Mark St. Germain

A quirky little play, based on a camping trip that Warren Harding took with Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. The camping trip is known to have happened; the dialogue is pure speculation, as no particular conversations were recorded. The author created the dialogue from what is known about the characters. Overall, he appears to have been good at capturing their basic philosophies of life, and the dialogue flows well. A side story about a deer that Henry Ford hit with the car adds a little interest, brings something else into the arena but the same old politics and business. A decent work, but not exactly a masterpiece.… (más)

This is a hilarious play which I suggest listening to (starring Alan Alda).
It is about a 1921 camping trip that Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and President Warren G. Harding took. During their adventure, they discuss love, politics, prejudices, ambitions, and their opinions of each other. The author brings out their human side, their complaints, their disappointments and what brings them joy. Henry Ford comes out as an arrogant businessman who seeks out the presidency. Humble Warren Harding does not wish to be a president. Thomas Edison seems to want to be left alone and does not see himself as a genius who changed people’s life for the better. The conversations are fiction, but still we discover a lot about the time period and the events in the lives of these important men.… (más)

Three Cups tells a very simple but timely tale of one family's lessons in managing money. The family uses three cups to teach their son that his weekly allowance should be broken down into savings, spending money, and donations. While this concept may or may not be familiar to many parents, this book is unique in that the reader sees the child's point of view in all this. The unnamed narrator, a 5-year-old boy, describes the adventures he has and the lessons he learns while saving, spending, and making charitable contributions over the years. The narrative is simply stated, with tougher concepts, such as deposits and interest at the bank, clearly defined on a young child's level. The illustrations, with their softly drawn figures and warm hues, give a homey feeling to the book. In addition, the book concludes with a parent's guide, filled with suggestions on how families can implement their own version of the three cups. Overall, Three Cups is a great introduction to managing money for the entire family.

I reviewed this for EconKids. See the full review here: http://econkids.rutgers.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10...… (más)