The Slave Boy
Laurie Sheehan
Gopher Publishers
ISBN 90-76953-64-3 Price 9.99 British pounds
www.gopherpublishers.com +44 (0) 1343550245
Mark Lawson, Reviewer
marklawson@public-relations.freeserve.co.uk
Olaudah Equiano and his sister were among countless thousands of children who were wrenched
from their African homeland in the 17th century to suffer the inhuman and degrading brutality of
transportation and slavery.
From the moment Olaudah Equiano was cruelly snatched from the security of his Igbo village in
modern Nigeria, his life was never to be the same again. Transported to Barbados and the sugar
plantations Equiano was lucky to escape the fate of many who died of fever and overwork. An
English naval officer looking for a 'Blackamoor' servant to impress his friends bought him and
renamed the boy Gustavus Vassa.
After six years in the navy, where he saw action during the seven years war, his master returned
the
slave boy to the East Indies. Here, his luck started to change when his new master rewarded his
quick wits and honesty with the opportunity to purchase his freedom. Olaudah, now a young man,
returned to England.
Olaudah Equiano thereafter devoted his time and energies to helping abolish the infamous slave
trade and his own account 'The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the
African', made a great impact on the public. The book was influential in bringing an end to the
slave
trade of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Laurie Sheehan's widely researched book is an evocative tribute to Olaudah Equiano. It brings the
horrors of the slave trade to light in a way which, sadly, we can all too easily identify with in
modern
times. Where ever possible, he has included actual conversations and speeches: in the absence of
recorded dialogue, Equiano's descriptions have been drawn on to imagine what may have been
said.
Laurie Sheehan is an established author. He has previously written children's biographies of Lord
Shaftesbury and Dr. Barnado as well as three curriculum- linked historical fiction stories
Tough Beginnings: How Baby Animals Survive
Marilyn Singer, author and Anna Vojtech, illustrator
Henry Holt and Company
ISBN 0-8050-6164-9, 32 pp., $16.95 Picture Book (Hardback), Ages 4 - 8
Lynne Remick, Reviewer
UnderCoverReader@aol.com
With its surprising animal facts and enlightening art work, Tough Beginnings provides a vivid
learning experience for both readers and non-readers. Each two-page spread features different
creatures--sea turtles, whales, bats, ducks, opossums, fowl, Komodo dragons, cicadas, penguins,
frogs and toads, kangaroos, caterpillars, and even humans--and includes both informative text and
telling illustrations!
As an added bonus, a "Did you know that..." section at the end of the book discusses the natural
hardships that other animals--eels, flamingos, hornbills, eagles, sharks, rabbits, swifts, giraffes,
lions,
deer and seals--must face in order to survive.
"It's rough to have too many siblings...How many sisters and brothers are too many? Ten?
Fifteen?
Twenty? A mother Virginia opossum--the common opossum of North America--can give birth to
as
many as fifty babies at one time. The problem is that the mother has just thirteen nipples to
provide
milk for her young. Only the strongest babies manage to find a nipple and nurse. The others die of
starvation."
Tough Beginnings, like many of Singer's other picture books, informs, educates and entertains. As
usual, Singer demonstrates a keen eye for detail and a knack for relaying information in an
easy-to-understand manner. In this style, a timely author note at the end of the book asks readers
not
to make it tougher on animal babies to survive by polluting their homes or destroying their
habitats.
Anna Vojtech combines a unique blend of watercolor charm and realism to result in stunning,
artistic
interpretations of the subject animals.
Much like Singer's A Pair Of Wings, the appeal of Tough Beginnings extends beyond the
prescribed
age group. However, with its focus on predators who kill and eat baby animals, it may be more
appropriate for older children, rather than younger. All in all, this book has longevity and will
intrigue a broad age range of children.
The More Than Any Human Being Needs To Know About Freelance Writing Workbook
Jenna Glatzer
Absolute Write Publishing
c/o Booklocker.com
PO Box 2399, Bangor, ME 04402-2399
ISBN: 1-59113-058-1 2nd edition 2001 (191 p.)
Format: PDF (Adobe Acrobat Reader) Download Price: $12.95
http://www.booklocker.com/bookpages/jennaglatzer01.html
Jenna Glatzer's More Than Any Human Being Needs To Know About Freelance Writing
Workbook
is a really a writing workshop in ebook format. Written in a warm, witty style the author takes on
the role of mentor. Readers will appreciate the printable forms and wealth of information provided
as they learn insider secrets of a successful freelancer as well as the basics of setting up a freelance
writing business. While I have read other books on this topic, I have to say it's the personal
touches
Ms. Glatzer incorporated into this ebook that makes this one really stand out.
Using many examples from her own files, aspiring freelancers are introduced to the back and forth
communications between Glatzer and various editors she has contacted and worked with. Sharing
insights gained from successful, and not so successful, freelancing experiences, Glatzer lays out
the
ups, downs and stresses she has encountered during her own career.
The author is well-published in national and international publications having had her work appear
in
such magazines as: Woman's World, Writers Digest and many others too numerous to mention
here.
Both sides of the query process are explained as Ms. Glatzer puts on her editorial hat and shares
snippets of the queries she reads as Editor-in-Chief of her
http://www.absolutewrite.com/workbook.htm Absolute Write website and WritersOnline.net.
http://www.writeronline.net And she is not hesitant in explaining, quite colorfully, what kind of
wording to avoid when writing a query letter
"Beware of mouse language: "I think," "I might," "I hope," "can I" and "may I," are all mouse
terms." (p.45)
The ebook is very comprehensive, new freelancers will find the section on how to structure an
article, after narrowing the focus on the 'big idea,' especially helpful. What, you don't have a 'big
idea?' Don't worry, by the time you finish Chapter 1 (p.11,) you'll have so many ideas you'll be
writing non-stop to get them all down. Ms. Glatzer explains the best way to use one 'big idea' for
several different markets, again, there are worksheets to help you grasp this concept.
The PDF format allows for easy print-out of the many worksheets provided throughout. This is,
actually, the only ebook I ever printed out in full. (I even managed to print out double-sided
pages.)
Now I can refer to the book wherever I am - even if not near a computer. The advantage to
reading
the book on the computer is that you can access the ten pages of paying market links that Glatzer
provides. You do have to be connected to the Internet to get the full benefit of this feature.
Just reading the listings of markets you may not be familiar with stimulates the imagination. One
thing that is really nice about ebooks is that they are easily updated so the market links can be
kept
current with each new edition.
I could list many more helpful features, but there are just too many of them. This is a real working
writer's ebook, Ms Glatzer doesn't fool us into thinking that a freelance career is going to be easy.
She is quite up-front about the amount of work involved; but, she does provide many, many
options
for new ways to think about writing and many tips and tricks that will expand your freelance
opportunities.
You can likely tell that I gave this book a rating of excellent. I recommend it to anyone who
wants
to learn more about how to become a freelance writer, or for any freelancer who wants to renew
enthusiasm for the freelancing way of life.
Red Sandstone: An Angus Childhood
Helen Mudie
Gopher Publishers UKI
14 Harrow Inn Close , ELGIN MoraY , Scotland, IV30 IBP
5.50 British pounds exc postage and packing on the website and 7.75 British pounds retail
including postage and packing.
125 pages, www.gopherpublishers.com fax # +44(0) 1343 550781
Jody Allen
Reviewer
With autobiographies making a resurgence, the publishing market appears to be flooded with
personal stories of the famous and infamous. So it is especially refreshing to find a story of a
time-gone-by, in a location not found on the front pages of today's news. Red Sandstone: An
Angus
Childhood is the recollection of young Scottish woman's life in the early part of the last century: a
time of innocence before the world felt the ravages of a world war. Ms Mudie's memories of the
time period are rich in detail and humor giving the reader a glimpse into a time when life was
simple
or was it?
As a Reid Lichtie along with her brother Alex, Helen Mudie grew up in the Scottish Royal Burgh
of
Arbroath with its rich red earth that could be washed from the author's clothes but from her heart.
Throughout her reminiscences she shares with readers not only the good times but the bad as
well.
For those who lived during the early 20th Century, but a world away, many will find many of Ms.
Mudie's life experiences not so far removed from their own. Whether it is a favorite toy (Tommy,
a
wooden horse on wheels), a childhood activity discovering their local world shared with a sibling
or
the "low days" of childhood which included life-threatening illnesses, each provides the reader a
unique insight into a time period of childhood innocence on the brink of war.
What makes this book so enjoyable is the clear voice of the author. Her memories are written in
snippets which could create a sketchy mish mash for the reader but her chapter headings work
well
to organize the memories. This book will appeal not only to those who enjoy Scottish history but
also amateur genealogist researching their Scottish ancestors be they from Angus or Scotland of
the
period. In Red Sandstone: An Angus Childhood, Ms Mudie's memories are an exceptional
example
of the kind of primary resource one who is doing family research seeks which can provide clues
that
go well beyond any information found in vital statistic sources.
This reviewer can highly recommend Red Sandstone: An Angus Childhood by Helen Mudie as
one
of this year's unique finds. That it comes from a small, unknown press, Gopher Publishing
(www.gopherpublishing.com), should not deter the reader from making this one an interesting
addition to their home library.
The Poisonwood Bible
Barbara Kingsolver
Perennial/HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St. New York, NY 10022
ISBN: 0-06-093053-5, $14.00, paperback, 546pp, 1998
Isaac Arten
Reviewer
When we think about missionaries, the image that generally comes to mind is one of a brave
explorer-type in a small airplane. "Here's Ted the brave missionary, going off in his Cessna to
bring
salvation to Darkest Africa." Some of us might remember Nate Saint and his friends, who had a
fair
amount of success in their mission field before being turned on and killed by a hostile native
population. But, when thinking of missionaries, no one expects a family like the Prices, whose
lives
in the Belgian Congo the diary-like entries in Barbara Kingsolver's
The Poisonwood Bible tells us about.
It would be harder to imagine a family less suited to the mission field. As the story begins, mother
Orleanna Price is reflecting on the experience and the reader gets the impression that she is unsure
whether it was healthy or not. Once her daughters have chimed in with their first impressions, the
picture is almost complete; the family which came "bearing Betty Crocker cake mixes into the
jungle" would have done better to stay in Bethlehem, Georgia, and preach to the choir. They
know
nothing about how the jungle works, how the people's attitudes are formed or even how irrelevant
the things they brought with them to sustain "the bare minimum" of human comfort would
be.
I hope I haven't given the impression that the book should end with this conclusion; the very fact
that the Prices are so unprepared for their new lives is the reason the reader can appreciate so
much
in The Poisonwood Bible. The note that accompanied this book when I received it as a gift from a
friend of mine said it "looks at missionary work from a whole new perspective; how we can't just
go
to these places and tell them they're heathen and have to change." Indeed, as the Price family
discovers, coming from America certainly does not guarantee a superior understanding of the
whole
world.
The people the Price family meets over the course of The Poisonwood Bible are many and varied.
There is Axelroot, the atheist bush pilot who carries their mail out of the Congo and their supplies
back. Anatole is a schoolteacher, mediator and liason between the Price family and the native
population. Mama Tataba; an enigmatic housekeeper, does her best to teach the new arrivals the
basics of making the land produce, and which plants to avoid touching. Each one teaches a
different
lesson, most of which come back to a spirit of tolerance which exists, in "The Poisonwood Bible,"
not in the missionaries where we might assume it belongs, but in the native people.
While the confrontations between the missionaries and natives might provide enough conflict for
some readers, Kingsolver adds even more when she introduces the political uprising that rocked
the
Belgian Congo in 1960. The missionary family is caught up in the middle of it and the story of
their
half-successful exodus from the Congo could make a book all by itself.
Anyone who has seen "Fiddler on the Roof" will recognize elements of the story in The
Poisonwood
Bible. The theme of ordinary lives irrevocably changed by romance, familial squabbles and politics
are highlighted in Kingsolver's novel by the vast differences in culture the main characters find and
the creative ways these differences are conquered. Early in the book Leah Price comments "It
struck
me what a wide world of difference there was between our sort of games- 'Mother May I,' 'Hide
and
Seek,'- and his: 'Find Food,' 'Recognize Poisonwood,' 'Build a House.'" Differing from "Fiddler" is
who these changes affect the most. Mrs. Price is the family member who suffers through her
daughters being swallowed up by Africa- Nathan Price might have been proud.
The Reverend Nathan Price is never given a chance to explain himself in the diaries of the novel.
His
family members all have opinions of him, and his illustrated bumblings in teaching the Africans
about
God, civilization, sin and politics manage to alienate him from the people he is supposed to
befriend.
This can be seen best in the chapter where the native people, newly introduced to democracy by
the
formation of the Republic of the Congo, vote Jesus out of power.
This would be a poetic stopping place for the novel, but Kingsolver is not content for the story to
end until a part of the Congo rests in each member of the family; in Nathan Price's case, until he
himself rests in a part of the Congo. Loosely following the pattern of "Fiddler on the Roof," one
daughter marries the undesirable Eeben Axelroot, then a string of others; another marries a native
anti-government activist; the third daughter dies of a snakebite and the last goes back to school in
America and uses her experiences in Africa as a standard by which to judge the people she meets
there. At the end of the book, the daughters have lost their united opinion of the Belgian Congo
as a
place they did not want to be and developed very different opinions of the place their childhood
was
mostly spent.
As the Price family left many of their possessions to the mercy of Africa in their headlong rush to
escape, so may a piece of you be left behind when you finish The Poisonwood Bible. Whether you
read it as a novel or as a guide to understanding world culture, this book is one you should never
leave your home continent without. When you do, be sure, following the example of the Price
family, to slip a packet of seeds or a few extra packages of dental floss into the cover. Even if you
never travel beyond America's borders, Kingsolver's poetic language, and touching storytelling
make
The Poisonwood Bible a book well worth picking up.
The Poisonwood Bible was written by Barbara Kingsolver and published in 1998 by Perennial.
Kingsolver is the author of "The Bean Trees" (fiction), "Holding the Line" (nonfiction) and
"Another
America" (poetry).
From Making A Living To Having A Life
Gloria Dunn
Violin Publishing Company
P.O. Box 550, Fairfax, CA 94978
ISBN 0-9660867-5-9, $17.95, 1998, 248 pages, http://www.WorkingChallenged.com
Bonnie Jo Davis
Reviewer
This book was given to me recently by the author as a prelude to some work I am doing on her
web
site. I was immediately attracted to this trade paperback by the gorgeous cover and the subtitle "A
Book For The Working Challenged." Who hasn't been "working challenged" at some point in
their
life?
This valuable and practical book is particularly appropriate now more than ever. We've been
downsized, rightsized, laid off and demoralized over and over again. Many companies are using
our
recent tragic events and the economy as excuses for bad choices and equally bad behavior.
In my opinion it's about time we took back control of our careers and our life. From Making A
Living To Having A Life will help us do just that.
The book begins with a story that tells how the author decided one day to "run away" and follows
her through her own discovery of her perfect work and her fulfilling life. The author, Gloria Dunn,
has been there and done that and offers in her book the nuggets of wisdom she discovered along
the
way. Ms. Dunn is an organizational behavior specialist, professional speaker, consultant and
president of Wiser Ways To Work(R).
The many topics covered in this book include: how to find the work of your dreams, how to make
your current job more fulfilling, how to determine whether to leave or to stay, what to do if you're
laid off or fired and how to have a more fulfilling life that is enhanced by your work and not
dominated by it.
The material in the book is presented logically and illustrated by true stories of the working
challenged. The book is fully interactive with quizzes, lists and cartoons along with an overall
summary of important wisdom learned at the end of the book.
Anyone who works will benefit from reading this book. It is particularly re commended for those
who have recently lost their job or who have a job they can't leave but wish they could.
Outback
Aaron Fletcher
Leisure Books/Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
276 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY l000l
Phone 1-800-481-9191, dorchesterpub.com
ISBNO-8439-4686-5, $5.99 U.S., 6.99 Can., 12.95 Aus.
Ruth Kuster
Reviewer
This is a tale of a cruel, harsh country and of those who survive and triumph ----- of strong men
and
stronger women, of kindness in the midst of cruelty, of a marriage which has to all appearances
nothing to recommend it. But that marriage between the bastard child of a convict, Pat Garrity,
and
the aborigine girl he purchased for a few tools and scraps of metal survives and turns into a love
affair, the founding of a family dynasty and the establishment of the enormous sheep ranch in the
outback of Australia----Wayamba Station.
Mayrah, the "abo" girl, brings to the union a native intelligence and a hunger for learning. (When
he
bartered for a wife, Pat had expected to see a typical stocky, dirty, ugly-featured native Australian
like the ones he had dealt with in his business as a grazier.) So he was amazed when the trader
appeared at his hut one day with a slender, exotic creature with lovely face and figure. In an
unbelievably short time, Pat and Mayrah managed to turn cultural and language differences to
advantage, each learning from the other.
The story tells in detail the problems and difficulties the couple faced as they advanced from
working
for an employer to ownership of their own station. Lack of rain and grass for the sheep, disease,
wild boars and dingoes, grass fires, and thieves-----these were some of the difficulties which they
encountered each day. When robbers came to their camp early in the story, Pat was shot while
killing one of the two intruders; Mayrah dealt with the other with her lance and the
double-barreled
shotgun. Then she nursed her husband back to health with native remedies, stripped the would-be
robbers' bodies and buried them, washed and appropriated their clothing for herself, and corralled
the robbers' horses.
Each day Pat realized a little more just what a prize he had in Mayrah!
If you, too, are curious about the "Land Down Under," your attention will be riveted to this book
from beginning to end! The author's ability to generate suspense is illustrated in a paragraph
describing Mayrah's stalking of the robbers, who had assumed that Garrity was alone in
camp:
"He (Garrity) was looking at Mayrah. She was naked and her slim body stretched out along the
ground under the lowermost branch in the bush, and supported on her left hand and knees. The
long,
heavy stick she always carried was in her right hand and parallel to her body, an inch off the
ground.
She was completely motionless, completely invisible against the mottled pattern of the ground and
foliage and at the same time in plain sight once the lines of her body were picked out. There was a
flowing movement, a couple of leaves on the lower branch of the bush stirred slightly as though a
breath of wind had touched them, and she was gone, disappearing behind a tree."
The next paragraph goes on to say, "And he (Garrity) realized what she was doing. She was
stalking. Fear exploded within him, and he gripped himself to keep from crying out and warning
her
away. It would serve no purpose to call out, because she probably wouldn't understand. And they
would be warned. But she was only a small, thin woman, and they were two armed men. And all
would be lost if he lost her."
At no point does the book become dull or disinteresting. The author has four other titles listed,
Outback Station, Walkabout, Wallaby Track, and Outback Legacy. I look forward to reading
them
all!
This Is The Place
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
America House Book Publishers
PO Box 1109 Frederick, Maryland, 21702
ISBN: 1-58851-352-1, $19.95, 1-800-444-3333 http://www.americahouse.com
David Leonhard
Reviewer
Believe it or not, it was the title that drew me to This Is The Place. From a savvy marketer like
author Carolyn Howard-Johnson, I would have expected a title with a real splashy hook. From
someone as enthusiastic as she, I would have expected a title with some oomph! This title seemed
so
so so out of character.
But that's because I knew nothing of Mormon history. Now I do. And so does anyone else who
reads This Is The Place a tale tossing on the stormy seas of a society divided by religion. "This is
the Place" is what Brigham Young had said when he first led his Mormon flock into the Salt Lake
Valley, where they would be free from the persecution they felt in the East. Howard-Johnson
writes:
"They were bringing with them a determination that would be tapped to deal with the harshness of
this land that both defied life and nourished it with spiritual intensity. He had said, This is the
place.
And it was."
Howard-Johnson warned me that her novel is "literary" and might not appeal to men. If literary
means there is a lot of angst and torment and gnashing of teeth, or at least a valley full of
soul-searching, then it is literary indeed. Howard-Johnson crafts very realistic characters
struggling
with prejudices, family pressure and their own internal contradictions.
Set in 1959, This Is The Place is built of one intriguing layer upon the next. Each generation of
the
Eccles family replays the same challenges, the same choices and the same griefs of the previous
one.
Early in the book, I lost track of how many generations carry the same burdens. Half the fun is in
trying to keep track of who is who.
Howard-Johnson calls her novel "historical fiction", but when I asked her, she said it is also "a
cross
between memoir and novel." Much about Skylar Eccles, the heroine of the story, is
autobiographical. Like her Mormon father and "gentile" mother. Like being the youngest reporter
ever hired by the Salt Lake Tribune at that time. Like the piano dragged across the plains.
So Howard-Johnson writes about Skylar Eccles, who writes about various family members who
tell
her about her ancestors. Trying to follow the layers in This Is The Place is a bit like trying to keep
track of the men playing female characters disguised as men playing roles as women in
Shakespeare's As You Like It.
To say that This Is The Place is controversial is an understatement. Howard-Johnson paints a
vivid
portrait of a society torn by prejudice, not on the surface, but in undercurrents just below the
secret everybody shares.
About her book signings, she says, "Unfortunately, I can't determine how to keep away the
religious
right who want to convert me away from Mormonism, which is kind of hard to do because I'm
not
one!" In hindsight, Howard-Johnson seems to have written such protests right into her novel:
"Sky
had the anonymity of a Mormon name bestowed upon her by her father. Sky had the coloring
carried
through the same seminal link. She was rarely asked if she was Mormon; people just
assumed."
Maybe the protesters should read the book and find out about Howard-Johnson er I mean
anticipated ... but maybe I would have to give Skylar, for themselves. And maybe you should read
This Is The Place, too. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Ride The Rough String
Eugene C. Vories
Family Publishers
P.O. Box 214, LaVeta, CO 81055
ISBN 1-56901-273-3 Trade paper back, 253 pgs. $10.60, post pd.
Meredith Campbell
Reviewer
Ever wonder what it felt like to ride a bucking bronco? The bronco rider, twisted in the saddle,
hat
flying to the winds, legs drawn up and one hand holding the rein, embodies the violent poetry of
the
modern western rodeo. But, in the 1880's on Colorado's eastern prairies the bronco buster wasn't
a
performer; he was a working man, a necessary hand on a cattle ranch.Often he was a youthful
drifter, circulating among the cow outfits, earning his beans and bunkhouse bed by letting his guts
be
shaken to jelly and his head be whipped back and forth until his nose bled. These daredevils
tended
to die young or were hopelessly crippled by age thirty.
Dean Archer finds himself forced into just such a role. But, he's no bronco buster. He's the former
foreman of a sizeable spread he walked away from three years before to follow a girl to Ohio.
After
going there he realized that sidewalks and humidity weren't for him, and neither was the girl.
Now,
thirty something, he has returned to his beloved Colorado, the land where the distant Rocky
Mountains paint the horizon purple.
A local rancher hires Archer to find out who is stealing cattle during the summer Roundup, which
the area's cowmen run as a pool. Because of a saloon fight, the elected roundup boss hates
Archer.
So when Archer joins the roundup party, the boss assigns him, exclusively, to ride the "rough
string," the meanest, orneriest, horseflesh this side of Hell. Normally, the hands would rotate
taking
turns among themselves to ride the rough string. That way no one cowboy would have to suffer
the
daily torment entailed trying to stay on one of these monsters' backs. But, Archer takes his
ill-deserved punishment over the four months of rounding up cattle, refusing to allow the boss to
break him.
An old time cowboy himself, born and bred on a cattle ranch in Colorado, Eugene Vories
describes
the roundup and the cowboys of that time with exquisite accuracy. One might say, he tells the
reader
"everything they want to know but are afraid to ask about" cowboy life.Without the cloying
sentimentality or overdone violence of many Westerns, Vories tells a gripping, dramatic story
that
rings true--a story about hard work, self-reliance, and love. Dean Archer meets Marian Shelly,
spinster daughter of the rancher who hires him. The way he overcomes his physical trials, survives
saloon brawls, poisoning, fist fights, and gun shoot-outs and does the task for which he is hired
makes the couple's shy love story that much more poignant.
The whole family will thoroughly enjoy Ride The Rough String.
Adams' Bookshelf
The Book Of Five Rings
Miyamoto Musashi
Bantam Books
ISBN# 0-553-35170-2, Price: U.S. $10.95, pages: 116
The Book Of Five Rings was originally written many centuries ago, in feudal Japan, a period of
"great social change." The country was united, and many samurai were out of work. Therefore,
master-less samurai roamed across Japan looking for other samurai, against whom to test their
blades (swords). Miyamoto Musashi was one of these master-less samurai.
However, Musashi was also a philosopher, a sumi-e painter, and a sculptor. Sumi-e, for those
who
are unfamiliar, is a form of Japanese painting, that emphasizes the white space in the painting, as
well as the lines painted.
When Musashi was an old man, he was able to write down coherently, the philosophy that had
determined the course of his life path. This writing is The Book Of Five Rings.
Reader's knowledgeable about Zen thinking will find Musashi's philosophy to be familiar. For
those
don't know, Zen is a philosophy, that focuses on being aware of one's surroundings, and of
knowing
intuitively how to respond to events. Zen, unlike Buddhism, is a philosophy that believes you can
achieve enlightenment in the present lifetime.
Heiho, Musashi's philosophy, is predicated on this belief. It is also, as Musashi explains,
"necessary
to keep in mind that the essence of Heiho is to build an indomitable spirit and an iron will; to
believe
that you cannot fail in doing anything." It is a demanding but optimistic philosophy.
One of the most refreshing things about Miyamoto Musashi is that his philosophy is more
practical
than theoretical. Therefore it is possible to practice the philosophy to a greater or lesser extent.
Musashi himself ostensibly lived this philosophy. We are given evidence that this is the case, from
multiple sources, including Musashi himself, that he was undefeated (in combat) in his lifetime, for
instance.
The Book of Five Rings is a book for warriors who are seeking enlightenment. But it is also a
book
for people, in general, who are concerned with discovering the truth in things, and with living life
to
the fullest. Is the book that good? Is the philosophy that remarkable? To both questions I say
yes.
Musashi recognizes that their are many paths in life. He emphasizes four such paths, including that
of the artisan, that of the merchant, and the path of farmer. Of course his path is the fourth one,
and
the most rarely followed. Interestingly enough, Musashi posits that, whichever path you choose,
you
should remember to apply your knowledge to other things. Specifically, he says, "To know one
thing
is to know 1,00o things." If you are a financier, for example, you should be able to apply your
knowledge as a financier to the study of other occupations, and to the understanding of how many
things work, generally.
Whatever path you choose to follow, Musashi says, you should seek to learn as much as you can
about that field. This includes knowing the tools, skills, and knowledge of that path. If you desire
to
become a master of the field you choose then your studying should be even more rigorous. To
become a master swordsman, is to know intimately the ways of the swordsman, to know the tools
of
the swordsman, and to know the swordsman's enemies. Ultimately however, it is to follow the
path
of Heiho.
Musashi compares the path of the warrior to that of a carpenter in an interesting an plausible
analogy. He also compares the path of the master warrior to that of the master carpenter. He
illustrates how the master carpenter must be intimately familiar with his or her tools and should
certainly be able to use them for any given (carpentry) purpose. The master carpenter should also
know the types of wood to use for a given project or aspect of a project, such as the doors of a
house. Furthermore, the master carpenter must know how and where to construct a house,
keeping
the landscape and the location of the site firmly in mind. To become a master, Musashi reminds
us,
requires great determination, learning and experience.
Musashi points out, that when you have mastered your own craft, you must also master the crafts
of
your enemies. "Unless," Musashi says, "one is familiar with the other schools, my Niten Ichriyu
[school of Heiho] school cannot be fully mastered."
For Musashi it meant knowing the various martial arts extant at the time. It also meant knowing
the
various weapons employed by practitioners of those arts. It is a daunting task to be sure. But, as
Musashi calmly reminds the reader, his school of philosophy is vastly superior to any of his
opponents' philosophies.
Musashi goes on to describe the other schools. He also devotes two large chapters to a discussion
of
the various attacks and movements available to a warrior. Some of the more interesting names
that
Musashi comes up with for his moves include, "crossing the expanse", "to restrain the pillow,"
and
"to become the enemy". He also describes briefly, the various weapons one might use, such as the
sword, gun and halberd.
What Musashi does not do, is describe the various other weapons one may use in combat. These
weapons include any device that you can think of. Bizarrely enough, Musashi was known to use a
variety of weapons including fence posts and sticks (when swords were not available). Musashi
believes that it is important to surprise the enemy and to use innovative techniques. Innovation, he
stresses, is one key to winning. The other is knowing the rhythm of a situation and acting
appropriately.
The Book of Five Rings is a short, but challenging read. It will probably be most appreciated by
practitioners of the martial arts, and others who want to learn a specific method of applying
Zen-like
principles to their everyday existence. I doubt that anyone will be able to fully grasp the meanings
and intricacies of this book after one reading. Small matter though, because it's about the size of a
back-pants pocket and is great reading material on the bus, the subway, or elsewhere.
Sage Adams
www.blackmoose.com
Brenda's Bookshelf
The Way Home
Allison Johnson
Five Star Books
PO Box 403, Unity, ME 04988
ISBN 0786230339 $25.95 1-800-223-1244
On the eve of her expected promotion, Carolyn Sayles is called out of town to deal with her
errant
father. Things couldn't get much worse than a runaway father until her car is totalled and her boss
calls....
Rex Barnett, all around good guy, has his own troubles. In the midst, Rex takes his dog to visit
the
residents of Desert Rose for Animal Friends. During these visits, he becomes friends with many of
the elderly. One of them, Carolyn Sayles father who just wants to go back home.
A poignant story of a family broken by years of sorrow, past mistakes and regret, The Way Home
is
a tear jerker as Carolyn learns to live rather than survive. But living and loving is much more
difficult
than she ever dreamed as Rex reunites with his children and she makes decisions that will change
her
life forever.
Johnson fills a need by telling this tale of Rex and Carolyn as they learn they have much more in
common than they believed as the story comes to an end with Edgar going home again and life
beginning anew for his children left behind.
A True And Perfect Knight
Susan C. Charnley
Leisure Books/Dorchester Publishing
276 Fifth Avenue Suite 1008, New York NY 10101-1010
0843949457 $4.99, 1-800-481-9191 http://www.dorchesterpub.com/
Alone and cast out from her peers, Genvieve Dreyford was afraid not for herself but for her dear
sister-in-law and her young son, Thomas. Just as she thought they would all perish, the man
claiming
to be her husband's best friend approaches. Thinking him an enemy as he was the one who took
Roger to his death, Gennie tries her best to stand up for herself and hate the man who saved her
little
group from death. Yet as they make their way to King Edward, her heart softens. Is it enough as
the
King Eof England orders them to marry?
Sir Haven de Sessions has a kind soul and a good heart for those he calls friend. But send on a
mission by order of the King, Haven must control his feelings not allowing his heart to melt for a
only a woman could turn a man to be a traitor. Yet the plan is already in motion with no way for
Haven to turn his back on the widow. Can he put his feelings aside and marry a woman he will
never
be able to trust?
Travels, battles, love and peril is a hard-won war when A True And Perfect Knight meets a fiery
woman destined to rule the keep and his heart. Gennie and Haven's story is not unique by any
means
but Charnley puts conflict to compromise perfectly on paper. This is a story that will tug the heart
strings while putting a smile on the reader's face.
Brenda Ramsbacher
Reviewer
Hine's Bookshelf
Excerpted with permission from:
Escape Routes
Johann Christoph Arnold
Plough Publishing House
Route 381 North, Farmington, PA 15437-9506
ISBN: 0874869196 $10.00 1-800-521-8011
Read it free by email at http://www.emailchapters.com
We all know that money can't buy happiness. Or do we? Usually after addressing an especially
affluent audience I feel as if I've just encountered an ocean of human despair. When I'm asked to
offer one-on-one counseling, the stories I hear confirm this impression.
It's not that the well-to-do have a monopoly on teen suicides, drug use, family break-up, or hidden
alcoholism and domestic abuse. But there's a jarring contrast between the glitter of success and
the
ugliness that often hides beneath the flashy appearance of prosperity.
We're always in danger of ending up possessed by our possessions. When this happens, we lose
our
dignity as human beings and become mere tools for wealth creation. Inevitably, we'll treat other
people as tools too. Strangers to our own humanity, we'll find ourselves adrift just when we
thought
the good life was within our grasp.
The bottom line to the trophies we seek as emblems of our success-a house we own, cars, a
stylish
wardrobe, exotic vacations, good colleges for the kids, or maybe a fast social life at fashionable
spots for eating and entertainment-is always money. And the truth is that money and happiness are
incompatible.
Pope John Paul II has spoken out eloquently against what he called "the culture of death," which
is
the poisonous fruit of such materialism: "The values of being are replaced by those of having. The
only goal that counts is the pursuit of one's own material well-being..." The first to be harmed by
this
are women, children, the sick, the elderly, the poor, and the weak. Instead of loving them for who
they are, we degrade them by measuring their worth in terms of what they have, do, and
produce.
But this culture of death doesn't injure just the poor; it's lethal for those who are economically
comfortable as well. If success is our main goal for living, what happens when it eludes us?
Having
invested so much of our time and even personal identity in our goal, can we bear to fall short? The
terrible secret is that our ambition for the good life may serve only to doom us to self-hate, mental
breakdown, and suicide.
How can we escape this trap? We can start by thinking hard about what we value. Do we put our
faith in money and the material signs of having made it, or do we find our fulfillment in close
relationships and a strong purpose for living? If we recognize the traps of materialism, what are
the
seductive distractions - the house, clothes, cars, and small luxuries of the good life - that we need
to
be rid of? Boldness and honesty are better guides than caution as we act to free ourselves to
pursue
our real goals.
Another thing we must look at is our underlying view of success, for it determines much, if not
most, of the goals we strive toward. Too often we think that by trying to be the perfect parent or
churchgoer we'll reach our potential and contribute to other people's lives. By driving ourselves in
this way, however, we painstakingly prepare our own catastrophe. The "perfect" mother can drive
her children to rebellion (and herself crazy); the "perfect" churchgoer can forget the purpose of his
religion.
Henri Nouwen, who left a life of academic distinction at Yale to become part of a community of
disabled people, came to conclude: "We have been called to be fruitful-not successful, not
productive, not accomplished. Success comes from strength, stress, and human effort. Fruitfulness
comes from vulnerability and the admission of our own weakness."
Too often we do our best to hide our weaknesses and failures from each other by struggling to
keep
up a respectable front. Afraid of revealing our inner unhappiness, we build walls around ourselves
to
block out others. Why do we pass each other by, wrapped up in our own thoughts and fears?
Perhaps it is because we are afraid to be seen for who we are.
By and large, we need to admit that our lives are a series of squandered opportunities. It's
tempting
to refuse to consider this shocking possibility and to turn our mental gaze elsewhere. Yet we
know
we are empty. We suspect that the kinds of success we strive for aren't worth that much anyway.
Our private lives don't express the joy and the love that we would like to think they do. The
promise
of our childhood remains unfulfilled; wounds of the past remain unhealed. We are scared of
getting
sick, of going crazy, of dying.
Yet deep down we all know that life's deepest fulfillment comes from valuing every human
encounter, and showing love to everyone we meet, especially if they are lonely, despairing, or
beaten
down. What excuse can there be for not loving? As soon as we're free from our drive to earn,
produce, and achieve, we'll discover in every encounter the joy of finding someone to love as we
love our self. Such encounters do not vanish with time; they are immortal, with lasting value.
Author Bio: Johann Christoph Arnold is a pastor, counselor, and award-winning author, whose
books on sexuality, marriage, raising children, facing death, forgiving, and finding peace have sold
over 300,000 copies in English and have been translated into 18 foreign languages.
See http://escape.plough.com/er/BooksbytheAuthor.htm
Joe Hine
Reviewer
Terry's Bookshelf
A Fortune Teller Told Me: Earthbound Travels In The Far East
Tiziano Terzani
Crown Publishing
ISBN: 060960841X $23.00, 384 pages
How interesting would it be if we all spent one year of our lives traveling solely by land or
sea?
Far East journalist Tiziano Terzani was warned by a fortune teller not to fly for an entire year.
Being
somewhat of a believer in these things, Terzani took the seer at his word and spent 1993 traveling
by
land, train, cab, bus, steamer, elephant, or cruise ship.
As I read this wonderfully lush travel guide, I was struck by what we 'frequent flyers' miss. We
miss
the rhythm of the country, the smells, common people, and the flip side of local life that airports
don't feature.
While some of Terzani's experiences were a bit graphic for my tastes, and I probably could have
done without yet another political commentary on how the West has corrupted the East, I
thoroughly enjoyed his many visits with local fortune tellers. I especially liked the vestal virgin. I
laughed out loud at Terzani's recanting of that meeting. Some of the fortune tellers he found
during
his travels were accurate, or close to it. Some were charlatans. They were all, however,
interesting.
What a rich life Terzani has lived. All the best to him and I look forward to more stories from his
pen.
The Bridge: A Novel
Doug Marlette
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0060186305 $26.00, 400 pages
This is not an easy book to read if you come from a family who (1) keeps secrets (2) has
interesting
members or (3) lived through some turbulent times. Time and time again I found myself listening
the
Marlette's characters say the exact same things my grandmother/mother/cousins said to me and to
each other. Situations in the book strangely resemble situations in my family....and reading about
them in a published novel made me a bit uneasy.
I loved the way Marlette intertwined the present with the past. In the present, Marlette tells the
story
of Pick Cantrell, an award-winning, but very conflicted cartoonist who moves from New York
City
back to his home in North Carolina and struggles to put his life back together. Waiting to collide
with Pick's story is that of his prickly grandmother "Mama Lucy." Seems she has quite a story of
her
own to tell. Until the ghosts of Pick's present and Mama Lucy's past are put to rest, nothing will
be
settled in either of their lives. Watching the two storylines converge was a pleasure.
This book is a strong testimony for anyone who has struggled with their family tree,
burned/destroyed bridges and would like to re-build them. It's not simple fiction, and is sometimes
difficult to read, but it's certainly worth the effort.
Marlette is a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist. This may be his first turn at fiction, but,
to
me, The Bridge is in the same league with the likes of The Prince Of Tides.
Hope To Die
Lawrence Block
William Morrow
ISBN: 006019832X, $25.00, 320 pages
An upper class Manhattan couple is brutally murdered in their home. Several days later the alleged
criminals are found dead in what looks to be a murder-suicide. The case is closed, as far as local
law
enforcement is concerned.
However, Lawrence Block's long-time hero, Matthew Scudder can't seem to forget the murders.
Maybe it was because he, too, is upper class, lives in the same area of New York as the couple
and
even attended the same concert the victims did the night of their murders. Circumstances pull
Scudder into the deadly circle surrounding the crime and he concludes that there was someone
else
involved in the crime.
Although I enjoyed the murder mystery, I had a problem when, about 1/2 way through the book,
the
author shifted gears and made the story more about the sick serial killer who drives the plot than
about Scudder and the murder victim's family.
This is my first Block book, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but rather than make it 1/2
Scudder and 1/2 killer, I would think the story could have been the first in a series of books on the
evil psychiatrist who kills without remorse and stays one step ahead of his detractors. Maybe the
editors thought a series on a villain wouldn't sell as well as a new Scudder book...who knows?
Hannibal Lecter sold a lot of books, didn't he?
Anyway, the villain is really despicable and evil to the bone. Block develops him well and compels
you to read about him, even though he wrecks havoc on those he chooses to destroy. The ending
certainly invites a sequel. I'll probably read it...not because I'm such a Matt Scudder fan, but to see
where the evil doctor winds up this time.
Enjoy!
Midnight Bayou
Nora Roberts
G.P. Putnam
ISBN 0 399 14824 8 $25.95, 352 pages
Bored, burned out, yuppie lawyer Declan Fitzgerald quits his cushy life in Boston and purchases a
decrepit mansion outside New Orleans. He saw the place while in college and has dreamt of
restoring it for years. Of course, the house is not just fashioned of wood and plaster...it has many
stories to tell...and ghosts to tell them.
Declan hooks up with a mysterious local woman with stories of her own. Together they try to
unravel the mysteries of Manet Hall and finally put the ghosts to rest.
I liked the characters and the way the stories from the past ran concurrently with the present, but I
figured out the 'twist' too early.
I'm not sure where Ms. Roberts grew up, but I can almost bet it was not Louisiana. Writers find
the
bayous and their surroundings full of possible plot lines, but unless they've lived there (or have a
research assistant who did), their work usually leaves me a little disappointed. I continue to buy
their
books hoping This one will have gotten it right. I'm almost always disappointed.
Leave Louisiana stories to the natives who have grown up with Spanish moss, bayous, rich oral
traditions, and just a touch of magic. They're the ones who can weave a spell just by saying:
"Cherie,
have you heard the story about that crazy Yankee lawyer who finally solved the mystery of Manet
Hall? No? Well, just sit yourself down and let me tell you ....."
The Cowboy Kind
Darrell Arnold
Mountain Press Publishing Company
ISBN: 0878424407, $18.00, 124 pages
Having spent the better part of my childhood on the back of a horse pretending to be a 'real
cowgirl,'
I found myself all wrapped up in memories while reading this fresh look at the life of modern-day
cowboys.
The author, a true cowboy himself, traveled all over the south and west photographing working
ranches and the people who own/work them. The author must have spent a good deal of time
interviewing his subjects, because the book offers up some great stories/quotes, too.
The book is broken down into interesting chapters such as: The Cowboy Lifestyle - Ranching
Country - Getting It Done - Family Life - Ranch Horses (my particular favorite) - Defining The
Cowboy - Ranching Traditions.
Some of my favorite quotes: On Ranch Horses: "If a horse ain't plum lame when you get done
nailing the shoes on, you've done all right."
"There is something about a horse. They are a lot prettier animal than a man is, but not quite as
pretty as a woman. They are beautiful animals. I was raising horses when I was raising my
children. I
raised them together. I credit that relationship with the fact that not one of my children has ever
been
involved in with drugs." (Rex Allen)
Or, the one in Family Life: "I'm Dusty, my wife is Sandy, my boy is Rocky, and my daughter's
name
is Wendy. Our names describe this ranch perfectly." (Dusty Ray)
I'm keeping this book on my coffee table for easy access. When I'm feeling penned up, I'll open it
up,
look at the wonderful photos, read the quotes and dream of life under the big sky of Montana or
the
scrub bushes of New Mexico.
Enjoy!
Good Work: When Excellence And Ethics Meet
Howard Gardner, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and WilliamDamon
Basic Books
ISBN: 0 465 02607 9, $26.00 - 288 pages
I was intrigued by the title of this book and really wanted to like it, but found myself struggling to
stay focused while reading it.
The three contributing authors have impressive academic credentials and I suppose this work will
be
used in university classrooms throughout the country, but I think the people who really need to
hear
the message that technology, economics and ethics can (and should) co-exist will not be attracted
to
this format.
The authors define people who do good work as: "People who do good work, in our sense of the
term, are clearly skilled in one or more professional realms. At the same time, rather than merely
following money or fame alone, or choosing the path of least resistance when in conflict, they are
thoughtful about their responsibilities and the implications of their work."
The authors spend a lot of time discussing Journalism and Genetics and how ethics and good
work
in these two arenas are under siege from a market-driven economy. They offer up solutions on
how
to restore good work to the world and they share their methods of studying good work and their
interviewing protocols, but the subject matter is just too academic for the average worker who
struggles with ethics v. economics.
Maybe the book will reach university professors...and they'll share it with their students...and
they'll
go out into the world and strive to do 'good work.'
Let's hope so.
These Granite Islands
Sarah Stonich
Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316815837 $24.95, 320 pages
This stellar debut novel is told from the deathbed of its heroine, 99 year-old Isobel Howard.
Suffering from the aftershock of a major stroke, Isobel's days are blurred between present time
and
past events during her long and colorful life.
While the story centers on Isobel, her tailor husband Victor and their three children, the crux of
the
novel occurs in the summer of 1936. Victor has decided to take the two boys and spend the
summer
on an island he purchased -- without Isobel's knowledge or blessing. Isobel and her daughter
Louisa
stay home to mind the tailor shop and brood about the money Victor spent buying the island.
Isobel and Louisa's quite summer is interrupted by the entrance of Cathryn Malley, a high-strung
heiress with a shady past, a worrisome husband and a potential deadly secret.
Cathryn pulls Isobel into her web of deceit, with dramatic results. As Isobel's life ebbs, her secrets
unfold and we realize that no life is 'normal'.... no one is 'ordinary.' We all have stories to be
told.
This is an author to watch...her prose is compelling and her story-telling ability is quite developed.
Although the story starts slowly, I found myself pulled into the storyline and could not put the
book
down until I had discovered all of Isobel's secrets. I read this book in one sitting and highly
recommend it.
Enjoy!
A Monstrous Regiment Of Women
Laurie King
Bantam Books
ISBN: 0553574566 $6.99, 336 pages
In the second book of her Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series, author Laurie King uncovers the
world of religious fervor and burgeoning feminism in London during the early 1920's.
A wealthy Oxford classmate of Mary's has given up her cushy life to work for a charismatic leader
of
a mostly female congregation. The only trouble with the arrangement is that some of the
congregation's most wealthy patrons are dying under mysterious circumstances.
Mary and Holmes join forces to find the cause and source of the accidental deaths. Their electric
relationship continues to grow, baffling both the young woman and her much older partner.
Russell
continues to learn from AND teach Holmes, while Holmes seems to be pulled closer and closer to
his young charge.
Their difficulties provide a rich backdrop to their relationship, making the entire reading
experience
fulfilling and thoroughly entertaining. Enjoy!
The Beekeeper's Apprentice
Laurie King
Bantam Books
ISBN: 0553571656 $6.99, 405 pages
Imagine yourself a precocious 15-year old orphan wandering the hills around Sussex. Your
guardian
(bitter old maiden aunt) doesn't understand your thirst for knowledge, nor can she keep up with
your
quick mind. Forget relating to kids your own age....you're alone...but not too lonely, as you have
your books and your long walks in the countryside.
Then, wonder upon wonder, on one of your sojourns, you stumble upon the recently retired
Sherlock Holmes and the atmosphere virtually crackles with possibilities.
The Beekeeper's Apprentice is the first in a series of four novels written by Laurie King which
explore the relationship between Holmes and his new pupil, the bright, intuitive and clever Mary
Russell.
The mysteries Holmes and Russell solve are almost secondary to the relationship between the
staid,
reserved detective and the blossoming young woman who is a match for Holmes in every
arena.
If you read these books, I suggest you do so in order, as they build upon each other. They're
worth
your time and they are thoroughly enchanting! Enjoy!
What is it like to move to another country, another culture, a strange place with a strange
language
and strange customs? What sort of people do that?
Nadine Gordimer's imagination follows two young people who do move to another country but
for
very different reasons. Julie Summers, a young South African trying to free herself from her
affluent,
middle-class origins and free to choose where she wants to live; and Ibrahim ibn Musa, from a
tiny
Arab village in the desert, trying desperately to find new opportunities and a new life in any
country
which is willing to take him on. By accident these two young people meet. Maybe by accident,
maybe not, their lives become entwined.
Julie's friends, "young haphazard and selectively tolerant" are a mixed-race bunch who frequent
the
El-Ay Cafe in "a thoroughfare, the bazaar of all that the city had not been allowed to be by the
laws
and traditions of her parents' generation". In a few lines, Gordimer expertly conveys the style and
the
atmosphere of the place and the values of those who come to "sit over a single coffee" and talk.
It's
a meeting place for dissenters, free thinkers, drifters, poor immigrants, prostitutes, poets, "ageing
Hippies and Leftist Jews". Julie's friends, black and white, are a Brotherhood: "elective siblings"
who
totally accept each other and ask no awkward questions; their creed: "whatever you do, love,
whatever happens, hits you, mate, Bra, that's all right with me". It is here that Julie feels at home
not
at her wealthy father's place. It is here that she introduces Ibrahim, although at the time that she
makes the introduction she knows him only as Abdu.
Abdu has outstayed his South African permit and is hiding under a false name and working
illegally
as a grease-monkey at the garage to which Julie's takes her broken-down car. His introduction to
Julie's friends brings him into a new situation in this new country to which he came so hopefully,
and
it brings him new challenges and new opportunities. He is desperately trying to stay in South
Africa.
For Julie, it is partly the strangeness of Abdu which attracts her. She is curious about him - a
personable, intelligent young man who has a degree in engineering (from an unknown place) but
who works in a garage. For Abdu, perhaps, the friendship offers something else. Gordimer never
spells out any underlying motives. She simply tells the story of their friendship and the different
ways
each reacts to the strangeness of the other. It is subtly and beautifully done, and she allows the
reader's imagination full scope.
When the South African authorities finally catch up with Abdu, he persuades Julie to use family
connections to try and extend his permit. But when all attempts fail, Julie precipitates a
commitment
which neither had anticipated by buying two airline tickets to Abdu's country and insisting she will
go with him. For her, it is an adventure, she sees no complications other than hardships which will
be
an exciting challenge. For Abdu, however, this is a serious situation which requires that they
marry
before he can take her to live with his family. For Abdu, too, return represents a failure, but Julie's
background offers him some hope of reversing this.
The way in which Julie and Abdu/Ibrahim cope with the move and with the many necessary
cultural
adjustments is again beautifully and realistically imagined by Gordimer. The differences in attitude
to
family, friendship and connections; the questions of independence, values and responsibilities; the
problems of being a stranger in an unfamiliar culture and of bringing a stranger into your own
family;
all are explored from both Julie and Ibrahim's sides - not analytically or didactically but
imaginatively. Subtly and surely the reader is drawn into the scene and begins to sense and feel the
tensions, the fascination, the needs and the pressures which govern the characters' lives.
The Pickup is a superb story told by a very skilful storyteller. It is also a story which explores the
changes in the wider world in surprising but important ways. V.S. Naipaul said in a recent
interview
that he believed that "the serious function of writing" (and he was talking about novels) is to help
readers to understand society. The Pickup seems to me to do this enjoyably, topically and
admirably.
In a world of rapid social change, where issues of immigration are daily aired in the media,
Gordimer
offers insight into the radically different meaning which "another country" has for those who can
choose to move and those who must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds in order to be
chosen.
Mary Shelley
Miranda Seymour
Picador, Pan Macmillan
ISBN: 0330374478 A$23.00 (Paperback) 655 pages
Grove Press
ISBN: 0802117023 $35.00
If Mary Shelley were alive today she would be a "Famous Author". Publishers would be fighting
over the rights to all her work, she would travel the world on endless promotion tours and
become
rich on film rights. As a single mother she would be applauded; the hint of scandal in her private
life
could only enhance her reputation; and any connection to famously intellectual, philosophical and
socially radical parents would probably be hushed up so as not to frighten off the masses.
Instead of this, in Mary Shelley's own lifetime and for years afterwards the opposite was true. So
now, although everyone has heard of Frankenstein (generally believed to be the monster), not
many
could tell you the name of the author of the book from which he came and very few would be
aware
of that author's many other published works. As well as her novels: Frankenstein: Or The Modern
Prometheus, Matilda, Valpergo, The Last Man, The Fortunes Of Perkin Warbeck, Ladore and
Falkner, Mary Shelley published two plays, many stories for children and adults, travel writing,
biographical essays of famous Europeans and numerous articles. She also edited and annotated
several editions of her husband's poetry and prose. Her husband was, of course, Percy Bysshe
Shelley.
Not all of Mary Shelley's work, as Miranda Seymour notes in this excellent biography, was great
work. Much of it was mundane hack-work which Mary undertook in order to support herself, her
surviving son (Percy Florence Shelley), her father and step-mother and various other relatives
who
made claims on her. Throughout her life, Mary worked incredibly hard but only Frankenstein, Or
The Modern Prometheus, published in 1817 when she was only nineteen, was truly successful.
Even
this book was originally published anonymously and she made little money from it and none at all
from the successful dramatization of it by Richard Brinsley Peake which appeared on stage in
1823.
So, if Mary Shelley's later work was less brilliant than Frankenstein, why do we need a biography?
Is
it because of her marriage to Percy Bysshe Shelley, her friendship with Lord Byron and her
allegedly
scandalous life? Is it because at sixteen, along with her fifteen-year-old step-sister Claire
Clairmont,
she ran away from home to live with a married poet whose pregnant wife later drowned herself in
the Serpentine in Hyde Park?
Miranda Seymour tells us frankly that her reasons for writing this biography began with the
woman
and with questions which her own life experiences raised about the usual picture of Mary Shelley.
How, she wondered, could a young woman described as bad-tempered, a relentless social climber
and a nagging wife also be someone whose hard work, courage and determination supported
herself
and her family and who was responsible for establishing her dead husband's reputation as a poet.
Mary was a woman whose intense loyalty to her friends survived their betrayal of her; a woman
whose idealistic disregard of social conventions only made her own life harder. Consider, too,
Mary's parentage (she was the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, whose Vindication Of The
Rights
Of Women was published in1792, and William Godwin,whose Enquiry Concerning The Nature Of
Political Justice was one of the most influential arguments for a society of equals of his time); she
lived at a time when Europe was in revolutionary turmoil; she travelled widely and chose to live in
Europe until forced to return to England; and she mixed with people like Coleridge, Byron, Scott,
Trelawney, Disraeli, Lady Blessington and Caroline Norton. Seymour's curiosity was piqued. The
usual picture of Mary just did not seem right.
Clearly, this biography has been a quest for answers to some of the puzzles and contradictions
which
prompted Seymour to begin it. Equally clearly it has been a labour of love. Diligently and
meticulously researched as it is, it is still absorbing and very easy-to-read. And the portrait of
Mary
Shelley which it reveals is of "a woman who struggled all her life against the unpredictability of
her
own nature"; a woman who was clever, idealistic, and often misguided in her choice of friends; a
woman who was distraught by the deaths of all but one of her children and who suffered from
bouts
of clinical depression, yet "seldom revealed her unhappiness and continued, until the end of her
life,
to work to win Shelley, never herself, the honour she felt was his due". A remarkable
woman.
There is no doubt, given Seymour's summary of the various ways in which Mary's life was
presented
to the world after her death, that some rebalancing was due. There is no doubt, too, that it is good
to place Mary in the context of the changing times in which she lived and that her strong,
independent views on society and politics strongly influenced her life and were reflected in her
work.
But whether Seymour's understanding and her generous conclusions about Mary will be the final
picture is doubtful - there will always be another possible side to the story.
Biography is immensely popular with readers but it is well to remember that it is, as the
differences
of opinion amongst Mary Shelley's biographers demonstrates, a subjective art. At worst, it
panders
to prurient interest in the private lives of others. At best, it is reliant on limited factual evidence
about its subject, on the subjective comment of friends and relatives, and on the biographer's own
selective interpretation and presentation of the available material.
Miranda Seymour's biography of Mary Shelley is of the latter kind, and it is as objective and
factual
as it is possible to be without becoming dry and boring. Seymour wrote it with the general reader
in
mind and it is enjoyable, varied and easy reading.
Scholars, too, will find Seymour's discussion of Mary's work and some new suggestions of Mary's
sources for Frankenstein of interest, and her Bibliography and Notes valuable. The Notes,
however,
are frustratingly organized by chapter only, without the added assistance of page numbers; and the
Index is badly arranged with long, compressed chronological (rather than alphabetical) lists of
sub-topics under, for example, major headings like "Frankenstein" or "Mary Shelley". It is a pity
that
such irritations should mar a well-researched and well-written book.
Ann Skea, Reviewer
http://ann.skea.com
Schlagel's Bookshelf
Editor's Note: The following is Professor Schlagel's response to a review of his book, The
Vanguished Gods, previously reviewed by William Harwood for the Midwest Book Review.
-- Jim Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review
Dear Mr. Cox:
Recently the publisher of my book, The Vanquished Gods, sent me a review that appeared in The
Midwest Book Review, which I believe is unfair and distorted. Having published many reviews in
the major philosophical journals, I know the temptation of using the occasion as an ego trip to
show
off what one knows, but that is not what a conscientious, responsible reviewer does. I was
particularly vulnerable because of the interdisciplinary nature of the book that attempts to provide
the reader with an adequate background for evaluating the viability of religion today.
While validly pointing out the limitations of my "expertise" in the chapters on the Old and New
Testaments, William Harwood never fulfills the primary responsibility of a reviewer, that of
describing and evaluating the essential purpose of the book, instead referring to the two chapters
that are in his own field of expertise. In the first sentence he states that though a professor of
philosophy, Schlagel "is becoming better known as a writer on biblical analysis." As my major
fields
of specialization are epistemology, the history of ancient philosophy, the history and philosophy of
science (my two volume work is listed on the inside dust jacket), and the philosophy of mind, I
have
no aspirations or pretensions of being a biblical scholar. The book is an overall philosophical
critique
of religion, not a scholarly exegesis of the Bible that is beyond my competence.
However, I do rely on scholarly biblical criticism to show that, rather than an infallible, sacred
work
revealed by God, the Bible is an ancient compilation based on an oral tradition. Primarily a
mythical
narrative containing many discrepancies and absurdities, it has little truth-value, yet there is a
strong
movement in the United States to reconcile science and religion. As I stated on the dust jacket,
the
"twentieth century brought about a dramatic change in our conception of reality. Advances in the
natural sciences radically altered our understanding of human existence and the universe; biblical
scholarship demystified the Bible, and scientific inquiry has superseded biblical and church
authority." Hence no reconciliation is possible. This is the essential thesis of the book which I try
to
defend.
As stated, the aim of the book "is to provide the open-minded reader with the necessary historical,
biblical, and scientific background for understanding and evaluating this crucial development,"
although this is not indicated in the review. While I make no pretense to being a biblical scholar
myself, I thought it necessary to inform the reader of what is called the "higher criticism" of the
Bible which, in my opinion, has demystified it while scientific developments have rendered it
outmoded. The last two chapters of the book defend this latter position.
As for my mistakes and factual errors, I am certain that I have made them and certainly regret the
fact; however, I would maintain that some of the reviewer's accusations are unfair because they
are
not recognized even by biblical scholars. There is not space to address every criticism, but I'll try
to
give representative examples of what I mean. At the very beginning Harwood states that "the
strongest evidence that he is a well-meaning amateur is to be found in his statement (p.128), 'All
one
can conclude with any confidence about the historical Jesus is that he was from Nazareth'"
Maintaining that "there was no such place as Nazareth until the third or fourth century," Harwood
attributes the erroneous belief to the author of Mark who asserted "Jesus came from 'the nazareth
of
Galilee,'" 'nazareth' meaning 'dispersion,' leading "Matthew and Luke to misinterpreted nazareth as
the name of a town." While he may well be correct, this ignores the fact that tradition or
convention
has assigned Jesus this place of origin. In Understanding the New Testament Howard Kee sates:
"Jesus of Nazareth is the historical base for the Christian claim to be the community of the new
covenant." (p. 81) Similarly, Bishop Spong, in Liberating the Gospels, states: "Was there a real
person named Jesus of Nazareth?" So apparently I am in good scholarly company. As for the
criticism of my dating of the Gospels, I have found various dates given in the sources, but
probably
erred in trying to give them the earliest dates possible to enhance the likelihood of their
authenticity.
Harwood claimed that I did not read Richard Friedman carefully or I would have noted all the
different instances of multiple authorship of the Pentateuch. However, it was from Friedman
(whom
I did read carefully) that I learned about the different sources (J, E, D, and P) of the Pentateuch,
but
it was not feasible, given the purpose of the book, to list all the instances of these different
sources
when I was recounting events in the Pentateuch. Instead, I relied on one striking example given by
Friedman. (p. 89). Harwood also states, "As for his writing (p. 83) that 'Yahweh usually was
portrayed as a monotheistic God,' that is unmitigated nonsense." Yet in A History of God, Karen
Armstrong asserts that "Yahweh had become the one and only God" (p. 61), although this did
occur
after a long tradition of polytheism. He also objects to my accepting "Yahweh's self-introduction
as
'I am who I am," rather than "the most reasonable translation, given that Moses was an Egyptian
prince," "I am Osiris, I am." But I have never encountered this translation in any of the scholarly
discussions of this important doctrine. The well-known Old Testament scholar, Bernhard W.
Anderson, in Understanding The Old Testament, describes three renditions of God's answer to
Moses' query as to what he should tell the Israelites when they ask what God should be called or
known as (pp. 61-63), none of which is Harwood's translation. The most commonly accepted
translation is "I Am Who Am." While there are some instances where Miriam is referred to as
Aaron's sister, as Harwood points out, there are other places where she definitely is described as
Moses' sister as I stated. As for my use of the term "Christian Sabbath," since the disciples of
Jesus
were all Jews, it was natural for them to use the term 'Sabbath' when referring to their holy day,
whatever day it was.
In all candor, I have to state that whatever mistakes I have made, none is as egregious as
Harwood's
objection to my assertion "that 'the crucifixion of an itinerant Jewish teacher named Jesus would
have the greatest impact on Western civilization for the succeeding two millennia.'" His
justification
is that "the crucifixion of Jesus was of no significance whatsoever. Had Jesus never existed, the
founder of Christianity, Paul of Tarsus, would simply have adopted one of the region's dozen or
more other crucified messiahs to be the posthumous figurehead of his new mystery religion." But
this ignores the fact that Saul, a Pharisee, originally was an ardent persecutor of the disciples of
Jesus which some scholars think many account for his mystical vision of Jesus on the road to
Damascus and consequent conversion, a kind of expurgation for his former attacks. And was
there
really another "crucified messiah" to match Jesus' charisma and the impact of his teachings?
While accusing me of not getting my facts right, Harwood states that "Schlagel's inadequacy as a
biblical analyst is most clearly revealed when one looks at his bibliography, not so much for its
omission of every single competent biblical scholar other than Friedman as for some of its
inclusions." Regarding my alleged omissions, here are the actual citations listed in the Index and
Bibliography: Bernard Anderson, Understanding The Old Testament, 7 references; Karen
Armstrong, A History of God, 5 references; John Dominic Crossan, Jesus: A Revolutionary
Biography, 7 references; Richard Friedman, Who Wrote The Bible?, 8 references; Robert Funk
and
Roy Hoover with the Jesus Seminar, The Five Gospels: The Search for the Authentic Words of
Jesus, 6 references; R. P. C. & A.T. Hanson, The Bible Without Illusions, 7 references; Burton L.
Mack, Who Wrote the New Testament?, 4 references; John Shelby Spong, Liberating The
Gospels,
9 references; and Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity, 7 references. This only includes the
endnote references, not the page references of the work cited in the text which are much more
numerous. How could a person with any integrity maintain that I had only included Friedman in
my
Bibliography? Either Harwood did not consider those I quoted "competent biblical scholars,"
which
would be hard to defend, or he did not read either the book or the Bibliography carefully. What is
even more perplexing is that, judging from the contents of Harwood's own book, he shares the
same
views of religion as an antiquated institution as I do. Yet, rather than join forces in a mutual
endeavor to convince others of this, he unfairly criticizes my biblical scholarship which is not the
focus of the book.
As for my references to Will Durant and Edward O. Wilson and Richard Dawkins, I have this to
say.
I know historians have been critical of the scholarship of Durant, but I have always admired him
for
his tremendous breadth of scholarship, along with his extraordinarily gifted style, while in his last
book he finally received the critical acclaim that he deserved from Hugh Trevor-Roper. The
passages I quoted from him were later confirmed in my reading of Robert Paynes, The Dream and
the Tomb. Regarding Harwood's derisive reference to "Edward O. Wilson and Richard Dawkins,
the
creator and popularizer of the pseudoscience of sociobable," this reveals his scientific ignorance.
Wilson is the creator of "sociobiology," a respected and valued branch of science despite the
original
criticism. Dawkins, on the other hand, is not a sociobiologist but a world renowned evolutionary
theorist. I would suggest Harwood interrupt his arcane study of the Bible, which has little
relevance
today, to learn something about science. Finally, Harwood is mistaken in inferring that I
supported
John Mack's endorsement of alien abductions. If he had read my critique of Mack carefully, he
would know that I was using it as an example, along with astral voyages and out-of-the-body
experiences, to illustrate how, in the past, these kinds of experiences were used to support
religious
beliefs, but that contrary to Mack and others, they are not acceptable today because they more
credibly can be explained scientifically in terms of aberrant brain processes.
I am writing this rejoinder because I have always believed that among scholars a certain civility
and
decorum should be maintained. Unfortunately, Dr. Harwood does not seem to share this
view.
Sincerely,
Richard H. Schlagel
Elton Professor Emeritus
The George Washington University
2737 Devonshire Place
Washington, D.C. 20008
Sullivan's Bookshelf
Rocks Of Ages
Stephen Jay Gould
The Library of Contemporary Thought
c/o Ballantine Books
0345430093 $18.95
The well-known Harvard paleontologist, geologist, essayist, and defender of Darwin's evolution
theory with some modifications, has written a brief volume in an ongoing, interesting, and diverse
series by this publisher, trying to make peace between warring factions: religion and science. As
they
are mutually exclusive, he says that they need not interfere with each other.
Classic examples of that interference would be scientists' deriding of William Jennings Bryan for
his
defense of the Bible's literal truth during the 1925 so-called Scopes' Monkey Trial. And from
religion's side would be the cruel punishment toward the scientist Galileo who in 1633 was made
to
kneel and recant his theory that Earth wasn't central to the universe. Then he had to remain under
house arrest for the remainder of his life.
The author explains: "This book rests on a basic, uncomplicated premise... NOMA
(Non-Overlapping Magisteria) is a simple, humane, rational, and altogether conventional
argument
for mutual respect... between two components of wisdom in a full human life: our drive to
understand the factual character of nature (the magisterium of science), and our need to define
meaning in our lives and a moral basis for our actions (the magisterium of religion)."
This is a good read, requiring concentration.
Understanding Thomas Jefferson
E. M. Halliday
HarperCollins
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
0060197935 $25.00 1-800-242-7737
With all the books written about former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, why another? Because
till
now, with one notable exception, he hasn't been exposed in all his contradictions. Particularly, he
wasn't shown in all his lustiness. The sexual overtones in this volume make Jefferson totally
human
to the reader.
Here, truly, was a man of inconsistencies; verbally opposed to the institution of slavery, yet he
didn't
free all his slaves at his death; religious, though he rewrote the Bible; loving of females, perhaps to
a
fault, yet chauvinistic towards them. He also was a man who condemned others for scandalous
behavior, albeit privately, while he sustained a several-year sexual affair producing many children
with his slave Sally Hemings, who incidentally was his half-sister-in-law.
Halliday takes to task other biographers of Jefferson, especially Dumas Malone, Merrill Peterson,
and Joseph Ellis, for side-stepping totally or skirting adroitly the Sally Hemings situation despite a
lot of circumstantial evidence that was nearly impossible to ignore. The author also praises and
dedicates this book to another biographer, Fawn Brodie, who in the face of public and academic
derision, courageously wrote lovingly about Jefferson, including his obvious Sally Hemings
liaison.
The prose in Halliday's book flows smoothly like a mountain stream, making this volume hard to
put
down. The author unstintingly depicts Jefferson, the man with all his warts, to readers. And the
writer of the Declaration of Independence, the creator of the University of Virginia, and the
architect
of Monticello still comes across as an extraordinary American.
Near the end of his book, the author asks: "Do Thomas Jefferson's character and his achievements
qualify him as a great American icon, worthy of having his features colossally carved into the
(more
or less) eternal granite of Mount Rushmore, along with George Washington, Abraham Lincoln,
and
Theodore Roosevelt? The answer, I believe, is a qualified but unhesitating yes."
An editor at American Heritage magazine for many years, Halliday also wrote about the allied
invasion of Soviet Russia during the First World War. He has also penned articles for The New
Yorker.
This book is highly recommended.
Jim Sullivan
Reviewer
Roger's Bookshelf
Managing With Carrots: Using Recognition To Attract And Retain The Best People
Adrian Gostick & Chester Elton
Gibbs-Smith Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
ISBN 1-58685-077-6 $18.95, 1-800-748-5439
A Fine Example of Self Promotion
Anyone with any business sense knows that recognition is important. Company owners and
human
resource professionals know that an entire industry has been built around this technique. There is
an
abundant supply of consultants, authors, and professional speakers touting the value of
recognition,
as well as companies that design recognition programs and sell the products that are used in
recognition.
This book is unabashedly written by two senior executives from O. C. Tanner Recognition
Company. The copyright is held by the company, rather than the authors. I approached this book
with the expectation that it was designed to be a thinly-disguised promotion of O. C. Tanner's
products and services. I wasn't disappointed. This perspective is not a bad thing, and a lot of
valuable information is conveyed in the 111 pages.
I was a bit overpowered by the theme of the book: Managing With Carrots. The illustration on
the
front cover is a carrot trophy. Every page number is accompanied by a carrot-in orange print. All
the
call-out boxes and chapter subheads are printed in orange. Even the flyleaf of the book is orange.
I'd
have to label this overwhelming use of carrot orange as overkill. Even the start-of-chapter quote
from Bugs Bunny was a bit too cute.
Part One is a chapter entitled "Carrot Seeds." Part Two gives us Carrot Planting, Carrot
Cultivation;
Presenting Carrots, Symbolic Carrots, Communicating about Carrots, and Creating a Carrot
Culture. Part Three is Carrot Harvest and Part Four is Starting Your Own Carrot Crop. The flow
is
to present the recognition concept, explain how to build a recognition program, then how to reap
the benefits. A number of case studies sprinkled through the book provide an illustrative
enhancement.
If you accept the infomercial nature of this book, you can gain some helpful guidance.
The Five Temptations Of A CEO
Patrick Lencioni
Jossey-Bass
350 Sansome Street, 5th floor, San Francisco, CA 94104-1342
ISBN 0-7879-4433-5 $22.00, Hardcover, 135 pages, 1-800-225-5945
Intriguing, Instructive
Every CEO understands that "it's lonely at the top." That loneliness contributes to temptations
that
can cause an otherwise dedicated executive to go down the wrong path. In this leadership fable,
Lencioni, president of The Table consulting group in the San Francisco area, stimulates our
thinking
with an enjoyable story that captivates the reader's attention. Identifying with Andrew, a troubled
CEO, isn't difficult at all . . . and may even be a bit uncomfortable. The discomfort dissolves with
the
learning that comes in page after page.
Working late on the night before an important board meeting, Andrew O'Brien finds himself on a
commuter train. Alone. Except for Charlie, who appears to be a janitor. A conversation develops
through which Charlie, an unexpected source of wisdom, shares valuable insight and perspectives
with Andrew.
The lessons are built around the five temptations that lead CEOs astray. The fable is well-woven
and
thought-provoking. Following the story, Lencioni presents his model: a summary of why
executives
fail. A self-assessment concludes the book. Though I wasn't that excited about the
self-assessment,
the value of the balance of the book overcomes any deficiencies I might see in those few
pages.
The Five Temptations Of A CEO are choosing status over results, choosing popularity over
accountability, choosing certainty over clarity, choosing harmony over productive conflict, and
choosing vulnerability over trust. Lest you think that you can now avoid reading this book
because
you know the secrets, let me admonish you that merely knowing the words is considerably
different
than understanding the concepts. That benefit will come with reading the book, then applying the
learnings to strengthen your personal performance.
This quick read can make a significant difference in your effectiveness and happiness.
The Ultimate Gift
Jim Stovall
Executive Books
206 West Allen Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
ISBN 0-937539-48-1, $10.95, Trade paperback, 124 pages
Captivating, Inspirational.
I started this book by looking at the Table of Contents. In the Beginning. A Voice from the Past.
The Gift of Work. The Gift of Money. The Gift of Friends.
What is this? Is this the kind of book I want to read?
I flipped to the back cover of the book for insight to the contents. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are
here to read the last will and testament of Howard 'Red' Stevens.." "Red Steves was a self-made
man
who gave his family everything-and ruined them in the process. Now, as his estate of oil
companies
and cattle ranches is divided among the greedy and self-serving relatives, one member is singled
out
for something special: Red's great-nephew, Jason. In a darkened room, isolated from the rest of
his
family, Jason is confronted by the image of deceased great uncle on a video monitor . . ."
I began Chapter One out of curiosity. It was a story, not a touchy-feely book, like I feared. The
narrative comes from an eighty-year old attorney who is reading the will of a very successful
long-term client who had become a close, dear friend. As part of the inheritance, the old man's
grand-nephew, a spoiled brat sort of young man, is given a special bequest. Each month he is to
return to the attorney's office for a learning assignment. If he stays with the program successfully,
meeting the approval of the attorney, he gains the Ultimate Gift. If he quits or doesn't meet the
grade
at any time, he loses his opportunity for the Ultimate Gift.
As the book progresses through the chapters, the young man, Jason, transforms from an insolent
know-it-all to a much different person. The series of learnings, prescribed each month by the old
man by videotape, gives a new meaning to Jason's life. Each of the gifts, a learning, is described in
Jason's words as he gains new realizations.
I found myself surprisingly captivated by this book. I couldn't put it down. No, it's not a mystery
or
thriller, but it certainly held my attention. I can think of a number of people I know who would
surely benefit from this book. One will receive my copy shortly as a very meaningful gift.
A word about the author. Jim Stovall has overcome blindness to become a national champion
Olympic weightlifter, a successful investment broker, and entrepreneur. He is co-founder and
president of the Narrative Television Network, which makes movies and television accessible to
our
nation's 13 million blind and visually impaired and their families. With revealing more about this
man's incredible background (see page 124), I "got" that this is a man to be listened to. You'll gain
the same feeling as you read The Ultimate Gift.
Full Price: Competing On Value In The New Economy
Thomas J. Winninger
Dearborn Books
155 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606-1719
ISBN 0-7931-3954-6, $25.00, Hardcover, 198 pages, 1-800-621-9621
What an idea stimulator! Let's start with a premise: we'd all like to get full price for our goods and
services. No one really wants to be on the losing end of a discount war. . . . and in that struggle,
everybody loses. Full price sounds like a good idea. But, is it realistic? I began Winninger's latest
book with a bit of skepticism.
Full Price begins with an emphasis on maximizing value perception. When I saw that phrase in the
table of contents, I wondered what this book might say that hasn't already been said by countless
authors beating the same drum. Aha! The difference is in the countless examples that illustrate
every
one of the author's points. Winninger walks his talk-the value of his book is certainly maximized
by
the real-life examples. I can't tell you how many ideas I gleaned from those examples-page after
page
of examples and best practices.
Winninger, founder of Winninger Institute for Market Strategy in Minneapolis, knows his stuff.
He's
a professional speaker and consultant who's worked with over a thousand companies in many
fields.
This is definitely a case of "been there, done that." You'll discover that value as you move through
his 15 chapters. I chuckled when I noticed what the author did with the quotes at the start of each
chapter. After quoting others for the first two chapters, he quoted himself for the rest! He must
have
enjoyed writing this book.
The book is organized very well. Chapter titles include Selling the Program, Vertical Integration,
Segmenting Your Services to Targeted Customers, Owning the Customer's Buying Cycle, and
Promoting Differences. This easy-to-read book gets more exciting as it continues, with chapters
on
Substantiating Value, Not Price; Living the Brand; Exploiting Technology; and Forging the
Indestructible System. And every chapter is stuffed with best practice examples. I was impressed
with the way these examples brought the author's points to life?
The whole premise of the book is achieving Maximum Value Perception: seeking and fulfilling the
highest need of your premium customer. Think about those words. Each is explained in the book,
but let me share the questions that flow from the author's discussion: 1. Who is my premium
customer? 2. What is my premium customer's highest need? 3. How do I determine my Maximum
Value Perception? 4. How do I achieve Maximum Value Perception and receive full price? These
questions are answered as the reader is stimulated, then we're off and running!
Fast read, summaries at the end of each chapter, validating footnotes, and a good index. This is a
book you'll read eagerly, salivating at the thought of how you'll apply your learnings to overcome
your competition. And this is a book you'll return to from time to time to stimulate more great
ideas
to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Invasion Of Privacy: How To Protect Yourself In The Digital Age
Michael S. Hyatt
Regnery Publishing Company
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
ISBN: 0-89526-287-8 $27.95, hardcover, 256 pages, www.regnery.com
Insightful explanation, great advice and resources
Privacy has become an increasingly important issue for ordinary citizens who thought their
personal
and concealed. More and more, we've discovered that information we thought was confidential is,
in
fact, public knowledge . . . or nearly so. The question for us now is how to protect ourselves from
the snoops-the marketers, bill collectors, stalkers, criminals, and so many others that shouldn't
really
know so much about us. Personal security is a major concern today, so this book is certainly
timely.
Hyatt reveals how much information about us is available for instant public access or can be
uncovered with a little legal (or illicit) research.
Shortly after reading in Invasion of Privacy that I should never give out my Social Security
number,
I looked into buying a car for my daughter. When the salesman and I came to the question of
financing, he sat down at a computer terminal and asked for . . . you guessed it: my Social
Security
number. After enjoying a good laugh, I asked him why he needed it. His reply: so he could check
on
what kind of interest rate I could get for the credit. He tapped a few keys and instantly knew my
credit rating . . . and a lot more information that I didn't think was any of his business. Real life
evidence about what this book reports.
And the book is filled with much more evidence of identity theft, credit card misuse, and how
stalkers learn about their victims. And that's just scratching the surface! Reading Hyatt's
information-packed book, you'll first learn about the threat. You can evaluate your own
vulnerability
using the self-assessment in the first of five appendices. With this knowledge in-hand, you have to
decide what to do about your privacy. How important is your privacy to you? After learning
about
corporate spies, predators, and government surveillance, you'll read chapters that will help you
determine your preferred level of privacy and security.
The rest of the book describes in fine how-to detail what countermeasures are available to you.
Hyatt covers Computers and the Internet, Banking and Finances, Your Physical Address and Mail
Privacy, Medical Records, Identification Documents, and Telephone and Fax. You'll be amazed at
your exposure and how you can overcome that openness.
You may find yourself wanting even more resources after reading all the information and
references
in the main text of the book. A Comprehensive Privacy Resource List shows up as Appendix C.
When you complete this book, you will feel considerably more aware of your circumstances.
You'll
know the secrets, so you will understand your vulnerability and what you can do to protect
yourself.
This topic is amazing as you dig into it, which Invasion of Privacy will help you do.
Obsessions Of An Extraordinary Executive
Patrick Lencioni
Jossey Bass
350 Sansome Street, 5th floor, San Francisco, CA 94104-1342
ISBN 0-7879-5403-9, $20.00, Hardcover, 183 pages, 1-800-225-5945
Engaging, Insightful
Obsessions Of An Extraordinary Executive: The Four Disciplines At The Heart Of Making Any
Organization World Class is Lencioni's second leadership fable. Weaving a story around a set of
principles can be an effective teaching technique, and Lencioni is skillful in the art of moral-based
storytelling.
The first 136 pages of the book are consumed in telling the story of a CEO who discovered an
effective way to lead his organization. The basis of the approach is a set of four disciplines, which
are not revealed to the reader until the problem scenario has been established. This sequencing is
valuable, since it forces the reader to come to grips with the real-life experiences of the characters
of
the story. The plot is intriguing.
The engaging tale holds the reader's attention strongly enough that there is minimal temptation to
read ahead to see if the butler did it. The lure of the story holds your attention. The realistic
scenes
and dialog give an "edge" to the story; you forget you're reading a business book. It's not difficult
at
all to relate to each of the characters, even to the extent, perhaps, of identifying some of the
characters with colleagues at work in your own organization. But there are surprises, so don't
think
you can second-guess this book.
The story told, the author changes hats on page 137 to slide into the role of consultant and
teacher.
He explains the four disciplines through a narrative style that I'd liken to a friend sitting across the
table from you. But then the questions start. Lots of questions . . . and answers. This effective
consulting style comes naturally: Lencioni is president of a consulting firm in the San Francisco
area.
I recommend this book for CEOs, company owners, and consultants who serve them. You'll learn
some interesting principles and how to convey them, but you'll also learn from the experience of
reading the fable. Those who want to improve their communication of leadership concepts will
benefit from the way Lencioni wove his story. Short book, big lessons.
No, I didn't tell you the what the four disciplines are. I don't want to spoil it for you. Give into the
temptation: read this book.
Money In An Unequal World
Keith Hart
Texere Publishing
55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055
ISBN 1-58799-075-X $27.95, Hardcover, 341 pages, 1-800-233-4830
Academic treatise that covers the topic
Dr. Keith Hart is a distinguished social anthropologist, widely published author, and scholar who
has
taught on both sides of the Atlantic. He is currently a professor and Senior Research Fellow at the
University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He has served on the faculties of Cambridge, Yale, University
of
Manchester, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, and McGill University.
This background should tell you something already about the author's perspective and what this
book will be like. Money In An Unequal World is a deep academic treatment of the role of money
in
society. For those engaged in the study of this topic, this book offers a revolutionary way of
rethinking money and society. Hart addresses how internet access separates societies by
controlling
their access to money and commerce. He shows how money that transfers outside national
controls-and taxes-gives some the distinct advantage of being able to use "wild money." Virtual
capitalism will change the money balance in the world.
You will find a tremendous amount of information and commentary packed into this book. Expect
to encounter page after page of small print text without illustrations. There are nine tables and
figures in the entire book. For the serious reader on this topic, this is a page-turner. For the
occasional reader in this field, this will feel like a highly focused textbook. In the introduction,
Hart
describes the book as being written from memory, but each chapter is backed-up by an abundance
of
footnotes. Fortunately, the book is indexed to help readers find particular areas of interest.
While we can certainly appreciate Dr. Hart writing such a book from his ivory-tower perspective
and manner, there are some really interesting aspects of this topic of value to the lay reader.
Unfortunately, the design and languaging of the book does not appeal to that market.
If this topic interests you, I recommend this book. If it does not hold high academic interest, move
on to another book on the topic. You'll get bogged down in this one.
Peterman Rides Again
John Peterman
Prentice Hall Press
240 Frisch Court, Paramus, NJ 07652
ISBN 0-7352-0199-4 $25.00, Hardcover, 225 pages, 1-800-631-8571
Like sitting at the feet of a guru
John Peterman became a legend in his own time. The creative entrepreneur is best known for
establishing and growing The J. Peterman Company, a unique catalog company. Through his
innovative work, his name became a household word for 40 million Americans. He is less
well-known for playing second base for the Pittsburgh Pirates, though baseball has been an
important part of his life for many years.
J. Peterman opened in 1987 with a $500 investment and grew to become a $75 million company
before hitting a cash flow crisis and being sold under the dark cloud of Chapter 11 bankruptcy in
1999. It was a wild ride that set new standards and broke new ground in the catalog industry.
Reading this book is like sitting at the feet of a giant of a man who took risks, challenged
tradition,
and changed the way an entire industry did business. Peterman was a maverick. People like this
always have fascinating stories to tell, and Peterman is no exception. In page after page, he
weaves
the exciting account of how he built his company. Woven throughout are baseball metaphors as
he
connects his sports life with his business life . . . and his personal life. It's almost like listening to
Uncle John spin the tales.
As you might expect, the guru has lots of wisdom to share. His down-to-earth advice is
disarmingly
simple, but valuable. It appears almost without warning as the text flows. Consider these
examples:
"Once you realize that most people are keeping up appearances and putting on a show, their
approval becomes much less important." Subscribe to the 'Economist' and the "Utne Reader' as
well
as 'Time' and 'Newsweek.' Try Ethiopian food. Strike up a conversation with a truck driver. It's a
big
world." "I might have a bad day, you might have a bad day, but that's OK; I'll come through for
you
on your bad day, and you'll come through for me on mine."
"Most people related to the catalog in a very personal way," Peterman explains, "almost as if it
were
a letter written by a good friend who can take you out of yourself, out of your routine-or remind
you
of who you really are." The watercolor illustrations and caring prose attracted a loyal following of
readers-some who never bought anything but still did not want to be removed from the mailing
list.
Did Peterman learn from his experience? As the book comes close to closing, he reveals a truth
that
should be heeded by all entrepreneurs. "Entrepreneurs genuinely need to take on many roles in
their
understaffed companies, at first, from chief cook to bottlewasher. It can be exhausting, but feeling
indispensable is habit-forming. Insidious, really. I never consciously pulled the tricks some
founders
do to feed the habit, like setting managers against one another in order to play Solomon. Still, I
tended to be more involved in too many tasks, too much detail. Overinvolvement sapped me of
my
energy, perspective, and judgment at precisely the moments where they were needed the most."
Great advice . . . and the book is full of such statements.
Interesting informal book with more learnings that you expect.
Patton On Leadership: Strategic Lessons For Corporate Warfare
Alan Axelrod
Prentice Hall Press
240 Frisch Court, Paramus, NJ 07652
ISBN 0-7352-0297-4, $14.00, Trade paperback, 279 pages, 1-800-631-8571
Easy Read, Inspiring, Instructive
General George S. Patton, Jr., was a legend in his own time. While known for his coarse
language,
he was also respected as a brilliant tactician and terrific motivator. Those who served with him
weren't just "in the war" or "in the army," they were Patton's men. This hard-driving leader
instilled
confidence, acted decisively, and excelled under relentless pressure. His army moved at
unprecedented speed, always on the attack and not on the defensive.
Patton did not write extensively; he was challenged by dyslexia. But he said a lot, was often
quoted,
and was written about. Historians have a rich treasure of who this unusual man was and the
impact
he had on others . . . and ultimately on the world. His approach to his work was clear and direct,
making him an excellent case study and role model. Role model? A man who spat profanity in
almost every sentence? Ah, look beyond the rough exterior that actually endeared him to his men.
Look at how Patton thought, his philosophies. That's where the lessons are.
This book delivers 183 of those lessons in short, tight, bite-size pieces. This is a book you can
read
cover-to-cover or refer to as an inspirational resource. Each lesson is constructed as a Patton
quote,
with Axelrod's interpretation of the meaning, the purpose, and the impact of the words. The flavor
throughout the book is how Patton's military style and experience applies to management and
leadership of today's business organization. Or any organization, for that matter.
The beginning of the book includes an enlightening biographical profile of Patton to understand
the
context of the man. The volume concludes with some recommended reading and a helpful
index.
As a reviewer, I'm tempted to start listing some of the titles of those 183 lessons. I'll resist,
because
it will be too difficult to present a representative sample. Every page of this book is filled with
concise, valuable insights. Thought-provoking as well as inspiring, Patton on Leadership should
be
read-and applied-by leaders at all levels. Invest a few dollars and some of your reading time.
You'll
get a good return on your investment with this book.
God Is My Ceo: Following God's Principles In A Bottom-Line World
Larry Julian
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
ISBN 1-58062-477-4, $19.95, Hardcover, 253 pages, 1-800-872-5627
Interesting, inspirational reading.
America is populated by a great many people who attend religious services on a regular basis.
They
affiliate with a congregation of people who think, believe, and worship as they do. Millions of
people
build their lives around their religious beliefs and principles.
Then there's business. In the world of business, profit is worshipped by corporate leaders and
employees at all levels. Achieving corporate goals becomes all-consuming, with little room for
bible-based principles. Biblical teachings are fine for the personal side of life, but business is
business. Or is it?
The movement known as spirituality in the workplace has been gaining momentum, with
supporters
careful to differentiate between spirituality and religion. The human spirit is central to the
corporate
spirituality theme, but God and religion do seem to find their way into the picture. When people
express their spirituality, their religious beliefs underlie their values and approach, even if specific
teachings are not overtly expressed.
In God is My CEO, Larry Julian surveys the landscape through the stories of twenty
well-respected
leaders. Each of these influential people runs a business through the application of biblical
principles,
with great results. You'll learn from people like Bill George, CEO of Medtronic; Jerry Colangelo,
owner of the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Diamondbacks; Al Quie, the former governor of the
state of Minnesota; and Archie Dunham, Chairman and CEO of Conoco, Inc.; Horst Schulz, CEO
of
the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company; and Truett Cathy, founder and Chairman of Chick-Fil-A, an
amazingly successful quick service restaurant chain that's always closed on Sunday.
The helpful organization of the book takes us first through an understanding of the Clash of Two
Worlds. You'll learn about the relationships and conflicts between profits and principles. The ten
sections that follow each includes a statement of the issue and Julian's suggestion of a solution.
The
rest of each section is two chapters telling the story of the biblically-based executives. The ten
sections are Purpose, Success, Courage, Patience, Leadership by Example, Yielding Control,
Tough
Decisions, Servant Leadership, Integration, and Priorities.
Each chapter explores real-life issues with some intriguing stories that will make you think. The
religious theme is, of course, prominent in this book. However, while it is ever-present, the
biblical
message is comfortably woven into the vignettes. You'll be surprised how fast a read this book is,
as
you turn page after page to follow the stories.
Roger Herman
Reviewer
Sandra's Bookshelf
Cancer Diagnosis: What To Do Next
W. John Diamond, M.D., W. Lee Cowden, M.D., and Burton Goldberg
AlternativeMedicine.com, Inc.
1640 Tiburon Road, Tiburon, CA 94920
www.alternativemedicine.com 1-800-333-HEAL
ISBN: 1-887299-40-8 Soft Cover 360 pp. $14.95
W. John Diamond, M.D., a board-certified pathologist and alternative medicine expert, and W.
Lee
Cowden, M.D., who is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and clinical
nutrition, joined forces with Burton Goldberg, author of numerous books on alternative medicine,
to
write Cancer Diagnosis: What To Do Next.
Many people don't know where to turn for information when diagnosed with cancer. And the
answers they often get from medical professionals include few options. Lack of knowledge causes
many people to undergo treatments they don't want. Goldberg says that "there is no single magic
bullet cure for cancer. Many factors contribute to the development of cancer and many modalities
and substances must be used to reverse it."
The authors emphasize that never giving up hope is a critical first step in cancer treatment, no
matter
what therapy is chosen. They then outline some positive steps that patients can take that will help
them chose the therapy that's best for them. Included in this section is a simple test that reveals
whether a tumor will respond to chemotherapy, and if so, what the smallest effective dosage
is.
They also discuss the causes of cancer, and offer suggestions for prevention and early detection.
They provide complete information about testing methods used by alternative practitioners that
aid
in developing effective treatment plans.
Nutrition plays a big role both in prevention and treatment of cancer, and the authors explain how
to
choose the best diet for you. They also explain the role of supplements, such as vitamins and
minerals, in strengthening the body.
Herbs and other nontoxic therapies can be very helpful for many people. All the details are
included,
as well as complete information on techniques for stimulating the immune system. Detoxification
and
energy therapies are also explained. Detoxification is especially important because of all the
pollutants in our air, water, and food. According to the authors, "most conventional doctors do
not
take these factors into consideration when treating cancer."
Each chapter includes "Quick Definitions," which are explanations of medical terms, in the
margins,
making it easy to understand the text. Whenever a special test or procedure is discussed, contact
information is provided.
"Alternative medicine has established the causes of cancer--from radiation and dietary factors and
pesticide residues to stress and dental factors and free radicals--and has safe, nontoxic, and
effective
therapies that can address each one." Cancer Diagnosis gathers all this information into one
easy-to-use book. It's an essential reference for anyone desiring full information on treatment
options.
The PK Man
Jeffrey Mishlove, Ph.D.
Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
www.hrpub.com 1-800-766-8009
ISBN: 1-57174-183-6 Soft Cover 283 pp. $14.95
Psychokinesis is when "the mind exerts a direct influence on distant physical systems, with no
known
mechanism of mediation," or more simply, mind over matter. However it is defined, Ted Owens
possessed PK ability. Or perhaps it possessed him.
Jeffrey Mishlove, Ph.D., tells Owens' fascinating story in The PK Man. Respected as an authentic
investigator of spirituality and parapsychology, Mishlove writes books, hosts a talk show on
public
television, and serves as a director of Intuition Network.
He established contact with Ted Owens in 1976 and began "an investigation into the supposed
powers and life of this eccentric man." He witnessed and recorded demonstrations, interviewed
other witnesses, and collected documentation. After years of observations and study, he
concluded
that "Ted Owens had the rare gift of mind-over-matter."
Mishlove analyzes everything that's known about Owens, including his often petty uses of his
powers.
Owens took credit for causing earthquakes, hurricanes and other weather disturbances, and power
blackouts. He wanted to be believed and have his powers accepted, but often chose the wrong
way
in his aggressive attempts to gain attention.
Because of his capricious nature, Owens was often dismissed as a crackpot. He also claimed to
have
received his powers from "Space Intelligences" and at times said his actions were directed by the
Intelligences rather than himself. Some experts claimed that Owens had psychic abilities which
allowed him to accurately forecast events, rather than to cause those events as he claimed to
do.
Mishlove attempts to sort through all the conflicting claims and confusion surrounding Owens. He
doesn't always agree with what Owens has to say, and at one time angered the self-styled PK Man
to
the point of retaliation. Mishlove fell victim to a physical ailment that Owens took credit for
causing.
Was Owens "the world's greatest psychic" or "a prodigious liar and dangerous con-man"?
Mishlove
presents the known evidence in The PK Man so you can decide for yourself. But take
warning--many intriguing questions remain unanswered. You may end up wondering about the
PK
Man for a long time to come.
Creating True Prosperity
Shakti Gawain
Nataraj Publishing/New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com 1-800-972-6657
ISBN: 1-57731-170-1 Soft Cover 178 pp. $12.95
Shakti Gawain is well-known as an expert in personal growth and consciousness. She's written
numerous books and leads workshops internationally. Her latest book, Creating True Prosperity,
teaches that the way to happiness is not necessarily the accumulation of wealth.
Gawain defines prosperity as "the experience of having plenty of what we truly need and want in
life,
material and otherwise." She adds that "the key point to understand is that prosperity is an internal
experience, not an external state, and it is an experience that is not tied to money." This is one
reason why many people find themselves unhappy, despite the fact that they have more than
enough
money to cover their needs.
This does not mean that money is unimportant, and a certain amount of it is obviously needed to
meet basic survival needs. The difficulty for many people comes from how they think about
money.
Gawain says that "essentially, money is a symbol for energy." We use our energy in a certain
way--work--and receive money in exchange. We can then exchange our money for something
created by someone else's energy. This defines money as a flow of energy and "our financial
affairs
tend to reflect how our life energy is moving."
Prosperity eludes many of us for a variety of reasons. Gawain provides some exercises for
understanding personal patterns and overcoming habits and thought processes that keep
individuals
from achieving their prosperity goals. From this, she gets into a discussion of polarities and how
most of us feel that we must always choose between opposites, with neither choice providing
happiness. She details six steps that help individuals to balance their own inner polarities.
Gawain then answers common questions that readers might have, such as where to begin when
needs seem overwhelming and how to overcome a "not enough" mentality. She finishes with a
chapter of "stories of prosperity," filled with examples of how everyday people have created
prosperous lives.
Creating True Prosperity is for every person wanting guidance in identifying "where they need
more
balance in their lives, freeing them to pursue fulfilling relationships and personal satisfaction."
Simple Wicca
Michele Morgan
Conari Press
2550 Ninth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.conari.com 1-800-685-9595
ISBN: 1-57324-199-7 Hard cover 171 pp. $14.95
Michele Morgan is a professional psychic, Tarot counselor, certified NLP practitioner, writer, and
teacher. She is also a Wiccan. She expertly describes the practice of Wicca in her first book,
Simple
Wicca.
She explains that "Wicca, known also as Witchcraft or the Craft of the Wise, is a beautiful and
sacred religion, centuries older than Judeo-Christian theosophy." It incorporates a reverence for
Earth and all living creatures and includes "the worship of both the male and female aspects of
Divinity."
Many people focus on the word witchcraft and have attributed negative connotations to Wicca.
Morgan stresses that true Wicca has nothing to do with black magic or harming others. In fact,
one
of the basic tenets of Wicca is the philosophy of "harm none." Wiccans believe that everything
they
do comes back to them threefold, and therefore take care not to send out harmful thoughts,
words,
or actions.
While Wiccans can and do gather in groups to practice their religion, Morgan says "there are as
many ways to be Wiccan as there are Wiccans; spiritual truths are the sole proprietorship of the
individual." After delving into the history of Wicca traditions and describing the general practices,
she explains how to create sacred spaces and develop personal rituals.
Part of this includes the use of "magic," which is simply the power given to objects by people to
help
them enhance their connection to their spiritual practices. This often involves the use of symbols
such as candles. She advises "with all things in the Craft, use your instincts and your imagination."
Morgan also describes influences and energies, such as the phases of the moon, colors, days of the
week, the four directions, and crystals, and tells how to utilize them in creating your own personal
magic.
She defines a spell as "a prayer acted out," adding that "there is literally no end to the creative
methods" used in creating spells. She provides detailed instructions for devising spells to fit
individual needs. She then explains the various kinds of rituals, such as blessing, healing, or
protection, and again gives detailed instructions for individual practices. As guidance, she includes
examples of spells and rituals she's used.
Morgan says that "Wicca is not just a path to follow, it is a life to live, a life of awareness, hope,
and
love." Simple Wicca is an excellent resource for all those interested in an ancient wisdom that's
become "the fastest growing spiritual practice" of modern times. Written in a straightforward and
practical way, it will answer all the questions that beginners have and help them get started on
their
own paths, as well as provide a useful reference for experienced practitioners.
Sandra I. Smith
Reviewer
Shelley's Bookshelf
Hypershot
Trevor Scott
Salvo Press
PO Box 9095, Bend, OR 97708
ISBN: 1-930486-16-2 $13.95 paperback
It's hard to imagine that a publishing outfit out of Bend, Oregon, an outpost in the middle of the
Cascades, would produce a world-class high-tech thriller writer such as Trevor Scott. Mr. Scott
was
a weapons expert, a captain in the Air Force, with flight deck experience in the Navy, and also
worked in Germany for several years in a tactical missile unit. His writing credentials include a
bachelor's in English from the University of Minnesota and a masters in creative writing from
Northern Michigan.
Mr. Scott brings his powerful and prestigious experience into play with his newest thriller,
Hypershot. Blending his knowledge of Germany, his latest story features Chad Hunter, a private
weapons designer and expert hired by Camden Warfield to broker a weapons deal. The idea is to
merge the best new rail gun technology, designed by von Herz in Germany with the newest scope,
designed by American Frank Baldwin. Warfield wants the rights to produce the gun.
But When Hunter and Baldwin arrive in Germany to sign with von Herz, they find themselves the
target of killers trying to get their hands on the world's newest and most efficient killing machine.
Someone else has gotten their hands on the rail gun, and has been doing some recreational killing
of
their own. Two of Bavaria's best homicide inspectors are investigating the killers with no notion
that
their paths will soon cross with Hunter and Baldwin:
"Gustav asked, I've been told what happened, but what I don't understand is why? Could either of
you elaborate?' It was agreed that Chad would do the talking. I'm from the Denver area, and
Frank
is from Wyoming. I'm a business consultant negotiating a deal with a company in Munich. The
company I represent would like to build their product in the states. I have no idea why someone
would try to shoot us.'"
Mr. Scott utilizes his usual arsenal of literary techniques to build Hypershot into a first-class
thriller:
pacing, effective love interests, compelling characters finding themselves in unusual and deadly
circumstances, clear and effective dialogue, and just plain thrilling circumstances. His settings are
reminiscent of James Bond. A great fourth book!
Keepers
Janet LaPierre
Perseverance Press
c/o John Daniel and Company,
PO Box 21922, Santa Barbara, CA 93121
ISBN: 1-880284-44-8 $12.95, www.danielpublishing.com/perseverance
Janet LaPierre is a native of the Midwest who discovered her destiny in the area north of San
Francisco. Raised in Iowa, she states on her very cute and informative web page (which features a
picture of her what looks to be a golden lab, Emmitt) that after early "sinner-dunking" she came
to
California via college in Arizona. She taught high school and finally came to writing after raising
two
daughters. She has written seven mysteries and nine short stories, and is a member of "Sisters in
Crime," and is well connected in the mystery underworld.
LaPierre creates a mother/daughter duo with lots of wonderful baggage as her heroines in
Keepers.
Verity Mackellar has just moved back home with her mother, long-time PI Patience Mackellar,
who
learned her craft from her now deceased policeman husband. Verity is coming off of a yuppie
marriage to the son of a crusty old lawyer, and her erstwhile husband, Ted, is still coming on to
her
in a creepy way. But when Patience is presented with an unusual request for her services from a
reticent professor named David Simonov, who approaches her to find his former wife and
daughter,
Patience's instincts kick into high gear:
"Patience Mackellar, you're out of your mind. This is a messy circumstance and anyway beyond
your
resources. Patience reached out to push the photos back to their owner, but her hand disobeyed
her
and picked up the picture of the child. Mr. Simonov, are you intending to seek custody of your
daughter?' She lifted her gaze from the dark, intense face to the mild countenance across her
desk."
Besides wooing the reader with beautiful Northern California landscapes, Ms. LaPierre knows her
character and plot development. Each character is someone the reader either immediately loves or
hates. The plot is full of "squirm in your seat" situations, with little letup. Patience and Verity are
one of a kind who attach themselves to our psyche from the moment they are introduced.
Relationships are carefully crafted, and this mystery grabs us with its intensity, never to let go. I
hated reading the last page, because I just wanted it to go on and on. Keepers is a keeper of a
mystery, and I am already a big fan of the Mackellar investigative firm. The ending is a shock,
followed by a sigh of complete contentment. A great read.
