ART + PARIS: IMPRESSIONISTS AND POST-IMPRESSIONISTS By Museyon Guides

Publisher Information

Art+Paris goes far beyond the usual guidebook, combining a crash-course in art appreciation with dramatic, expert-written biographies of eight Impressionist artists and comprehensive listings of the most important, museums, galleries and historical sites that Paris has to offer. With this book reader will see Paris through the eyes of the Impressionists and their followers. From the Musée d'Orsay to the seedy cabarets of Pigalle, Art+Paris: Impressionists uncovers the places that inspired Manet, Degas and Van Gogh. Want to dig even deeper? Then travel beyond Paris to the suburbs and Normandy to find the scenic villages painted by Monet, Renoir and Cézanne. Intended for tourists and local art lovers alike, this must-have guide to contemporary art is filled with over 500 full color paintings, 300 photos and 17 maps.

My Review:

This book is divided into the following sections:

What is impressionism?
Impressionists
How the impressionists broke from the salon.
Impressionist Exhibitions
Museum Tours / 150 Paintings
Paris Walking Tours
North of Paris and Normandy

Book is a wonderful edition to any art lover as well as anyone making a trip to Paris. Book not only includes information on art but also includes sections for walking tours through the city and in several museums.

5 out of 5 stars.

Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah

Publisher

In the rugged Pacific Northwest lies the Olympic National Forest—nearly a million acres of impenetrable darkness and impossible beauty. From deep within this old growth forest, a six-year-old girl appears. Speechless and alone, she offers no clue as to her identity, no hint of her past.

Having retreated to her western Washington hometown after a scandal left her career in ruins, child psychiatrist Dr. Julia Cates is determined to free the extraordinary little girl she calls Alice from a prison of unimaginable fear and isolation. To reach her, Julia must discover the truth about Alice’s past—although doing so requires help from Julia’s estranged sister, a local police officer. The shocking facts of Alice’s life test the limits of Julia’s faith and strength, even as she struggles to make a home for Alice—and for herself. In Magic Hour, Kristin Hannah creates one of her most beloved characters, and delivers an incandescent story about the resilience of the human spirit, the triumph of hope, and the meaning of home.

Me And Emma by Elizabeth Flock

Publisher

In many ways, Carrie Parker is like any other eight-year-old—playing make-believe, dreading school, dreaming of faraway places.

But even her imagination can't shut out the realities of her impoverished North Carolina home or help her protect her younger sister, Emma.

As the big sister, Carrie is determined to do anything to keep Emma safe from a life of neglect and abuse at the hands of their drunken stepfather, Richard—abuse their momma can't seem to see, let alone stop.

But after the sisters' plan to run away from home unravels, their world takes a shocking turn—and one shattering moment ultimately reveals a truth that leaves everyone reeling.

Queen Esther & The Second Graders of Doom by Allie Pleiter

Publishers Info

Teaching Sunday school at her brother's church in the Bay area was supposed to help former champion athlete Esther "Essie" Walker understand boys -- the better to raise her newborn son as a stellar example of manhood. Fat chance! Enter the eight-year-old male psyche: awful jokes, disrespectful behavior and general mayhem. Essie, the queen of control, finds herself in a brand-new world of chaos.

The pressure builds on all fronts -- Sunday school class, husband's job search, church dramatic pageant, aging parents, finances -- until Queen Esther has one royal meltdown. God, it seems, has makeover plans for Essie's competitive nature. Her characteristic control is in very short supply as she gains a better understanding of the nature of imperfection, the value of motherhood and the virtues of a messy but connected life.

My Review:

Very cute and easy read. Great fast Christian book. Favorite Part: Part where Ester is trying to teach her Sunday School class about miracles and ends up getting into a discussion on weather Jesus Christ does or does not have x-ray vision with a bunch of superhero loving 2nd grade boys. I can understand where she is coming from as I am a teacher and sometimes have the weirdest questions asked of me as well!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Publisher Information:

The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.

My review:

A typical classic. I was forced to read this while in school (middle school I believe) but of course like any other classic... one truly does not enjoy it until you are an adult. This is a great coming of age book taking place during the turn of the century.

Look Again by Lisa Scottoline

Publishers Information

When reporter Ellen Gleeson gets a “Have You Seen This Child?” flyer in the mail, she almost throws it away. But something about it makes her look again, and her heart stops—the child in the photo is identical to her adopted son, Will. Her every instinct tells her to deny the similarity between the boys, because she knows her adoption was lawful. But she’s a journalist and won’t be able to stop thinking about the photo until she figures out the truth. And she can’t shake the question: if Will rightfully belongs to someone else, should she keep him or give him up? She investigates, uncovering clues no one was meant to discover, and when she digs too deep, she risks losing her own life—and that of the son she loves.


My Review

Amazing book! I feel for Ellen with her roller coaster of emotions. I was in shock over the end of the story. This was a page turner! I was unable to put the book down for a day. You will be pleasantly surprised by the way the book turns out.
I can't wait to read another book by Lisa Scottoline.

5 out of 5 Stars!

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

Publishers info
A young boy emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven. Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear. Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle

My review

wow! What an amazing story. If you ever wondered what Heaven looked like this book gives in great detail an account of the beauty of Heaven. A very emotional story to read as I am sure it was to write as well. I have since passed this book on to my 9 year old daughter to read. I hope she gets as much out of it as I have. I am truly amazed at the mercy and the hand of God.

5 out of 5 stars!

The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE BOOK

Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to Cleveland
Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.

The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.

Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?


My Review

I enjoyed this book very much. It is not anything like the other Christian Amish stories I have read by other authors. I did enjoy the characters Shelley created. Lucy & Calvin were easy to sympathize with. Anyone could see themselves transposed into this story as an outsider or even a friend of Lucy looking in while her life is changing.
** Mild Language**
4 1/2 out of 5 stars!

Sasha Kaga's Classic Collection by Sasha Kagan

Product Description
Iconic knitwear designer Sasha Kagan treats readers to a fascinating retrospective of her work from the past four decades in this beautifully presented collection of women’s knitwear. Known for her innovative use of color, intarsia design work, and striking patterns, Sasha’s designs transcend fashion trends and have become classic pieces in their own right. Updated and reworked in gorgeous contemporary yarns, these 20 sweaters, wraps, and jackets are just as wearable today as they were when they were created. The collection spans from 1969 to 2009, with five patterns representing each decade. In addition, swatches, magazine articles, and photographs are included to recreate the original design context for the pieces. Also included are essays by knitwear design notables like Trish Malcolm from Vogue, and British designers Steven Sheard and Susan North.

My Review
The art that Sasha has delivered in this book is amazing! I love the gallery of designs spanning from 1969-present! The photos are only half of the art given in this book. The other portion of the book that blows my mind, is the detail in the instruction on how to make each of the masterpieces shown in the photos. In addition to instruction on particular projects shown, Sasha also gives mini instruction on yarn picking, knitting in color, and yarn distributors.
Overall, Sasha did a beautiful job in delivering a masterpiece of art in conjunction with teaching techniques of particular projects.

5 out of 5 stars

Fail Harder by failblog.org community

Product Description
FAIL Harder follows the hilarious best-seller Fail Nation to showcase 200 original full-color photos of world-wide FAILS based on the popular website failblog.org, the most visited member of the Cheezburger Network.

So what qualifies as a FAIL? How about a nursery outfitted with a gun rack hanging over the baby's crib? Perhaps the equation, "E=MC3" written on a classroom's write/erase board. What about a trifecta of beauty parlor, chain saw repair, and nightclub housed inside an all-in-one-stop shop?

Classic FAILs like these are presented in more than 15 different categories, including At Home, In A Relationship, On the Job, and With Your Pets.

If you must FAIL, FAIL Harder.

My Review

The funniest photos I have seen in a long time! Made me laugh over and over! Great book to give as a gift or for your coffee table!

5 out of 5 stars