error Books

I loved this one growing up. Really. Amelia Bedelia always choose the funniest possible interpretation of words, and her name rhymes! What's not to love?

The one thing I'd be concerned about is that a lot of the usages in this book are going to be unfamiliar to your young kid. I don't think many of us say "draw the curtains" anymore, and even if we do, we probably don't often talk about "trimming" steak (with or without lace!) or "dressing" chicken, at least, not around our kids. Maybe we should, but we don't.

So this book might be better saved for read-aloud time than read-alone time.

My first grader love that book. He was cracking up and he had so much fun reading this book! He reads it without any help. It is a cute and funny story and if you child doesn't like to read this is a great book to spike an interest in reading.

I remember reading these books years and years ago! I'm in 10th grade and it's been more 5 years since I was in elementary school and yet when I go work at my old school I go back and read them again!

A fun (and funny) book which will delight kids with Amelia's well-intentioned but mistake-laden chores. Kids feel empowered because they are 'smarter' than the character and are able to cheer her on. In the end, Amelia's good deeds overpower any mistakes she makes.

I recommend this book for any child who is beginning to read on their own!

This is surly a kids favorite since I was a little girl! We join Amelia Bedelia as she starts her first day of work for the Rodgers. They rush off shortly after she arrives, but they've left her a list of things to do. Should be a snap, as all the tasks are simple and clearly stated...but that's what you think...Amelia Bedelia begins completing each chore in quite a literal fashion...drawing the drapes and much, much more! Younger kids (1-4) will like the silliness of it and beginner readers and more savvy grade schoolers (5-8) will like that's it's simple and clever/silly too! I recommend it without reservation! I'm sure Amelia will be with us, teaching fine lessons about the words we use and the many means they can have for generations to come!

I thought it was a 2009 calendar, but it was for 2008. Both copies are useless.

I should warn you that I sat down in the middle of a busy day when I first received this and read it for an hour. Now I keep it in the kitchen to continue reading while I wait for the microwave to finish my meal. I absolutely love it, and I cannot agree with the person who thought any seventh grader would know this information. Well, maybe while he or she was still in seventh grade, but I just find it delightful to discover someone who still believes it is wrong to say "Me and Harry went to the movies." It is particularly upsetting to hear professional newscasters and other speakers making that mistake. Ouch! I'm afraid it will become standard in spite of people like Paul Brians.

And how great it is to find someone who still knows the difference between "imply" and "infer." Then to find that he really understands the ins and outs of "data/datum." I still cringe when I hear "data" used to refer to the singular, but I suppose I have to yield to "progress" in the language. I still believe that the research papers I read (and occasionally supervise on the thesis level) refer to several bits of information when the word "data" is used.

I must say, though, that writing this is a bit scary. I expect someone to pick on my poor usage somewhere. Oh well, so be it. I've had the pleasure of a bit of ego massaging in being able to say "Yep, I knew that." Oops! I don't find "yep" in the book. Anyway, it's fun.

I bought the book because I know the website. The book looks great, I really like the drawings. Very clever, very useful and makes a good present, too.

Do you say "offen" and like to make fun of the people who say "of-ten" instead???? Then this handy calendar is for you! Have fun proving your vocabulary superiority, and maybe even learn something along the way. My journalist husband comes home with a new nugget of knowledge for me every day :) Highly recommended!

Were these "common errors" used in the English Language directed to
6th graders? I can't imagine anyone over the age of 17 needing these
explanations and examples. They are simple to the point of being insulting.

Lovejoy's gardening help and humor have been assembled over a long time as a gardener--in good times and bad. She knows bugs. She knows weeds. She understands my gardening pain. Her remedies for problems are safe and effective, and best of all, tend to be created out of stuff we all keep on hand. On a few gray, rainy days I have read her book simply for entertainment. Also, this book is a terrific gift. Enjoy!

From clever outdoor decorating ideas to eco-friendly pest repellent recipes, this little book is a wealth of simple tricks to transform your garden. The first time I read it, I couldn't put it down. Page after turned page, I found myself gasping "who knew?" or "genius!" Having only a light-green thumb myself, I especially enjoy Sharon Lovejoy's humorous and uncomplicated approach to a wide variety of gardening challenges. There probably isn't a whole lot of information in this book that would be news to the seasoned gardener. But for the beginner or the well-intentioned-albeit-lax like me, it is informative and delightful. My only complaint is that the book is not water/dirt repellent ... the amount of time this book has spent by my side in the garden SHOWS! :-)

He loves it so far, and I'm enjoying the bits I''m getting to read.

This is a great "sitting by the garden" book. I have learned a lot, and it has reinforced some things I thought I already knew. Lots of great ideas, and I love the organic ways to take care of gardens/pests/etc.

As an avid collector of gardening books, I am proud to add this to my library. It is a fun, quick read with no nonsense everyday tips and remedies for the novice to the experienced gardener. It is easily becoming my first reference when tackling the out-of-doors, and it is small enough to tote around the yard as I work. No more "rummaging thru" pages of information. Everything is at my fingertips. THANK YOU Sharon !!

This incredibly valuable book is characterized by almost reckless honesty in combination with a concern for the welfare of patients that I have encountered nowhere else to date.

If it is read casually, there is much of critical value; if studied carefully, there is even more.

Dr. Levine had earned the gratitude of everyone who reads the book as well as all others because, with his trail blazing book, he has put the medical establishment on notice that they can no longer depend on the code of silence that has for so long protected inadequate and impaired heath care professionals. And it's high time.

I agree with all the reviews here - this is a must read. But after you read it go give it to a friend - it could save their life. As for the one review from the Texas man....probably a criminal doctor or someone who works for the pharmaceutical companies!

Ask the nurses who the good doctors are? Nurses like the doctors that are nice to them. The best doctors aren't always nice.

Go to a Teaching hospital if you can? So a resident can do your procedure and round on you? I think not.

Drug companies are out to rip us all off? Dr. Levine doesn't like drug companies because drugs like statins and ace inhibitors decrease his business.

Asked to be transferred during your care? So a new doctor that hasn't been following you can start all over.

Tell the ER doctor to call your Primary care doctor? So he can get whoever is on call for the group and knows nothing about you. Right. Lots of help.

Really weird stuff to come from an MD.

I can't express how important I believe this book to be. I am a business consultant of more than 30 years. I have read extensively in many areas of business - and in Health, Wealth, Happiness, and Success. I'm not a doctor. I'm not sure there isn't some exaggeration here. But, both Dr. Levine and what he says "feels" right. And, even if it isn't, it is a wonderful checklist of things to watch our for and check against. I plan to purchase additional copies for members of my family. I plan to recommend this book to those who attend my seminars.

I was shocked to learn that drug companies and medical suppliers "court" and "pay" (my quotes) doctors to use their products.

The author explains the process behind the FDA approving a drug and that some doctors have a conflict of interest while taking part in the approval process.

Kerry Cook's CHASING JUSTICE is a heartbreaking story of a horrendous act of railroading in East Texas. Sentenced to die for a rape and murder he didn't commit, Cook details the well-documented malfeasance on the part of Smith County prosecutors and others, who ran roughshod over both the law and the civil rights of the accused.

In spite of the sometimes clunky writing and some stilted dialogue, Cook's despair and determination are so genuine, his prison abuse so painful, and his belief so earnest that I was moved to tears. This book, coupled with the recent spate of prisoners cleared by belated DNA results, is a call to action to reform the current legal system.

Moving, thoughtful, and and at times infuriating, Chasing Justice is very highly recommended.

What I loved about this book was that it was not written by a professional writer, it wasn't a lawyer's point of view, and it didn't preach to me about the death penalty. Instead, this book was a look at the justice system from a regular person's point of view. Kerry Max Cook raised questions about how the justice system works, or more appropriately, doesn't work, and not by hammering on lofty principles, but by showing the reader what actually happens, in court, out of court, and in prison. However, most importantly, he brings us inside the mind of a person facing the worst possible situation and how that affects him. I was inspired by his strength and ability to persevere through things that would have crushed nearly every human being. This book is a must-read for anyone who endeavors to understand the American criminal justice system and what it means to be accused of a crime.

Read the Innocent Man and thought I could never be moved so much by a book-really a life story. Saw the movie The Exonerated and heard about Kerry's life. I started reading the book for about 2 hrs a few nights ago... Last night I actually read from 9 pm to 3 am and then got up snowy day here) and read from 8 am finishing the book. I felt I couldn't put the book down until this whole ordeal was over-like my not finishing it still had held him in a deplorable state on Death Rown. When he is handed his belongings and the 1.28 check from his Trust Fund I bawled like a baby. I never really thought this was a just world but never really considered how injust men could be. Amazing life story of a man overcoming and rising above horrendous acts of injustice!
A Must Read!

A first-hand account of how and why innocent men and women can spend decades on death row in the United States that should be read and discussed by both pro-death penalty proponents as well as abolitionists.
Kerry Max Cook is a modern Dante/ Job. His story is of one who travels to hell and back, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, but who in the end has the strength to emerge as an enlightened, if wounded human being. The tortures he endures after being wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of a young woman he only knew casually are simply inconceivable. Not only does he have to contend with the fear of losing his life on a daily basis, (the fear of execution, and the fear of being stabbed) but he also must survive psychologically the tragic deaths of loved ones in the outside world while he is in prison.
The depth of police and prosecutorial misconduct Kerry describes is nothing less than infuriating, shocking. Yet, the presentation of his case is not intended to be an ideological rant against "the system." Merely by stating the facts, Kerry can convince us of the depth of the flaws.
Besides being an eye-opening account into injustice, Kerry's book is also
told in a way that draws us close to him, a human tale that cuts deeply into our hearts. It is a face-paced read that will keep you turning the pages, one that will haunt you and make you want to live each day of your own freedom to the fullest.

Kerry Max Cook met young Linda Edwards in 1977 and was invited back to her apartment for a drink, where he left his fingerprints on the sliding glass door. Four days later, Ms. Edwards was found brutally murdered, and Cook was immediately arrested for the crime. In one of the worst examples of police and prosecutorial misconduct in American history, Kerry Max was put to trial with coached prosecutorial witnesses, bunk expert testimony about the "age" (six to twelve hours) of the fingerprint, and suppressed evidence that would have favored the defense. The state declared that Kerry Max was a repressed homosexual (at a time when homosexuality was a mental illness, and in rural Texas, no less) who raped and butchered a female out of repressed rage - a theory, incredibly, they stuck to even during re-trials two decades later, in the 1990's!

Chasing Justice is the story of the framing of Kerry Max by the Texas justice system. The narrative was written in Kerry's own hand (1,200 pages at first draft) and condensed into a powerfully personal 350-page account of life on death row - desperation, abandonment, rape and sodomy, stabbings, and attempted suicide. The prose isn't depressing; rather, Kerry Max just fights on, always waiting for the next turn, building his cadre of supporters. Texas death row has been ruled in federal court to constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Kerry Max fought for a full two decades for his freedom, through three outrageous trials, with not a penny to his name. While the major Dallas newspaper was decrying the railroading of an innocent man, he was convicted again and again and again. To date, he is still not eligible for reparations from the state of Texas because he has not been officially pardoned, which would require the unanimous concurrence several bureaucratic offices unwilling to admit their culpability in the grave trespass of justice against Kerry Max Cook. (By the way, the state spent $5 - $7 million over two decades in their effort to execute Kerry Max).

The reader will question - why Kerry Max? In his book, the author does not devote his energies to answering why, rather, he uses his energy to fight. From some brief research on the case, I have determined that the real culprit hired a very expensive, well-connected good ol' boy lawyer, requiring the police to find another suspect to satisfy the anger of the community. I can only begin to wonder how the Texas justice system conspired for 20 years to keep an innocent man behind bars. During each of his three trials, judges continually approved motions by the prosecutor and denied those of the defense, even to the point at which the court had contradicted itself on which evidence should be suppressed or allowed and for what reason!

Kerry Max's remarkable story is a damning indictment of the death penalty and the Texas justice system. Right before the publication of his memoir, national crime show Body of Evidence: From the Case Files of Dayle Hinman featured forensic experts "solving" the Edwards murder based on false evidence from the prosecution. Even 10 years have Kerry Max's exoneration in the national eye, misinformation is still being spread by those in power. Kerry Max Cook's experiences should serve as clear warning not to blindly accept the word of authority.

This book is definitely insightful for anyone seeking medical care. Gibson and Singh shed light on one of the best kept medical secrets that not only do doctors, medical offices, and hospitals make too many medical mistakes, but also at an additional cost to the patient and their families by denying and hiding medical errors. Finally, this book states the hidden secret well, exposing the errors and secrecy, so the system hopefully can be changed and so that other families can seek treatment with open eyes and vigilance.

I also feel this book is a must read for medical professionals, as it will educate concerning not only about medical errors but the additional pain caused on patients by PHYSICIAN denial of errors. The way patients are treated after medical error by their health care providers can be as painful as the error itself. Patients who have been harmed need disclosure, apologies, and amends made. Instead of cover ups, this book may encourage physicians to open their hearts and minds so they will tell the truth to the patients they have injured, without phony explanations.

What separates Wall of Silence by Gibson and Singh from other books on this topic is the refreshing and bold truth telling contained within it's human stories of pain, injustice and frustration. Not only did the authors shoulder the risks and courage requisite for listening to and then writing about the human face, consequences and devastation of needless medical error tragedies, but they also ferreted out and exposed the ugly truths, told by medical providers themselves, about how the pervasive greed, secrecy and code of silence in the healthcare industry works to bury medical mistakes through a host of means; including blackballing and burying the careers of the competent and ethical medical providers who dare to tell the truth and who place patients above profits. As a medical provider, I can find no better way to encapsulate the meaning and hope of this treatise than through those words offered by the Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. This book is, as she states, 'A call to arms for families who have had loved ones disabled or die in the pursuit of medical treatment.' And, I can only hope that it could also catalyze a 'Call to Arms' for medical providers who wish to return medicine and healthcare to the patient oriented, compassionate, ethical and hippocratic way of practice.

This is a better book by far than the unfortunately better known INTERNAL BLEEDING. It is certainly more honest. It has the clear advantage of being written by people who know and understand the subject ,and unlike Internal Bleeding, it does not suffer the disadvantage of having been written by physicians who, purposfully or otherwise, seem very intent in obscuring the responsibility for medical mistakes.

The authors of Wall of Silence have written an honest and valuable book deciding (to the public's advantage) to let the chips fall where they may. A MUST READ!!

This book is a well researched, well written must read for all Americans. The authors share their personal story as well as the stories of others who have suffered at the hands of a careless physician. While the stories will break your heart, they may also save your life, or the life of someone you love. While none of us want to believe that those we trust with our bodies and our lives would neglect a sacred trust, the fact is it is happening all too often. This book delivers the message without hype, fear or hysteria. Read it, share it and take it with you.

If even one person dies, that is one too many. But it is not just one, not even 10 or 100 patients who are maimed and dying from health care mistakes. As Gibson and Singh reveal, the numbers are much much higher than that. And anyone of them could be you or your loved ones. Medical errors do not discriminate. Everyone is vulnerable even doctors themselves as patients.

Yes, to error is human but that really doesn't appear to be the problem here. A great deal of the problem appears to be that a percentage of health care providers make multiple errors because no one stops them. According to Grayson and Singh many nurses do not recommend their place of employment to their family and friends.

When people are not held accountable for their actions and the consequences of those actions everyone is endangered. Taking or being forced to take personal responsiblity for your actions and their consequences plays a large part in how many mistakes you make.

I would think it would be every irresponsible health care provider's nightmare to literally have to personally experience everything that they inflict on their patients.

Since health care providers are safe from the magic wishing wand, the next best thing is to guard against such mistakes and be public with the information. It is a matter of ethics. When you are ten and don't want to "rat out" a buddy it is rarely life or death. But health care providers are not ten anymore and it is their ethical obligation to put the safety their patients or potential patients first. Please read this book and tell others about it. All of our lives depend on it.

This is the best book on the English grammar I have read. Martha is hilarious and her ability to connect with her readers is first-rate superstardom! After reading the book--in two sittings--I commented to Martha that this book will be used, abused, and highlighted like my Bible.

I have been working towards my Doctoral degree, and my professor is adamant about proper grammar. 60-70% of my term-papers are based on how well a person writes and uses proper grammar. Well, I have struggled with the English grammar for many years now; however, this book will be more than a useful guide. It will be a constant companion, which I'll keep within reach while writing for years to come.

Thank you Martha for such a wonderful book. And, I'm sure you'll find many errors for your red-pen on this review. If not you, then I know for sure my professor. Ah!

This book is a must-buy, and a must-read, for every student, professor, editor, and writer! An excellent work.

Adrian A Bernal, M.T.S.

What a great and informative book this was! Never overwhelming and always funny, Martha Brockenbrough's dedication to and enthusiasm for grammar and language is impressive and important--it's like the difference between having a teacher who's counting down the clock until retirement while boring you to death and the one that, you know, actually wants to teach AND makes you enjoy what you're learning to boot! Any book that's going to help me out of a tricky grammar situation and make me laugh at the same time gets an A+ from me. I have a feeling I'll be keeping my copy of Things That Make Us [Sic] close by for easy reference. I adored the snark. Pick this one up!

Do you want proof of the value of this book? Just look at the title of the book in Amazon's listing. The word "sic" is capatalized, which it should not be. On top of that, it is put in parantheses instead of brackets. Argh!

Grammar can be funny? Oh, yes. In Martha Brockenbrough's hilarious book, Things That Make Us (Sic) you will laugh out loud at the droll humor. Drawing on current events, blog postings and cultural icons, she pokes fun at those who dare to demean the King's English. Brockenbrough started the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) because of two things: in a column she writes, she researched private societies and found that historically, they have made profound changes in the world; second, she was teaching high school English and wanted some way to engage the students.

The result is a clear, vivid explanation of common grammar problems told in a hilarious, faux-pompous style that sets your face to smiling. If you teach grammar for any age, plan your lessons around these chapters and see your students perk up - and, yes, watch your students learn while having fun.

Throw out your Eats, Shoots & Leaves and tune into the SPOGG [...] for ongoing discussions of grammar faux pas in today's pop culture.

Martha's Brockenbrough's "Things that Make us [sic]" is without question the funniest, hippest book on grammar you'll ever read. Brokenbrough certainly isn't the first writer to take a humorous approach to such issues as comma misuse, uncalled-for apostrophes and scrambled tenses (think "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Lynne Truss and Patricia T. O'Connor's "Woe is I.") But what other book on grammar showcases examples of what not to do drawn from, among other things, emails from former congressman Mark Foley to his intern, the online ramblings of Courtney Love, or the illiterate pronouncements of the infamous LOLcats?

Beyond the humor and the hipness, though, this book has some serious substance. In addition to the usual conjugations of "lie" and "lay" and list of commonly misspelled words, Brockenbrough gives the reader some rare treats such as lists of common Latin phrases, an enlightening discussion of cliches, and an entire chapter on slicing buzzwords and bloat from our written communications. Writers, editors and students will want to keep the book handy as a reference for those nagging mechanics and usage questions that always seem to pop up.

The only drawback to this book is that its references to current politics and pop culture are bound to feel dated within a few years. That's a shame, because "Things that Make us [sic]" is an incisive look at language that deserves to be around for a long, long time.

This product was in perfect shape and I received it in no time! I was very happy with this transaction!

I strongly recommend this book. I read "set phasers on stun" and thought it was very good. The author has done even better this time.

Fascinating stories on human stupidity, negligence, incompetence and lack of common sense that ends up costing people's lives. Anyone involved with Engineering, Sciences or Maintenance needs to read this book. Actually everyone should read this book to understand human failings and why no one should ever take safety for granted. Every day people die needlessly and this book details how and why.
I really commend the author for bringing these stories to print and hope that it may save some lives.

This anthology of 20 brilliantly written true stories should be of special interest to anyone dealing with technology management or product development, but it also would be enjoyed by any lay reader. As a well-known expert and writer on human factors engineering and human error, Steven Casey has obviously selected these stories because each subtly educates the reader about the role of the user interface in system failure, but also because each is tremendously interesting.

Although each chapter stands solidly on its own, a few stand prominent in my own mind due to personal interests. "Rhymes and Reasons" is a beautifully written story of musician John Denver's fatal flight in a new aircraft. Although an accomplished pilot, Denver's piloting skills were no match for a confusing set of aircraft controls and displays in his just-purchased home-built plane. The story makes the clearest case possible for the importance of good user interface design and ergonomics, and like all the stories in the book this one is thoroughly researched and referenced.

In addition to aviation and aerospace settings, the stories address transportation, maritime, medical, and various everyday events in contemporary life. Particularly poignant is "Event Horizon," a disturbing accident involving a child and an MRI machine in a New York hospital. In hindsight, the reader understands the procedures and barriers that must be in place when dealing with powerful new technologies like this.

Casey throws some truly hilarious stories in the mix to break up the pattern of predictability inherent in a book on error and disaster, and this approach works well. But, overall, be forewarned: the author is skilled at putting the reader in the "pilot's seat" to experience the confusion, shock, and terror that can occur when technology and human behavior conflict. I highly recommended this book.

I just finished reading "The Atomic Chef" and found it difficult to put down. I simply couldn't resist finding out what unexpected consequence or turn of events was around the next corner.

This is an absolute must read if you are in any way involved with the development of new products or services. Sometimes things don't go as planned despite everyone's best efforts. Like the bumper sticker says, "stuff" happens. This book gets into the stuff to reveal what really happened. The author painstakingly researches and recounts the real story behind mismatches in people and technology.

If you like fairy tale endings this may not be the book for you. However, if you are interested in learning the true details behind real world events, I highly recommend the Atomic Chef. In contrast to more traditional Human Factors books or case studies, the Atomic Chef presents enjoyable and eminently readable accounts of actual events.

Little things can make a big difference, I'd recommend The Atomic Chef's cautionary tales to any student or professional interested in learning more about the relationship between people and technology.

NOTE: This is a preview rather than a review since I will proceed reading "Fatal Care" one story at a time over the next few months.

As you may know, I collect signed books. I have recently been lucky enough to receive a signed copy of "Fatal Care" written by Sanjaya Kumar an MD who lives in Tracy, CA. Really quickly, this book explains (via a series of real stories) what you should know to avoid medical mistakes from happening to you.

In the first story, Lewis Blackman is a healthy 15 year old with a congenital deformity (not life threatening) that cause his sternum to be depressed. This deformity is called "pectus excavatum" or "funnel chest".

The operation (a new procedure meant to lessen the recovery time) took much longer than expected, but, Lewis pulled through just fine. Over the next few days, he slowly declined despite the fact that he was in a hospital and being attended to by multiple health professionals.

Eventually, sadly, Lewis died. An autopsy revealed that a medication he was getting for pain (Toradol) caused a stomach ulcer that eventually caused Lewis to bleed to death.

The fact that multiple health professional missed the symptoms and did not take the very simple blood test that would have pointed directly at the ulcer is very scary and hammers home the fact that you need to take an active role in your own health care.

This is a very timely book that everyone should read. At some point every family will face the health care system and should know as much as possible about the process.

In fact, a good friend of ours, right here in Tracy, CA, lost his wife to a medical mistake in our local hospital many years ago...so the words written in "Fatal Care" ring very true for us.

As I read this book, I reflected on how many times I have actually seen the scenarios detailed there played out in healthcare facilities. So many times, I hear caregivers and providers who are supposed to be the advocate for the patient "dismiss" their concerns as non-relevant, or judge them based on past history of alcoholism, drug abuse, social class/status, etc. I cannot describe how absolutely FURIOUS I become when I see that occur.

I wish that I could mandate that this book be required reading for every administrative team member, every Board member, every physician, and every patient caregiver in healthcare institutions across the United States. I have passed the book down to others, and plan to continue passing it down until we have effective change for patient safety and quality in the United States healthcare system.

Healthcare in these times is so focused on the "defensive mode", and so many of us have lost our capability for listening and compassion for the patient.

It is refreshing to see that there are still those out there who continue to "fight the good fight" for the weakest and most vulnerable among us.

Fatal Care: Survive in the U.S. Health System
This book should be required reading for anyone needing health care and their families. It is urgent that we all become informed and alert consumers and protect ourselves and our families from health care mistakes/or ommisions.

This is not a book to buy before going to your doctor or a hospital for care! The cases dramatically told are chilling, but absolutely true. These terrible moments are only the tip of a veritable iceberg of medical errors that happen today in the complicated world of medicine. You should know about the errors Dr Kumar relates so well, but even more, you should know the resources he documents, too. The active participation of patients and families in medical care today is critical to obtaining the best and safest care no matter what the reputation of the provider or the institution. Read this book and learn from it; it could save your life. Besides, it's a good compendium of medical stories.

Fatal Care is a compelling, sometimes frightening, and educational look at medical errors that occur within the U.S. health care system. The theme of the book is that patients, and their families, need to know what questions to ask and what actions to take to prevent becoming victims of potential medical errors.

The strengths of this book are the personalized format which allows the readers to build a rapport with the victims and their families, the understandable use of medical terminology, and lists pointing out what anyone receiving medical care should ask. The primarly weakness was several references to Wikipedia, a source most academic researchers do not consider reliable.

Since reading this book, I have twice made inquiries about medical care I and my family have received. I would not have done this in the past.

Overall, I believe all people need to learn what Dr. Kumar has to share. I hope this book becomes a common medical reference book in every American household.

Becky J. Starnes

Love, love, love this book! PJ is one of my favorites new writers. Her characters are well thought out and you can't help feel for Louis. I'd love to see how the character of Susan Outlaw evolves. She brings a new element to the series and keeps Louis on his toes.

I loved this book -- Louis is my hero and I like the fact that the books take place before DNA fingerprinting - it makes it so much more of a mystery than just sending in a sample of DNA to the lab. These authors know how to mix atmoshpere and mystery - I can't wait to read their next book!!

I admit it--I do not usually like female mystery writers. I also do not usually like books written by committee (in this case a team of two sisters).

I picked up 'Thicker Than Water' on the basis of a recommendation I read on one of Amazon's lists. I am glad I did. Parrish's books, with the exception of the first, are published as paper back originals. If ever an author deserved hard cover treatment, this one does.

I am also wondering about the lack of professional reviews of the Parrish books on the Amazon site. I wonder why this author is not getting the attention she (they) truly deserve.

The series has a mixed race protagonist, Louis Kincaid, who, like the best of the fictional detectives, is conflicted about almost everything in his life. The books are set in the 1980s before DNA and widespread use of computer technology. Smart move.

'Thicker Than Water' is rich in character development and sense of time and place. It is as well plotted as anything currently on the mystery best seller lists.

In this book, the horrific 20 year old rape and murder of a beautiful young girl may be the key to solving a present day homicide. The man convicted of that murder, and recently released after serving his time, is the prime suspect in the current slaying.

Kincaid believes that the thoroughly unlikeable Jack Cade, the man convicted of the rape and murder, may in fact, be innocent. He forms a shaky alliance with Susan Outlaw, Cade's court appointed attorney.

This book is filled with fully developed characters. Even the bit players have been created with great care. The childhood friend of the murdered girl is one of the most touching characters in the book.

I think the Kincaid series has great potential.

Buy these books.

Read them.

Recommend them to your friends.

Talk them up to your local booksellers.

Kincaid deserves hardcovers and a publicity team working on his behalf.

This is the first of Parrish's books I've read, but I've already ordered two more.

First off, I loved her protagonist, Louis Kincaid. He's damaged, which makes him interesting, but he's also possesses a deep streak of morality, which makes him heroic. On top of that, the plot is well done and nicely layered. Then there's the Florida atmosphere, which is great. Being a Florida girl myself, I can't tell you how many authors get this wrong. But Parrish does a great job. As I said, I'm ready for the next one.

Patricia Lewin, Author of BLIND RUN, OUT OF REACH, & OUT OF TIME

P.J. Parrish�s �Thicker Than Water� is the fourth Louis Kincaid and second set on Florida�s West Coast. It is terrific.

Louis Kincaid is a refreshing protagonist with a deep sense of honor, principal and integrity who looks for those traits in others.

Since the legal system may not always get it right, sometimes Louis Kincaid nudges justice a bit just to make certain.

Upon release after serving a twenty-year rape sentence, Jack Cade is accused of a murder that occurs shortly after his return.

Cade is a vile man, but Louis Kincaid picks him up as a client. It appears the two crimes are related---but Cade may have been set up for both of them.

Suspects abound---with twists that seem to absolve everyone you suspect

As the odds against Louis Kincaid�s quest mount he shows more determination in seeking the truth.

Wonderful pacing holds you to the final chapter before you realize whodunit.

Louis Kincaid continues to grow as a character, the supporting cast is robust and the Florida setting is appropriately steamy.