Shoes Books

The reader will be put off by the racial prejudices that show up through the story, but get past this and concentrate on the rest of the story. Right off the bat let us say that these are not mere racial stereotypes, but actual prejudice that obviously was part of the "social understanding" at that time and place (North Carolina). But suspend that for the duration of the reading.

Once at this point, this book will be surprisingly easy to read, and hard to put down. This reviewer can say with certainly that "Sand in My Shoes" would not have been a book of choice to either buy or check out from the library, and would not have been read had it not been for a friend lending it for a short while. Since the big part of the story centers on a peach farm inherited by a young post WWI couple, the fragrance of peaches works its way through every page. The author really does it that well. In reading this, you will be struck by how ordinary it feels to live in that time, out in the peach and cotton sticks. This is a naturalist style without the grotesqueness often found in that type literature and art.

Oh, yes. The ending is a decently good one, so really bad things do not happen to this couple through their life on that North Carolina peach farm. The farm doesn't wind up so well, but that worked out too.

This lovely contest winner will speak to women as surely as poets have spoken to the author, Suzette Marie Bishop. And the poets do speak to her. Much of her work is inspired by the work of others. With an eye and pen for detail, readers looking for poetry with a delicate touch are certain to love Bishop's book.
-----
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of two award-winning books, This is the Place and Harkening

There are seven random strangers staying in a house together. Can't be a simple, non-scandalous book, right? Not so much.

Curt wants a job for his band, and his girlfriend, Avery, wants to spend more time with her boyfriend.

Polly wants to get a life, or at least a boyfriend.

Owen is just a guy hanging out.

Lucas is a surfer dude who just wants to catch a good wave.

Sabina is an ex-spoiled princess who is used to having a disposable income and not having to have a job. Her parents put her in the house to gain some independence.

April is a girl who has had to work for everything that she has and is trying to take a break from taking care of her mom and grandma.

This book sounds scandalous and crazy, but it's really just a fun book with a little bit of flirting.

Reviewed by: Taylor Rector

I ordered this book by accident, I mean who would choose such a title. However, I had not realised that there was such a hobby. I mean, the very idea of deliberately stepping in dog turds and then marking them for smelliness, squidginess and resilience (difficulty of removal) was totally alien to me.

Well, now I can be found in the local park following dogs and their owners on the off chance that I can pick up a prize specimen. Mrs Gonads says that I am disgusting, but she just doesn't understand. Apparently, using a form in the back of the book, you can send of for a free sample of 'Ultimate Doggy do-doos' enclosed in a beautiful acrylic case labelled with the name of the dog and the date it was 'produced'.

Spectacular stuff, buy it now for your coffee-table.

Set in a town halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh, Legge's first novel follows the bright-yet-unemployed Archie and his three friends: Davie (married and very domestic), the Mental Kid (loud and annoying), and Richard (possessor of a record collection insured for 10,000 pounds). Over three days they wander around arguing about football and music in this affectionate portrayal of a certain segment of a generation. Legge's young men are much more relaxed and docile than those of Irvine Welsh's world, for Legge's short fiction check out In Between Talking About the Football, and his excellent story in Children of Albion Rovers.

One of the first economics lessons to which children are exposed in elementary school is the idea that people cannot have everything that they want, and they need to make choices. Alas, making choices can be difficult when it comes to buying new shoes. Adults and children alike will appreciate the conundrum facing the main character in Shoe Bop! when she visits a shoe store filled to the brim with all sorts of tantalizing choices. Loafers, moccasins, sneakers, sandals, high heels, hiking boots, flip-flops, clogs, and more - this store has it all in a variety of styles and colors. Fortunately our protagonist knows what she wants and can make a decision that is right for her. The use of various types of poetry and cheerful illustrations add to this book's appeal and interest.

A little time consuming to create but terrific counting ideas with a lot of variety.

This book offers a humorous look into the world of shoes. With funny pictures ranging from shoes with wheel heels to mile high platforms to giant shoes to heels stuck in storm drains, it is instant entertainment. While it may not give as much in-depth information as other serious shoe books out there, it offers a more unique and funny look at shoes over the years. To the Rocky Horror Fans out there, check this book out for an great picture of Tim Curry as Frank N Furter wearing his glittery platform heels.

I found the calendar to be whimsy, fun, and a great gift for a coworker.

"The Pope was dead." So Morris West opens this novel about the challenges facing the modern Catholic Church and its leaders. By the end of the first chapter, the deceased Pope is buried, and a surprising new Pope is elected with surprising speed by the Conclave. At the time this book was written, West's choice to fill the Shoes of the Fisherman reference in the book's title probably was downright shocking. To the modern reader, it seems almost prophetic. While John Paul II was from Poland, rather than Russia, there are many similarities...both are relatively young Cardinals, from communist countries, who wish to travel around the world to go to the people.

This book provides a glimpse into the inner workings of the Vatican and the highest reaches of the Church's leadership. It examines the limitations of the Pope's power and his ability to implement change. It also provides a look at the challenges facing the Church in its mission to the people, by providing a second story line about the relationships and struggles of some of the Church's subjects in and around Rome.

This book is not a thriller, with a fast plot and a crisis around every corner. Instead, it is a character driven story of the struggles of people to come to terms with themselves and their beliefs. Certainly not as exciting as "The DaVinci Code", but perhaps more meaningful in its exploration of the role of faith in peoples lives.