A Hole In The Wind

Product Description

the book deals with bullying and the devastation of loneliness to the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Novel explores sport of competitive bike racing and the difficulties of teen years.......2005-11-29

I had the pleasure of attending Dr. Carl Horner's reading when he signed his new novel at a major bookstore in Jacksonville, Florida. Very few authors have the capability to engage an audience the way he does. When he began to read and talk about his novel, there was this almost tangible connection between the author and the audience. He encouraged his guests to talk and ask questions. I mention this in case you ever have the opportunity to hear him. There are authors who are good writers and authors who are good speakers. Dr. Horner is both.
________________________

Colby Fowler, the central character in A Hole in the Wind, is drawn into the sport of bicycle racing, just as Carl Horner was as a young man. In a newspaper article, Dr. Horner said the title of the novel speaks directly to his experiences. "When you have six people in front of you and three or four or six to the right and left of you, and a hundred behind you, it's like you're being pulled. It's like you're in a hole, like there's no wind all of a sudden." He calls this phenomenon a "tunnel-pulling effect."

For him, life delivers moments similar to that effect, moments Horner calls "the obverse of loneliness." He says such moments can come from nature, such as when you spot a deer in the yard, or from hearing a special song on the radio. Such a moment, he notes, is also "a hole in the wind."

The novel, says Horner, was "born out of been there, done that, saw all that-passion. Those memories keep talking to us."

Colby Fowler is a lonely boy who helps take care of his mother, a failed pianist drowning her sorrow in alcohol. As Colby works to fit into the hierarchy of his racing team, he confronts callousness and outright rejection from teammates. But when tragedy strikes a coach, Colby manages to triumph over the challenges life has dealt him. As Colby contemplates the loss of his coach, he muses to himself, "You can't keep making yourself believe that you're special--that horrible things happen to everyone else, not to you. Time might be your best friend, but it can also wash you away at a point when you're still too hungry to die--when you've got too many things left undone."

Like Holden Caulfield's character in the well-known classic The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the character Horner draws in A Hole in the Wind is an adolescent of precocious thought and deed.

Teens will be drawn to Colby Fowler because the loneliness he experiences and the challenges he faces speak to their own issues.One passage in particular will resound with students who confront the beginning of a new school year-"Fowler felt drained by the clamor of students pushing and shoving their way along the narrow balcony in front of Kelly's classroom.The noise, the thunder-bodies trampling over each other, yelling like no one could hear."

Horner's novel is a carefully crafted book written with a poetic bent to the prose. His central character is a youth who is mired in adversity, but one who finally makes peace with himself in the end. It's an uplifting story, and it's memorable, filtering into the consciousness the way a good book will often do even after the last page is turned.
________

This review is based, in part, on a newspaper feature I wrote for the St. John's Sun (publish date 8-26-05).

Coronal Holes and High Speed Wind Streams

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Coronal Holes and High Speed Wind Streams

Manufacturer: Univ Pr of Colorado
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Solar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0870811096

Coronal Holes and Solar Wind Acceleration

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Coronal Holes and Solar Wind Acceleration

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0792358287

Book Description

The Proceedings of the SOHO-7 Workshop provide an overview of how observations with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) have led to greater understanding about the nature and evolution of coronal holes and the acceleration of the solar wind. Coronal holes are regions of low density plasma on the Sun that have magnetic fields that expand freely into interplanetary space, and SOHO has allowed solar physicists to investigate the detailed physical processes responsible for maintaining this complex state. The SOHO-7 Workshop Proceedings focus on four topics: (1) constraints by interplanetary and remote-sensing measurements on solar wind models, (2) energy input, heating, and wind acceleration in coronal holes, (3) coronal hole boundaries and adjacent regions, and (4) composition and elemental abundance variations.
This book will be of use to the entire solar community by providing scientists with a concise summary of the progress SOHO has made in this field, and young researchers can use it to learn about the most relevant topics in this rapidly evolving discipline.

A Hole in the Wind: Hang Gliding and the Quest for Flight

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A Hole in the Wind: Hang Gliding and the Quest for Flight
Hank Harrison
Manufacturer: Bobbs-Merrill Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0672525348

On Almost Any Wind: The Saga of the Oceanographic Research Vessel "Atlantis"

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On Almost Any Wind: The Saga of the Oceanographic Research Vessel "Atlantis"
Susan Schlee
Manufacturer: Cornell University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ORIGINAL PRINTED PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 23,326 FOR AN ADJUSTABLE "PEEP-HOLE" IN THE GLASS WIND SCREEN OF A MOTOR CAR. (1910)

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ORIGINAL PRINTED PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 23,326 FOR AN ADJUSTABLE "PEEP-HOLE" IN THE GLASS WIND SCREEN OF A MOTOR CAR. (1910)

Manufacturer: HMSO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HICJDG

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Ride a Hole Through the Wind
Judy Marshall
Manufacturer: Royal Fireworks Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Book Description

Kansas State Reading Circle Choice 1996-1997

Fifteen-year-old Cutter McAllister is desperately trying to please a demanding father he both loves and fears, but certainly does not understand. His fathers dream had been for Cutter to be on the football team. To redeem himself after he is cut from the school football squad because he is too small, Cutter takes his personal battle and dream of proving himself tough enough in his fathers eyes to the quarter horse racetrack. Someday, he would ride the big roan colt with the crazy eyes to victory at Haskell Downs. But his father is adamantly against the trade because of past experiences.

Through Cutters story we experience the total environment of a quarter horse training operation: its economics, its physical layout; the activities and safety precautions for both man and horse; and the different standards of operations of working owners. Cutter must fit in among the different personalities and work pecking order, starting first in cleaning out the stalls and the dung pile. He perseveres. He begins to value his own abilities and strives for his own goals, wishing that his father would be proud of him. In the end, Cutter learns from Spence, the ranch owner, what toughness is really all about.

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A Hole In The Wind: The Story Of A Man And His Horse
Charles A., M.D. Fager
Manufacturer: Jay Street Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Racing | Horses | Individual Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1889534935

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Comedian (Charlie Hill) pokes holes in white attitude.: An article from: Wind Speaker
Kenneth Williams
Manufacturer: Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00098J5SQ
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Wind Speaker, published by Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA) on July 1, 1999. The length of the article is 1009 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Comedian (Charlie Hill) pokes holes in white attitude.
Author: Kenneth Williams
Publication: Wind Speaker (Newsletter)
Date: July 1, 1999
Publisher: Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA)
Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Page: 17

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Saskatoon: a black hole of desperation.(urban decay and tensions between police and native peoples)(Interview): An article from: Wind Speaker

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Saskatoon: a black hole of desperation.(urban decay and tensions between police and native peoples)(Interview): An article from: Wind Speaker
Paul Barnsley
Manufacturer: Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Wind Speaker, published by Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA) on August 1, 2003. The length of the article is 2250 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Saskatoon: a black hole of desperation.(urban decay and tensions between police and native peoples)(Interview)
Author: Paul Barnsley
Publication: Wind Speaker (Newsletter)
Date: August 1, 2003
Publisher: Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA)
Volume: 21 Issue: 5 Page: 8(2)

Article Type: Interview

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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The Complete Compleat Enchanter
L. sprague and pratt, Fletcher De Camp
Manufacturer: Baen Books/ Baen Publishing Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GLEP2C

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The Magical Misadventures of Harold Shea

The Incompleat Enchanter Trilogy by DeCamp and Pratt

One Of My Favorites

Fun read, interesting magical system, great stuff

Compleately enjoyable!
Complete Compleat Enchanter
Decamp
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Lest Darkness Fall & Bring the Light

ASIN: 0671698095

Customer Reviews:

The Magical Misadventures of Harold Shea.......2002-10-21

One rarely thinks about this, but there actually was terrific heroic fantasy being written before Tolkien published the Lord of the Rings, and L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt were at the forefront of such efforts. These magical misadventures of Harold Shea, psychologist turned multiverse knight/magician/hero are thoroughly entertaining and amazingly detailed. The Complete Enchanter consists of the two novellas The Roaring Trumpet and The Mathematics of Magic (published together as The Incomplete Enchanter) and a follow-up novel The Castle of Iron. Sorting out the different versions of these books can be somewhat confusing, but basically this set consists of the original trilogy of "books" recounting the adventures of Harold Shea. Shea is a smallish man who continually takes on affectations such as unusual modes of dress in an effort to lift his spirits out of the mundane environment of his life. When his boss comes up with a logical theory for traveling among different universes, Shea takes the initiative and put the theory to the test. Aiming for mediaeval Ireland, Shea actually finds himself in a bitterly cold environment where he meets up with Thor and the three other principal gods of Norse myth. Deciding to pass himself off as a magician, he soon finds himself involved in preparations for a final world-ending battle between the Norse gods and a group of malicious giants. In many ways this is my favorite Shea story because it is here that he finds, to his own amazement, that he can handle a sword with some degree of skill (as long as it has a sharp point at the end) and can actually perform some feats of magic.

After managing to return to good old present-day earth, Shea soon sets out on another journey, this time with his boss Dr. Chalmers along for the thrill-seeking ride. Their aim is true, placing them inside the world of Spencer's Faerie Queen. Here Shea finds himself in the company of both noble knights and rogue "black" magicians bent on defeating the good and noble paladins and destroying the enchanted world. In this mediaeval setting, he hones his fighting skills, struggles with his magical spells (as does his colleague Chalmers), and meets up with the red-haired beauty of the woods Belphebe. Chalmers, for his part, becomes enchanted with the lady Florimel, who unfortunately is a not quite human reproduction (formed of ice and snow) of the original Florimel.

The Castle of Iron finds Shea back in his own time and space again, trying to explain to cops the manner in which his wife has disappeared. Suddenly, he, two cops, and two of Shea's colleagues find themselves transported to another world Shea soon realizes is Xanadu, but soon Shea and his annoyingly rash colleague Vaclav are whisked magically away to a castle of iron in an ancient Moor kingdom (the world of "Orlando Furioso"). The plot of this novel confused me a little, but basically Chalmers has bidden them there to help him achieve a truly human form for his beloved Florimel. The castle Chalmers resides in, however, is under a curse which can be put in motion should the young Mohammedan warrior Roger escape the grounds and fight as a warrior, which is the only thing Rogers wants to do, as luck would have it. Once again, Shea finds himself mixed up with men and creatures of mythological origin, seeking this time to not only glorify himself in further adventure without winding up dead but also to find and restore the memory of his recently-disappeared wife.

The logic of Shea's method of time travel is rather abstruse; basically, transference is achieved by choosing your desired location (which ends up being a fictional or mythological universe of literary note), trying to ground yourself in the physical and magical principles that would hold reign in such a world, and then reading aloud complicated logical arguments-then, poof, you find yourself in another place and time, one where all of your old assumptions do not quite hold true, requiring quick thinking, ingenuity, and-inevitably-skillful or very lucky life-preserving skills. There are quests, battles, and loves galore in these three adventures. The method of invoking magic is especially interesting, as Shea and Chalmers basically take their words of power from literary sources such as Spenser's The Faerie Queen and Shakespeare. The only negative thing I can say is that sometimes Shea's time in each world is drawn short before we have a chance to actually experience the long-awaited battle or ultimate conclusion to events there. De Camp and Pratt made an incredibly talented writing team, and the magical misadventures of Harold Shea hold a long-appreciated, eternally rewarding place in the annals of heroic fantasy.

The Incompleat Enchanter Trilogy by DeCamp and Pratt.......2001-11-28

I originally found the first book, "The Incompleat Enchanter", at a flea market back when I was in my early teens in the late 60s, it was an old paperback, and I loved it! At the time I was fascinated with magic as well as math and science and I loved the way De Camp and Pratt intertwined the two! It had since fallen apart and was lost in my move to California. Anyway I found and read the "Faerie Queene" and "Castle of Iron" universe books (as well as the "Wall of Serpents" book later on) as a teenager and found them all to be excellent. I have purchased this collection so that my son (in his early teens) can read the stories as well, I'm sure he'll love them! I'm sure you will as well!

One Of My Favorites.......2001-03-30

The place: a town in Ohio. Two psychologists, Harold Shea and Doc Chalmers, have made an amazing discovery: by altering their logical assumptions, they can visit any world they choose. Of course, it is difficult to tell beforehand exactly what world they're going to visit... These stories are hilarious and extremely readable, though you shouldn't expect anything terribly deep. This volume collects all of the original Harold Shea novellas into one book. This makes it something of a one-stop buy for anyone who wants to read them, especially since the original volumes are out of print. There are other in-print Shea stories, but they weren't written by the De Camp-Pratt team, so they're not nearly as good. They're still worth a look if you're bored. though.

Fun read, interesting magical system, great stuff.......2001-03-23

Remember that Sprague and Pratt wrote this before LORD OF THE RINGS and only a few years after the hobbit. There weren't as many fantasy books to draw upon either.

Great system they set up for how magic works through mathematical formulas. Not too confusing either for people like me who don't care for math either.

The book is divided into three books that cover different mythologies: the first being Norse where Harold Shea, our hero, gets to meet some of the Norse Gods as they travel in to giant territory; second being in Spenser's THE FAERIE QUEEN where he gets to meet his future love interest; and THE CASTLE OF IRON which if based on an old epic poem that wasn't finished.

This book mixes humor, action and clever tactics. Shea isn't the big bruiser type although he carries an epee and knows fencing which lets him beat a lot of people. He also is smart in that where the big bruisers with him find they can't get out of a jam, he's there to outthink his opponents. Oh, and, of course, he also knows magic but sometimes that messes up or does things differently.

For its time and even today, a great book for fantasy fans. Alternative History buffs should also check out LEST DARKNESS FALL (a history professor helps Rome from not collapsing . . . sort of, that is).

Compleately enjoyable!.......2000-07-21

I first read The Complete Enchanter fifteen years ago and still think of it as one of my favorites. The Complete Enchanter contains the original trilogy of Harold Shea stories. Those original three are wonderful - the perfect blend of humor, adventure and romance. This book adds two more stories about Harold and freinds that may have been a trifle disappointing only because they are shorter than the first three and not closely related to one another like the orignal trilogy. I command you to read it!

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The Complete Compleat Enchanter

Manufacturer: Baen Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000BMTQ20

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The Complete Compleat Enchanter
L Sprague; Pratt, Fletcher de Camp
Manufacturer: Baen Books/ Baen Publishing Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NPVB4G

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The Complete Compleat Enchanter
De Camp And Pratt
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000CDGRWA

The Complete Compleat Enchanter Collector's Edition

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The Complete Compleat Enchanter Collector's Edition
L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000MAQO3K

Product Description

Masterpiece of Fantasy bound in geniune leather

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The Complete Compleat Enchanter
L. Sprague; pratt, Fletcher De Camp
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000KX78SY

THE COMPLETE COMPLEAT ENCHANTER - Harold Shea: The Roaring Trumpet; The Mathematics of Magic; The Castle of Iron; The Wall of Serpents; The Green Magician

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THE COMPLETE COMPLEAT ENCHANTER - Harold Shea: The Roaring Trumpet; The Mathematics of Magic; The Castle of Iron; The Wall of Serpents; The Green Magician
L. Sprague ; Pratt, Fletcher de Camp
Manufacturer: Baen Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VFU4SW

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A Visitor from Outer Space: Science-Fiction Stories by Soviet Writers
Alexander Belayev , Alexander Kazantsev , Vladimir Savchenko , Gerogy Gurevich , Arkady Strugatsky , and Boris Natanovich Strugatskii
Manufacturer: Fredonia Books (NL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1589633318

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Throw A Wine Tasting Party

Greg's Review!!!

Nothing quite like it

Great Intro to Tasting

Fun and interesting, but sometimes lacking

How to Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine
Jancis Robinson
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743216776
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Amazon.com

Whether Montessori or Merlot, kindergarten or Cabernet, the importance of a good instructor during the formative years is crucial. That's why newcomers to the world of wine could do a lot worse than having a corkscrew in one hand and a copy of Jancis Robinson's How to Taste in the other. A revision of 1983's Masterglass and published in the U.K. under the superior title Jancis Robinson's Wine-Tasting Workbook, How to Taste is a primer by a certified Master of Wine and star of the PBS series Jancis Robinson's Wine Course. From acidity to Australian Shiraz, oak to Oregon Pinot, Robinson delivers chapters of information and theory, intermingled with shaded "Practice" exercises, presented in a style as off-dry as one of the author's beloved Rieslings (the tannin in a lesser vintage Barolo is "like sucking on a matchstick"). Sometimes tuition at Jancis U. runs high: the lesson on sugar/acid balance culminates with expensive Sauterne "Practice." And even if Robinson risks, by dropping words like "charred" and "umami" early in the book, sending novices back to tear open a fresh box of Franzia, vinous virgins are encouraged to stick with it. By the time they get to the glossary at book's end, they'll be identifying wines at blind tastings with professional accuracy--which, Robinson encouragingly reveals, and she ought to know, is about 50 percent. --Tony Mason

Book Description

Hailed by Paul Levy in The Wall Street Journal as "our cleverest, most thoughtful wine writer," Jancis Robinson makes learning about wine almost as enjoyable as drinking it. With How to Taste, she's put together a unique wine-tasting course based on practical exercises that appeal to wine connoisseurs of all levels.

Robinson explains first how we taste wine and food, and then about the grapes and wines themselves. In separate sections on theory and practice, she offers basic technical information about wine appreciation, then shows us how to apply it in sipping exercises -- all of which are based on readily available and, in most cases, inexpensive bottles. And how better to learn about wine than by actually drinking it?

By the time you finish this book, you'll know how to recognize the most popular grape varieties from Chardonnay to Riesling, to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, and why you should choose a good sparkling wine over a cheap champagne. You will know how to judge sweetness, acidity, and fruitiness as well as the difference between the length and weight of a wine, and you will be able to distinguish wines from around the world. Robinson also arms you with practical advice about dealing with wine in the real world: choosing from a wine list; setting up and recording your own wine tastings; spitting out your sample mouthful correctly; and complementing food flavors with wine.

Innovative, informative, and above all fun, How to Taste is designed to be taken with you everywhere, from the armchair to the vineyard to the wine shop and back to the table.

Customer Reviews:

Throw A Wine Tasting Party.......2007-05-14

Janice Robinson's books are wine gospels. This book is for anyone who wants to taste and enjoy more wine. Don't be intimidated. She is not a wine snob and writes her books for everyone. I threw a wine party after reading this book and passed along some of my new knowledge with my friends. I feel much more confident giving wine as a host/hostess gift now.

Greg's Review!!!.......2007-01-04

I am using the book as a reference guide because I am already reasonably proficient in tasting wine, however from what I have read so far it is very informative and an excellent learning medium for the novice and the experienced wine taster alike.

Nothing quite like it.......2006-11-10

There are dozens upon dozens of reference books that explain wine in very technical terms. The Oxford Companion to wine has in depth entries on everything from the making of sparkling wines to polyphenols such as resveratrol. The World Atlas of Wine contains remarkable maps and explanations of all of the mapped regions. These are, of course, essential to anyone wanting to learn about wine.

But this transcends all reference guides. This book tells you how to truly enjoy this enchanting beverage *and* teaches you about wine along the way.

If you go through this book, and not only read but actually work with the practical tastings, you can not help but come out of it comfortable enough in your own understanding and convictions to "rap" with experienced oenophiles.

Great Intro to Tasting.......2004-10-05

I bought the book a year or so ago so this review benefits from the added perspective of time. At about that time, I was becoming more and more interested in wine, but at wine festivals and the like I found that I knew what I liked, but not why I liked it, and where I could go to explore the favored elements in more detail. I remember going through this book doing some of the exercises like trying different glass shapes, trying wines blindfolded, tasting wines made from the same grape but from different regions, etc. I occasionally had friends over to do some of the exercises in a party environment, and the exercises proved to be a great date idea as well! I remember her exercises were quite flexible as well suggesting cheaper alternatives to the classic examples. Other reviewers have pointed to the omissions of their favorite wine regions or varietals, but this book is very much focused on exciting the novice, and might be overstepping its goal by presenting the limited reference section at all. Not everything can be covered here, but it's a fun springboard into the world of wine by one of the true experts in the field.

Fun and interesting, but sometimes lacking.......2004-03-05

The topic of wine can intimidate many people and Jancis goes out of her way to diminish the fear factor. Many of her explanations are excellent, her exercises are fun and she is always encouraging and positive. The best part is that she really does help the reader identify and isolate the different building blocks of taste: for example, what does acidity feel like on your tongue, and what does it taste like in a yoghurt versus lemon, and finally in a young pinot noir versus and aged cabernet? However, at times I found that Jancis did not give enough information and left me confused. For instance, she says that Riesling wines fall into the semi-sweet category, but neglects to mention that this is only for German Rieslings; Rieslings from Alsace are very dry. Buy this book if you are willing to spend homework time in the wine store and reading other books, supplementing what Jancis tells you herself. Also, since most of these exercises are based on blind tastings, buy the book only if you have someone with whom to do them.

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