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MBR Bookwatch

Volume 3, Number 10 October 2004 Home | MBW Index

Table of Contents

Donovan's Bookshelf Harold's Bookshelf Klausner's Bookshelf

Laurel's Bookshelf Shelley's Bookshelf Shirley's Bookshelf

Vicki's Bookshelf

Donovan's Bookshelf
The Forgotten Front
Ross Anderson
Tempus Publishing/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
0752423444 $45.00 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com

The first world war began in East Africa in 1914 and didn't end until 1918: its impact would change a world, and was the largest of its times on African soil yet the East African campaign would remain largely under-stated and nearly forgotten were it not for Ross Anderson's in-depth study THE FORGOTTEN FRONT. Surprisingly, THE FORGOTTEN FRONT is the first full-length history of this campaign, providing in-depth coverage of events and politics as well as military strategy analysis. It is these elements which make for an exceptional history for World War I scholars.

Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com

Students of D-Day events will relish Dan Parry's commemorative account D-DAY: REFLECTIONS OF COURAGE (0563521163, $19.95), published to accompany the BBC/Discovery Channel TV 60th anniversary of the Normandy landings. Packed with color photos and a diary-like descriptive tone, the story of the Normandy landings' planning and execution is told through rare eyewitness and insider accounts, reading with all the drama of fiction and the facts of nonfiction. If it's car racing which captures attention, though, don't miss Michael Schumacher and Sabine Kehm's MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: DRIVING FORCE (009091894352, $35.00): Schumacher dominates Formula One racing, has broken almost every record, yet still remains private and subdued when it comes to publicity, so to have an autobiography written by a very private person is quite an achievement. His descriptions of staying in control at high speed, his philosophy on life, and his passion for learning new techniques and race car methods permeates a powerful insider's story of the Formula One event: a 'must' for any racing fan.

Dover Publications
31 E. 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501
www.doverpublications.com

Dover's constantly expanding their line of affordable reprint classics and at times so many comes that it seems Dover has an exclusive hold on the quality reprint market. These selections represent some of the best of recent acquisitions from Dover's extensive program. H.L. Mencken's IN DEFENSE OF WOMEN (0486433889, $6.95) returns a 1922 Knopf original to print, presenting the American author and critics argument that the average American woman is superior to the Average American male a controversial discussion even in modern times. John Dewey's DEMOCRACY AND EDUCATION (0486433944, $12.95) is no less powerful today than it was upon its initial publication in New York in 1916: his landmark work blends philosophy with a discussion of the social role of education and connections between learning and democracy. Montague Summers' THERE WEREWOLF IN LORE AND LEGEND (0486430901, $14.95) first appeared in London in 1933 and remains the first definitive work on werewolfery today, using a range of historical documents to consider the entire belief system surrounding werewolves in Europe. Charles A. Beard's AN ECONOMIC INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTUTION OF THE UNITED STATES (048643365X, $12.95) returns a 1913 classic to print: Beard's revolutionary discussion analyzed factors determining the American government's structure and choices, questioning the Founding Fathers' motivations in drafting the Constitution itself. Edward Rosen's THREE COPERNICAN TREATISES (0486436055, $17.95) appeared in its second revised edition in 1959 but remains an important analysis of some of the most basic theories in modern astronomy and thus a good choice for any collection seeking classic astronomical works. F.H. King's FARMERS OF FORTH CENTURIES (0486436098, $14.95) is subtitled 'Organic Farming in China, Korea and Japan' and reprints a 1911 Wisconsin edition for modern eyes. The fascinating early study of waste-free methods of cultivation remains just as important to modern readers as it did almost a century ago. GREAT WOODCUTS OF ALBRECHT URER (048643401X, $9.95) receives Carol Belanger Grafton's excellent editing job as it surveys 85 black and white illustrations with captions taken from a 1927 classic. Also important for the art library's holding is DORE'S SPAIN (0486434176, $14.95), presenting all 236 illustrations from artist Gustave Dore's SPAIN. All are affordable, winning reprints modern circulating collections will appreciate.

Movement for Self-Healing
Meir Schneider
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
1932073000 $14.95 1-800-847-5515 www.newworldlibrary.com

Author Meir Scheider was born blind but was convinced his condition was not permanent: as teen he began to work on eye exercises to reverse his blindness and became able to see over time. His primer on self-healing thus comes from experience and is packed with exercises which have had proven results for arthritis, eye problems, back pain and more.

Goal Sisters
Ann Leach & Michelle Beaulieu Pillen
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
1577314328 $14.95 1-800-847-5515 www.newworldlibrary.com

What is a 'Goal Sister' but a friend concerned enough about achieving positive goals to nudge another in the best direction. The idea of a Goal Sister who supports one in meeting life's objectives is revealed by Ann Leach and Michelle Pillen, life coaches and mental health researchers who here teach the idea of how a Goal Sister is different from just a friend or close friend. Methods of support groups are used to promote success ideas and supportive structures between friends who are more than casual acquaintances.

Vanishing Point
Richard Tofel
Ivan R. Dee, Inc. Publisher
1332 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60622-2632
1566636051 $24.95 1-800-462-6420 www.ivanrdee.com

Fans of true crime and New York City politics alike will be attracted to VANISHING POINT, an excellent survey of one of the most puzzling missing persons cases to hit New York City in 1930. Judge Joseph Crater's vanishing has never been resolved: he disappeared amid political scandal and even business journalist author Richard Tofel's extensive research has not uncovered any new clues but it does build an unusual argument as to what might have happened, and is packed with supportive if not conclusive evidence.

Back from the Land
Eleanor Agnew
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60622-2694
1566635802 $27.50 www.ivanrdee.com

Many young Americans went back to nature in the 1970s and just as many returned to build lives in the mainstream society they had rejected. Back from the Land : How Young Americans Went to Nature in the 1970s, and Why They Came Back details these visionaries and their movements, using the experiences of a woman who lived her subject and interviewed others in the process. From the early days living in a technological-free zone to returning to a mainstream community to forge new relationships and work, Back from the Land : How Young Americans Went to Nature in the 1970s, and Why They Came Back provides an excellent survey.

Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60622-2694
www.ivanrdee.com

John Weiss' The Politics of Hate : Anti-Semitism, History, and the Holocaust in Modern Europe (1566636000, $16.95) is more than just another holocaust history: it shows how anti-Semitism and racism developed as a major theme of the European political process long before the Holocaust events, charting the emergence of ideas, trends and social bents which led to doom for Jewish peoples in some places and not in others. A fine survey of how the politics of hate actually evolve. Peter Temes' THE JUST WAR (1566636019, $14.95) provides an American's reflection on the morality of war in modern times. More than just a history, Just War : An American Reflection on the Morality of War in Our Time considers the idea of 'just war thinking' from ancient to modern times, probing the philosophy behind justifications for war.

Alfred A. Knopf
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
1-800-726-0600 www.aaknopf.com

Charles Freeman's The Closing of the Western Mind : The Rise of Faith and the Fall of Reason (140004085X, $30.00) charts the rise of faith and the fall of reason in Western society, from the first alliance of church and state after Roman emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity to modern times. Associated themes explored in CLOSING OF THE WESTERN MIND include the rise of the 'divine' monarch' and the origins of opposition to religion and science, making for a ground-breaking work most suitable for college-level readers. Walter Russell Mead's Power, Terror, Peace, and War : America's Grand Strategy in a World at Risk (1400042372, $19.95) comes from a seasoned writer on U.S. foreign policy who here provides a timely analysis of the policy of the Bush administration and its current strategy for the world. Mead doesn't just focus on Bush from the outset: he provides an introductory analysis of America's historical approach to the world, then considers the different political perspective and actions of the Bush administration. An intriguing argument filled with logic evolves. Robert O. Paxton's ANATOMY OF FASCISM (1400040949, $26.00) is a 'must' for college-level collections interested in political histories and analysis: it provides a review of the history of fascism and how it took hold in some countries and not others. The focus on what fascists did in the countries they controlled makes for a fact-based coverage revealing not so much ideology as historical precedent. In piecing together the sequence of steps by which fascists and conservatives together formed regimes in Italy and Germany, Paxton provides a more definitive focus than most.

A Courtesan's Day: Hour by Hour
Cecilia Seigle, et.al.
Hotei Publishing
PO Box 950001, 1090 HA Amsterdam, Netherlands
9074822592 $34.95 www.hotei-publishing.com

A COURTESAN'S DAY: HOUR BY HOUR is the second in Hotei Publishing's focus on famous Japanese prints, gathering notable works by theme and here examining three series: Kitagawa Utamaro's TWELVE HOURS OF THE 'GREEN HOUSES', Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AT SHINBASHI AND YANAGIBASHI, and Toyohara Kunichika's SCENES OF THE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS: A PICTORIAL TROPE. Each uses the hours of the day as a survey for Japanese print artists in sets that present diurnal; activities ranging from courtesans to geishas. The average Westerner would be lost as to the meaning of such prints were it not for the extensive, in-depth and scholarly text provided by various researchers. Especially recommended for Japanese art collections or any college-level holding in Japanese sociology or history.

Diane C. Donovan
West Coast Editor

Harold's Bookshelf
The MAP: Making the Bible Meaningful, Accessible, Practical
Nick Page
Zondervan Publishing
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 0310252393 $14.99 399 pp.

If you are looking for a good Bible Study that doesn't require a Master's degree just to follow along then you won't be disappointed with The MAP. Each Bible book has a quick guide that includes information on author, type of book, purpose, and primary point. Throughout the book are lots of notes, maps, puzzling verses, and details on government and customs. One of the really nice features are the multiple boxes labeled viewpoints. These contain information on different interpretations for particular passages.

This is one of the most complete and accessible study sources for the average Bible student. While it is not a Bible in itself, it is designed to be used in conjunction with your Bible. The MAP: Making the Bible Meaningful, Accessible, Practical is a very highly recommended read for Bible students who seek a solid overview and understanding of the books of the Bible and how each of the stories relate to the other. It is not a deep hermeneutic treatise with detailed word studies, but a solid book that truly makes the Bible meaningful, accessible, and practical for everyone.

The Storyteller's Guide
Bill Mooney, David Holt
August House Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 3223, Little Rock, AR 72203
ISBN: 0874834821 $23.95 204 pp.

If you are new to the art of storytelling or want to move your craft up a notch The Storyteller's Guide could be the advice you are looking for. The authors take 21 of the most common questions about storytelling and provide answers and advice from some of the most preeminent storytellers of today. Some of the questions include "How Do I Get Started?", "How Do I Find the Right Stories?", "How Do I Create Stories from True-Life Events?", "How Do I Create Original Stories?", "How Do I Market Myself?", and "What Are the Copyright Laws Concerning Storytelling?". In addition to the authors' comments each question typically has thirteen or more comments from other professionals. Most chapters also have a list of additional resources and a summary of the important points of the chapter. The Storyteller's Guide is a recommended read for anyone who wants to get started in this art form.

Version Control with Subversion
Ben Collins-Sussman, Brian W. Fitzpatrick, C. Michael Pilato
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
ISBN: 0596004486 $34.95 244 plus multiple appendixes and index

If you develop software of any type you quickly learn the importance of a good revision control system. Sometimes a minor change that fixes a bug at one point causes other portions of the program to have problems. Revision control systems allow you keep various versions of your program and go back to a prior version easily. If there are multiple people working on the project then the ability to commit changes and see what happens but easily get back to where you were becomes even more important. If you are writing a modular program then as each person or group changes their module you may need to get a current version of the project with a prior version of a module. A revision control system handles all these problems easily. Subversion is an open source version control system that can be used on any operating system that supports the Apache httpd server including Windows, Linux, and NetWare.

Version Control with Subversion is a highly useful book written with a slant toward the Linux OS. It is easy to read and understand if you are at least familiar with version control software at a theoretical level and is highly recommended. One really nice feature is an appendix covering the differences between Subversion and the popular CVS software. If you are used to CVS then this appendix makes the switch to Subversion much easier.

St. Augustine's Confessions
Professor: William R. Cook, Ronald B. Herzman
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
Format: Audio CD, DVD, Audio Cassette
Lectures: 24

One of the most famous of religious writings, The Confessions of St. Augustine of Hippo is in turn both deeply personal and deeply philosophical. The first four lectures of this series provide the background information to understand St. Augustine and his writings. The next 19 lectures cover the thirteen books of St. Augustine's Confessions. The final lecture explores how these writings have influenced other writers over the years.

Of the thirteen books in The Confessions, the first ten are often referred to as the narrative portion and constitute the story of Augustine's childhood through his eventual conversion to Christianity at age 31. These books detail his struggles with a tendency toward wild behavior and a preoccupation with sex while seeking direction in his life. St. Augustine discusses his internal struggles as he seeks to find a sustaining faith among the Manicheans and the Neo-Platonists before his eventual conversion. These books have become the favorites of many readers who see their self in the struggles of St. Augustine.

The last three books of The Confessions examine the Genesis creation account from an allegorical point of view. St. Augustine helped originate the idea that the Bible is not only be read literal but also from a symbolical view. Within this part of the Confessions readers will find many familiar prayers and meditations that have found their way into the liturgical practices of many Christian churches.

Although The Confessions were written more than 1,500 years ago Professors Cook and Herzman both do an excellent job of relating them to today. This brings me to the only thing I didn't like about this series of lectures. Many of the lectures consist of both of the professors lecturing together. It is almost like the back and forth banter you would expect in a talk show or a movie review. In fact they reminded me a lot of Ebert and Roeper. These are excellent lecturers that obviously know their field well and are able to deliver that knowledge in an interesting and entertaining manner. I found the back and forth nature of many of the lectures distracting.
St. Augustine's Confessions is highly recommended for everyone interested in his writings, Christian thought, or the Church fathers.

Sacred Selfishness
Bud Harris, Ph.D.
Inner Ocean Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 1239, Makawao, Maui, HI 96768-1239
ISBN: 1930722125 $24.95 343 pp.

This is one of the best books of the self-help genre that I have read in a long time. Living a balanced fulfilled life with a loving and peaceful attitude is possible, but sacred selfishness is required. Everyone needs time to look at their self and examine their life, passions, plans, etc. Sacred selfishness is not selfishness with a negative connotation. It is taking the time to retreat for yourself, taking the time to reclaim balance in your life.

The book is divided into three parts - Breaking the Mold and Seeking a Path, Cultivating Inner Substance, and Cultivating a Life of Substance. The chapter titles also give a good idea of the direction the book takes. Some titles include The Call to Transformation, Preparing for Change, Journaling as Inner Exploration, Beginning the Search for Personal Substance, Befriending Our Dreams, Learning to Love Ourselves, and Relationships of Substance.

This is a book of such substance that I found myself reading a section, stopping to think about it, and then reading another section. For a person who reads a typical book in about an hour it is rare that I find one of such substance that it takes me almost a week to read it carefully so I can be sure to extract all the value out of it I can. Sacred Selfishness is very highly recommended to anyone seeking balance and fulfillment in their life.

Rome and the Barbarians
Professor: Kenneth W. Harl
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
Format: Audio CD, DVD, Audio Cassette
Lectures: 36

The Roman Empire was one of the most advanced civilizations in history. Yet its constant expansion brought regular barbarian assaults on its borders. Whether Celts, Goths, Visigoths, Huns, or Persians, barbarians and their potential for problems remained a constant concern. Part of the problem in studying this era of history is defining who the barbarians were. The Roman political and social system provided a way for these barbarians to become Romanized and fully accepted as a part of Rome. Once a part of the Roman system they were no longer considered barbarians. So, who exactly were the barbarians? To the Romans it was anyone who had not yet become assimilated into the Roman culture. So, by definition it was anyone on the borders of the empire.

Not only does Professor Harl discuss these barbarians who fought against Rome but he also examines the social and political system, emperors like Augustus and Julius Caesar, generals like Publius Cornelius Scripio Africanus, and specific barbarians like Attila the Hun. With a history of so many unsuccessful barbarian attacks or the barbarians successfully being assimilated into the empire, what was different about the ones who were ultimately successful in defeating Roman and eventually bringing down the entire empire? What happened inside and outside the empire to allow this to happen?

Professor Harl addresses these and many other questions as he examines the relationship between Rome and the people on its frontiers. A fascinating study with a professor who speaks to you less like a lecturer and more like an old friend, Rome and the Barbarians is highly recommended to anyone interested in this era of history.

The Savvy Senior
Jim Miller
Hyperion
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
ISBN: 1401307493 $13.95 249 pp.

More of a resource book than anything else; The Savvy Senior provides advice for seniors in a wide variety of areas. The layout for most of the sections is pretty similar. The author describes the problem, related problems, things you can do, and resources to help. For example if you have vision troubles then you might consider talking clocks, timers, or thermometers, talking blood-pressure monitors, voice-activated phone dialers, etc. The problem is where would you acquire these things since they are often not available in most stores. The resources section has the answers with web sites and phone numbers. This is just one of the many areas the book addresses. Other common problems and areas of concern for seniors that are addressed include: driving and transportation, utility assistance, telemarketing fraud, identity theft, grandparenting, money management, travel, fall prevention, retirement communities, choosing a nursing home, various medical concerns, Medicare, and Social Security. The two most valuable features of this book are the fact that it provides somewhat of a checklist of things you need to consider as you plan for aging and it points you in the right direction to get credible, quality help when you need it. The Savvy Senior is recommended for seniors and those making plans for their retirement years.

Aaaarrgghh! Spider!
Lydia Monks
Houghton Mifflin Company
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
ISBN: 0618432507 $16.00 32 pp. Ages: 4 - 8

Aaaarrgghh! Spider! is a humorous read about a spider that just wants to be a family pet. However, he has one small problem. Every time he tries to do something to show how good he would be as a family pet the family screams and he is put out of the house. Written from the spider's point of view it is creative imagination at its best. Aaaarrgghh! Spider! is a highly recommended read for young children and sure to be one of their favorite books.

About Dinosaurs
Sindy McKay
Treasure Bay, Inc.
17 Parkgrove Drive, South San Francisco, CA 94080
ISBN: 1891327534 $7.99 48 pp. Ages: 5 - 7

A basic education about dinosaurs for the first or second grader, About Dinosaurs is well written and well illustrated. As one of the We Both Read series the left pages contain more difficult words and background information while the right pages have both smaller and fewer words. This design is so reading can be a family experience with the parent reading the left pages and the child the right pages. The final two pages of the book include a dictionary and a section on word roots. About Dinosaurs is educational while still being fun and a recommended children's book.

Farmer Dale's Red Pickup Truck
Lisa Wheeler
Harcourt, Inc.
15 East 26th Street, New York, NY 10010
ISBN: 0152023194 $16.00 40 pp. Ages: 4 - 8

Farmer Dale is heading for town in his red pickup truck full of hay. Along the way he meets various animals that need a ride and he is more than happy to help. But what happens when the truck is full and more animals need a ride? And what happens when the old truck is not able to carry any more animals without breaking down? A fun read with each animal having their own unique personality, Farmer Dale's Red Pickup Truck is recommended for children ages three through seven.

God's Blessings Story Bible
Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton
Zondervan Publishing
Zonderkidz Imprint
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 0310709326 $13.99 224 pp. Ages: 4 - 8

God's Blessings Story Bible is a collection of the best-loved Bible stories for children. Each story is just two pages long and includes full color illustrations. At the end of each story is a one or two sentence summary of the most significant point and a short prayer related to the lesson. It even includes a ribbon style bookmarker so you can find your place easily for the next story. If you want a quality book of Bible stories to teach your children you can't go wrong with God's Blessings Story Bible.

Lulu's Lost Shoes
Paula Blankenship
Treasure Bay, Inc.
17 Parkgrove Drive, South San Francisco, CA 94080
ISBN: 1891327550 $7.99 48 pp. Ages: 4 - 6

What's a little ladybug to do when the school bus is coming and she can't find her shoes? With the help of her friends she searches everywhere for the lost shoes. With rich colors, the detailed illustrations keep a child's attention riveted to the book. This book is one of the We Both Read series where more detailed reading is on the left side of the page for the parent to read and the child's page on the right has only two or three words in larger type. "Lulu's Lost Shoes" is a recommended children's book for all ages.

Mary Middling and Other Silly Folk
Rose Fyleman
Clarion Books
Houghton Mifflin Company imprint
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10013
ISBN: 0618381414 $16.00 32 pp. Ages: Preschool

Mary Middling is just one of the fun, silly nursery rhymes in this children's book. From rhymes about a person who stood on his head all the time, to a tribute to mice, to a man who painted his dog yellow and pink, there is a lot of fun here for any child. With colorful illustrations on each page Mary Middling and Other Silly Folk is a recommended children's nursery rhyme book.

Unlock the Bible in 30 Days
Colin S. Smith
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Blvd, Chicago, IL 60610-3284
ISBN: 0802465552 $12.99 161 pp.

Author Colin Smith takes a very high level overview of the Bible story in his book Unlock the Bible in 30 Days. The book provides a view of the Bible as a consistent story with mountain peak highs followed by low valleys. Throughout the book part of the focus is on pointing out a single thread flowing through the Bible. That single thread is a plan of redemption. The book is divided into three parts with part 1 covering the Old Testament, part 2 covering the New Testament, and part 3 dealing with living in the Spirit.

For most people who have been Christians for a long time this is too general a view of the Bible and will provide nothing they don't already know. However, for young Christians or a class for new Christians Unlock the Bible in 30 Days is a recommended read that ties the various Bible stories into a consistent theme.

The Petsitters Club: Where's Iggy?
Tessa Krailing
Baron's Educational Series, Inc.
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
ISBN: 0764106937 $3.95 94 pp. Ages: 9 - 12

The Petsitters Club is one of those rare series where children have a fast paced and exciting book to read while learning responsibility, the importance of friendship, and other positive values. Where's Iggy? is no exception to this pattern. The petsitters take on a job taking care of an iguana while the owner is away for a few days. Unfortunately, only one of the petsitters ends up going over to the house to feed Iggy. When Iggy gets loose and they can't find him everyone gets into the action. The Petsitters Club: Where's Iggy is highly recommended for young children who are ready to move from picture books to chapter books.

The NKJV Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
Editor: Zane C. Hodges, Arthur L. Farstad
Thomas Nelson Publishers
501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214
ISBN: 0840783574 $34.99 918 pp.

When it comes to interlinear Bibles there is generally not a lot of difference between them. However, this one has one particular feature that sets it apart from other ones I have examined. Even with each word translated beneath the Greek word the Greek sentence structure can still make it difficult to correctly translate a sentence. To help with this problem when words need to be reordered so they conform to English rules then the text includes a number by each of the words so you can easily put them in the appropriate sequence. This is a very helpful feature.

In addition to the interlinear translation on the right side of each page is the New King James Version translation for the passages on that page. This makes it easy to go from the Greek to the translation of each word and then to the final translated text.

At the back of the book is a section titled Word Studies, but it is more like a basic dictionary than a true word study. Each entry has the Greek word, transliteration, definition, and a single reference in the New Testament.

While the Word Studies section may be of minimal value the rest of the text is excellently done with idioms also combined and translated. With the sequencing of the words and translation of idioms in addition to the expected word for word translation "The NKJV Greek-English Interlinear New Testament" is a highly recommended purchase for anyone looking for an Interlinear Bible.

Fully Involved: A History of the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters
Ellie Belew
Washington State Council of Fire Fighters
1069 Adams Street Southeast, Olympia, WA 98501
ISBN: 0975272047 $19.95 224 pp. plus appendixes

Fully Involved is a concise and well-illustrated history of the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters. Written in a style that brings the reader into the life of the fire fighters as both individuals and a group, it delves into such minor issues as challenging a ruling that they could not eat in their loungers as well as the heroics of rescuing survivors from a burning hotel. While the book will hold some interest to others around the United States, it is more likely to be of greater interest to those of the Pacific Northwest where it is more of a local history.

The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
James Strong, LL.D, S.T.D.
Zondervan Publishing
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 0310233437 $34.99 1854 pp.

How do you improve on the most exhaustive King James concordance in existence? John R. Kohlenberger III and James A. Swanson took on this task and have made several improvements. The first thing they did was to fix several minor errors in previous versions. Then they included words that were italicized in the Cambridge King James Version. This is important because these represent words that were not in the original text but were supplied in translation to help the reader understand the text. Finally, they computer verified the accuracy of the text. Because of this they state that this is the most accurate Strong's concordance to ever be published.

Really nice features include sensitivity to translational problems such as the need to sometimes use multiple words to translate a single word because the destination language doesn't contain a similar word. Because of this problem these multiple words are included as a set and matched against the Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek word.

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek dictionaries have also been updated from previous editions to reflect current Biblical scholarship. At the back of the book are some additional reference materials that are pretty unusual for a concordance. These materials include things like a Hebrew calendar, sacred days listing, weights and measures information, and a harmony of the gospels.

Still the best King James concordance available and the best value for your money The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible is highly recommended.

Hurty Feelings
Helen Lester
Houghton Mifflin Company
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
ISBN: 0618410821 $16.00 32 pp. Ages: 4 - 8

This is the story of Fragility, a hippopotamus who, despite her large size, was very fragile emotionally. Even when someone complimented her she managed to reframe it into an insult and was hurt again. So what happens when she is responsible for protecting the goal in the soccer match and the bully of an elephant decides to insult her? You'll have to read the book to get the answer. "Hurty Feelings" is a fun read for children with well-drawn illustrations that are both detailed and humorous, and an excellent message, which makes it a highly recommended read.

Java Cookbook, 2nd Edition
Ian F. Darwin
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
ISBN: 0596007019 $49.95 776 plus index

Anyone who has been involved in programming very long soon comes to realize the value of the various programming cookbooks. The cookbooks are not for the person who wants to learn how to program in a particular language, but are very useful for programmers with a basic knowledge of the language. The idea is simple, take the most common problems people deal with and put the solutions into a book. Simply state the problem and then show the code to resolve it. So, if you need to know how to do something you can look it up, enter the code, and test it.

Some of the chapter subjects include Interacting with the Environment, Strings and Things, Pattern Matching, Numbers, Dates and Times, Object-Oriented Techniques, Directory and Filesystem Operations, Graphics and Sound, Network Clients, Server-Side Java, Database Access, XML, and Threaded Java. Typical of any of the programming cookbooks, it is a quick and easy source for answers. Each item has a short explanation of the problem and then goes straight to the code to demonstrate how it works. A great time saver and required resource for Java programmers, Java Cookbook, 2nd Edition is highly recommended.

Notemaker's Bible
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
ISBN: 0842375724 $24.99 1566 plus maps and blank note pages

The Notemaker's Bible is basically a standard New Living Translation (1996) text Bible with one major difference. It has eight blank lines at the bottom of each page and wide margins on the outer side of the page so it is easy to make notes right on the page. This gives you an opportunity to create your own study Bible with the things that are important to you, to journalize your thoughts as you read, or anything else that might be important to you.

The front matter of the Bible also includes the Tyndale Bible Verse Finder which is basically a concise topical index helping you locate a verse not by words it contains but by the subject of the verse. If you like to be able to write notes in your Bible and never really had the room for all the comments you wanted to make then you should take a look at the Notemaker's Bible. It may be just what you need.

Pacific in My Soul
Anne Chadwick
Cypress House
155 Cypress Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
ISBN: 1879384612 $29.95 88 pp.

Whether you have been there and want to reminisce or just want to understand the draw of the northern Pacific coast you will enjoy the beautiful photography and personal narrative of Pacific in My Soul. Pelicans, elephant seals, egrets, waves, sea otters, solitude, rhododendrons, herons, tidal pools, gray whales, redwoods, raccoons, ospreys, wildflowers, fog (beautiful picture), sea lions, lily, orcas, butterflies, elk, bald eagles, sunsets and other subjects are addressed in the book. Written as a personal sharing of the author's favorite things about the Pacific Northwest, it is both a beautiful and intimate work. Pacific in My Soul is highly recommended for nature enthusiasts of all kinds.

Guess What? Story Bible
Tracy Harrast
Zondervan Publishing
Zonderkidz Imprint
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 0310707013 $16.99 192 pp. Ages: 4 8

The "Guess What? Story Bible" is a unique and fun book of Bible stories for children. What makes it unique are the many words hidden in the text. A child can place the decoder that comes with the book over the hidden word and read it. Now reading and learning about the Bible story can be an adventure. Of course the first concern many parents would have is how easy is it to lose the special decoder? The book has a special place for the decoder so it can be returned there and stored securely. However, if it does become lost then a quick trip to the hardware store to pick up some red cellophane and you have a new decoder; maybe not as fancy as the fish that comes with the book, but totally functional. Brightly colored illustrations add to the appeal of the book and together with the adventure of the secret words it makes this a very highly recommended book.

Experiential Storytelling
Mark Miller
Zondervan Publishing
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 0310255147 $14.99 153 pp.

Frustrated with the overall decline of church membership today, author Mark Miller examines the speaking techniques used in most churches and how people respond. After teaching a Sunday School class which started large and declined until it had almost no attendees, he found that experiential storytelling techniques brought people back in droves and allowed him to share the message of Christ in new and innovative ways.

Experiential Storytelling methods allow people to experience the story of Christ instead of sermonizing. This in turn makes the Bible more real to others. While many churches are stuck in a pattern that is hard to change and people in general tend to be resistant, youth groups are generally more open and the techniques in this book could easily be used there or in the Sunday School setting. Then, who knows, perhaps it will move into the primary service. Experiential Storytelling is highly recommended and church leaders should at least be aware of the techniques and potential.

Earth Knack
Bart and Robin Blankenship
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
ISBN: 0879057335 $17.95 192 pp.

If you are looking for a book on basic primitive living skills you will find a goldmine of information in Earth Knack. The broad range of areas covered include making fire, making cordage (from vegetable and animal sources), making tools, tanning, flintknapping, making dyes and colors, baskets, bowls, pottery, food and cooking, soap, music, and clothing.

Each chapter provides everything you need to know to complete a couple of projects of that genre but is hardly a thorough treatment of the subject. For example the food and cooking, animals, and getting dressed sections each could easily consume two or three books and there are many on the market that do. What this book provides is a thorough introduction to the skills and the ability to develop confidence by going through several projects.

Although most areas are not covered in detail, some areas are covered better than any other book of this nature I have seen. For example, fire, cordage, baskets, buckets, and bowls are all treated in detail. It contains an unusually good section on flintknapping and an excellent section on making fire. While the techniques are mentioned in other books this is the first one I have read that provided sufficient information to figure out what you are doing wrong if it doesn't work. For example the first several times I tried to create a fire with friction I only created a glazed effect on the wood. This is the only book that mentioned what caused it and what to do about it.

For anyone wanting a broad introduction of all the basic skills of primitive living, Earth Knack is a highly recommended book.

The Discovery Study Bible
Zondervan Publishing
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 0310927161 $59.99 1726 pp.

One of the unique things about this Bible is the inclusion of eight study courses for church school and small groups. The eight courses are divided into four Old Testament courses (Exploring the Pentateuch, Exploring the Historical Books, Exploring the Books of Poetry, Exploring the Books of Prophecy) and four New Testament courses (Exploring the Life of Christ, Exploring the Ministry of Christ, Exploring Paul's Letters to Churches, Exploring the Other Letters and Revelation). In addition there are 150 "Study Centers" to help you gain a deeper understanding of the passages and broaden your perspective.

Each study center has a full page dedicated to it at the location where the first verses occur. They are all similar in format and include background information, keys to understanding the most important parts of the study, assignments to complete to further your understanding, and a verse that summarizes the spiritual significance of that particular study. The study does not necessarily stay with the order of the Bible. For example, the Psalms have chapters that are related to instruction (1, 19, 119), the Reign of God (2, 72, 93, 95-100, 117, 146), the depths of despair (3, 13, 88, 130), etc. So while the study in the Psalms does not go chapter by chapter it takes the reader along a consistent theme. If, on the other hand, you have a Psalm you like and would like to investigate others that are part of that same study group then you can look at the upper right corner of the page and it indicates the appropriate study center and the page on which to locate it. This is an excellent method of Bible study which I have not seen done in this manner anywhere else.

The Discovery Study Bible uses the New International Version translation and includes many other Bible study tidbits like "Culture Clues" and "Closer Look" that are similar to other study Bibles. At the end are self tests and a dictionary where various word meanings are detailed as well as how they should be interpreted in a particular context.

An excellent study Bible, The Discovery Study Bible is a highly recommended Bible for anyone from teenagers to adults.

Better, Faster, Lighter Java
Bruce A. Tate, Justin Gehtland
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
ISBN: 0596006764 $34.95 234 plus index

Bravo for a very timely book. One of the advantages of Enterprise JavaBeans and similar approaches to programming is it allows for faster development of code. However, there is a price to be paid for this programming convenience. The price is generally large bloated code. With each line of code the speed of the application slows down, the size of the program increases, and more opportunities for errors are introduced. Better, Faster, Lighter Java sounds the clarion call for better code writing, project management, and maintenance. The authors also include chapters on other open-source products, such as Hibernate and Spring, which can help keep the code clean and build projects using a container model like EJB without all the unnecessary overhead. Better, Faster, Lighter Java is a highly recommended book for Java programmers.

Behind the Text: History and Biblical Interpretation
Editors: Craig Bartholomew, C. Stephen Evans, Mary Healy, Murray Rae
Zondervan Publishing
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 031023414X $34.99 519 plus indexes

This book is the fourth volume of the Scripture and Hermeneutics Series. In it the editors make the point that Christianity is a religion that believes in a God who acts in history. Most of the stories in the Bible are set in specific historical contexts and are designed to show God working with individuals and groups in a historical context. Because history is so bound up in the Bible stories it is impossible to read the Bible without addressing the issue of history.

Sometimes the particular historical view that a reader holds affects their interpretation of Bible passages. This is one of the primary areas this book examines biblical hermeneutics with an eye toward the relationship between faith and history and how that relationship both affected how historical events were reported and how biblical events are interpreted.

This is a scholarly collection of articles that is written in an academic style and highly suitable for Bible colleges and Seminaries more than the average reader. Behind the Text: History and Biblical Interpretation is recommended for the serious Bible student.

Religion and American Cultures
Gary Laderman, Luis Leon, editors
ABC-CLIO, Inc.
120 Cremona Drive, PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
ISBN: 157607238X $285.00 967 pp. plus various after matter

This three-volume set is an excellent treatment of religion in America in various social, cultural, ethnic, and historical settings. The first volume examines the various ethnic cultures and their related religious heritage. It includes African American religions, Asian American religious communities, Buddhism in America, Catholicism in America, Hinduism in America, Islam in American, Judaism in America, Latina/Latino religious communities, Native American religions, new age, new religious traditions, orthodox Christianity, and Protestantism in America. This is not a doctrinal exposition on the beliefs of these groups but a scholastic examination of their formation, traditions, and effect on American culture as well as the American culture's effect on the religious practices.

Volume two examines religion from a different perspective. This volume looks at religious thought about the body, piercing, tattooing, pain, death, mourning rituals, roadside shrines, generational aspects of religion, popular culture, political culture, rituals, sacred space, sacred time, science, sexuality, violence and many others areas.

Volume three examines some of the most important historical documents related to our religious beliefs and culture. These include the charter to Christopher Columbus, the Maryland Toleration Act, the writings of Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Paine, John Adams, Sojourner Truth, Henry David Thoreau, Abraham Lincoln, Emma Lazarus, Andrew Carnegie, W. E. B. Du Bois, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others.

Typical of ABC-CLIO publications this is a series of scholarly articles written at a high school reading level. The Religion and American Culture three volume set is highly recommended for high school libraries, public libraries, and personal libraries as well as for anyone seeking to understand the social and cultural contexts in which the various forms of American religious practice formed and have come to be practiced.

Illustrating Nature
Irene Brady
Nature Works Press
PO Box 469, Talent, OR 97540
ISBN: 0915965089 $25.95 114 plus multiple appendixes and index

A great deal of this art instructional book deals with trying to see things and draw using the artistic side of the brain instead of the analytical left side. Subjects covered include sketching, texture, tone, line art, drawing techniques, design and layout, drawing fur, eyes, and other parts of animals, and botanical drawing. The appendixes include multiple projects, field sketchbook and portfolio creation, and career tips if you want to pursue illustration as a career. In addition to the common techniques you typically find in an art instructional book there are dozens and dozens of field notes specific to nature illustration work in the field. These make the book a best choice for anyone who wants to engage in nature illustration. Illustrating Nature is recommended for drawing in general and highly recommended for nature drawing techniques.

How to Speak Moo
Deborah Fajerman
Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
ISBN: 0764122851 $5.95 32 pp. Ages: 4 - 8

A fun storyline and wonderful illustrations make How to Speak Moo a delight to read. Young children absolutely love trying to moo along in an appropriate style for each illustration. A fun read with lots of opportunities for silly mooing along with your children, How to Speak Moo is highly recommended.

Enabling IP Routing with Cisco Routers
Rajarshi Das, Koel Chakrabarty
Charles River Media, Inc.
10 Downer Avenue, Hingham, MA 02043
ISBN: 1584503351 $49.95 475 plus index

If you want to truly understand a Cisco based network and IP routing you can't do better than Enabling IP Routing with Cisco Routers. For those who are interested in passing the Cisco exams it covers the essential material for the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks exams. The book starts at the beginning with the OSI reference model and why routers are needed. It then continues with information on the Cisco design philosophy and the layered structure of the Cisco hierarchical design, and then goes through everything you need to know about IP routing. Coverage includes IP Addressing, classes, Ipv6, routing design, Network Address Translation (NAT), static and dynamic routing, Routing Information Protocol (RIP), Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP), Enhanced Interior Gateway Protocol (EIGRP), Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS_IS), Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), and On Demand Routing (ODR).

Part II contains case studies of different protocols to help the reader understand how the information works in a real life situation. The book also comes with a CD containing a large question bank to test your knowledge, copies of all source code listings in the book, and copies of all tables and figures. This is easily one of the best books on IP routing and builds knowledge from the ground up for Cisco routers. No fluff, no filler, just good solid information in a format that is easy to read, easy to follow, and easy to learn. Enabling IP Routing with Cisco Routers is highly recommended.

Anything Can Happen
Roger Rosenblatt
Harcourt, Inc.
6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887-6777
ISBN: 0151008663 $18.00 177 pp.

One of the most talented and witty writers today, Roger Rosenblatt showcases his talent in this series of short essays (one or two pages average). Some of the pieces are just collections of observations, others are the epitome of the craft of writing. Most of the essays have a deeper meaning hidden within the text that suddenly leaps out at you in the final sentences. Anything Can Happen is highly recommended and many of the essays could easily be used in the scholastic setting for how writing of this style should be done.

Through My Ears Into My Soul
Christa L. Bissell
Pine Tree Publishing
137 Pine Tree Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
ISBN: 0974473006 $11.95 102 pp.

With a cover that doesn't attract any attention and a title that likewise doesn't particularly attract any interest this is a book that defies anyone to find any reason to pick it up and read it. That is a tragedy. I reluctantly picked it up to read a chapter or two only because it was sent to me and I have a reputation of at least reading one chapter of all books sent for review no matter how bad.

My first impression could not have been more wrong. Instead of reading a chapter and putting it away I found that I couldn't put it down until I had finished. An autobiographical account of the shattered life of Christa Bissell and a joyous tribute to the triumph of love, it is deeply moving and draws the reader into her private life as a close friend. If I had missed this book I would have missed one of the best autobiographical books I read all year. Through My Ears Into My Soul is highly recommended.

American Ideals: Founding a "Republic of Virtue"
Professor: Daniel N. Robinson
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
Format: Audio CD, DVD, Audio Cassette
Lectures: 12

Over time American colonies became more and more convinced of the need to establish themselves as a government separate from England. To establish a foundation for this government they relied on various principles of both ancient and modern governments and philosophers. What were these foundational ideals? How did our founding fathers understand these ideals and how did that understanding affect the various founding documents? Based on this understanding what institutions and protections did they put into place to preserve and promote these ideals?

Unfortunately, the cost of the war with Britain took an immense financial toll on the new country and nearly brought it to financial ruin. If that were not enough of a problem the people were suspicious of the new government and wanted to make sure they did not trade one tyrant for another. As each colony cautiously tried to work toward unity they considered plan after plan. Finally, they decided to try sending representatives to Philadelphia to try to refine the Articles of Confederation. The result of this meeting was the creation of the Constitution of the United States.

Professor Daniel N. Robinson of Oxford University provides revealing insight into these foundational factors and how they all worked together to create the new country. This is a recommended lecture series for those interested in the formation of the U.S. from a political/social/rhetorical point of view.

Cisco IP Routing Protocols: Troubleshooting Techniques
V. Anand, K. Chakrabarty
Charles River Media, Inc.
10 Downer Avenue, Hingham, MA 02043
ISBN: 1584503416 $49.95 399 plus index

If you are using Cisco routers in your network and are in charge of administration then you will want to have this book readily available. Not just a book about troubleshooting, the introductory portion provides a strong education in the Cisco hierarchal approach, the layered troubleshooting approach, and the problem resolution model approach.

This is followed by a solid explanation of protocol behavior and characteristics. Chapter three starts the actual diagnostic mechanisms and Cisco TCP/IP commands. Chapter four then covers diagnostic tools including network monitors, simulation tools, and Cisco IOS diagnostics. The next several chapters involve troubleshooting the actual protocols including TCP/IP, IGRP, EIGRP, OSPF, IS-IS, and BGP. The final chapter involves troubleshooting in a redistribution routing environment.

Some of the strongest reasons for recommending this book include the realistic scenarios for every size network, the straight-forward and efficient troubleshooting methodology proposed, and the thoroughness of the material. The text covers all the essential material tested in the Cisco exam Internet Troubleshooting Support.

Loaded with illustrations so you can visualize what is happening and understand the concepts easily, this is an excellent book for anyone working with Cisco routers. The included CD contains a study program with multiple-choice questions to test your knowledge, the source code for all code in the book, all the tables and illustrations in the book. The index is a little skimpy for a book of this size and type, but even with that shortcoming Cisco IP Routing Protocols is a highly recommended purchase and one of the best books available for anyone working in a Cisco environment.

Be Nice (or Else) and What's In It for You
Winn Claybaugh
Von Curtis Publishing
1278 Glenneyre, Ste. 96, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
ISBN: 0974993999 $23.95 190 plus after matter

In a world where people are experiencing road rage, random outbursts of anger, and other problems, Winn Claybaugh cries out that it is time to stop. The change has to start with each one of us as individuals. Be nice and, as a result, be happy. Not only will you be happy, but others will also want to be around you because you make them feel happier. Being nice is good for everyone.

The ideas and suggestions in the book are not so esoteric as to be unrealistic. Instead it has practical examples of how to become a genuinely nice person. Basically it is an instructional book on how to make kindness a part of your everyday life.

One of the important things at the beginning of the book is a definition of what a truly nice person is and is not. For example, a person who is nice to you but not nice to the waitress is not a genuinely nice person.

The process is a step-by-step method for change. The first step is learning to be nice to your self. Next is boosting your self-esteem. You boost your self-esteem by creating balance in your life professionally, physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.

Be Nice (or Else) and What's In It For You is highly recommended for every reader.

1000 Games for Smart Kids
Teora USA, LLC
2 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 870, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
ISBN: 1594960011 $14.95 371 pp. Ages: 4 - 10

Mazes, counting puzzles, matching, spelling, creative thinking, there is literally something in here for everyone at all levels. From very simple mazes that are appropriate for a four year old through more complex multiplication and division problems more appropriate for the nine or ten year old child. There is something for everyone in the book and a wide variety of puzzles and games so children are sure to find some that they really like. 1000 Games for Smart Kids is highly recommended for hours of fun.

Working on Your Relationship Doesn't Work
Ariel Kane, Shya Kane
ASK Productions, Inc.
208 East 51st St., PMB 137, New York, NY 10022-6500
ISBN: 1888043229 $16.95 277 pp.

Working on Your Relationship Doesn't Work takes a different approach to transforming a relationship or creating a "magical" new one. While there are several books available now on how to live in the present moment and so transform your life, this one takes on a different application of that principle by examining how it applies to relationships. Of course the authors start where all good relationship books should start examine your self first. A relationship involves both people and that means your self.

Using three principles of transformation they seek to show how people can bring about change in their lives and their relationships. One of the most important points they make is that your relationship with your self determines your relationship with others. Some of the other points they examine are recognizing and dealing with your hidden agendas, completing your relationship with your parents, realizing that you are not the story of your life, the art of listening, and choosing to be alive.

This is a well-written book with lots of positive self-affirming directions and is the first of the self-help books about living in the moment that effectively tackles the problem of relationships. Working on Your Relationship Doesn't Work is a highly recommended book with an unfortunate title that doesn't encourage picking it up off the shelf and reading it.

The Unchurched Next Door
Thom S. Rainer
Zondervan Publishing
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 0310248604 $19.99 248 plus appendixes and index

The Unchurched Next Door is an admirable attempt to understand why people don't attend a Christian church and how best to lead them to a relationship with Christ that includes church attendance. This monumental task was undertaken by surveying people around the United States to get their answers to multiple questions (statistical results are presented in an appendix). From the results of these questionnaires author Thom S. Rainer divides unchurched people into five distinct groups. These groups run the range from those who would attend if someone would invite them to those who are openly hostile to the gospel and people who attend church.

Thom S. Rainer is a dean at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a fact that he reminds the reader of on a regular basis throughout the text. Other than that one minor annoyance, the information is extremely valuable to anyone involved in church growth and outreach. I found some of the numbers to be surprising and some pretty much what I expected. Either way, the analysis was consistently insightful. The Unchurched Next Door is a highly recommended book for anyone charged with growing their church and its influence in the surrounding area.

Stealing the Network: How to Own a Continent
131ah, Russ Rogers, Jay Beale, Joe Grand, Fyodor, FX, Paul Craig, Timothy Mullen (Thor), Tom Parker
Syngress Publishing, Inc.
800 Hingham Street, Rockland, MA 02370
ISBN: 1931836051 $49.95 345 plus appendix

Through a series of fictional system attacks and exploits Stealing the Network: How To Own a Continent provides a basic education in network security. More than just what can happen, it details each attack so you learn the purpose of the attack as well as how it is carried out. Each of the chapters provides the fictional account of an individual who takes on a single network attack. What the reader soon discovers is that it is actually a carefully orchestrated chain of attacks with a larger purpose in mind.

One of the things I really liked about the book is that it is not just a dry security book turned into a more interesting novel but it gives the reader a look at the personalities of those who get involved in these things. Each of the attacks involves real tools that can be downloaded or purchased off the Internet as well as real techniques. If you want to know how an attacker thinks and how far they will go to achieve their goals as well as some of the common techniques you can't go wrong with Stealing the Network: How to Own a Continent.

The Purpose of Life: Answers to Life's Greatest Questions
Phil Batchelor
Danville International Publishing Company, LLC
PO Box 3213, Danville, CA 94526
ISBN: 0974852805 $12.95 151 pp.

Author Phil Batchelor had a specific incident in his life that led him to the writing of this book. A friend was dying in the hospital when he called Mr. Batchelor to his side and in fear asked about the purpose of life, where we go when we die, and similar questions. Realizing that people often ask this question as they near the end of life he thought it would be good to share these answers earlier in life so they can better enjoy life. With that as the goal he wrote The Purpose of Life.

Some of the questions he examines include: Who am I, where do I come from, and what is my purpose on earth? Some readers will have problems with his theology and so should read the book before recommending it to others. An example of a position some would have difficulty with is the answer to the question of where we come from. He believes that we existed in heaven with God before we were born and God put us into our earthly body while wiping out our memory of being in heaven. His concepts of paradise and prison at death and Jesus' role there as well as other items represent doctrinal positions that are not held by many Christians. Some groups (Mormons for example) will have very few problems with it and are likely to recommend it; others will have various levels of difficulty with the content.

Security Sage's Guide to Hardening the Network Infrastructure
Steven Andres, Brian Kenyon
Syngress Publishing, Inc.
800 Hingham Street, Rockland, MA 02370
ISBN: 1931836019 $59.95 497 plus index

This is the minimum every network administrator should know about network security and is an excellent guide for administrators at the intermediate level of security knowledge. One of the things I really liked about the book was that it not only tells the reader how to secure their network but also tells them how to test the system using specific techniques and tools. This includes footprinting a network with tools like whois and DNS interrogation, monitoring traffic, and sniffing. The other great feature of the book is that it includes vendor specific attacks and defenses the things the vendor won't be telling you. Some of the vendors mentioned include Check Point, PIX, Microsoft ISA Server, NetScreen, and Novell.

The authors also examine routing devices and protocols, network management and security, IPSec, VPNs, and security software. In addition to the internal network considerations the authors look at the items on the edge of the local network. These items include network switches and routers, including attacks and defenses by brand. They complete the book with a good discussion of internal network design including the importance of firewall selection and placement, Intrusion Detection Systems, and segmentation. Security Sage's Guide to Hardening the Network Infrastructure is highly recommended for people interested more in how to secure a network than how to hack one as well as how to test that security.

Medical Tests That Can Save Your Life
David Johnson, Ph.D., David Sandmire, M.D.
Rodale Press
33 East Minor St., Emmaus, PA 18098-0099
ISBN: 157954732X $14.95 256 plus index

Medical Tests That Can Save Your Life: 21 Tests Your Doctor Won't Order Unless You Know to Ask is exactly what as the title states. Inside are nineteen conditions that are often not tested by doctors. Each of the conditions gives a description of the physical condition, risk factors (separated by those that you can modify and those that you can't), your risk level, and tests you may want to request. After the condition is explained in detail and the appropriate tests suggested, the book ends with a section that describes the tests including what the test checks for, how reliable it is, health risks, and approximate cost. The final part of the book covers the standard treatment for the various conditions once they have been verified.

One of the reasons these tests are often not given by doctors is because they don't show many symptoms until they are well advanced. So how do you know you should request one of these tests? The authors provide some of the circumstances under which you might want to request the test. For example, hemochromatosis is most prevalent in people with a Celtic ancestry. If you have a different ancestry you are unlikely to need to have the exam taken.

Medical Tests That Can Save Your Life is a highly recommended book although I will have to admit that I am somewhat prejudiced. I have several relatives whose lives would have been much better if someone had ordered the test for hemochromatosis earlier in their lives.

101 Things to Do With a Slow Cooker
Stephanie Ashcroft, Janet Eyring
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
ISBN: 1586853171 $9.95 124 pp.

I've reviewed cookbooks on slow-cookers before but this one has quickly become one of my favorites. The recipes are divided into various categories including beverages, dips and fondue, soups, and stews, beef, chicken, pork, and desserts.
The book starts with 22 helpful hints for cooking with a slow cooker. The actual recipes follow and there are a lot of really good ones.

For example, I don't generally like pot roast but there is a recipe for cola roast that is really good. It also has some unusual recipes like peanut butter fondue, or Sante Fe cheese soup. Not only are there unusual recipes but many good recipes that one would not normally associate with a slow cooker. For example there are recipes for French Dip sandwiches, Italian chicken and mushrooms, sweet and sour pork, carrot cake, and pineapple upside-down cake.

The only thing that I would like to see is the cooking time put at the top of the recipe with the ingredients instead of buried in the recipe instructions. This is particularly important with slow-cooker recipes because they can require anything from half an hour to twelve hours or more of cooking. It does have a nice plastic cover to make it easy to wipe off and food matter that might get on it. One of the best slow-cooker cookbooks around, 101 Things to Do With a Slow Cooker is highly recommended.

Burpee Gardening Cyclopedia
Allan Armitage, Maureen Heffernan, Chela Kleiber, Holly H. Shimizu
Running Press Book Publishers
125 South Twenty-second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4399
ISBN: 0762412119 $9.95 576 plus appendixes

This small format pocket size guide is divided into three parts Gardening from the Ground Up, Plant Portraits, and the Practical Gardener. The first section includes a wealth of information on critical factors for a successful garden. Some of the items discussed include climate, rainfall, wind, sun, soil type, drainage, and garden design.

The Plant Portraits section is by far the largest section of the book and grouped by annuals and biennials, perennials, bulbs, roses, vegetables, herbs, groundcovers, and vines. For each plant the authors include descriptions (height, colors, etc.), tips for growing (when to plant, how to thin, transplanting, etc.), and other useful information. It also has a small section of photographs for several of the more common plants.

The Practical Gardener section primarily covers equipment, pests, and diseases. The pests and diseases portion is good in that it covers characteristics, symptoms, hosts, and controls. While not a very thorough treatment of the pests and diseases it does cover the most common ones. The last part of this section has an excellent listing of plants organized by environmental preferences and uses. For example, it lists appropriate plants for bright sunny areas and for thickly shaded areas as well as ones to use for a cutting garden, for attracting butterflies, etc.

If you are looking for a smaller book that is easy to take along to the garden center but thorough enough to have all the most common information you can't go wrong with the Burpee Gardening Cyclopedia.

New Testament Times
Merrill C. Tenney
Baker Books
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49512-6287
ISBN: 0801012651 $29.99 364 plus bibliography and index

New Testament Times examines the culture, social systems, politics, and geography of the eastern Mediterranean during the time period of the New Testament scriptures. The authors did not limit themselves to just the nation of Israel but also include information on other nations that affected Israel such as Egypt, Syria, and, of course, Rome.

Author Merrill C. Tenney does an excellent job of examining the details of Judaism, Hellenism, and the Roman culture and how the stresses between these systems affected the new church and Christian religion. He also examines the various groups within the Jewish system - Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. To truly understand the purpose of many of the epistles of the New Testament you have to understand the various forms of paganism in the area and how these influenced social and political thought as well as the history, difficulties, leaders, and other situations surrounding the church. The author provides a wealth of solid information about the Jerusalem and Antioch churches as well as how they grew and the doctrine of the early church solidified to become consistent between churches.

The book contains a lot of pictures, maps, and illustrations to help the reader fully understand and appreciate the text. The information is presented in a clear and understandable manner so it brings a solid understanding of the time period to the reader. This in turn brings a better understanding of the scriptures. New Testament Times is a highly recommended title and should be read by everyone desiring to understand the environment of the early church.

The Spam Letters
Jonathan Land
No Starch Press, Inc.
555 De Haro Street, Suite 250, San Francisco, CA 94107
ISBN: 1593270321 $14.95 210 pp.

The curse of the electronic age, SPAM eventually forces its way into the life of anyone with an email address. While there are many books and articles about how to reduce this problem, Jonathan Land has taken his own personal war back to the spammers. Instead of just deleting the emails he responds to them. Of course he doesn't respond quite the way the spammers expect. His responses are an attempt at humor and wit that often falls short of the mark, but then again at times is absolutely hysterical.

Particularly funny is his correspondence with people who are naive enough to accept his satirical comments at face value. His correspondence with textile manufacturers and the infamous Nigerian money launderer is brilliant.

With writing that covers the whole range from a poor attempt at humor to laugh-out-loud funny, to bizarre, the reader is sure to find several emails entertaining no matter what your preference in humor. The Spam Letters is a recommended read.

Working on Your Self Doesn't Work
Ariel Kane, Shya Kane
ASK Productions, Inc.
208 East 51st St., PMB 137, New York, NY 10022-6500
ISBN: 1888043040 $12.95 126 pp.

Working on Your Self Doesn't Work is one of the many books in the self-help genre that rely on living in the present as a means of finding happiness and self-fulfillment. In this category it is a very average book. The authors' premise is rather simple psychotherapy and other techniques generally involve years of therapy but you can be transformed quickly and easily if you can learn to live just in the present moment. They go through several pages of important concepts that are critical to transforming yourself and while the information is good as well as accurate, it is also like all the others in this genre. Working on Your Self Doesn't Work breaks no new ground nor does it provide a different perspective than other books in this area and as such it is recommended but only as yet another present moment self help book.

The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln
V. Neil Wyrick
Magnus Press
PO Box 2666, Carlsbad, CA 92018
ISBN: 0972486917 $12.00 104 plus notes

Abraham Lincoln has proven to be somewhat of an enigma for many historians. A person who seemed to embrace the Christian religion he was nevertheless a person who never joined a church. Although some sources state that he never attended church the records of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington show that he attended there regularly during his presidential years. For many the ultimate determination of his religious leanings are based on his actions, his words, and the writings of his close friend Charles Carleton Coffin who states that a spiritual crisis in 1841 was the turning point in Lincoln's life and resulted in his embracing Christianity.

In The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln author V. Neil Wyrick examines this spiritual side of one of our favorite presidents. Lincoln's strong reliance on God's guidance and the Bible shows throughout the book as you read an account of his life that focuses not on politics, but on belief. While some may argue that President Lincoln was not a Christian, very few would argue that he had a deep abiding sense of belief in God that kept him going even in the worst of times. The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln is a recommended read.

Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology
George M. Eberhart
ABC-CLIO, Inc.
130 Cremona Drive, PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
ISBN: 1576072835 $185.00 690 plus index

This two-volume set is a basic layman's guide to the weird, wonderful world of unknown animals. These are animals whose existence has not been proven at this time. While the idea that there may be animals, including some very large ones, living in the world and we have no proof of their existence might be strange to some people it was during my lifetime that gorillas and rhinoceroses were removed from the category of fables.

For each entry the editors provide information on its physical description, behavior, distribution, possible explanations, significant sightings, and sources. This is a non-judgmental review of the reports from around the world presented in a typical encyclopedic style. Although it contains primarily creatures reported to exist but not proven it also includes some animals like the Dodo bird, which were known to exist and are believed extinct. But, because there have been occasional reported sightings in recent years these animals are included.

ABC-CLIO, Inc. published some of the best educational materials of this type on the market today. As always Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology is a high quality reference work written at a high-school level and so is accessible to everyone. Mysterious Creatures is a highly recommended read for anyone interested in this area and a recommended purchase for libraries.

Harold McFarland
Senior Reviewer

Klausner's Bookshelf
An Unfinished Life
Mark Spragg
Knopf
ISBN: 1400042011 $23.00, 257 pp.

Ten years have passed since Griffin Gilkyson died in an accident at the age of twenty-one. His "An unfinished life", as etched on his gravestone, has impacted everyone who loved him. His wife Jean has leaped in and out of the beds of four abusive males since she lost her spouse. His daughter Griff never knew him as she is only nine and a half. His father Einar blames his daughter-in-law for Griffin's death, has never met his granddaughter, and wants to die but not before Jean is dead. Finally his best friend, Korean War buddy Mitch would not have been nearly killed by a bear. Living in a trailer with a nasty SOB, Jean worries about Griff and decides she needs to regain control of her life. Her only hope is for her and her daughter to buy time at Einar's home in Ishawooa, Wyoming though she knows her in-law detests her. She believes it is time for Griff and Einar to meet and for everyone to move on though keep the fond memories of the beloved link that ties all of them together. However, can Einar forgive even though he desperately wants to hug his granddaughter, Griffin's only meaningful memory? Though this intriguing family drama is a five tissue box tearjerker that plays on the readers' emotions, Mark Spragg does it so well that fans will call him a virtuoso. The story line is obviously character driven with the quartet containing different personalities. There is a suspense laden twist adds tension which takes away from the real action of four people trying to exist together without relating.

The Love Wife
Gish Jen
Knopf
ISBN: 1400042135 $25.00

His mother hated that second generation Chinese-American Carnegie married "Blondie" instead of a Chinese. In spite of his mother's objections, Carnegie and Janie ("Blondie") seem to get on fine and eventually adopt two Asian children (fifteen years old Lizzy and nine years old Wendy). Fifteen months ago Blondie gave birth to their first natural born child a son Bailey. Before dying from Alzheimer's, mom arranged for the single Lan, a female relative from Mainland China, to join her son's family. The mysterious Lan seems to have captured Carnegie's attention and shares much with the girls. Janie feels more and more like an outside Blondie with her own family. She turns to her infant son for solace as the other three increasingly turn to Lan. This is an intriguing look at modern race relations within a family that seems like an anecdote for society in general as complexity is a way of life. Carnegie is an intriguing protagonist as he rediscovers his roots, but fears that will make him seem ancient in America. Of interest is how clever Lan is in using the insecurities of the adopted children, the fears of Janie increasingly wondering if she is the outsider, and the fascination of Carnegie to manipulate her hosts. Though rotation of the perspectives enables the audience to better understand the individual, that device also makes it difficult to follow the plot as no center holds the tale together. Still this is a poignant look that intelligently argues that racial issues are changing yet remain local.

Hot Blooded
Christine Feehan, Maggie Shayne, Emma Holly, and Angela Knight
Jove
ISBN: 0515136964 $7.99

"Dark Hunger" by Christine Feehan. Juliette rescues wild animals from a complex when she discovers a caged human. She rescues Riordan from captivity only to learn he is a Carpathian. He realizes that she is his lifemate, but they first must survive a blood eating malevolent monster. Though Riordan is from the Carpathian hunk factory, Juliette provides the freshness of WILD RAIN with her jaguar shapeshifting skills. "Awaiting Moonrise" by Maggie Shayne. In the Bayou, zoologist Jenny searches for an undiscovered species expecting to learn the reason that many locals believe in werewolves. When an animal scratches her, Jenny visits Dr. LeRoque for treatment. They immediately fondle one another. However, he has a secret that if she learns her or her colleagues will certainly reveal and destroy his people. The lycanthropy is exciting and seems genuine, but the couple's sexual activity seems unreal. "The Night Owl" by Emma Holly. In Vermont pastry chef Mariann likes her rustic life though she is concerned about the new owners of the Night Owl Bed and Breakfast that includes her bakery. New B&B owner French vampire Bastien realizes that Mariann is his lifemate, but fears rejection. This is a terrific vampire romance because of the uniqueness of the hero. "Seduction's Gift" by Angela Knight. South Carolina Police Officer Grace Morgan refuses to become a Maja though she has the innate genetic make up to do so. The Majae feel she would make an excellent addition to their "knights of the round table" guardians of humanity. They send hunk Lancelot to convert her by inducing sexual orgasms. Vampires, erotica and Camelot, oh my! These four paranormal erotic novellas live up to the title.

The Devil's Finger
William Ungerman
Jove
ISBN: 051513841X $6.99, 400 pp.

Drug lord Esteban Rios runs the border town of Zapata. He controls the police chief, the city council, and the only bank. He builds clinics and playgrounds while running drugs across the border where he owns and operates brothels. His reign of terror extends to the monthly games; these events enable incarcerated Mexican men an improbable chance of freedom if they remain alive long enough. The only institution not controlled by Rios is the church where a priest has just answered an ad in New Breed magazine. Lon Grainger and Myles Rawlings used to work for Uncle Sam as contract killers, but when the former missed a target the work dried up. They came to Zapata not knowing what is going on, but quickly learn about Rios' stranglehold on the town. They plan to start a mini-war with the objective being to kill Rios and his associates. Rios also prepares for battle because he will never give up his power without a fight. Fans of action thrillers with plenty of gore will want to read THE DEVIL'S FINGER. At first Lon and Esteban seem like identical twins, but the American mercenary has a social conscience and even tries to keep collateral damage to a minimum while his adversary turns good things into evil and does not worry about innocents. Lon seeks redemption in for the accidental death of a child in Zapata he sees the a way to do good. William Ungerman grips the reader's attention with this shoot-em-up magnificent two crime thriller.

A Lunatic Fear
B.A. Chepaitis
Wildside
ISBN 0809500639 $15.00, 191 pp.

After the Killing Times, Earth construct prisons on terraformed asteroids like Planetoid Three to contain and rehabilitate the most vicious killers. Jaguar, an empath uses her psi skills works with the prisoners as a Teacher and she has a phenomenal success rate with even the hard core killers. Her latest case involves three women who went on a killing spree and when she examines their records she diagnoses them as suffering the affects of exposure to Artenis compounds, the by products of moon mining. Moon mining has been suspended for two years pending the outcomes of studies on women who miscarried, hemorrhaged and even killed for no apparent reason after being exposed to it. Lobbyists are trying to get the repeal lifted but Jaguar and her boss Alex can prove that exposure to Artenis compounds caused the women to kill. There are people including one of the administrators of the prison planetoids who are willing to kill Alex and Jaguar to prevent them from making their concerns public. It has been too long since the latest Jaguar Adam's science fiction mystery has been published but it has been well worth the wait. Both the heroine and her wannabe lover Alex get caught up in a criminal conspiracy and it takes the fighting nature of the protagonist that gives them a chance against their enemies in a final confrontation that is explosive. A LUNATIC FEAR has cross genre appeals to fans of science fiction, mystery and romance. B.A. Chepaitis is a terrific world-builder who creates characters readers will root for.

Legacy of the Black Dragon
Julie D'Arcy
Mundania Press LLC.
ISBN: 1594260265 $13.00

King Garrik le Fey of Tarlis strikes a deadly blow to Narokah, his Kingdom's deadliest enemy, the Dark Priest to the god Arahman. However instead of death, the malevolence uses his powers to change into a red dragon. Frantic Garrik orders his sorcerer to convert him into a black dragon with the stipulation that if he fails to destroy Narokah, the sorcerer is to trap both of them inside the ancient magical spell tome, Arkgeld. Eight hundred years later, the two dragons are freed from the prison book, but Tarlis is ruled by a cruel dictatorship and the people believe Garrik is a myth. Besides needing to stop his dangerous foe and deal with the current avaricious leadership, Garrik must employ an Elven ritual to stop his total transformation into the beast. To succeed on that first leg and ultimately to vanquish his deadly opponent, Garrik needs allies, but can he trust the angry vengeful elf, Vellandril or Meggahn daughter of a Low-Lord; for without either of them, Garrik's legend will include failure. The LEGACY OF THE BLACK DRAGON is a terrific epic fantasy that readers will enjoy because the human, Elven, and other mythos societies seem genuine in their medieval setting. The story line is action-packed from the start and never loses momentum even as the eras change. The prime cast, especially the heroic trio, the greedy iron fisted rulers, and the anatomist are wonderful characters as they seem real whether they are purebred human, half dragon, or 100% Elven. Fantasy adventure readers will appreciate this dynamic tale of two powerful beings fighting the good vs. evil war.

The Buck Stops Here
Mindy Stars Clark
Harvest House
ISBN: 0736912940 $10.99, 359 pp.

Several years ago, Callie and her husband Bryan were on the Appomattox River in Virginia, when a drunken speedboat driver killed the latter. The driver James Sparks pleaded guilty and was sentenced to sixteen years in prison. At first Callie did not want to live, but over time with the help of a friend private investigator Eli Gold she regained her equilibrium. Eli got Callie a job as a researcher at the J.O.S.H.U.A. Foundation investigating nonprofit organizations that apply for grants. Though she still mourns her loss, she has a new beau, Tom Bennett, a code breaker for the National Security Agency. Callie overhears Tom tell Eli he loves her and wants to marry her, but must tell her the truth about Bryan. Eli reminds him that would be an NSA security breach. Stunned, Callie later confronts Tom, who claims national security so she begins to investigate her late husband's life and death. Her inquiries take her from her Maryland Eastern Shore home to Louisiana where she seeks the truth although someone is stalking her with murder in mind. The fifth "Million Dollar" mystery, THE BUCK STOPS HERE, is a terrific tale that completes the circle started with the first novel. The story line is electrifying, but character driven as Callie needs to know if her second true love had something to do with the death of her first true love. Callie is the center of this fast-paced plot with her quest to learn the truth even risking a chance at a loving relationship. This stand alone novel and the entire series provides delightful entertainment value and worth the bucks, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.

The Last Storyteller
Diane Noble
Waterbrook
ISBN: 1578563992 $12.99, 384 pp.

In California, an elated Sam informs his girlfriend Taite that he has received a fellowship to work for one year at the Institute of Neurological Research in Boston. He asks her to accompany him, but she refuses. His news trumps her news as she was going to tell him she was pregnant, but decides not to say a word because she loves him and does not want to dampen his future. Despondent and thinking of an abortion, Taite decides to visit her Welsh grandmother Naini. Her elderly grandmother encourages Taite to look back at her heritage as she tells stories of her past and encourages her to reconcile with her mom and to share the joy-burden with Sam. Will Taite be THE LAST STORYTELLER of a proud family or will she bring the next generation into the world with Sam at her side? THE LAST STORYTELLER is an intriguing contemporary tale that looks at several societal issues to include abortion and stem cell research. Though Diane Noble comes across much stronger on one side of the issues, the author provides the ethical dilemmas so that readers realize that these are complex questions not worthy of thirty second blips as normally tossed at people. The story is told through the three generation of women (Taite, her mom and grandma) so that the audience sees the differences in outlook. Sam is a fabulous protagonist as he works with stem cell research, but wonders about the morality when he does not want Taite to abort their child. This is a strong tale with a powerful look at modern morality.

The Hazards of Sleeping Alone
Elisa Juska
Downtown
ISBN: 0743493508 $13.00, 368 pp.

In her late forties, Charlotte Warren has become increasingly neurotic about life as she is a compulsive worrier. Unable to sleep at night and a bundle of nerves during the day, Charlotte has been divorced for fifteen years from Joe, who she sometimes misses in the lonely darkness. However, her biggest concern besides some imaginary thief breaking and entering her home is her passionate living twenty-two years old daughter who lives life with gusto. Emily arrives home on a visit, but this time has brought with her Walter, the black man she plans to move in with. Charlotte is stunned but has a new reason to panic as she fears her daughter's "alternate living arrangement" selection as mixed relationships are difficult. However, the appearance of Walter and Emily does more than just turn Charlotte into a nervous wreck; that first weekend shatters the older woman's memories as events she buried in the furthest reaches of her mind has arisen like an avenging Phoenix. This is an intriguing look at an individual struggling with a compulsive disorder that keeps her from fully functioning in society. Readers' hearts will go out to Charlotte whose palpitations and fears can be felt on almost every page of the tale. Of interest is how opposite her daughter who lived much of her life with her mother (Joe had visits and ultimately moved far away to Seattle) has turned out; sort of as if she has had a reaction formation to the phobic driven lifestyle of her mother. Though somewhat dark in tone, Elisa Juska paints a portrait of a woman in trouble from demons running amok in her head.

Until the Last Dog Dies
John Laurence Robinson
River Oak
ISBN: 1589190211 $12.99 381 pp.

In the middle of the night Cincinnati private investigator Joe Box receives call from a frantic Little Bit, who says someone is trying to kill the survivors of their Nam platoon. Joe is shocked to hear from a guy he had not spoken with in three decades while also trying to calm the guy down saying it is nonsense. Joe hangs up, but the next day Little Bit's wife calls saying he was electrocuted. Joe is stunned because he knew how afraid of electricity Little Bit was. Joe thinks that too much coincidence is involved as Little Bit had mentioned two other deaths in the last two weeks. With the help of librarian Mrs. Brake, he learns that three other members of his platoon of ten are also dead. As he flashbacks to his time in Nam, he wonders how to stop a killing machine who has made each death seem like suicide or accident before this invincible killer murders he or the other survivors. This is an exhilarating thriller that modernizes Christie's AND THEN THERE WAS NONE by using a Nam platoon as the victims thirty years after they completed their tour of duty. Joe is an intriguing private sleuth who has found strength in God which has given him a reason to live although he still mourns the loss of his beloved who died one year into their marriage years ago. His supportive girlfriend Angela Swain helps, but the tale belongs to the cat and mouse game and the insightful flashbacks to a search mission to kill Charlie the sniper.

Dime
Babs Lakey (Editor)
Quiet Storm
ISBN: 0974960861 $15.95, 268 pp.

This anthology contains numerous short and extremely short tales (did not count and until now never realized the value of a table of contents as none was provided) that run the gamut of the mystery-suspense-thriller orbs. Readers should envision overlapping logic circles sort of like the Olympic rings but three not five sub-genres. The tales for the most part are well written and contain a surprising, sometimes paranormal twist reminiscent of the half-hour non science fiction twilight Zone episodes so keep the lights on all night. Though some of the contributors like Michael Bracken are well known, most are not. Thus this exciting well written compilation provides readers with an opportunity to meet and taste the works of new authors that they might miss otherwise. Anyone looking for the next Phillip Marlowe need not look much further as this is a wonderful anthology with a few B&W cartoons that enhance the book. Readers will appreciate these fine tales and the additional information including links to author pages and a listing of other writings by the authors as DIME is no one read "quiet storm".

Total Silence
T.J. MacGregor
Pinnacle
ISBN 0786015586 $6.99, 384 pp.

She tells fortunes for a living but Mira Morales is a true psychic as is her mother and her daughter Annie. Mother and daughter are vacationing in Asheville, North Carolina with Mira's fiance FBI Agent Shep. Mira has a cold that stuffs up her psychic senses, which leaves her helpless when a woman carrying a gun kidnaps her and shoots at her when she tries to get away. The killer, Allie Curry, also killed five people who were on the property and could have identified her. When Shep and Anne come home, they find the dead bodies in the barn and Mira nowhere to be found. Shep immediately realizes that someone kidnapped Mira to get back at him because as a law official he made many enemies. Allie, a doctor by profession, treats Mira because she wants her healthy so she can kill her on a certain day, the one year anniversary of her brother's death. She believes this is payback for Shep arresting her brother years ago. Readers who like supernatural thrillers that are absolutely fantastic will want to read TOTAL SILENCE, a work that has Dean's ghost aiding Mira in her quest to survive his sister's deadly plan. Good old fashioned detective work, Annie and her grandmother's psychic powers and a friendly ghost are all part of the investigation in which Shep is not too proud to use all the help he can get. T.J. MacGregor has written an outstanding work starring characters that were featured in THE HANGED MAN and BLACK WATER.

World Walker
Melisa Michaels
Five Stars
ISBN 1594142157 $25.95, 342 pp.

World-walkers, using a gatestone, can traverse parallel worlds; and their job is to keep the orbs separate and prevent the use of unauthorized world-walking, which would mean the destruction of all the worlds. The New Worlders do not believe what Central Headquarters enforces. They feel unlimited world-walking would keep the connections that were meant to be viable in order to keep the parallel worlds safe from the destruction that Central in its ignorance is causing. The Other(Jesse) is illegally going from one world into another searching for something that he never had and desperately wants: peace of mind. World-Walker Suli Grail is charged by Central to, contain him or kill him because he is a natural, able to walk the worlds without the stone. His travels change the fate of his doppelgangers in other worlds; musician Jesse Farrell is wanted by the police thanks to the machinations of the Other. Suli gets in the middle of the confrontation and her actions loosen the emotions encased in ice around the Other. Working together, they try to find a way to insure that the Other is free to walk the worlds he chooses thus assuring that the worlds will continue to exist. Melisa Michaels has written a fantastic first rate urban fantasy. The Other and the other Jessies were verbally and physically abused by their fathers and depending on how they reacted to abuse, each Jessie in his own world is a little different from their doppelgangers. The OTHER isn't evil but that doesn't matter to Central who wants to punish him for breaking the rules, not realizing he is the pivot upon which all the worlds rest.

Eye of Newt
Denise Dietz
Five Star
ISBN: 1594140960 $25.95, 344 pp.

In Manitou Falls, Colorado, witch Sydney St. Charles, who does not believe in witchcraft, and her septuagenarian Aunt Lillian, who does, share a home on top of their store Lilly's Apothecary Shop. Currently the town is in an uproar over the murder of Clive Newton of the rock band the Newts as the killer keeps sending parts of the victim's anatomy to the surviving band members. Before his death, Clive purchased a love spell from Sydney. Not long afterward, the band's manager Veronica Sanderson dies in a fire; Sydney is stunned as she sold a love spell to Veronica. Concerned over the link and finding a connection to a journal describing a similar homicide in 1692 Salem, Sydney begins making inquiries. However, she also finds herself distracted with seemingly homeless amnesiac "John Elway" whose only memory is being a Bronco fan. As the attraction grows and she gets closer to the truth, the killer decides to eliminate one nosy witch. This is an entertaining amateur sleuth tale that hooks the audience who will wonder if bewitching spells exist because Denise Dietz casts one on her readers. Fans will enjoy Sydney's struggles with a brilliant murderer who seems tied to her but outside of love spell sales, she has no idea what that is. The Elway and the seventeenth century Salem subplots strengthen a fine who-done-it in which the heroine needs a safety spell to ward off a deadly killer.

Hide and Seek
Amy Sandrin
Five Star
ISBN: 1594141797 $26.95, 234 pp.

At night in Denver Robyn Jeffries, owner of a janitorial service, cleans the United Financial Bank as she does almost every evening. Suddenly all hell breaks loose when someone with a gun stops another trespasser. However, she becomes involved interfering with FBI Agent Killian Hart's efforts to arrest McKnight. Killian and Robyn become hostages of McKnight. Robyn and Killian escape, but once free go their separate ways. However, when he overhears a police radio state that someone tossed her apartment, Killian feels compelled to see that Robyn is safe. As they fall in love, the danger Robyn remains high as the culprit believes she knows where the bank robbery loot was left when McKnight made his hasty escape. This police procedural romantic suspense is an enjoyable tale starring a fabulous heroine who shows her fear, but refuses to succumb to her fright. The story line moves forward rather quickly from the moment that Robyn kicks the gun out of Killian's hand until the climax in which the hero tries to rescue his beloved from the last person he would suspect as the perpetrator. Readers will feel the same way albeit that twist, but still fully appreciate this gripping action-packed adventure.

The Mongol Reply
Benjamin M. Schutz
Five Star
ISBN: 1410402002 $25.95, 334 pp.

Former football player turned Virginia Squires' Special Teams' coach Tom Tully hires attorney Albert "Agent Orange" Garfield as he wants his wife Serena to be punished and left with nothing because he knows she is cheating on him. Tom ignores that he has always cheated on her as he wants her blitzed into total collapse and surrender. Without her presence, Albert persuades the judge that Serena is dangerous to her spouse and their two small children, six years old Tom Junior and four years old Tina. He cuts her off from her home, funds, and friends with a smear campaign. The only setback is the assignment of honest forensic psychologist Dr. Morgan Reece to evaluate what is best for the two children. Reece will find himself in the midst of a brutal precision operation to annihilate Serena regardless of the cost to two preadolescent children. If Tom loses a battle, he could go over the edge killing everyone. This is a dark legal thriller not for everyone. The plot showcases how far a firm will go to spin "facts" in support of their client without regard to what they are doing to innocent children or the truth (sounds like a political campaign). The grim story line also paints a gloomy picture of family values. Tom is violently crazy while Serena is a distraught victim with no options from the assault; Reece is a terrific psychologist struggling to stay neutral, but finding himself more in Serena's corner as much for the kids' sake as for the continuous sacks on her life. He is unaware that by leaning in her direction he jeopardizes his life.

The Deadly Garden Tour
Kathleen Gregory Klein
Five Star
ISBN: 1594141932 $25.95, 260 pp.

After twenty-three years of marriage to Jack, garden designer Liz Clarke divorced him as their plans for the future did not gel; she wanted to settle down spending quality time together while he wanted to see the world. Jack went off sailing while Liz opened up Liz Clarke Garden Designer in Greenwich, Connecticut. Liz's goddaughter, pregnant Melissa Castle frantically calls her that she found a murdered Staci Hooper, chairwoman of this year's garden tours. Liz rushes to the scene only to learn that the stunned Melissa failed to call 911 or the police. Liz calls, but searches for the housekeeper who she finds frightened. When the evidence points towards Melissa, Liz, ignoring the police and the danger to herself, digs into a dirty scenario in which a host of people hate the odious obnoxious Staci. THE DEADLY GARDEN TOUR is a fun amateur sleuth tale that starts a bit slow to introduce the heroine, but once she arrives at the crime scene, the tale and Liz go at top speed. The story line contains a fine support cast that either enhances the small-town environs or provides insight into the protagonist or prime suspect. Fans who enjoy a New England cozy will want to read this solid who-done-it.

Asgard's Secret
Brian Stableford
Five Star
ISBN: 1594142114 $25.95, 271 pp.

Asgard is not a planet, but instead is a man made edifice consisting of a series of shells with spaces called levels between them. Each level contains habitats with their own ecosystem, but no one has found a way to traverse past level five. Levels one through five are for practical purposes dead and no portal to go beyond has been found though various species from across the galaxy have come here seeking the way in to the legendary treasure supposedly at level six and beyond. Mike Rosseau has been on Asgard for more than twenty-five years seeking the access beyond the known levels. Mike's friend Saul has found the key to level six, but before he can mount an expedition he is killed and the newcomer Myrlin he was mentoring has vanished. Star Forces convince Mike to travel through the levels using Saul's book and glyphs as a guide. They seek the death of Myrlin, an android, who, if not stopped, could end human civilization. Asgard is a fascinating place with worlds within worlds and by book's end the exciting story line has barely scratched the surface of the artifact sort of like a contained string theory. There is plenty action that in some ways will remind readers of Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. Brian Stableford shows why he is regarded as a grandmaster of science fiction with this terrific novel and it is no secret that more treks to uncover ASGARD'S SECRET will follow soon.

A Test of Faith
Karen Ball
Multnomah
ISBN: 1590522656 $12.99

Anne and Jared were elated with her pregnancy though both know of the danger to the diabetic woman. When she is about to give birth, something goes wrong and she is rushed into emergency surgery. Jared prayed to God and felt he was answered as his wife and their baby Faith survive the near death ordeal. Over the years, Anne and Jared raise Faith in a warm caring environs while also believing strongly in God. However, Faith begins to rebel as a teen feeling her mother's smothering her need for independence. Instead of God, Faith wants popularity and soon she and her mother are at odds as Anne feels bitterness that she risked her life to bring Faith into this world. However, as the years pass, Anne becomes weak and ill; Faith shows her love for her mom in many ways as she turns to God praying for a miracle while her mother insists that their reconciliation is the miracle. A TEST OF FAITH is a deep character study that focuses on the relationship between a mother and daughter and how both turn to and from God. The duo has somewhat lost the way when their relationship turned sour, but each learns that in God they can recover more than what they lost. Though Jared seems to be a minor player and the action is sparse, readers who reassure tales that take a strong look at believing in the Lord will appreciate this powerful family drama.

Lone Star Cafe
Lisa Wingate
Onyx
ISBN: 0451411447 $6.99, 320 pp.

A fifteen year career in editing magazines may be in the balance for Laura Draper sent by her bosses from Richmond, Virginia to Austin, Texas to insure that the launch of Texcetera occurs on schedule. Murphy seems optimistic to Laura as even nature and the interstate has played havoc with her timeline and her significant other and her father have nuked her personal life in her absence. With a key bridge down and a hail storm terrorizing her, Laura sits in Crossroads, Texas thinking her former lover Dale is on to Rio for his next assignment and her father is missing without picking up his life saving blood thinner at the pharmacy. Senior welcoming duo Hasselene and Mernelene observe Laura sitting in her car until they decide to meet her and persuade her to relax at the LONE STAR CAFE. There she finds an incredible old fashioned home style TEXAS COOKING and a hunk of a cowboy Graham making her reconsider her lifestyle. She realizes she is at the crossroads of glamorous publishing success, but at the cost of her personal needs or if she stops to help her dad, really make Texcetera work, drink the coffee and kiss the stud perhaps have it all. This is an intriguing look at the rat race meets small town Texas with the winner being readers. The story line is amusing and warm, but contains a serious undertone involving relationships and success. Laura is a terrific star of the tale surrounded by a solid somewhat eccentric cast not just in Crossroads. Fans of contemporary tales will enjoy feasting on Lisa Wingate's delicious repast.

Heat of the Moment
Jessica Hall
Onyx
ISBN: 0451411587 $6.99, 304 pp.

Serial arsonist the Torcher blows up Maskers Tavern in the French Quarter killing the heir apparent son of mob chief Frank Belafini, the wife of the younger mobster, and thirteen other people. New Orleans Police Detective Teresa Vincent is temporarily reassigned from Homicide (until her partner returns from his honeymoon (see INTO THE FIRE) to the Organized Crime Unit. Her new boss Sebastian Ruel assigns her to investigate the Torcher arsons as the man has links to the mob. He especially wants her to look at Fire Marshall Cort Gamble who he believes is the culprit. Because she still loves him although he rejected her following a one night stand, Terri refuses to believe that Cort is the killer although each fire contained a victim linked to the Fire Marshall. As Terri digs deep, Cort, at first in his official capacity and than as a desperate man, tries to prove his innocence against a tidal wave of counterproof evidence. He loves Terri, but worries that the Torcher has targeted his women so she could be next if the fiery killer learns how he feels about her? Though the twist seems improbable as to the identity of the Torcher, fans will appreciate this powerful and exciting romance that never slows down from the moment the first explosion occurs until the final confrontation. Terri is a terrific cop who though she loves Cort will seek the truth even if he proves to be the Torcher. Cort is a beleaguered lead protagonist who sees the obvious ties back to him, but cannot figure out who is using the rope to hang him or why he has a deadly enemy murdering innocent victims.

A Man in a Kilt
Sandy Blair
Zebra
ISBN: 0821777661 $3.99

In New York, estate executor Tom Silverstein, as his family has done dating back to 1408 provides financial and legal advice to the Blackstones. He persuades caterer Katherine Elizabeth Pudding to come to Scotland to look at her inheritance, but hides part of the truth from her. A week later she journeys to Castle Blackstone where the ghostly Laird resides. In Drasmoor, Scotland, trapped between life and death, Duncan MacDonald awaits unhappily the arrival of the heir, a cook from some barbarous realm called The Bronx. Still he prays she is the one to free him from his six centuries old curse. Not long after she enters the castle, he slips a ring on her and they travel back to the fourteenth century. As Beth and Duncan fall in love, she takes over the running of his castle and prays she can free her beloved from the curse that is yet to occur. A MAN IN A KILT is an amusing romance that satirizes several sub-genres to include paranormal, time travel, medieval, and to a lesser degree contemporary. Fans of each classification will laugh at the antics of Beth as she loosely adjusts to running the show although she fails to speak the language and cannot find any of the modern day tools she is used to having; her twenty-first century profession as a caterer and living in the Bronx work quite well in managing a castle. Duncan is the typical brooding hero who need to surrender his heart if he is to avoid the curse. This is a fun time for romance readers.

Reckless
Hannah Howell
Zebra
ISBN: 0821769170 $6.50, 352 pp.

In 1375 her uncle Coln who murdered her father, the laird of clan MacFarlane, sees Ailis as an asset to be bartered in obtaining an alliance with the MacCordys. Coln does not care that she raises the three children of her dead sister Maire, whose father remains unknown and that he selected the abusive Donald MacCordy as her spouse. Alexander, laird of clan MacDubh, learns from his depressed brother Barra that he has three children with Maire that he has not seen in years. Alexander believes the kids should be raised amongst the love of their father's clan. They abduct the three children, their guardian Ailis, and a gentle giant willing to die to keep the four safe. Ailis worries that her clan's enemy will destroy the children, but instead sees them showered in love and even her giant protector treated with kindness unlike how her uncle has handled the children. As Ailis and Alexander fall in love, both knows that the MacFarlane and MacDubh must react, but when and how is still to be seen. Though her uncle and her intended are too odious to be competitive to the caring though brooding Alexander, fans of Scottish medieval romances will receive plenty of reading pleasure with this strong tale. The clever propaganda mechanisms that paint the Macdubhs as bloodthirsty barbarians amongst the MacFarlanes would fit in well in today's 527 ways to say truth during the presidential race. The story line moves forward at a rapid pace as Alexander and Ailis battle with each other and within themselves in a fine historical tale.

Marrying the Marquis
Sara Blayne
Zebra
ISBN: 082176926X $5.99, 352 pp.

In Wells, England, highwayman Black Rose accosts Lady Constance Landford demanding her purse and a family heirloom. Constance recognizes the eyes of the masked thief as those of the Marquis of Vere, Gideon Rochelle. She feels guilty that her father ripped off Gideon when he collected on gambling debts of the latter's sire, barely buried, but refuses to give him the jewel. Gideon takes a kiss instead. The Black Rose stops Gideon's coach and demand he hand over his money. He refuses and the woman posing as the Black Rose copycat challenges him to a duel. Before they start she kisses him. Though she is quite good and would have defeated most men, Gideon disarms her. When he realizes who the Lady Black Rose is he decides she is perfect revenge for what her father did to him and his family. However, he never expected to fall in love with his pawn. MARRYING THE MARQUIS is a fast-paced Regency romance that hooks the audience from the moment that Gideon stops Constance's coach and never lets up until the final confrontation. The lead couple is a delightful dueling duo with Constance's love enabling Gideon to rise above his thirst for vengeance. As expected from Sara Blayne by sub-genre fans, this is a wonderful historical due to the solid repartee between Constance and Gideon.

Pure Dynamite
Lauren Bach
Zebra
ISBN: 0821776312 $6.50, 352 pp.

The storm has caused havoc throughout North Carolina so prison labor helps with the clean-up. Two members of a "chain" gang Adam Duval and Lyle McEdwin escape together. Since Adam orchestrated the escape, Lyle promised that his father and three brothers (ranked 1-4 by the FBI) will hide them. Lyle contacts his brother Nevin who tells him to go to a storage facility in Durham. Lyle stupidly engages in a shootout with an off duty cop. Lyle and the cop are wounded before the two prisoners flee. Lyle needs medical help so Adam finds the Bay Meadow Clinic about to close for the night with only Dr. Renata Curtis inside. Nevin calls and says bring Renata with them to keep Lyle alive. Adam calls his FBI contact Stan to say everything has gone wrong in their efforts to capture Lyle's father Willie. Only Stan and former FBI head Falco know that Adam is undercover. As they follow Nevin's instructions, Adam and Lyle flee with Renata as a hostage. Struggling to keep her safe and complete the mission, Adam and Renata falls in love. The suspense hooks the audience from the start and never decelerates until the final confrontation. Adding to the high tension is Adam and Renata, who both knows that the time and place are wrong, but yet it feels so right. Though treachery adds a surprise terse spin, it feels inconceivable; still readers will immensely appreciate this tight thriller that needs a warning label for its graphic sexual encounters between the stars. This is a great romantic suspense.

Soul City
Toure
Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316741582 $19.95, 184 pp.

Chocolate City Magazine sends journalist Cadillac Jackson on the soul train to write a short piece on the mayoral election in Soul City. Though his assignment is expected to last three days, Cadillac has ambitions that only residents of the City would have; he plans to write the definitive book on the city with more Mojo than any other in the world. In his opinion others have tried to explain the heart of Soul City, but all have failed. Cadillac observes the mayoral race in which the parties serve up their musical platforms, but also sees the undercurrent of antagonism between the rivals in what is the supposed African-American utopia. He sees, hears and tastes the true culture and feels his heart go into palpitations when he meets resident Mahogany Sunflower. However, as Cadillac falls in love, he also realizes evil is undercutting the value of being a black man as thugs, like serpents in Eden, and a billionaire business bogie threaten the well being of the proud black culture tearing at the soul that makes Soul City dance to its own drummer. SOUL CITY is an exhilarating allegorical tale that satirizes racial stereotypes through hyperbole. The effervescent well written story line contains an intriguing comparison of a pure "cornbread" society through the eyes of a white toasted outsider. Ironically, the overstatement jabs the message into the reader's face without the swift subtly of A Modest Proposal, but also hooks the audience with its strong spirit to embrace difference.

Persuasive Evidence
R. Barri Flowers
Leisure
ISBN: 0843954698 $6.99, 368 pp.

Assistant District Attorneys Jordan La Fontaine and Jerrod Wresler compete for the position of Chief, Homicide Division Bureau, but the former believes being a black female works against her while the latter believes that gives her an edge. Jordan currently works the case of a Portland homicide detective killing his former wife. If she gets a conviction she has the promotion. This is an open and shut case because the police officer was found in his ex-spouse's bedroom covered in blood and holding the murder weapon. Jordan's son Trevor is charged with killing two acquaintances. The police have not found the murder weapon, but have an eyewitness who claims seeing the suspect leave the crime scene and a victim's blood is on Trevor's clothing. Others claim he had a fight with one of the dead victims and said the guy was going to die. Defending Trevor in what also appears to be an open and shut case is Simon, former partner of the suspect's dead father and his mother's lover. Unable to remain on the sidelines, Jordan conducts her own sleuthing independent of the official investigation. R. Barri Flowers has written a superb legal thriller that offers the reader an excellent look at the jurisprudence system and how race is a key card. Jordan received the cop case because she and the detective are black; the victim being white apparently is irrelevant. What is interesting is how concealed the race element is yet how significant it effects all aspects of the legal system, but is kept silent for fear of reprisal. PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE will appeal to fans of John Grisham and Linda Fairstein.

Wet and Wild
Sandra Hill
Leisure
ISBN: 0843951591 $6.99, 384 pp.

In San Diego SEAL Ensign Torolf Magnussen is injured saving his mates from what could have been a deadly incident. Physician Lieutenant Alison MacLean treats Torlf, who is given a month off to heal from his injuries. Meanwhile back in 1010 Jutland, Torolf's bored brother Ragnor drowns during a raid. However instead of dying, he arrives in the middle of a watery training exercise that his sibling was forced to skip due to the injuries. Everyone assumes that Ragnor is Torolf although no one can figure out how he healed so fast. However, when Ragnor sees Alison for the first time, he knows she is perfect for him although her brother Ian is the pain in charge of his training. Alison cannot believe that this SEAL desires her and is willing to take the wrath of her protective older brother to make her his mate. Sandra Hill's time travel Viking tales are some of the weirdest wackiest novels on the market that are always entertaining fun to read. WET AND WILD is a terrific story that the audience will enjoy as Ragnor breaks all the modern day rules to persue what he believes is rightfully his. The support cast provides the leagues of depth to a wonderful modern day Viking naval romance that also implies another Viking transplant, hopefully sister Madrene driving Ian nuts.

The Fall
Claudia Dain
Leisure
ISBN: 0843952210 $6.99, 374 pp.

In the twelfth century, fourteen years old Juliane of Stanora marries a man selected by her father. However, before she is bedded her spouse dies. Juliane earns an unfair name as Lady Frost. A few years later, womanizing Ulrich of Caen arrives at Stanora with plans to enhance his reputation by defrosting Juliane "le Gel". However, she considers him a handsome loser, the "Lord of Nothing" as he has no property or anything else. When Juliane's dad becomes ill, he worries about whom will protect his beloved daughter so noticing the attraction between his guest and his child beyond the face of their war, he arranges a marriage between his daughter and Ulrich. However, on the way to the ceremony, Juliane is abducted leaving Ulrich to risk his life to save the woman he loves. Fans will appreciate this fine medieval romantic rendition of The Taming of the Shrew (though Lady Frost is actually a nicer person than Kiss Me Kate is). The story line starts slow until the lead couple turn into enemy combatants. From that moment the tale never looks back as the fine duet turns into Beloved Enemies. Though a late twist adds suspense, the tale belongs to the gender warring warriors.

Texas Glory
Elaine Barbieri
Leisure
ISBN: 0843954086 $6.99, 352 pp.

In 1869 with the death of her beloved mother, Honor Gannon decides it is time to confront her biological womanizing father for ruining her mom and ignoring her. She travels to Logan, Texas where instead of finding a virile aging Lotharios, she meets an ailing Buck and his wife. Even worse than her sympathy towards her dad, Honor is attracted to his new hand Jace Rule. As she obtains work at the Texas Star, she vows not to allow passion or love to cause her the heartache that her mother suffered through when Buck chose to stay with his spouse. However, Jace is quite persistent that Honor will be his. The middle book in the Texas Star trilogy is an enjoyable historical romance starring two magnificent lead protagonists and a fine support cast starting with the ailing Buck. The story line is fun to follow as Jace has his work cut out for him to persuade his beloved that his intentions are honorable as she fears being a chip off the old block. Though less dark and with no major conflict unlike the first tale, TEXAS STAR, Elaine Barbieri provides a solid story built around whether Honor will stay or not with Jace.

Wishes on Water
Dana George
Leisure
ISBN: 0843954493 $5.99

In 1856 after being in Kansas City Samuel "Mac" MacCallister returns home to Lake Okoboji, Iowa after being away for four months. His neighbor and best friend Rowland Gardner informs Mac that he "lent" his cabin to Sadie Pritchard, a widow with a child recovering from smallpox and another small son. Instead of grieving for her abusive husband, with her child recuperating and the other on healthy, Sadie thinks the world is looking good though she knows she will need a home by winter when this Mac returns. However, when Mac arrives he allows Sadie to stay for now while the lad continues to heal, but once he does he expects her to join the next wagon train west. Mac does not trust women since his former wife hurt him, but admits the pretty Sadie is good with her kids and his baby. As they fall in love, a small band of Sioux begin a quest that will lead to bloodshed. WISHES ON WATER is a fine western romance starring two delightful protagonists whose previous respective relationships left each of them with negative feelings towards marriage. The story line contains two major subplots with the romance and intermingling of the families being the prime one while the confrontation between the Sioux-white settlers the other. Though the latter is well written especially from the Indian perspective, that seems more like unnecessary angst and suspense that takes away from the fabulous principal plot. Still sub-genre fans will treasure Dana George's strong historical.

Savage Hope
Cassie Edwards
Leisure
ISBN: 0843950544 $6.99, 372 pp.

In 1880 Bright Arrow, Chief of the Thunderbird Clan of the Makah tribe enjoys his life especially how his people are thriving in the peaceful environs of Washington over looking the aptly named Pacific though the squaws want him married. His calm falls apart when he sees a blond beauty crossing a frozen covered pond that he doubts can hold a child's weight since the heavy rains have begun melting the ice. The lovely vision falls through the ice, but Bright Arrow saves her life. Ballet dancer Kathia Parish knows she is fortunate that the strong Indian saved her life. She feels she owes the handsome Bright Arrow, but has no idea how to pay anyone, let alone an Indian, for rescuing her from certain death. As the twosome becomes better acquainted, they do the taboo of falling in love. Besides her career, though they want to be together, his tribe needs him and her ailing father needs her. Cassie Edwards has provided her most refreshing "Savage" tale in years as the lead couple has issues to deal with rather than the usual odious powerful white male causing trouble. The story line provides readers with a glimpse of Pacific Northwest Indian life in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Although quite descriptive, the key to this tale is the wonderful lead couple; seemingly the only resolution to their dilemma means one of them has to concede a lifestyle as compromise appears impossible. Ms. Edwards furbishes a winner to her myriad of readers.

L'Affaire
Diane Johnson
Plume
ISBN: 0452285631 $14.00, 340 pp.

In Palo, Alto, California, Amy Hawkins made a fortune in the dot-com boom. Feeling she owes for her fortunate life, Amy decides to improve herself before doing good deed. She heads to the Alps ski resort Hotel Croix St. Bernard in Valmeri, France where she plans to learn everything French in two weeks. The good deed surfaces when she pays for the return of dying publisher Adrian Venn, injured in an avalanche to England. Venn's family gathers to carve up the estate with each expecting to trump the other. Amy find

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