Kevin Coolidge
Kevin Coolidge is the owner of From My Shelf Books, a proudly independent, eclectic bookstore in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. He and his feline buddy Hobo co-authored the children's book, "Hobo Finds A Home." Hobo, Kevin, and Kevin's wife, Kasey Cox, work year-round at the bookstore, and take turns writing a weekly column for the local newspaper, entitled "Cat Tales: Writing about Reading." In addition to other writing and reading duties, Kevin edited a short story collection for outdoor writer Joe Parry, entitled "A Predatory Heart." Kevin is currently at work on several different writing projects, and can be contacted at www.wellsborobookstore.com
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Displaying Results 1 - 141 (of 141) for All Content
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Congratulations, and Good LuckI hate commencement speeches…enthusiastic, inspiring, and boring
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Into Thin AirOn July 22, 1943, a secret experiment by the U.S. Navy attempted to cloak the USS Eldridge. Their goal was to make the destroyer escort undetectable to enemy radar
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Honey! I'm Pregnant!Acceptance is a major emotional task for a new dad throughout the pregnancy
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Soon I Shall Be InvincibleI grew up loving comic books and it’s obvious that Austin Grossman author of, "Soon I Will Be Invincible," did too
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Mything in ActionThe monomyth, often referred to as the hero’s journey, is a description of a basic pattern found in many narratives from around the world
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Welcome to BarsoomBarsoom is a dying planet. You probably know it as Mars, named for the Roman god of war.
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The Dog Always Dies at the EndI don’t know why it never gets easier to bury a dog. He was a good dog, but I’ve never buried a bad dog.
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Parting the Veil:50 Popular Beliefs that People Think Are TrueStories are stones. Stories form the foundations of religions, countries, and families. Stories can connect us, help us learn and retain information, create understanding and cement friendship between cultures
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Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (a Dutch Lullaby)This popular children's poem was written by Eugene Field in 1889, and remains popular today. A bronze statue of Wynken, Blynken and Nod graces the Green of Wellsboro Pennsylvania
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Put Your Money Where Your House IsI grew up remembering a vibrant Main Street. Many of those stores are gone, some have been replaced, some have been remodeled and some have remained lifeless lots.
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Old Tractors and the Men Who Love ThemThe book "Old Tractors and the Men Who Love Them" is about rebuilding a 1937 Allis Chalmers WC tractor. Roger Welsch is a folklorist and humorist.
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Author Profile - Wilson RawlsWilson Rawls was born the Ozarks. There were no public schools, and Rawls was home-schooled by his mother. He had no interest in reading, thinking all books were "girl stories".
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The 10 Minute PlayThe 10-minute play is one of the hottest trends in American theatre today. Look at the schedule at any small or medium-sized theatre.
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Getting Boys to ReadBoys will read. We just need to give them the books they want to read. If you let a boy read what he likes, he'll be hooked on reading.
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Football: The Ernie Davis StoryThe first black winner of the Heisman trophy wasn't just a good football player, but a great person.
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Poem: An Old BelieverA young lad came up to me and said, "My Mom, over there says you're an outdoor writer. She said for me to ask you whether you believe in Santa
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Excerpt from “The Royal Roachman” by Joe ParryGive a man a fish and he eats for a day, but reading about Big Bill learning will give you laughs for a life time.
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Do You Have the Right to Read Anything You Want?When I come across an article that truly disgusts me, I remind myself, that just as I have a right to express my opinions and ideas, so do you.
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The All-American Road TripIt's summer–time for that venture known as vacation, and there's nothing more American than the love of the open road.
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Ghost Hunting for BeginnersProfessional ghost hunter Rich Newman knows the thrill of brushing up against the unknown, and with a little research, reading, and patience, you can too.
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The Dogs of WarYou've probably heard of Cairo, the Belgian Shepherd. He's a member of the elite task force that stormed the hiding place of Osama bin Laden.
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Write Your Own StoryHave you ever wanted to write your own story, but wondered where to begin? Getting started can be the hardest part.
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The Lucky CatWhy is this cat waving at you? To Westerners it may appear that Maneki Neko is waving, but he's really beckoning. So, why is this cat beckoning you?
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The Science of VampiresVampires are real, not figments of fantasy or superstition. They are everywhere. Waiting for the darkness. Waiting for us to let our guard down. Waiting for us to forget. That’s why I decided to read up on my undead foes…
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Nourishing Traditions: Holiday Season Through TimeAs the days grow colder and shorter, I ponder how cultures throughout history have responded to this dark time of year
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Poacher WarsIf you want to know what working wildlife law enforcement is like for a Pennsylvania conservation officer, this book is a definite must-read
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The Higher Power of LuckyThe thing with the power of truth is that you don't know if it's good or bad until after the fact...
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You Suck, a Love StoryYou meet the girl of your dreams and she’s dead. No, make that undead, and, now surprise! You are a vampire too
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A New Bundle of JoySeems like there's a new tradition going around. Your sister-in-law doesn't want you to bring a card, but instead bring a book to help grow your new niece's library.
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Venomous SnakesHumans have always been afraid of snakes, but how much do you really know about them?
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Hobo the Cat's 12 Days of Christmas: More Book Reviews..Ho, Ho, Ho, Hobo! It's that time of year when humans drag trees into the house, scamper around like giant vermin, and worry about buying the perfect gift.
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Jim Kjelgaard: Author of "Big Red"James Kjelgaard imbued each of his books for children with his two great loves: nature and dogs. Although born in New York City, he grew up in Potter County Pennsylvania.
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The Pen and the SwordWhat is poetry? Is it more than just words? If it has no structure, is it poetry? If it doesn't rhyme, is it poetry?
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Chlorinating the Gene Pool: The Darwin AwardsA Darwin award is an "honor" named after evolutionary theorist Charles Darwin. Awards are given for people who "do a service to humanity by removing themselves from the gene pool".
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Baer's Almanac, 2012, and a Leap of Faith..Worried About Dec. 21, 2012? Take a deep breath and relax, because according to Baer's 2012 Almanac, on December 21st, there will be light snow.
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A Christmas Story by Jean ShepherdJean Shepherd was an American satirist and radio personality. He wrote a series of humorous short stories about growing up in Indiana and its steel towns
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Holidays on Ice: Three Book Reviews to Enliven Your SpiritsHo, ho, oh, I just want this holiday season to be over. My back aches. My cheeks are numb from smiling, and this red suit makes my butt look fat.
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The Legend of the PoinsettiaThe Christmas tree, holly, mistletoe—each of these plants has a story intertwined with the Yuletide season. Each European in origin. Only one Christmas plant tradition originates in the Americas.
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The Battling Bucktails: Sharpshooters of the American Civil WarThe Bucktails were all superior marksmen, and during the first year of the war, they distinguished themselves as skirmishers and sharpshooters.
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Feet of Clay: The Golem and the LatkesIn Jewish folklore, a golem is an artificially created human that is brought to life with magical religious ceremony. The most famous story involves Rabbi Judah of Prague.
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The 13 Days of Xmas: Book Reviews for Last Minute ShoppingHO, HO, boy, do I feel like I have been run over by a reindeer. I can't believe I got into a drinking contest with Santa.
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The Legend of the PoinsettiaThe Christmas tree, holly, mistletoe—each of these plants has a story intertwined with the Yuletide season. Each European in origin. Only one Christmas plant tradition originates in the Americas.
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Hobo the Cat's 12 Days of Christmas: More Book Reviews..Ho, Ho, Ho, Hobo! It's that time of year when humans drag trees into the house, scamper around like giant vermin, and worry about buying the perfect gift.
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The Night Before Christmas Book Reviews to Help Holiday ShoppingBooks make for some of the best gifts. With books, we can travel,or learn a foreign language. Plus, they are easier to wrap than frankincense
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Please, No Fruitcakes Just Books: Book Suggestions for Your Book LoverMy Christmas shopping is finished, and it's all books, because they are inexpensive, recyclable, transferable, and inspirational, and besides, a scented candle never changed anyone's life.
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A Happy and Prosperous New YearIt's almost 2012 and time to get a fresh start in a new year. Many resolve to get fit, lose fat, or erase that credit card debt...
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Holidays on Ice: Three Book Reviews to Enliven Your SpiritHo, ho, oh, I just want this holiday season to be over. My back aches. My cheeks are numb from smiling, and this red suit makes my butt look fat.
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The Watchmen by Alan MooreWelcome to the Watchmen, an alternate reality which closely mirrors the contemporary world of the 1980s. originally a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore
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A Christmas StoryJean Shepherd was an American satirist and radio personality. He wrote a series of humorous short stories about growing up in Indiana and its steel towns.
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Choose Your Own ReviewBefore the internet, before video game consoles, before even computer games, there were Choose Your Own Adventure books inspired by a bedtime story
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What is a Snooki?It’s coming. You know it. You dread it. But if you don’t talk to your children about it someone else will. What is a Snooki? Yes, I know what a Snooki is, and as a bibliophile, I’m not happy about it
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Wyrd of the Wolf: A Werewolf Love StoryThe Norse have a saying, "No man escapes his wyrd." Wyrd means fate, fortune, luck. It goes with their warrior culture. It is much akin to "Be of this world, but not of it" -
How to Send a Book to a PrisonerThe best gift a person in prison could receive is a book. -
How to Run a Book ClubHave you always loved books? There are as many types of book clubs as there are books, and the types of people who read them. Here are some tips... -
Flatlanders and Ridgerunners: Folktales from the Mountains of Northern PennsylvaniaI'm a ridgerunner and thus a natural storyteller, and I love flatlander jokes. Just what is a flatlander? If you have to ask, you probably are one. -
A Very Modest Proposal…now with Recipes!Eat the rich? Don't be silly we should eat the poor. There's simply more of them. Let them eat cake. I like my meat nicely marbled. -
Walking with SpringA lot of guys come back from wars really messed up, and it doesn't just go away. They aren't going to talk to you about it. -
Of a Predatory HeartIt's a memoir of a lifelong outdoorsman, starting from his return from the Vietnam War, with tales ranging from archery hunting, flyfishing, introducing children to woodcraft. -
Pennsylvania Fireside TalesPennsylvania Fireside Tales by Jeffrey R. Frazier is filled with legends and folktales of the good old days. The mountains of Pennsylvania have always called to him. -
The Ghosts of Penn's WoodsThis summer visit the natural, scenic wonders of the Keystone state, and if you're lucky, maybe you can walk two worlds… if you dare. -
Chlorinating the Gene Pool: The Darwin AwardsA Darwin award is an "honor" named after evolutionary theorist Charles Darwin. Awards are given for people who "do a service to Humanity by removing themselves from the Gene pool".
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All of the Above: Three Reviews of Young Adult Novels..Choosing not to choose is a choice, but sometimes one just isn't enough for the true bibliophile. Winter is approaching, the nights are longer, and next adventure--or three-- awaits…
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Write Your Own StoryHave you ever wanted to write your own story, but wondered where to begin? Getting started can be the hardest part.
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Everyone Loves a Cake WreckA big, cold glass of milk and a slice of my Grandma's lemon Bundt cake – nothing says sweet memories like quality baked goods, but not all cakes turn out...
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Book Review: Agent to the StarsThe "First Contact" scenario is pretty standard fare in science fiction, but Agent to the Stars puts a fresh, comic spin to mankind's first interstellar friendship.
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Days of Vengeance:book Review of True GritI found True Grit to be a stark, simple narrative that must be one of the most under appreciated novels in American Literature.
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Wyrd of the Wolf: A Werewolf Love StoryThe Norse have a saying, "No man escapes his wyrd." Wyrd means fate, fortune, luck. It goes with their warrior culture. It is much akin to "Be of this world, but not of it"
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Short Story: The Memory of ThoughtI lie in my bed. I listen. The wind howls. A branch scratches against the window, or is it her reaching out with her bony fingers?
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Book Review: The Forever WarA book review of Joe Haldeman's classic sci-fi novel, "The Forever War", and how it still rings true, more than 30 years later.
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Book Review: 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the MouthA review of Matthew Inman's new humor book, "5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth", as well as his comedy website, "The Oatmeal."
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How to Send a Book to a PrisonerThe best gift a person in prison could receive is a book.
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Planning the Perfect Putsch: How to Stage a Military CoupYou've always wanted to be the president of your very own country. Here are easy to follow guidelines to your path of power.
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Reefer Madness: Why was Marijuana Made Illegal in 1937?Some say the war on drugs is a lost cause. Is it a war we should even be fighting? Is Marijuana safer than alcohol?
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Football: The Ernie Davis StoryThe first black winner of the Heisman trophy wasn't just a good football player, but a great person.
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Do You Have the Right to Read Anything You Want?When I come across an article that truly disgusts me, I remind myself, that just as I have a right to express my opinions and ideas, so do you.
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How to Avoid a Traffic TicketSooner or later, you are bound to be pulled over, if just for a broken taillight. Here's what to do and what not to do
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Book Review: Lawn Boy by Gary PaulsenLearning the workings of the free-market economy has never been more fun.
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When I'm Gone, What Remains Left to Do?Death can be a long-awaited trip, or an unexpected stop, but we all have to make the journey. Shouldn't you leave your family a practical road map?
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A New Bundle of JoySeems like there's a new tradition going around. Your sister-in-law doesn't want you to bring a card, but instead bring a book to help grow your new niece's library.
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Getting Boys to ReadBoys will read. We just need to give them the books they want to read. If you let a boy read what he likes, he'll be hooked on reading.
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Wonder Woman: Love and MurderI'd love to see Jodi Picoult do a graphic novel where she has more creative control. She has the experience and talent and I wonder what this woman could do if she loses the bustier…
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Venomous SnakesHumans have always been afraid of snakes, but how much do you really know about them?
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Book Review: Forgotten Tales of PennsylvaniaWhere are you from? I'm from Pennsylvania, the site of some mighty peculiar history.
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Publish and Perish: Part IISo, you've written that novel, self-published, and now you are wondering what you are going to do with those 500 books you bought at author discount...
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Heed the Call of H.P. LovecraftNo author makes me more likely to nail shut the cellar door than H.P. Lovecraft. Never heard of him? Lovecraft's name is synonymous with horror. He has influenced authors worldwide.
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Bill Peet's Magical KingdomBefore the internet, before video game consoles, before even computer games, there were Choose Your Own Adventure books inspired by a bedtime story.
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What Are You Reading Again?What are you reading? I get asked what I am reading a lot, partially because I work in a bookstore, and probably because I'm always reading something.
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Books Without BordersI don't think the story of the bookstore is over, but I do think the era of the big box bookstore has come to a close.
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What is Switzel?When you are working in the hot sun, there's nothing like a cool glass of switzel. What is switzel?
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Myth Adventures of Percy JacksonThe Greek myths, from the epic struggle of the Trojan War to the wanderings of Odysseus, form the foundation of Western literature.
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Love, Sex and TractorsLove, sex and tractors? You betcha. When a man writes about tractor repair, he is writing about love sex and relationships
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How to Write a ScreenplayFrom the opening page to the "Fade to Black", this book is just what the aspiring screenwriter needs.
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Monsters of PennsylvaniaThere's plenty of odd creatures right here in the Keystone State for a cryptozoologist to study. Even the skies of Pennsylvania contain strange creatures
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I Hate WritingI hate writing. I love having written, and I'm in good company. Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, Dorothy Parker—all have been credited with this widely quoted line.
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The Deadliest MenLoyalty, honor and courage are among the many virtues of the warrior. Here are some of the greatest warriors of all time.
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Hachiko Waits: A Story of a Dog and His MasterHachikō, known in Japanese as chūken Hachikō, was an Akita dog owned by Eizaburo Ueno who was a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo.
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Good News, Bad News: You Might Be a ZombieLife: it's pretty boring, and that's the good news. Your teachers, your parents, and the media have been conspiring against you.
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The Harry Potter Effect: Getting People to ReadAccording to the National Institute for Literacy, 89 to 94 million American adults—nearly half of the U.S. adult population—are functionally illiterate.
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The Magic of Harry PotterMagic, science, transmogrification, techno-organic mutation, the magic of the double helix or the science of the Spirit—does it really matter?
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Monster Hunter InternationalMonsters are real, and Monster Hunter International is the number one agency for eradication of evil.
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Author Profile - Wilson RawlsWilson Rawls was born the Ozarks. There were no public schools, and Rawls was home-schooled by his mother. He had no interest in reading, thinking all books were "girl stories".
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Meet Meg—Carcharodon Megaloden, that Is.Meg stands for Carcharodon megalodon, a giant shark that lived during prehistoric times. It was the apex predator of its time.
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Making the Most of Your Deer, by Dennis WalrodYou got up a 4am, spent hours lying in wait, saw a twelve point while taking a leak, missed an easy shot, but finally you bagged that whitetail. Now what?
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Bad Astronomy: Did We Really Go to the Moon?It's 2011, and the 42th anniversary of Apollo 11 NOT going to the moon, or at least according to Bill Kaysing, author of "We Never Went to the Moon".
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Build a Better MousetrapBuild a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door, but you'll have to reseed the lawn, and that's not the purpose is it?
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Introduction to Planetary Defense: Alien Invasion Imminent!It's a pretty big universe, and there's at least a possibility that we aren't alone. So what are we going to do about it?
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Book Review: Assassination Vacation, by Sarah VowellOne woman passionate about death, history and road trips is Sarah Vowell. In this wacky travelogue, she drags readers on a pilgrimage exploring the places associated with three presidential assassinations.
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The Right to Arm Bears? Books for Second Amendment FansYou remember that election America held back in 2008? Firearm enthusiasts sure do, and are paying strict attention to Obama's campaign pledge of "common sense" gun control.
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Stargazing with BinocularsThe nighttime sky is truly a wonder to behold, and for a young boy just starting a lifetime of discovery, my dad's old binoculars were all I needed.
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Jim Kjelgaard: Author of "Big Red"James Kjelgaard imbued each of his books for children with his two great loves: nature and dogs. Although born in New York City, he grew up in Potter County Pennsylvania.
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Book Review: Day by Day ArmageddonDay by Day Armageddon is written by J.L Bourne and published by Pocket Books. It is an apocalyptic zombie novel, written in first person format as a journal.
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The 10 Minute PlayThe 10-minute play is one of the hottest trends in American theatre today. Look at the schedule at any small or medium-sized theatre.
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Put Your Money Where Your House IsI grew up remembering a vibrant Main Street. Many of those stores are gone, some have been replaced, some have been remodeled and some have remained lifeless lots.
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Flatlanders and Ridgerunners: Folktales from the Mountains of Northern PennsylvaniaI'm a ridgerunner and thus a natural storyteller, and I love flatlander jokes. Just what is a flatlander? If you have to ask, you probably are one.
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Old Tractors and the Men Who Love ThemThe book "Old Tractors and the Men Who Love Them" is about rebuilding a 1937 Allis Chalmers WC tractor. Roger Welsch is a folklorist and humorist.
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Book Review: Absinthe & Flamethrowers, by William Gurstelle"It's a man's world", but I disagree. Day by day, our nation becomes more a mother's world—safe and secure, a world more comfortable and soft around the edges
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An Offer You Can't Refuse:Book ReviewAnnual gross income from racketeering is estimated to exceed $50 billion this year. That makes the mob's business greater than all U.S. iron, steel, copper, and aluminum manufacturing combined, or about 1.1% of the gross national product
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You Want Fries with That? Book Review of "Gil's All Fright Diner"Welcome to my next book review, Gil's All Fright Diner, where zombie attacks are a regular occurrence and you don't even want to know what's lurking in the freezer.
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Book Review: Of a Predatory HeartIt's a memoir of a lifelong outdoorsman, starting from his return from the Vietnam War, with tales ranging from archery hunting, flyfishing, introducing children to woodcraft.
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The Ghosts of Penns WoodsThis summer visit the natural, scenic wonders of the Keystone state, and if you're lucky, maybe you can walk two worlds… if you dare.
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The All-American Road TripIt's summer–time for that venture known as vacation, and there's nothing more American than the love of the open road.
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An Underground EducationHistory is way more interesting, and vastly more complicated, than the dried-out sentences in high school history books that leave me feeling deeply unsatisfied.
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The Dogs of WarYou've probably heard of Cairo, the Belgian Shepherd. He's a member of the elite task force that stormed the hiding place of Osama bin Laden.
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Book Review: The Things They CarriedI'm a working class guy, and both my parents are veterans. I guess that why I think of the enlisted man when Veteran's Day rolls around. You know: the grunts.
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Walking with SpringA lot of guys come back from wars really messed up, and it doesn't just go away. They aren't going to talk to you about it.
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The Pen and the SwordWhat is poetry? Is it more than just words? If it has no structure, is it poetry? If it doesn't rhyme, is it poetry?
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Ghost Hunting for BeginnersProfessional ghost hunter Rich Newman knows the thrill of brushing up against the unknown, and with a little research, reading, and patience, you can too.
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A Very Modest Proposal…Now with Recipes!Eat the rich? Don't be silly we should eat the poor. There's simply more of them. Let them eat cake. I like my meat nicely marbled.
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Baer's AlmanacWorried About Dec. 21, 2012? Take a deep breath and relax, because according to Baer's 2012 Almanac, on December 21st, there will be light snow.
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Fireside TalesPennsylvania Fireside Tales by Jeffrey R. Frazier is filled with legends and folktales of the good old days. The mountains of Pennsylvania have always called to him.
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An Underground EducationHistory is way more interesting, and vastly more complicated, than the dried-out sentences in high school history books that leave me feeling deeply unsatisfied.
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How to Run a Book ClubHave you always loved books? There are as many types of book clubs as there are books, and the types of people who read them. Here are some tips...
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The Eastern Cougar—does it Still Exist?So, is this great native cat of America still in existence? I became interested in the Eastern cougar after watching "The Eastern Cougar, What is Real and What is Not?
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The Battling Bucktails: Sharpshooters of the American Civil WarThe Bucktails were all superior marksmen, and during the first year of the war, they distinguished themselves as skirmishers and sharpshooters.
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Publish, Don't PerishBeing in the bookselling business, I receive numerous emails every day. These emails come from both veteran small presses with great niche books, as well as first time writers who are inexperienced with marketing and how the book business works.
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Americus, Home of the Brave, and Banned Books WeekLibraries do battle over controversial books. Sometimes, people want to ban a book based on their personal and relgious beliefs. Sometimes a book simply offends them.
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The Other White MeatHave you ever noticed how history so often ends with naked men in the desert?
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Watch the SkiesSome strangely large birds have been sighted in the skies over the endless mountains. Described as an enormous black or very dark brown bird, often with a white ring around its long neck and a wingspan in excess of 20 feet.
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The Lucky CatYou’re either a cat person, or a dog person. Me? I grew up with dogs, big dogs.
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Pennsylvania DisastersI am fascinated by disasters. Acts of nature; acts of men...tragic events touch our lives and scar our hearts. It becomes part of who we are. It becomes our history.
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Book Review: "Dust and Decay," by Jonathan MaberryIn "Dust & Decay," the follow-up to Rot & Ruin, author Jonathan Maberry remembers that zombies were people too. It's been almost sixteen years since civilization died.