Product Description
A pair of endearingly eccentric bachelors--in their fifties, and fraternal twins--own and operate a bed & breakfast establishment where people like them, the "gentle and bookish and ever so slightly confused," can feel at home.Hector and Virgil think of their B&B as a refuge, a retreat, a haven, where folks may bring their own books or peruse the brothers' own substantial library.An antic blend of homespun and intellectual humor, Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast is a place readers will want to return to again and again.
Amazon.com Review
"One day, I put myself in the car and simply drove. I had no idea where I wasgoing or why. I had no idea ... I would wind up, at dusk, in a lost littlevalley, turning up the driveway of the Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast."

The best books, as you read them, take you from wherever you are to a placewhere you want to be. If you're a reader of a certain type--a lover of books,cats, and absurdity of a quiet kind--then the Bachelor Brothers' Bed andBreakfast should be on your itinerary. It introduces two fraternal twins,Hector and Virgil, unmarried men who run a cozyestablishment on a Canadian island. The book alternates between notes from Hector or Virgil, and "Brief Lives,"culled from the B & B's guest book. This variety of perspectives gives Bill Richardson tremendousflexibility, and he weaves all the disparate characters together withan unobtrusive dexterity. The Bachelor Brothers' Bed andBreakfast is a pleasant, soothing, quietly absurd place to be. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

...and this is an award winner?
Some of the small moments are cute in this book but I wouldn't recommend it as a must-read. The author goes off on tangents and the literary writing is a bit over the top to sound like owners of a bed and breakfast.

Wonderful book
I love this book.It is funny, warm, intelligent and relaxing.If you are stressed and need a place to relax, visit Bachelor Brother's Bed and Breakfast.

When I die and go to heaven. . .
I think heaven might be a little like this:a beautiful, cozy bed and breakfast, in a rural, peaceful setting, where the owners are two delightful, quirky, book and animal lovers, whose labor of love is a retreat for people who also love natural beauty, good books of every kind, and their pets. Reading this book is like a mini retreat in itself.Every page brings something to smile about or to reflect upon in the gentlest way. In this bed and breakfast the food is good, solitude is encouraged, yet good company is never far away. I refuse to believe this place is fictional, but then again, I keep looking for Middle Earth around every corner.This is a great gift book, sure to bring many smiles of pleasure to the bibliophiles in your life.

How can you go wrong with a book about books?
Picked this up at a used book store in Georgia last year and just now got around to reading it. Lovely story of book-loving bachelor brothers who run a B&B and the folks who stay there.

When can I go there????
This is one of the cutest, intelligently humorous books I have ever read! It is a series of small storries written by the brothers and their guests.The stories are mostly pretty funny and I found myself laughing out loud.I can't guarantee that all readers will laugh as we all have our own funny bone but I LAUGHED.

It's not my style to write reviews that are book reports.I prefer to keep the review simple with a few facts (so as to keep the book a surprise) and my opinion if it's worth the read.With that in mind, I will say that this book is worth the read.

I enjoyed the writing style, the humor and found myself savoring the book; stalling my reading it in order to make it last longer.

Buy it!I think you'll want to read it again and loan to your friends. ... Read more

Product Description
A pair of endearingly eccentric bachelors--in their fifties, and fraternal twins--own and operate a bed & breakfast establishment where people like them, the "gentle and bookish and ever so slightly confused," can feel at home.Hector and Virgil think of their B&B as a refuge, a retreat, a haven, where folks may bring their own books or peruse the brothers' own substantial library.An antic blend of homespun and intellectual humor, Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast is a place readers will want to return to again and again.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

I liked this one as much as the first..
I really enjoyed how this book picked up right after the other one left off.I liked it just as much as the first one.There were a few events that were hard to believe, but it was a nice, cozy visit with our 'old friends' from the first book.All the old characters are there, with one or two new ones.It surprised me with a few plot twists as well.And I found two more books to read from their book recommendations!

A so-so sequel but with some surprising revalations
After enjoying the first Bachelor Brothers Bed & Breakfast book, I decided to check out the sequel.In particular, what I had most liked about the original novel was its focus on books and reading, so I was disappointed to discover the that sequel does not have the same emphasis:occasional reading lists are included, but they are interpersed with recipes and a much more eccletic collection of anecdotes.Whereas the first book was genuinely funny and quirky, it seems that in this follow-up work, the author tried TOO hard to be both humorous and unusual, and for the most part, his efforts fall flat.Much of the book centers around a character who was only briefly mentioned in the original story, the eccentric local poet Solomon Solomon; the little that is of interest about the character is stretched way too thin here.The only real bright spot in this book is that towards the end, there are some interesting revalations which provide a bit more information about Hector and Virgil's ancestry.Whether it's worth it to read 172 pages of a mediocre novel for less than 20 pages of slightly more entertaining level is up to you, but I definitely wouldn't recommend this sequel to anyone who hadn't read the first book.

A Bit of a Hodgepodge
You couldn't say this book had much of a plot. It's more like a collection of anecdotes. Some were entertaining, some not. I liked the letters from former guests at the B&B. I didn't care much for the sex or the occasional slapstick. I haven't read the first book in the series, so I can't compare. For the owners of a business, the two brothers didn't seem to do much work.

I have stayed at only one B&B, and my husband and I were the only guests at the time. It was a lovely place. The owner sat down and ate breakfast with us and told us about many of the interesting guests she and her husband had housed. They didn't seem to have much life outside the business, which seemed understandable. The bachelor brothers seemed to have too much life outside the B&B.

More from Hector & Virgil
As a sequel to the first book, The Bachelor Brothers Bed & Breakfast, the Pillow Book provides more stories from our beloved brothers Hector & Virgil.One of the lines from the novel sums up my love & appreciation for the writing:"..They wanted to create a place where people who are oppressed by the notion that there are too many books and too little time to read them might carve out a retreat;where gentle souls who carry the burden of knowing that the world is too much with them can set aside a week or ten days to whittle down their list of 'books to which I must one day get around'"-As a lover of books, this idea sounds like the perfect escapism. That is what Bill Richardson accomplishes in his writing-escapism with the various characters we meet at the Bachelor Brothers Bed & Breakfast, and another peek into the family unit of Hector & Virgil. The book is speckaled with funny little anecdotes throughout.While not quite as good as the first novel, it's still a charmer.

Fun, but far too far over the top
Much of the joy of the first book was that the stories were told with such a light touch and in such different voices that you could almost believe they were true.Virgil and Hector, while iconic, could almost be real, andI loved them for it.

In this second book, the humour is broader but Iceased to believe.The first book has characters, the second caricatures.The difference is disheartening.I laughed, but didn't love. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a study of effective decision-making in business at the strategic level. It emphasizes how to improve decision-making and provides a framework for analysis of techniques appropriate to particular organizations and circumstances. Case-study material is provided at the end of each chapter. It is aimed at students in the final year of degree courses and advanced management courses dealing with business policy and management strategy. It links intermediate-level studies in decision-making with advanced studies on strategy. ... Read more

Product Description
A hard-fighting soldier's story-from the trenches of America's first battle in the Cold War.

From the devastating counterattack at Unsan to the thirty-four months he spent in captivity-a period of years in which giving up surely meant dying-Col. Bill Richardson's instinct for leadership and stubborn will to survive saw him through one valley of death after the next. Valleys of Death is a stirring story of survival and determination that offers a fascinating, intimate look at the soldiers who fought America's first battle of the Cold War in the unvarnished words of one of their own. Richardson endured many long months of starvation, torture, sleep deprivation, and Chinese attempts at indoctrination, yet maintained defiance under conditions designed to break the mind, body, and spirit of men. ... Read more

Product Description
A rising star of the Democratic Party tells the fascinating story of the ways his multicultural heritage and political education have shaped his dreams for America and given him the vital lessons in the art of successful negotiating.

Read by the author
Abridged CDs - 5 CDs, 6 hours ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Personalizing of History
The first part of this book was initially disappointing.The constant "I did this..." or I travelled to ..." sounded like so much puffery - what one might expect in a book by a Presidential candidate.The more I read, however, the more I realized that the "I" was essential to the entire focus of the book.The book brings history alive from the actual events and conversations in order to show that individuals can help make history or at least nudge it in a desirable direction.Historical events can not be viewed in a vaccum.They are most meaningfully understood in the context of the minor details of the events themselves.One that jumps out is Richardson's meeting with Saddam Hussein (regarding the release of two individuals who strayed into Iraq from Kuwait)when Richardson casually crossed his legs and inadvertently showed the soles of his shoes to Saddam.Saddam jumped up and left the room.It turns out that showing the soles of ones shoes to someone in that culture is a real sign of disrespect.The best part of the book is "Richardson's Rules" which he sets forth in anecdotal context throughout the book (with the list summarized at the end).The "Rules" are a great guide for dealing with not only high level political or diplomatic negotiations but also with everyday personal and business relationships.All in all a very enjoyable read for someone who overwhelmingly reads fiction - not non-fiction - and certainly not political books.

What a man!
How very fortunate this country is at this time in our history to have someone of this magnitude and calibur seeking the Presidency.His experience and different way of thinking allow hope for a better tomorrow for the US and the world.Good luck to you, Sir.Good luck to us all that you lead us all into a brighter and more peaceful tomorrow.

What Makes Bill Tick
Bill Richardson is a rather unimpressive candidate.However, candidates aren't elected - Presidents are.Having said that I can say that I believe Bill Richardson is ready for the Presidency.The question becomes is America ready for Bill Richardson?

The book is about as interesting as Bill Richardson's performances in debate.Clearly, this is a book about Bill's life, by Bill himself.Many of his positions are explained, but it is not comprehensive, and not meant to be.Reading this book will give the impression of what makes Bill tick, so I give credit for writing a successful book.There is no shorting the reader of 360 pages of substance.Personally, I too would like to see more from Richardson, and in fact, this is already happening.

Campaigns for officials that are based on results and performances while in office must have someone touting that record, and this is what Richardson does without much modesty.Between World's describes the position Richardson inherited from birth and the position Richardson has dealt with throughout life.The book moves from his childhood in Mexico to his life in school in New England.Richardson was the one in the middle that learned to relate to everyone.His entry into public service and political office was destiny.When you combine these with love for individuals and an unapologetic stance you have a man with superior credentials as a diplomat.

A portion of the book that could be developed further is "Richardson Rules".Richardson doesn't discuss development and application of his rule set, but presents these as simply his personal rules - I don't know whether as a human being, a public official, a diplomat, or other.

Richardson comes across as result-oriented, fun-loving, but serious.Inspiration here comes from hard work and having done a job well - unfortunately, not great oratories and smooth gestures.Richardson could partially compensate with combinations of brutal honesty and jest.He must continue to rouse voter curiosity with more manufactured "celebrity-in-jest" performances such as the one created for the New Mexico gubanatorial election.It wouldn't be a bad move if Richardson says in debate, frankly, I suck at this.I want to be telling you what I've already achieved as President - not what I would like to achieve.

A Career Politician: The Good & The Bad
I had been hearing good things about Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson, so I decided to pick up his autobiography. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of autobiographies or biographies for that matter. Especially, not ones with the sole intent of extolling the author's virtues. So that's why it gets a B-. And I'm just not a huge fan of the writing style that biographies employ. It just gets a little boring and tedious at times. But to be fair, the book gave me a better picture of Bill Richardson than I had before. About half-way through the book, I was seriously thinking about giving him some consideration with my vote. Although I know he'll never get past the big 3 of Edwards, Obama, and Clinton. He grew up in Mexico (born in US) where his mom is Mexican and his father American. He was a senator for the state of New Mexico, the ambassador to the UN that followed Albright, Secretary of Energy for Clinton's second term, and current 2nd term governor for the state of New Mexico. Needless to say, that makes him extremely qualified. And hands down the most qualified of all current presidential candidates. To his credit, he tells it like it is. And for a politician, it doesn't feel like he is full of BS. He has a record for giving his opinion even when it's controversial. And has offended both parties at times, despite being a staunch Democrat. But he's honest. Over and over again he gives examples where he spoke his mind and how it either paid off or got him in trouble. So that I respect. But ultimately, I feel like he's a politician. And a bit of an opportunist. I do believe he has a vision for this country that centers around a better energy policy. Which I totally jive with. Ultimately though, I just feel like he's a politician at heart. And I don't really want a politician in power. I want someone who is not definded as a politician. And I'm well aware of the rarity of that.

Bill Richardson, the book, the lite version
I have been interested in Bill Richardson as a potential presidential candidate for some time so I wanted to read his story to get some more information on what he might bring to the Democratic race.So should you read this book to learn about Richardson? Sure but you may be left wanting to know more as I did after finishing it.

This book, true to its subtitle "The Making of an American Life", chronicles Richardson's life, his childhood in Mexico, his high school and college years in the US and the major turning points in his life. The book is very good at this and more interesting than I thought but it does not have much detail of proposals to solve many of the national problems we are facing today. There was a list of highlighted important sayings called "Richardson's List".This I thought might be a list of what he thought would help steer the country to a better position in diplomacy, health care, environment, and the economy but was a synopsis of what he had learned in his career on how to be a successful politician, diplomat and negotiator.Hopefully if his campaign goes well we will have the opportunity to hear more from this very accomplished statesman. ... Read more

Product Description
A rising star of the Democratic Party tells the fascinating story of the ways his multicultural heritage and political education have shaped his dreams for America and given him vital lessons in the art of successful negotiating.Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, may be the most charismatic figure in the Democratic Party today and one of its best natural politicians whose name isn't Bill Clinton. He is the man Colin Powell has called for advice, and the man George Stephanopoulos once called the Red Adair of diplomacy in homage to his ability to put out international fires. He has been nominated four times for the Nobel Peace Prize and is counted as one of our most knowledgeable politicians on Iraq and Saddam Hussein; on Afghanistan, the Taliban, and Al-Qaeda; on North Korea; on energy policy; on Latin American affairs; on domestic politics; and on Hispanic America.Richardson's background as the son of an American businessman father and a Mexican mother has offered him an unusual starting point from which to seek a life in public service, but one of his most interesting roles has been that of global troubleshooter. What he has to say about how to negotiate to get what you want shows his true colors: He can be blunt, but charming; tough, but respectful; realistic, but hopeful. Through his work as a hostage negotiator sitting across the table from the likes of Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro, and many others-as well as his toil on Capitol Hill, in the United Nations, and New Mexico's state government-he has learned the vital importance of preparation: know as much as possible about your adversary; test your partner's truthfulness; know how much you can concede; never lie and always be direct. ... Read more

Product Description
Internationally renowned photographer Lucian Niemeyer and National Park Service historian Art Gómez have combined talents in a new presentation on New Mexico. Niemeyer’s more than 150 color photographs encompass the entire state throughout the seasons presenting New Mexico’s people, cultures, and magnificent scenery at the millennium. Gómez’s sweeping history views the state in terms of corridors, geographic as well as cultural. New Mexico’s mountains, deserts, and rivers form natural corridors that migrating birds and animals have traditionally used for survival. Navigating these same corridors across the state, human cultures of Paleo, Plains and Pueblo Indians, Hispanos, and Anglos forged viable communities on the astringent New Mexican landscape.

Pueblo ancestors migrated from austere environments throughout the Southwest to more inviting surroundings on the Rio Grande. Plains Indians from the north and Hispano tradesmen from the south converged via the Camino Real. American settlers migrated west along the Santa Fe Trail, the southernmost corridor around the formidable Rocky Mountains. Improved transportation such as the railroad and later Route 66, precursors to the interstate highway system, annually lured new inhabitants to this compelling land called New Mexico. ... Read more

Product Description
Have you ever wondered what really happens when your elected representatives get together to: spend your money; write laws making some things illegal, others illegal; and, try to "satisfy" all the lobbyists at the same time?You can stop wondering. Bill Richardson has let the cat out of the bag. You'll be both amused and outraged at his tales of the day to day shenanigans in your state and national capitols.Does your legislator suddenly stop being your representative? He's just suffered Peer-Group Shift (see Chapter 12). Does The Majority Elect? (answer in Chapter 18). Have you heard gossip about Sexy Solons? (read Chapter 21). There are wildly funny chapters -- Ze Mooz (4) Burros and the Pill (9), Gangrene and the Board of Education (16) -- as well as plenty of straight talk about how and why our legislators are no longer ours.Throughout GOA founder and retired State Senator Richardson's breezy text is the underlying theme that "this can't go on much longer, enough is enough!" He offers many thoughtful reflections on why our legislatures have gone off the tracks, and scores of helpful suggestions how to put things right. By the time you reach Chapter 15 -- A Full-Time Legislature -- Yuk! -- you'll agree. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A story of political shenanigans from the past
If you were wondering how the so-called 'great state' of CA came to be in the dire straits that it is in today, then this book is a good place to start in understanding why. You begin to see why politicians have acquired such a bad reputation for themselves over the years, like their being described as `pond scum' & shysters. This was an entertaining read & at 136 pages it was quick. But it is sad to think that this was back in 1978, & then you look at today. I leave you here with a few excerpts from the last chapter, 'God Alone' - "It would be wonderful if man were perfectible, but, alas, it will never be in this life. Perfectibility presupposes that imperfect man knows what perfection is & that an imperfect man is capable of implementing perfection. ... Human perfectibility is accomplishable only by God & by Him alone. ... Man's nature is flawed, but he is not without redeeming qualities. ... Freedom creates a dynamic force. A complex society can only survive where man's talents are allowed to prosper, individual creativity is encourages & rewarded, excellence is sought, & mediocrity is relegated to its proper station. ... Freedom necessarily elevates the individual, & as the individual improves, society benefits as a whole. What else is society than a collection of individuals? ... One need look only at the history of mankind to see the inevitability of human freedom. Man, in all of his dumbness, has been struggling upward--falling back from time to time, but ever so perceptibly advancing, painfully discovering the revealed truths of the nature of man. One truth should now be evident. Each person has inalienable rights & government's role should be limited to the protection of personal freedom. Unfortunately, America is now temporality staggering backward, away from liberty. We are submerging into the warm goo of a paternalistic government & constricting our freedom of movement. In our all too human quest for security we are offering our personal freedom as the price."

Oldie but Goodie
While this book is not timely, the stories told are timeless and funny.Moreover, the situation has only gotten WORSE since Richardson was in the legislature.

And don't think it's just the California legislature.I've seen this over and over on the local level (San Diego County and its cities).But it's on the federal level, where they pass bills literally a 1,000+ pages long, that you'll find that too often NO ONE has read the entire bill.

It would be wonderful if this little gem was read in the nation's civics classes.Kids need to move from the THEORY of democracy to seeing how the sausage is actually made in the factory.

Richard Rider, Chairman
San Diego Tax Fighters

HLR Nails the California Legislature
HL Richardson writes a very funny and very wise book about the California Legislature, and why it was dysfunctional in its day (and a total disaster now).

He shows how a reasonably sound Central Valley businessman is sucked in to the process of government "helping people" by the system.

HLR was a conservative, but don't be deterred if you aren't. This is one of the wisest political books since another HL--Mencken. ... Read more

Product Description
Word count: 1582. ... Read more

Product Description
Studying Spanish? Spending a year in Spain? Or maybe going to work there? Then you'll need this handbook of contemporary Spain and the Spanish language. Revised and expanded, and packed with essential information on politics, economy, and institutions, it covers the basics that are taken for granted by most Spaniards. This new edition includes recent events such as the 2004 Madrid bombings and the subsequent election of a socialist government, ETA's 2006 cease-fire and its later revocation, and the country's recent economic success. Each chapter also contains a SpanishEnglish glossary giving guidance on the use of specialist terms in context. This handbook is invaluable for all those with a wish to learn more about Spain, its language, and its people. ... Read more

Product Description
Implicit in many folk and fairy tales is the question, 'Then what?'

"After Hamelin" picks up the story where the Robert Browning poem -- or other tellings of 'The Pied Piper of Hamelin' -- leaves off. In a quest that is both contemporary and timeless, Richardson creates a magical world through inventive wordplay, uninhibited imagination and a facility with rhyme. Here is a raconteur who spins a narrative tale that takes readers into strange lands inhabited by unusual characters, both good and evil, where adventure abounds and unlikely saviors emerge.

Penelope is 101 years old, but she can remember the story like it happened yesterday. On the morning of her eleventh birthday, she wakes to discover she can no longer hear. It is on this same day that the Piper returns to Hamelin to spirit the children away in an evil act of revenge upon the townspeople. Spared because she is deaf to the Piper's bewitching tune, Penelope is left to grieve the loss of her friends and beloved sister Sophy until Cuthbert, the wise man of the village, reveals that Penelope possesses the unusual gift of deep dreaming. Armed only with a charm from Cuthbert and her own courage, Penelope enters the land of sleep on a treacherous quest to rescue the stolen children.

There is suspense, humor and high excitement (wrapped in dark undercurrents) as Penelope and the companions she meets along the way -- Scally, her trusted cat; Alloway, the blind harpist; Ulysses, a three-legged dog; and Quentin, a dragon who loves skipping -- journey to the Piper's mountain fortress. Their combined wits and talents see them through strange landscapes and close calls. In a thrilling climax played out in a mysterious place between dreaming and waking, they triumph over the Piper and set the children of Hamelin free. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Create Your Own Review
Leanne D. review of After Hamelin by Bill Richardson, March 12, 2008. This book was an interesting account of what happened to the one child left after the Pied Piper piped all of the children of Hamelin away for revenge. The majority of the story is in the leftover child's, Penelope, who is capable of "deep dreaming", dream in which she goes on the quest to rescue the children of Hamelin. She is accompanied by her cat, Scallywaggle, and is guided along the way by a very old man named Cuthbert. Along the way to the Piper's palace, Penelope makes friends with the Trolavians and with a dragon. Once she and her newfound friends find their way to the Piper's palace, they get locked up with Penelope's sister, Sophy, who appears to be the only child around. Sophy proves them right once she explains that the piper has turned all of the children into rats. As Penelope's friend, Alloway, gets turned into a rat by the piper, Penelope catches the words to the spell and turns it on herself in an attempt to save the other children. She does so, only to chase the Piper and the other children over the border between dream and waking. Penelope manages to free the children and restore the spell that bound the Piper to the land of dreaming.

Um....eheh
What was THAT?!
That was the strangest book I ever read, that's what.Very...interesting.It left you with a few unanswered questions, but it wasn't a half bad book.

Very...um...interestingly....strange....though...

Gets better with time
After Hamelin might be marketed as children's lit, but that demeans it. The characters are real and alive. Even the cat. How many authors have tried to make an animal into a character and failed? But Scallywaggle is a full-fledged character. And who ever thought of a flower-arranging dragon? I'm still working on my re-read, so some of the details that I have aren't great. Though I hate the children's sections, I love fairy tales, and wish everyone would remember C.S. Lewis's dedication of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Children's lit is often an incompetent author trying to sell to kids who don't care about quality. After Hamelin, though, should go to the fairy tale section. I hate Disney retellings: they make fairy tales cheap and simplistic happily-ever-afters. Richardson knows his story of the Pied Piper well, and does with it exactly what everyone should do with fairy tales: he takes it, adds some stuff, changes some characters, adds events, and puts in beautifully handled prose. He reinvents the story for a more modern reader, and makes it more accessible. Penelope isn't "charming" in the sense that she isn't the sweet, adorable little girl, nor is she the tomboyish one who defies the rules. There's no title on the list of character cliches to fit her, or any characters in this book. They're all their own selfs, and that's what makes this book stand above the masses of fairy-tale takeoffs that plague book stores. There's not much else to say. I read this first when I was 10, and now at 14, and will keep reading it throughout my life. Read this book, and remember, above all things, one: we are never too old for fairy tales, and fairy tales aren't for children alone. I'll spare the rant on that here, but read After Hamelin, regardless of your age, and rediscover the fact that we all have dreams and goals, and that no matter how fantastical they are, they are true.

Pipe, Pipe, Pipe away Piper!
In this woderfully weaved tale of a girl, Penelope who is 101 years recalls upon her childhood adventure in saving the children of Hamelin. Once you read this book you will want to know more and more until the book ends. But imagination doesn't only end at the last pages for some. Many may want to make a tale of their own. Penelope recalls in extraordinary detail and Bill Richardson has done a wonderful job of making the pipers music in this book turn you eyes to look at the story. The cover speaks alot itself and one look can tell you the meaning " a picture is worth a thousand words." You may get annoyed with the repeating parts where she always says she's 101, but other than that its a good story.
Penelope is a skipper. Not any ordinary skipper, she's a skipping harpers daughter. Ever since she was little there has always had music in her life. Then on the day of her elevening, she goes deaf. The same day the piper comes to pipe away the children with his magical net of music from his pipe. All children but two. Alloway, a blind apprentice who stays with Govan, Penelope's father and of course our heroine, Penelope. To save the children of Hamelin she must go to a world both seen and unseen. Where anything can happen, into a land of dreaming. The stakes are high and in this dream world you just can't wish yourself away from danger.With a wacky group of companions she embarks on her journey... the rest is for you to find out...

An amazing book
This book is a newer version of an old story.I myself a 12 loved this book my mom a well... older than twelve year old also loved this book. It was great and I thought Penelope was a very brave herione. I also loved Quentin and his unusal habits.Most of the people who went on the journey and some sort of disablity, take for example Alloway a blind harper, it just made the story a little more intersting on how it showed us that even if we are disabled we can do great things. I recomend this book to boys and girls of all ages. ... Read more

Product Description
The irrepressible Sally Dog Little is back.

The Littles are as formal as ever. Sally Dog rises each day, knowing exactly how to please each member of the family. But when Twinkle shares her When I grow up dreams with Sally Dog, that sets Sally Dog to thinking.

Sally decides she'd like to be an undercover agent, and so begins her new career. She spends breakfast incognito, spying on the silly secrets behind the Littles' formal morning rituals.

Her next assignment takes her to the backyard, where she discovers secrets galore! Like the dog catcher who secretly stalks a dog that's stalking a cat stalking a robin stalking a worm slithering among the petunias -- Mama Little's prize petunias! With an "arf" and a "woof," Agent Sally springs into action and prevents flowerbed bedlam. ... Read more

Product Description
Starting with history and the influences of Europe and Latin America on Spanish identity, this accessible introduction goes on to examine issues of place and language, before discussing iconic Spanish figures, schooling, home life, and the workplace. Each chapter is supported by appropriate extracts in Spanish from classic and contemporary authors, as well as suggestions for further reading. Ranging over topics as diverse as political corruption and religious orthodoxy, Basque nationalism and Andalusion fiestas, this volume provides fascinating insights into Spanish life, and is an invaluable introduction to Spanish culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This book, although touted as containing limericks, has none
One of the many things Bill Richardson doesn't know is what a limerick is.This book will be a great disappointment if you anticipated that five-lined verse form.It does have lots of sing-songs and some la-di-das, however. ... Read more

Product Description
Ambassador Ortiz's memoir is as fascinating as has been his career over four decades in the United States Foreign Service. An Air Force veteran of World War II, Ambassador Ortiz's first assignments were in the Middle East and Ethiopia. His most significant diplomatic work was done in Latin America. There, he took on missions in Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, the Caribbean, Panama, Guatemala, and Argentina. He held posts in Washington, D. C. at the very center of U.S. power.

Ambassador Ortiz reflects on the hazards and challenges of diplomatic life; he was falsely accused of being a top CIA agent. He recounts a little known aspect of the Cuban missile crisis. His assignments in Peru, Uruguay, and Guatemala exposed him to the terrorism of Marxist guerrilla groups.

Ortiz served under six U. S. presidents, worked directly for Henry Kissinger, and shares many intimate moments, including a remarkable meeting between President Jimmy Carter and Sir Eric Gairy, the prime minister of Grenada, who regularly spoke to God and the crews of flying saucers.

From Bill Richardson’s Introduction

"Ambassador Ortiz's autobiography, to which I contribute these lines, is [a] collaboration in which we share a commitment to the coming generations by inspiring them to reach for the stars. In writing his autobiography, Ambassador Ortiz, an 'ordinary but curious kid from Santa Fe,' as he would have it, tells us how he made that stretch. We have faith that our joint aspirations will again be fulfilled as new generations rise to the challenges our world presents." ... Read more