, so I recently purchased the CD's for a trip. They were so entertaining to my son that he asked to listen to them nonstop. Sometimes he followed along in his book; sometimes he just listened. He can now "read" the stories verbatum, because he has listened to them so many times.

My son listens intently to this CD. His teacher in school plays these during nap time for those who choose not to sleep. He is very interested in all the stories even though he has heard them numerous times. We love this CD.

The expression on the faces of my three and five year old as they puzzle, smile and nod over the adventures of Frog and Toad is something I think I'll carry with me for a long time. The kids are fully engaged with the audio CD, and can now follow along with the printed words when I read the same stories to them from the Frog and Toad books.

While Arnold Lobel has a calm, kid friendly reading voice, he never panders or talks down to the kids. I like that. I also appreciate the gentle, absurd wit that Lobel weaves into these stories. I'm not kidding when I say that I could see the skeleton of a Seinfeld plot in some of these stories. Makes it easier for an adult in the car to listen to, that's for sure.

Like many teachers, I used this book on my first day for my kindergarten class. I would also recommend giving this book as a present to all of the parents that have a child going to kindergarten for the first time.

My daughter's kindergarten teacher read this to the kids and the parents the first day of school for orientation. I can tell you not a dry eye with the bunch of us parents! It was so touching that evening as well when my daughter asked me to kiss her hand so she could take it to school with her the first day. This will be an heirloom book for my other child as well as my grandchildren

I bought this book because my daughter bought one at her school for "us" when she was very young(separated because of divorce), it was lost in a move and it had sentimental value for both of us...it's not "the one" she bought, but it's just as good and in great condition.

The Kissing hand is a wonderful book that show's how strong the bond is between a mother and her child. We started reading this book to my daughter when she was two years old. She is now seven and we still do the "Kissing Hand". It is a sweet story that you will fall in love with and your children will ask for it for years to come. I would strongly recommend this book to everyone, especially to any parents who need to be seperated from their child for any length of time.
5 stars!!!

A wonderful book that helped my son get through the tough times of going to pre-school and being away from Mom. It helped him to know that I was always with him.

I understand the why the reviewer who labelled this as cheesy did so, but that's from an ego-based one-time listen and has nothing to do with making a soul connection to the material. IMO, that assessment is simply not the case at all. First, I really like the visualization that Colette takes us on with every chakra transition. Second, I love at every chakra we are told -- if not commanded -- to "experience the feeling." As a society, we're simply innundated with "logic over emotion" that our emotions can get lost and forgotten. This is a great, terrific, awesome CD to listen to over and over when drifting off to sleep.

I also recommend getting Colette's book "Remembering the Future," but only if you're ready to make a soul connection -- with yourself. Colette is a gifted and talented intuitive.

This CD is beautiful. I love listening to it. I relax and follow each step with clarity and ease each time that I listen to it.

This CD is wonderful for totally relaxing and aiding in erasing the everyday stress from your mind. Colette's voice is so enchanting and the sounds of the sea, sea birds and visualiztion that Colette guides you through is incredible. It is as if you are truly sitting on the sandy beach with the sun warming your skin. I can't wait to play the CD after receiving the Chakra crystals I have recently purchased and using them in tandem to heal and open all the Chakra's, to experience Chakra healing on a much deeper level.

Wonderful CD! Bliss! Feel refreshed after listening, great audio sound and effects! I looked everywhere to find this, after attending one of her seminars! She's Fantastic, Friendly, easy to understand & connected with her audience! Recommend to anyone who needs to relax, get intouch with their inner self, for healing, meditation, destresser, self-esteem, self awareness & self empowering! Love it!!!

What a beautiful stepping stone on ANY spiritual journey. I love this cd,
it's a tremendous way to balance chakras, and get a sense of peace. I instantly
feel the same deep meditation as I have using brainwave entrainment, only
this is even better. Don't miss this one.

The second disc was the same as the first so do not know if I heard the whole book or not otherwise was OK.

I've stuck with Stephanie Plum through think and thin, but this is the end. I'm just glad I took it out of the library rather than paying $28. Other reviewers have said it all, the verve's not there, so I'll stick to the low points: formulaic pablum and at least one misleading bit.

"...and we all piled into Lula's Firebird. Lula drove north on 206, past Rider College, to a neighborhood of modest homes." Well Rider College, actually University since 1994, is in Lawrenceville, NJ, a goodly piece from the Burg, and there are no such neighborhoods. Immediately north of Lawrenceville is Princeton. Apparently J.E.'s forgetting her NJ geography up there in New Hampshire. Shame on St. Martin's press, too, for letting that slip through.

So, J.E's jumped the shark, and Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with early stage Alzheimers (this is a MUCH bigger tragedy in every way). The future looks grim for laugh-out-loud funny reading.

While #14 isn't the best in the series and was perhaps not as deftly crafted, it's got some good laughs and has a good story. Though Evanovich consistently delights, it's unrealistic to expect every work to be a masterpiece. While I wait patiently for the next installment, I'll re-read my personal favorites and hope that the Joe-Steph-Ranger triangle heats up again in #15.

As I was reading this one I noticed myself giggling. Not because of the content of the story but because I began to realize this novel sounded like a Dick and Jane book. See Stephanie run. See Ranger run. See Stehpanie and Ranger run. I've never noticed before in any of the other novels how simplistic the writing style was. I'm a fifth grade reading teacher and I felt this book would have been to much of an easy read for my fifth graders.

Then I noticed that the story line was NOT memorable. I can remember previous novels with such ease (Stephanie wrestling the naked midget, Grandma opening the closed casket, or even the exploding cars). This novel had nothing "special" about it. There was nothing new or exciting. The characters sounded flat and boring. I felt like I was watching a soap opera with bad actors compared to a movie with Oscar winnning actors. I use to enjoy Stephanie having to fight over who she wanted more between her two men, but now I feel there isn't even a choice. Morielie is obviously the choice and everytime she lets Ranger kiss her brings down my repect for Evanovich for letting her character loose "character." At this point, I'm not sure if I want to read any more Plum novels.

Stephanie and her friends keep me laughing. I stayed up all night laughing at the book. My husband even started the series!

I purchased this book after hearing about it for years from different sources. Read it in only three sittings because it was so fascinating. I have incorporated much of the book into my daily life, especially what I eat. Study seems to be irrefutable. Health is largely a result of lifestyle, including dietary habits. I have changed mine. Only negative comment is the book is a little more academic than I would have preferred.

I have learned allot about diet and cancer and other immune diseases. I would recommend this book to anyone who is serious about their heath.

The reader does not do a great job of reading this from the scientific basis - he does not seem to understand the science very much, therefore reads in an unusual manner. Still, the CD's are a nice alternative if you don't have time to read the book.

i feel like i know more than my own doctors after reading this book... scary how little people actually know (or even worse-- what they choose to know)

I wasn't sure about this book when I ordered it. I was having a hard time finding audiobooks on nutrition. So many diets and diet plans but not many on nutrition. When I first started listening to the book I didn't think it was what I was looking for then it grabbed me. Everyone in the world should read or listen to this book. It is a book that could literaly change the world into a better place. We are far to complacent to accept the world "as is". I plan to tell as many people about this book as possible and do my part to change the world one person at a time starting with me.

Fiction is not my usual choice so I'm really not very conversant on authors in that field but the book review I read of __Moscow Rules__ enticed me and I jumped it. It reads like it was taken off the world affairs pages of any city newspaper. The characters are contemporary and the author weaves in just enough description of people and places that it "feels" real.
Occasionally Silva fits in an event the reader suddenly realizes has *not* happened and I find myself having to mentally back up and retrace where we've "been". That may be my weakness where I haven't read novels in any huge amount. Interesting reading though and I do like Silva's style.

Gabriel Allon just wanted some time to himself, but then is asked to have a secret meeting with a Russian newspaperman who has important information that he wants to share. Events lead Gabriel into a web of international arms deals, with advanced weaponry being furnished to terorists.

It is a well written book placed in the present day when a new elite has emerged in Russian. This is no longer the country of Karl Marx, but has become a country of well connected entrepreneurs out to make money by any means possible. The armaments created during the cold war are now a hot commodity in international markets. People have become adept at creating front companies and corporate shells.

The intrigue takes Gabriel to France and Russia, with side trips to the UK, USA, and Israel. The book provides a good picture of modern day technological dangers.

In my opinion, MOSCOW RULES, is Daniel Silva's finest book, beautifully crafted and an absolute pleasure to read. His principal character, Gabriel Allon, is one for the ages, complex but human who struggles to balance his freedom and his art with his duty and reverence for his mentor, Ari Sharon. Silva's craft gets better with each book, really a must read. This book goes far beyond just an adventure thriller.

Fred Campbell

Hard to believe but Daniel Silva keeps coming up with plausible plots and actions that just keep getting better. What could be better than to go back to the 'good old days' of the Cold War? Well, with Putin and Bush we are half way there. It is a sad truth that there is only 'managed democracy' in Russia, but Russians like to be told what to do. If it's a question of guns or butter, the Russians have always wanted guns. It's better to be strong and hungry than to be fed and weak.

Gabriel, who is on his honeymoon, is called away from restoring a painting for the Vatican, to meet with a Russian journalist in Rome. When the journalist is killed right in front of Gabriel and Eli, they know they are dealing with professionals who may be better than they are.

It's easy to guess that the bad guy is Russian and an ex-KGB wonderkin. But what is he really after. He's after money, money and more money. He's been selling guns and weapons to African and Asia revolutionaries and dictators for years. But, now he's gone over the line by selling shoulder launch missiles to Al-Quada. So it's time to call in everyone.

Though most of the real action occurs on the Cote D'Azur around Saint Tropez, Moskow gets thrown in for some good killings too. The British, US and French are brought in, and a good time is had by all; except for the dead and they don't have a vote.

Zeb Kantrowitz

This is vintage Daniel Silva, riveting and spellbinding from the very begining. His sense of geopolitical timing is uncanny, always preceding the news with his latest novel. In this book he also gives us a glimpse of his sense of humor.

Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day This is an excellent book- you will be a better and more positive person after you have read it. It is a book that you don't want to put down- and one that you will make many resolutions to "do better" in your lifestyle.
Amazon filled my order immediately and it is a pleasure doing business with them.

Ignore the fundamentalists (scribes and pharisees all!) who keep creeping into these reviews and bad-mouthing Osteen. Christianity has been hijacked long enough by word-worshipping Bible Bangers. What did Jesus say about the fundamentalists of His day? "Ye search the scriptures daily for in them you think you have truth." Osteen has written two wonderful and encouraging books. I also reccomend his broadcasts too. So refreshing! The world needs more of this kind of teaching and less of people like "Sandra F." who keeps admonishing positive reviewers with little fussy sermonettes. You can use the Bible to prove anything and you can use the Bible to represent and justify a miserable and joyless Christianity - which many have! You take FEAR and GUILT away from these people and their churches would empty out and go broke in a week.

Wonderful cd. Has a lot of problem solvers that are in our every day life.

Maybe his wife should read it. The FAA would probably buy it for her.

Joel is a great public speaker. He is even a great motivational speaker. My problem is that he is a pastor of the largest church in America and uses bible verses taken out of context to justify his philosphy. A lot of people will listen to him and think that is what Christianity is all about. At the end of each broadcast he has a little 18 word prayer that assures his listeners that if they prayed that prayer then Joel believes that they became a Christian. Paul said in Colosians that is we just believed in Christ for this life then we are to be pitied more than all men. I pity the person that listenes to Joel and thinks his rhetoric is biblical..Tell me what you think about...The Palace Theatre

Superbly narrated by Martin Jarvis, "Silks" is the collaborative work of Dick and Felix Francis. This unabridged, 9 disk audio book is a compelling racetrack murder mystery set in Britain. Defense Lawyer Geoffrey Mason is not only a barrister in London's Old Bailey, but an amateur jock with a passion for horse racing. When a fellow jockey is brutally murdered by a pitchfork through the chest, Mason is called upon to defend Steve Mitchell, a fellow jockey and the most likely suspect. A story of violence, intrigue, and threats upon his own life, Geoffrey Mason is faced with a complex web of possibilities and unknowns that must be resolved if his client is to be cleared -- and his own life preserved. Dick Francis is an acknowledged master of race track mysteries, and this flawlessly recorded audio book edition of "Silks" is a 'must' for his legions of fans.

While I love Dick Francis books enough to buy them in hard-back and re-read them regularly, "Silks" seemed like Dick Francis 'lite'.

The lead, Geoffrey Mason, lacks the strength, character and intensity of main characters from earlier works, such as Kit Fielding in "Break In". The "Silks" storyline also felt lackluster and the ending left me wanting something more.

If you are a Dick Francis fan, by all means, read this one too. But I prefer some of the earlier works like "To the Hilt".

If you're not a fan of Dick Francis, then you really want to start with Straight (Dick Francis Library) or Reflex (Berkley Fiction), two of his very best. If you are a fan, this will will be another pleasant day out at the track, good weather, fine horses, and you'll win a few modest wagers on the Tote, but there won't be any stunning upsets.

This time, our protagonist (in Francis' trademark first person POV) is a barrister, a lawyer who argues cases in the British courts. We get interesting insights into his profession, and a very believable young thug as the First Villain of the piece.

The story proper starts with a murder (very traditional) and quickly spawns a complex web of witnesses, entangled lives and a great honkin' Clue. It is here that the story is weakest, as it bogs down a bit in the middle- there needed to be a bit more going on. We take a lengthy excursion into the character's personal life while not making progress on the mystery and waiting for something to happen in the rest of the plot.

However, after some slowness in the middle, it launches into a bang-up courtroom finish, with revelations and confrontations galore. This is considerably more polished and better paced than the first Francis and Francis outing, and if it's not first-rank, it's certainly enjoyable and recognizably part of Francis' greater body of work.

_Silks_ is a mid-range Dick Francis novel. It delivers the usual pleasures of Dick Francis novels: a racing background, a sympathetic protagonist, a scary villain, a little romance, and an interesting backdrop. As a long-time Francis fan, I was glad to get it and enjoyed reading it. Much as I'd like to, however, I can't give it more than three stars. It has an excellent start, and a good finish, but it lags in the middle.

It doesn't take long for Geoffrey Mason, our hero, to get into frighteningly credible hot water. That's good--but then he takes an awfully long time to do anything effective about it. The middle part of the book fails to build on itself. In a thriller/mystery tale like this one, the protagonist should always be getting more information, getting closer to the bad guys, using what he's learned to push one step further. The antagonist, meanwhile, should always be expanding the scope of his nefarious doings, upping the threat level, reacting to the hero.

Neither of those things happens very much in _Silks_. Mason goes down a lot of blind alleys, and fails to uncover many new facts during his rather desultory investigations. Ultimately, he gets the information he needs via a phone call from a third party. The villain, in turn, simply repeats his original threats over and over. (Part of the trouble is that the villain, when uncovered, turns out to be a somewhat peripheral character.)

Finally, because there's no chain of revelations, Francis & Francis have to rely on a gimmick to inject surprise. In a typical mystery, we readers know what the investigator has *seen*, but not what he *thinks*. Here, Mason explains everything to the other characters in the book--but not to us. Censoring the information given to the reader is one of the weakest of authorial tricks, and in this case it happens several times.

The best part of _Silks_ is Julian Trent, the brutal thug whose trial sparks the whole chain of events. Intimidation in the justice system is a very real problem, and it's all too easy to imagine ourselves in Geoffrey Mason's situation. _Silks_ is very effective in showing how fragile that system really is.

It also delivers a good courtroom drama sequence. This has been done so often that it's something of a cliche. The Francises make this old standard deliver by actually giving an insight into a trial lawyer's mind; we get some understanding of Mason's tactics, his strategies, his worries, his analysis. The effect is to make the legal proceedings less of a circus and more of a high-stakes chess game. (It's also an amusing contrast for anyone who's a fan of Rumpole of the Bailey!)

If you're a long-time Francis fan, you'll probably enjoy _Silks_. Spending time in Francis territory is rather like visiting an old and familiar place: even if things aren't quite the way you remember, it's a pleasure to be among friends. If you're relatively new to Francis, however, you might want to start with one of his top-notch classics--_Risk_ is a personal favorite--where the pacing isn't quite so lax.

Julian Trent blames his former London barrister Geoffrey Mason for his initial assault conviction that was overturned on appeal. Mason thought his client got off soft on an overwhelming lost case. However, Trent believes his lawyer did not provide a proper defense and begins sending intimidating messages to Mason.

Although he has doubts bigger than Big Ben, Mason agrees to defend jockey Steve Mitchell against a murder charge. Evidence is strong that a crime of passion occurred as witnesses saw Mason's client and another jockey Scot Barlow arguing over the latter's late sister who was the former's girlfriend Millie when he was married with kids. Barlow blamed Mitchell for his sister's suicide while Mitchell blamed Barlow for informing his wife of the affair as his spouse divorced him, remarried an Aussie, and moved with their kids to Australia. Not long after that Barlow was found murdered with the means being a pitchfork. However, to his shock, unknown adversaries order Mason to lose the case or else they imply his septuagenarian father would be battered like his computer just was.

SILKS is a terrific legal thriller starring a barrister with a difficult case exponentially compounded by threats to lose and by Mason's problems to focus as he also believes Trent is involved. The story line is a fast ride around the track although racing is more background than usual in a Dick Francis thriller. Although the courtroom revelation seems out of Perry Mason rather than Geoffrey Mason, fans enjoy the latest collaboration from the father and son Francis horse racing mystery team (see DEAD HEAT).

Harriet Klausner