Book #4

I have lived a thousand years

By Livia Bitton-Jackson

This is a book about a young girl named Elli living in Nazi Europe during the Holocaust. During this time she was a thirteen year old girl who was like any other girl, in love with boys, loved to talk to her friends and so on.. All at once her dreams came to an end when the Nazis invaded her homeland in Hungary. They strip the jews of all their possessions, including Elli's new Bicycle. They also make them wear a yellow star of David on their clothes, and hand over any spare clothing. But the worse is still at hand. They are forced to move into ghettos, enclosed and overcrowded, and running out of food fast. The only way out of the ghetto is into a labour camp and her father is the first to go. Soon Elli, her mother, Aunt Serena and brother, Bubi go to the dreaded Concentration camp, Auschwitz. Once there they are sorted at the gates, Aunt Serena goes to the gas chambers, Bubi goes off with the men and Elli and her mother are put to work. What is to follow is the cruelity they endure at the camp.

This was a wonderful book, something that I will never forget. It makes me so thankful for my life now, and I feel sorrow for those who had to endure the cruelity at the concentration camps. If you ever want to know what happened to jews in Nazi Europe during the Holocaust then you should read this book. Excellent book.

Book #3

How to Win Friends and Influence people

By Dale Carnegie

About five years ago my husband was given a copy of this book, and has since then has read it about twenty times and has given it away to friends at least nine times. He would tell me how wonderful this book was and although I was happy he found a book he really liked, I ,wrongly, thought that this book was only for Management people or people who wanted to read about Management. Then he sat me down and told me, "Ami, you should really read this book I think that will help you with a lot of your everyday encounters." As I read I was intrigued to find out that this book was not only for people interested in Management, but also for people wanting to know how to communicate with others.

In this book there are four major parts: Fundamental techniques for handling people, Six ways to make people like you, Win people to your way of thinking, and Be a leader; How to change people without giving offense or arousing resentment.

The first section of the book stuck out to me. Benjamin Franklin once said " I will speak ill of no man and speak all the good I know of everybody". This brings us to the most important part in Dale's book Never Criticize, Condemn, or Complain in which he writes "Any fool can criticitze, condemn or complain and most fools do but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving."

Additionally, the second section stuck out as well: Six ways to make people like you. The six principles he lists are; one, become genuinely interested in other people. Two, Smile. Three, Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any lanuage. Four, Be a good listener, Encourage others to talk about themselves. Five, Talk in terms of the other person's interests. Lastly we come to six, Make the other person feel important and do it sincerly.

The principle that definitely caught my eye was, Principle Four. I have always thought of myself as a good listener, but I never encouraged others to talk about themselves, I would just let them finish. I was too interested in the next time I got to talk. The reason this caught my eye was for a story the author had retold by someone he had encountered. Millie Esposito's son, Robert, said " Mom, I know that you love me very much." Ms. Esposito: " Of course I love you very much. Did you doubt it?" Robert: " No, but I really know you love me because whenever I want to talk about something you stop whatever you are doing and listen to me." This was very powerful to me, as a mother I, too, want my children to know that I love them and I don't want to be waiting for my next turn to talk.

This was a very good book and I would definately give it a thumb's up. If you are interested in winning friends or want to know of ways to make people like you more, then this book is for you. I never thought I would read a book like this because as mentioned above, thought it was for management people. This book will not only help you at work, but at home and spiritually as well. Please take the time to read this book you will not be disappointed.

Book #2

Daddy's Little Girl

by Mary Higgins Clark

This book starts when Ellie, is only 7 years old and her big sister, Andrea gets murdered. They have 3 suspects in mind at the time of her murder. One is Rob Westerfield a wealthy 19 year old boy, Paul Stroebel a 16 year old classmate who had a crush on Andrea, and lastly Will Nebels 40 year old handyman. When it was Ellie that led her parents to her sisters body in a secret hideout that Andrea hung out, her parents started to blame her for Andrea's death. It was also Ellie's testimony that put the man she was convinced was her sisters killer away. After 22 years in prison he is now up for parole, Ellie, now and investigative reporter, protests his release. Nonetheless the killer is released and goes to the town they both grew up. Determined to tell everyone that he is a killer she writes a book and makes a web sight, and discovers new insight in her sisters death.

To me, this book was not the best one that I have read by Mary Higgins Clark. I still did, however, enjoy this book to the end. It was written from the eyes of Ellie, the little sister of Andrea, who was murdered when Ellie was only 7 years. So you get a sense of all the action that goes on in the story. I was not into the story as much as I had antisipated though, but still could not put it down. I loved that she was so determined to prove his guilt that she puts herself into danger and then the story starts to roll. It was kinda slow but does have some exciting points to it. I would give this book an okay review.

Book #1

Two Little Girls in blue

By Mary Higgins Clark

It starts out with the kidnapping of twin girls, Kathy and Kelly on the evening of their third birthday while their parents are out to dinner. The babysitter is knocked out and doesn't remember too much of what had happened. The kidnappers leave a ransom note demanding 8 million dollars for the safe return of their children that is signed by the "Pied Piper". When they do pay the ransom and go to get their children back they discover that only Kelly is alive and there is a note from the kidnapper,whom is found dead in the front seat, saying that he accidentally killed Kathy and dropped her body in the ocean. Although the parents are very pleased to have Kelly back they still can't help but wonder what happened to kathy. When Kelly starts "talking" to her sister and saying that she wants to come home they start thinking that Kathy may be alive.

This book was entertaining from the very beginning. It definately kept the reader inside the story while it was unraveling. Some parts of the book I would actually scream out loud rooting for the good guys to win. This was one of the best books that I've read by Mary Higgins Clark in a while. Although I love all the books I've read by her this one was a winner in my eye, you were given the veiw point of all the characters including the kidnappers. Given the view point of all the characters made you want to jump inside the story to make sure there was a happy ending. Over all I give this book a big thumbs up. Excellent and very suspenseful from beginning to end, I would recommend this books to anyone who wants to read a thrilling novel.

Book Reviews...

I am going to write reviews about some books that I have read and give my opinion of them as well. Hopefully you may find them interesting so you'll want to read some of the books I have chosen. Please enjoy....