Hooker
Dean Hovey
J-Press Publishing
4796 N. 126th Street, White Bear Lake, MN 55110
1930922035, $14.95, 1-888-407-1723
Robert O. Barclay
Reviewer
The story begins with a cryptic phone call late at night to Ann Olsen, then switches to a trailer
park
next to Sturgeon Lake. The nosey neighbor tells police that he heard a scream earlier, but didn't
see
anything. Upon entering the darkened trailer they find a horribly bloody crime scene, but no body.
The missing person (the owner) turns out to be Jeanie Oinen (pronounced Weenan). She is a
prostitute (Hooker) in denial. She runs an exclusive club for men, where membership comes only
by
referral, and she isn't paid for "entertaining" these men, but accepts donations, which are left in a
box
by the front door. The body continues to remain missing while the sheriff builds a long list of
suspects. Most are straight and stalwart businessmen; one is a state senator.
Mr. Hovey brings back many of the same characters from his first novel, "Where Evil Hides", and
we are once again in Pine County Minnesota. Sandy Make is here too, but he has a minor role and
there is no romantic sub-plot, which personally I found disappointing. Sandy is a young officer
who
works with Dan Williams, Sheriff of Pine County - Williams is the super sleuth and chief
investigator.
The writing is tight and fast-paced, with just enough description to tie the reader to the scene, but
not enough to distract or interfere with the flow. Hovey's description of crime scene investigation
and forensics and his knowledge of rural police procedure is clearly well researched and gives the
story a wonderful sense of reality. If the reader doesn't occasionally remind himself that he is
reading
fiction, he will believe that Hovey is reporting on a real crime. Warning: some scenes may be
graphic
and bloody, but that seems to be a hallmark of Hovey's writing.
Unfortunately, the ending didn't come as much of a surprise. Although there were a few red
herrings
and the reader has at least one character that he wants desperately to believe did the dirty deed,
there are sufficient clues to point to the real murderer. However, the reasons for what he did, and
the extent of his crimes once he confesses, do take the reader unawares. And the final payoff is
worth waiting for.
This is an engaging story that will keep you turning the pages to the end, and I enjoyed it every bit
as much as his first effort (Where Evil Hides). Mr. Hovey seems to know the genre and is an
excellent storyteller. He peppers his plot with lots of interesting details about his characters, again
adding to the frightening illusion that this is non-fiction.
There are, however, a few glitches in the writing. The sort of stuff that a good editor should have
caught before the book went to print, and that unfortunately take the edge off an otherwise great
book. If this were a standard review, I would have to knock off _ a star to what otherwise
deserves
a five star reward.
That said, I highly recommend that you add "Hooker" to your mystery library.
Elephantoms, Tracking The Elephant
Lyall Watson
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
ISBN 0-393-05117-X (hardcover), $25.95, 261 pages, 1-800-233-4830
B.A. Brittingham, Reviewer
conscribo@yahoo.com
Few of us have had the opportunity to see Africa's Coastal Cape region. Even less likely is that a
Western-trained naturalist intensely familiar with its past and present plant and animal life might
conduct such a tour.
"It was always hot on the plain, but everything changed as we neared the coast and could smell
the
sea. The scrub was replaced by the maritime forest that tumbled over the cliffs and down ravines
in a
thick olive-green cover of salt-tolerant trees with gnarled trunks and small shiny leaves. There
were
several dominant species, all old and slow-growing and each fragrant in a way that combined into
an
unforgettable spicy smell that is peculiar to the Cape."
In Elephantoms, Tracking The Elephant, we are escorted through a land unlike anything the
average
seduced-by-creature-comforts city-dweller will ever experience. Unhappily, a portion of this
involves looking into the face of what author Lyall Watson calls "the growing loneliness of
careless
extinctions."
It is an annihilation in which humanity has played too major a part. Our long pursuit of the largest
marine or terrestrial game on the planet frequently for the flimsiest of excuses might be
interpreted as love of challenge. Or perhaps merely the desire to dominate.
Following an initial boyhood sighting of an elephant in the wilds of his South African home, the
young Watson develops a passion: he must see and learn more about these animals. Sometimes
this
works at cross-purposes to family career plans for him, but he is an enterprising lad, a clever
talker
fixated on a goal. Although post-university studies send him along other paths in search of other
answers, he always returns to these early questions concerning elephants.
In recounting the 400-year saga of African elephants repeatedly forced from their habitats by the
onslaught of so-called progress, Watson manages to make us assess our attitudes towards nature
conservancy, interconnectedness, and the version of 'civilization' we are currently creating. His
description of the final elephant slaughters, blessed by the South African provincial government of
the 1920's and perpetrated by a man with the magisterial name of Pretorius, is detailed and
devastating. In subsequent behavior witnessed by Watson, descendants of the few creatures who
escaped, appear to harbor an innate mistrust of humans, a filtered-down wariness, "a tension born
of
generations of persecution."
There are some who will read such a statement and summarily dismiss it because it has not been
proven by strict scientific method. Let us bear in mind, that all accepted knowledge arose from
this
kind of intelligent speculation, and that even the occasional miscue serves a purpose.
For those unfamiliar with this author it seems he is better appreciated in Europe and Japan
Lyall Watson holds doctorates in anthropology and ethology. Add to this four decades of global
travel and you have a recipe for unique takes on a diversity of topics. Elephantoms is his
nineteenth
book in English flanking four others available only in Japanese.
As impressive as the book itself are the statistics it contains: a fully grown, African bull elephant
consumes 300 lbs. of vegetation a day in order to operate an often ten-ton body propelled by a
seventy-pound heart. All while managing a 300 lb. nose/hand/general-sensing device.
These are the happy, astonishing specifics. There are also the bloody counterparts. "Ten million
African elephants roamed the savannas of Africa in Hemingway's day. Now there may be no more
than half a million."
As if dexterity in English were not enough, Dr. Watson gives us a brief primer on the basic sounds
of African clicking language. It never hurts to be reminded that there are other methods of
communicative sound, be they drums, clicks, or elephant infrasound.
I would like to say that Watson is at his peak literary style. But to do so would unintentionally
denigrate his earlier works which, even thirty years ago, exhibited a seemingly effortless
technique.
He has long been a builder of beautiful, flowing sentences. It may be sufficient to state that
Elephantoms is a more leisurely paced book than some of its predecessors, books like Lifetide,
The
Romeo Error, and bestseller, Supernature.
There was, and perhaps still is, the belief that readers ought to be more focused on the words than
the hand committing them to paper. And, while the creative/scholarly mind is certainly entitled to
privacy, it is inevitable that, after twenty books, readers wonder about the individual behind the
thoughts. Yet, the concept of autobiography contains obvious elements of egotism. Holding in
check
the potential for arrogance can be difficult. Naturalist Lyall Watson has found a means of
delivering
to the reading public something of his extraordinary life without the self-absorption that might
taint
it. He does so by blending personal biography with research on a phase of the biological world
that
has piqued his ever-present curiosity.
And what could be more natural or fascinating than that?
Russian Experiences: Life in the Former USSR & Post-Soviet Russia
The Raven & Marie Claire
Virtualbookworm.com Publishing Inc.
PO Box 9949, College Station, TX 77842
1-877-376-4955 http://www.virtualbookworm.com
ISBN 1-58939-177-2 (softcover) $12.95; ISBN 1-58939-198-5 (hardcover) $17.95
Dan Murr, Reviewer
http://www.danlmurr.4mg.com
Right from the start, I liked this book written by The Raven and Marie Claire. If you were not
born
yet in 1939 when the world was in an upheaval, reading this book provides a glimpse of what
Communism is about. You quickly understand the reason for the Chinese Communist revolution
in
China in 1945; and why the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The first page of this book gives
you
instant answers.
They wrote that the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) was a country built by
Communists
since 1917, and whose aim was to establish a worldwide Communist regime. "(Karl) Marx," they
also wrote, "believed, without questioning the results, that a Communist revolution should be
worldwide." Obviously, at this writing, that has failed with the dissolution of the USSR into the
new
Russian Federation.
So if you like a bit of military history and how governments function, this is a brief but most
interesting internal look at Communism inside the former Soviet Union and its different phases of
life. The author, The Raven, born in Baku City, in Azerbaijan in what once was the USSR, writes
this short but very informative book that gives you a look at what happened after the Communists
came into power in 1917. He tells of the pitfalls and why the USSR failed in its quest to establish
Communism in Finland when the Russians went to war against the Finns in 1939-40. He also
explains how a lack of communication was so costly to the Red Army when it was losing so badly
to
the Germans in the early days of World War II and the enemy was knocking on Moscow's doors.
As
a ten-year-old, I can remember the war between Russia and Finland in our newspaper headlines,
and
especially World War II when the Germans were trying to take over Russia and the fighting
around
Stalingrad in the bitter Russian winter.
The Raven also writes about his health problems in his youth created by a doctor, who treated him
incorrectly, which led to a partial loss of hearing and damage to his nervous system. Of equal
importance is some of the unfair treatment of The Raven in later years by one particular dean in
his
quest for an education. Specifically, The Raven tells how a single unanswered question evoked a
negative response from the head of the linguistics department concerning answers to all other
questions on the exam. The Dean suddenly decided that The Raven's previous answers were
wrong,
and offered new questions for The Raven to answer. Fortunately, The Raven managed to transfer
into computer studies and received much better treatment despite living in inadequate housing and
crowded situations.
It's a very revealing book and I would highly recommend it, especially to students and historical
buffs who are interested in the old Soviet Union and the new Russian Federation. A four-star
effort
for certain.
There's A Spirit In The Kitchen
Jackie Dashiell & Wanda Sue Parrott
Galde Press, Inc.
P.O. Box 460, Lakeville, MN 55044-0460
ISBN- 1-880090-25-2, Price: $16.95, 276 pgs., Trade paper back
Meredith Campbell
Reviewer
This unusual book is prophetic utterance, cookbook, and down-home wisdom--all rolled into one
exciting read. Ever use coffee grounds more than once? You can if you follow Amy Kitchener's
recipe. How about knowing that apple slices can remove eye bags? Find out how so from Amy.
Or,
make some pallet Heaven out of following the recipe for House of Representatives Hash.
Between
1973-74 the spirit of Amy, a 19th century, Iowa farm woman communed with the authors, two
respected Los Angeles journalists. Everybody knows that journalists don't automatically believe in
much of anything without the "facts." Therefore, that Dashiell & Parrott would give credence to a
ghostly presence in their kitchens, promising to make magic in their lives,
seems--well--unbelievable.
But they did and so this book was born.
Amy defined herself as: "We are the ascended race/Wearing, sometimes, human face." To her,
America has lost the sense of "magic" found in 19th century kitchens, and modern day cooks don't
care. But she predicts a time when more Americans than ever will be eating at home, and thus, the
call for cooks to--care. Is she foretelling a depression? Much of her philosophy is that one's
kitchen
can be an inviting place that encourages family togetherness and well being. Thus, she dispenses
mouth-watering recipes, money saving ways to make foods and cooks attractive, as well as such
wisdom that says: "All energy, especially psychic energy, must be organized to be exhibited, to
perform."
Whether the reader agrees or disagrees that spirit manifestation is possible, meeting Amy
Kitchener
in this charming, exquisitely written book is well worth the read. Highly recommended for young
teens through octogenarians.
Mountain Of The Fog Givers
Sharon L. Schultz
Tillie Ink
P.O. BOX 911 Wauna, WA 98395
ISBN: 1-930847-14-9, price: $8.50, page count: 189
Jan McDaniel
Reviewer
In the Science Fiction/Fantasy genres, it is always a pleasure to find a book that goes beyond the
surface plot. Author Sharon L. Schultz weaves a complex fantasy story around the social customs
of
two very different tribes of primitive humans. These two cultures value life in diametrically
opposed
ways. The more advanced Sandu have great pride in their women warriors and in the importance
of
their monogamous relationships with their "hearth keepers" while the barbaric Hemon relate to
each
other on an instinctual level where each male's strength determines the number in his immediate
circle of family.
Enter Janara, the young girl crossing the threshold of womanhood and faced with an impossible
demand. To become a Sandu warrior she must complete a task, but the task chosen for her is to
kill
her own brother. Though sick and suffering, he is still beloved by his strong sister--and the keeper
of
a secret even she does not know.
Who can say which is the more barbaric of the two tribes? Maybe the mischievous gods who
meddle
in the lives of these humans can. The traits of Hacias and Jakoha are all too human, yet their
power
cannot be denied. It is these "watchers" who send Janara and the Hemon chief, Tomask, on a
quest
to halt an impending disaster. Even before the great Tomask meets the Amazon maiden, the gods
allow him a vision of her in his dreams:
In an excerpt from the book, Tomask sees that:
"She had the appearance of a finely chiseled statue, yet honed from bone and muscle rather than
stone. The woman glowed with inner vitality from the top of her auburn, knee-length hair to her
sun-kissed feet.
By the Gods, she's lovely, and she will be mine this night. He did not wonder where so pleasing a
creature came from, only that he needed her tonight as a man needed water to quench his
thirst.
"She will help you save your people." Tomask heard the strange faraway voice, but ignored it as
he
reached out for the glorious woman. The pagan beauty stepped forward lifting her arms, desire
showing clearly in her eyes. She mysteriously vanished when he grabbed for her.
She needs to learn how to trust again, and he must lean how to love. It is the journey--and the
struggle between Tomask and Janara--that makes this book worth reading.
Bryson City Tales
Walt Larimore, M.D.
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 0310241006, $16.99, 314 pp, www.zondvervan.com
Vieveka Neveln, Reviewer
www.ClubMemoir.org
With a confiding, conversational tone, Dr. Larimore brings you along to the bucolic Smoky
Mountain town in which the memoir is set. Strong, concrete detail and lively, idiomatic dialogue
bring the story's setting and characters to life. He imbues the narrative with meaning as he
examines
and reflects upon his role as a "trained professional" who is as prone to doubts, imperfections, and
frailties as anyone else.
This memoir begins with a homicide for which Dr. Larimore acts as the county coroner for the
first
time. The author unflinchingly recounts the gory, gruesome scene of a man with his head blown
off
by a close-range shotgun. The story is raw, real, and visceral, yet it seems like a transparent
attempt
to capture the reader's attention and to demonstrate that this isn't your average, sleepy town tale
in
which nothing really happens. Though a legitimate and effective technique, in this case, it seems
about as subtle as a mountain-dweller from Bryson City.
The unusual organization of the subsequent chapters also accentuates this ploy for attention. The
narrative flies back in time a year from the murder for "Part One," in which the author provides
necessary background information at a markedly slower pace. Then time jumps forward to a little
before the murder for "Part Two," completing the picture by eventually coming back to the
aftermath of Dr. Larimore's first act as a coroner. From then on, time moves more or less
chronologically with periodic flashbacks to older memories. This organization feels a bit like the
author is doing backbends to start with the murder scene and yet not confuse the reader too much
by
jumping around in time.
At times, the foreshadowing seems awkward and obvious, but the author still manages to build a
sense of tension caused by the contrast of old-fashioned, "kitchen" medicine and new, prestigious,
modern practice. For example, Dr. Larimore's colleagues make several comments such as "didn't
they teach you that up at the ivory tower?" Through his thoughts, Dr. Larimore shows that such
comments affronted him inwardly, but outwardly he took it on the chin and used the opportunity
to
learn something new. You might even pick up a trick or two along with the good doctor.
Dr. Larimore's heart-warming, lively anecdotes chronicle how he overcomes being not quite
welcome in the small, close-knit town, gains the confidence of his peers, and finally gains
acceptance
and respect from the people of Bryson City. Healthy doses of humility and humor keep the prose
light and interesting. However, some conclusions of chapters sound slightly mawkish and
overblown
as the author spells out the "moral of the story" in no uncertain terms. In the end, Bryson City
Tales
leaves you with plenty of warm fuzzies and wanting more. You even may find yourself relating
these
stories to others as if Dr. Larimore were a personal friend. Overall, the book is an entertaining
read
that employs enough human interest, drama, and conflict to keep you turning the pages until the
last
one.
Housebreaking A Husband
Lori Soard
Five Star Books
295 Kennedy Memorial Drive, Waterville, ME 04901
ISBN: Unknown, $TBA, 1-800-223-1244
Ronda Weems
Reviewer
About four years ago, I discovered an unknown novelist named Lori Soard. She'd published a
couple of books with small presses and a lot of articles in our local paper. Curious about how
she'd
translate from nonfiction to fiction, I picked up a copy of a young adult novel she had out named
"It's Hard To Go Home." Of course I expected to breeze through it. It was aimed at teens after
all.
Much to my surprise and delight, I found hidden depths to this writer. She made me laugh and
made
me cry.
Housebreaking A Husband is Lori's best book to date. The characters are real enough to jump off
the page and her witty style kept me turning pages until late into the night.
Trent Tremayne is raising twins by himself. Sarah Goldwyne wants a family of her own. What
neither wants is to risk loving again. But as we all know sometimes you need what you don't
expect.
Lori Soard is an author to keep your eye on. This is her first New York published book, but I
expect
to see many more in the future. When I contacted her to see if she wanted to do an interview for
our
local, small town paper--she graciously gave me all the time I needed and asked a zillion
questions.
That warmth shines through her writing as well.
Laws Of The Master
JSteve McCardell
Gold Dragon Publishing
PO Box 80011, Rochester, MI 48308-0011
097194265X, $9.95, www.golddragonpub.com, publisher@golddragonpub.com
Vincent Cole
Reviewer
Wisdom often comes as a whisper. It has no need to shout, no need to draw attention to itself.
Once
wisdom is revealed, its truth and beauty are evident. Within the pages of the unadorned book
Laws
Of The Master, by Steve McCardell, is a deep wisdom offered in a simple, straightforward
structure.
The message of the book shines like a pearl in its simplicity, and yet there is a rare wealth of deep
understanding.
The book is a dialogue between a seeker longing to "know the secrets of creation" and a teacher
who is patient at times but always challenging. One by one the laws are revealed. The laws are
few,
as the Master explains, "but the applications are many. Even your world's most advanced
machines
could never take the few laws and apply them in every way, as the universe has."
As the book delves more deeply into the laws and some of their applications, the sincere seeker
becomes the voice of every yearning soul and the voice of the Master speaks not just to the one
asking the question, but to all who would listen. By the second chapter the discourse between the
two rises above the printed page and enters into the heart and mind of the person holding the
book.
At times the laws challenge preconceived beliefs about reality. In just a few pages there is a
saturation of information assaulting the barricades of the mind. Then suddenly comes
understanding
and the universe takes on a new dimension. Laws Of The Master gives the reader a richly ornate
and
powerful concept of creation. The universe becomes a filigree of intertwined forces as the laws of
Being, Unity, Division, Balance and Imbalance are brought into perfect alignment.
Laws Of The Master is a slim volume, but within its few pages is a multifaceted treasure so
complex
that one has to linger over each law and listen carefully to the whispers of wisdom. Other books
will
shout for your attention. This one will wait quietly until it is discovered. Readers who are truly
seeking a greater understanding of the wonders of creation will happen upon this simple treasure,
and its quiet message will speak immensely to the soul.
Verma's Bookshelf
The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan,
Robert Kanigel
Washington Square Press
c/o Simon & Schuster Inc.
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 0-671-75061-5, Price $14.00, 438 pages
To understand, describe and analyze a genius is a difficult task for any ordinary human being. If
that
genius happens to be a mathematician whose work is still not understood properly, then the
biographer has a major challenge on his hands. It is therefore creditable that this book gives a
faithful
description of the life and works of Ramanujan. To add, Kanigel also gives an easy understanding
of
South Indian community under the British rule and English upper class society in the early part of
the twentieth century. Author has shown in-depth understanding of the two cultures, and the
social
structure. He lucidly brings out the cultural differences between the religious Tamil South India
and
the atheist, rational academic world of Cambridge. The conflict Ramanujan felt as an Indian, born
and raised in a deeply religious Tamil society, and his interactions with the cold, indifferent
scientific
community of England could not have been described better. Ramanujan's triumph over the warm
sunny plains of South India to the harsh cold weather of Britain were as intriguing as his
mathematics. The English aloofness which he had to go through is depicted very well, as the
author
humorously tells, 'One story set in India, told of a swimmer whose cries for help sent everyone
rushing to his aid. Everyone, that is, save the lone Englishman, who sat where he was, apparently
unmoved. "Oh," he replied when asked later why he'd not helped, "were we introduced?"( p
243)
This book gives a complete and vivid description of Ramanujan's life and work. His childhood, his
mother's ambition, his personal faith and ambition are vividly described. His struggles as a young
man, the mathematical discoveries, trip to England and his untimely death brings out the
unforgetable story of a genius as never old before. The book also reflects upon the educational
system present in Ramanujan's time in India, which was very inflexible and could crush a student's
talent and insight if he was unable to follow the system. His wife Janaki's devotion even in very
trying circumstances is admirable. The short span of time they were able to spend together seems
tragic. The infighting within the family between his mother and wife, portray the social relaions of
that time period. The path he created in British India and his letter to G.H.Hardy, the British
mathematician is remarkable. The lucidity of authors writing take's us back to a different time and
era. The fact that Ramanujan had to go through innumerable hardships in order to get recognition,
made me both sad and angry. Though Hardy was lesser mathematician compared to Ramanujan,
life
was much easier for him, both in social acceptance and recognition in his field. Author's
description
of Ramanujan at times seems one sided. It seems as if Ramanujan had way too many hardships
and
no contentment at all. However it was his difficult life and perseverance which made him famous
all
over the world.
Author has skillfully portrayed the war time England too. He talks about 1914, when Ramanujan
entered Trinity College and signed the Admissions Book. Very soon war broke out, and student
population in Trinity College thinned down. Author tells us, "But examine the book today, and
you
find on the next page after Ramanujan's the stately march of densely filled columns comes to a
chilling halt. Suddenly for the first time, gaps appear in the record, blank spaces. The name of
John
de Vere Loder appears, but not his signature. Islay Makimmon Campbell's admission is listed; but
he
never signed either. Both were young men, who though admitted to Trinity, had taken their places
at
the front and never reached Cambridge. The next page is worse, like a mouthful of teeth half of
which are missing, or a bombed city with every other house reduced to rubble."( p 259)
Ramanujan with no formal training of mathematics went ahead and became FRS, Fellow of Royal
Society and also a fellow of Trinity College, at the time when an Indian would not be considered
just
because he had darker skin, is significant. Ramanujan's mathematics had intrigued everyone in
India.
His professors and superiors in the Indian patent office where he worked as a clerk recognized
that
he had exceptional abilities. It was therefore not surprising that the few mathematical results that
he
presented on his letter to Hardy immediately drew attention. 'For Hardy, Ramanujan's pages of
theorems were like an alien forest whose trees were familiar enough to call trees, yet so strange
they
seemed to have come from another planet' (p 161). It did not take long for Hardy to realize that
the
author of this letter was 'a mathematician of highest quality, a man of altogether exceptional
originality and power' (p 169).
It is also interesting to note that although Ramanujan's work on number theory, zeta functions,
infinite series etc. were pure mathematical domains these have applications in fields such as
particle
physics, statistical mechanics, computer science, cryptology, pyrometry, string theory. His
theorems
have been applied to improve blast furnaces, plastics and telephone cables and cancer research to
name a few novel applications. 'What makes Ramanujan's work so seductive is not the prospect of
its use in the solution of real-world problems, but its richness, beauty and mystery- its sheer
mathematical loveliness.-- Later after Ramanujan's death many of his acquaintances tried to take
credit of discovering him. The Illustrated weekly of India aptly wrote during its centennial issue,
'Ramanujan he suggested, was Svayambhu- "self-born". He had sprouted up out of the soil of
India
of his own accord. He had credited himself.' (p 358)
Author has done an in-depth and well researched study of Ramanujan's life and work. Though
Ramanujan contributed in a big way towards the study of mathematics still there are people who
have never heard about him. This book is a great tribute to his work and genius. It also reflects
upon
his friendship with Hardy. Their mathematical collaboration and at the same time the un-bridgable
aloofness which stood between their unique friendship till the end. Still Hardy has shown that
Ramanujan had a hold on him, he wrote: 'I owe more to him, than to any one else in the world
with
one exception and my association with him is the one romantic incident in my life.'(p 370)
Both Ramanujan and Hardy had major achievements in the field of mathematics, but this book
depicts their life as tragedies. It has a depressing note all along, I feel the book could have been
written on a more optimistic note. The hardships in Ramanujan's life should be cherished and not
pitied upon. His experiences and what he went through made him what he was. His circumstances
were very much instrumental in making him the genius he turned out to be. Hardy had aptly said, '
He (Ramanujan) would probably have been a greater mathematician if he had been caught and
tamed
a little in his youth; he would have discovered more that was new, and that, no doubt of more
importance. On the other hand he would have been less of a Ramanujan, and more of a European
professor, and the loss might have been greater than the gain.' (p 372)
Dr Chapla Verma
Reviewer
Peter's Bookshelf
Making A Living Without A Job: Winning Ways For Creating Work That You Love
Barbara J. Winter
Bantam Books
1540 Broadway , New York, NY 10036
ISBN: 0553371657; $14.95, Paperback: 260 pages
"If you're willing to make the effort to find those things that turn, some outrageous ideas may
appear. Don't dismiss or ignore them. Often the wildest dreams are the easiest to accomplish."
Barbara Winter, Making A Living Without A Job.
If you want to chuck your job and you're looking for a good self-help book to help you become
an
entrepreneur, consider Making A Living Without A Job: Winning Ways For Creating Work That
You Love by Barbara Winter.
Winter says people can be "joyfully jobless" by developing "multiple profit centers." Rather than
depending upon a single source of income, Winters says people should diversify their sources of
income. Winter likes the variety of doing different things.
In addition to being an author, Winter publishes a newsletter, gives speeches and seminars, and
finds
other creative ways to earn a living. Because she has an interest in tea, Winter earned money
teaching people how to have afternoon tea parties.
Winter writes that many people find "producing a tea a mysterious process." (Don't you just put
the
little bags in a cup of water?). In addition to enjoying teaching tea, it gave Winter the opportunity
to
travel to England and deduct travel costs as tea research. One of Winter's goals was to travel to
England. She emphasizes that we should merge our personal goals with our business ideas, if
possible.
In addition to discussing her own profit centers, Winters discusses many other entrepreneurs who
earn money in creative ways. For example, one entrepreneur earns money by running a cattery,
which is a cat boarding service. Of course, the cattery owner finds other ways to supplement
income, such as founding Critter Communication Consulting, which helps people relate to their
pets.
Winters writes: "Landlording is, of course, one of the oldest ways to make a living without a job.
In
earlier days, widows frequently took their only asset [a house] and turned it into a profit center."
Another entrepreneur merges fighting seasonal forest fires with writing and odd handyman jobs to
earn a living.
So, why don't people quit their jobs and become joyfully jobless? Fear of not having a regular
income is one reason. Winters writes: "Too often we confuse fear with bad ideas! It's far healthier
to
accept that you are feeling fearful about a new plan-and determine that you'll act anyway.... stop
and
give yourself positive reasons for doing what's scary. Write out a list, if necessary.... Life shrinks
or
expands in proportion to your courage"
Winters says many people are afraid of looking foolish for not holding a job. We tend to draw a
sense of identity from a conventional job. Quoting movie reviewer Roger Ebert, Winter writes,
"'Set
up your life so that your personal goals are their own reward.... What you do instead of your real
work is your real work.'"
Winters says Ebert is a good example of someone who merged his early passion (for watching
movies) with a career. Others only later discover their true calling and choose to pursue it.
Winters
tells the story of a cardiologist turned country western singer.
To me, it seems that being a cardiologist would destroy the country western perspective. What
sort
of lyrics does the guy write? "You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille. With four kids in
Harvard
and stocks of low yield...." I'm waiting for his hit single, "You Broke My Left Ventricle."
Winters says we tend to be work snobs and feel that the work we really want to do is beneath us.
If
it's fun, it can't be real work.
Without steady income, we might need to come up with something quick to earn money. Winter
offers a list of suggestions for generating emergency cash. For example, she says we could offer
to
clean something, possibly an airplane. An airplane? I picture a guy standing in front of a 747 with
a
squeegee. I guess she means Cessnas and Pipers. Either way, this joyfully jobless sounds like it
could
become real work. Don't forget to wash under the wings.
Peter Hupalo
Reviewer
Mary's Bookshelf
Personal Wars
Richard Siebert
Sylvan Arts
101 - 13th Street SE, Brainerd MN 56401
0-9713958-0-2, $17.95, 2002, 517pp
Stepping off the military transport arriving from Saigon, Navy Lieutenant Daniel Schubert is
greeted
by hare Krishnas in saffron robes and young ladies in granny dresses, wearing flowers in their hair.
Rose petals are strewn at his feet and a soft voice bids, "peace" as he disembarks. A few steps
later,
"Have you killed any babies today?" explodes in his ears, triggering an instinctive reaction of
uncontrolled rage. Home from Vietnam, Vietnam has followed him home, haunting his life with
memories of a different world and different set of realities. No longer at war, his war becomes
personal as he confronts his inner turmoil as just another casualty leftover from Uncle Smas
involvemnet in the Vietnam Conflict.
Deferred from immediate active duty, Daniel Schubert graduates from medical school and gets
transferred to Long Island Naval Hospital for a neurological assistanship in 1965. He is just
finishing
surgery with Dr. John Berger when the telephone rings in the scrubroom. No, unfortunately it's
not
his wife wanting an additional carton of Jack Damiel's from the commissary for the Friday night
party; but his lucky numnber just came up for a tax-free trip to Vietnam, the soldiers' paradise for
marijuana and malaria--time to get in line for the shots required for his working visa.
With only a week to clear his apartment, and say good-bye to his family, Schubert gets packed off
to
Fort Sam Houston for basic military orientation and propaganda. In three weeks he gets sent via
military cargo carrier express to the sweltering jungles of the exotic SE Asia. His destination?
Thien
Lac in the Central Highlands on Highway 20, where the Viet Cong coss over on the Ho Chi Minh
Trail to Saigon. The town boasts an International Airport with the population of 15000 and a
Shell
gas station, with plenty of bars to keep the American soldiers occupied. The hospital is a
converted
barn, manned by six corpsmen and three doctors. Inadequate for the demand, it has no x-ray
machine, bacteriology, chemistry or blood bank to support the daily demands of casualties. With
no
surgery, there was only sufficient treatment room to close small lacerations and some space to
give
shots.
"The first lower leg amputation performed in Thien Lac occured only one week after our arrival.
The victim was a frightened, sixteen year old boy who had stepped on a land mine while looking
for
his dog." (p65)
With no basic instruments available, the surgery is performed with local anesthetics and a meat
saw
rinsed with alcool. When the local generator fails, the 100watt light-bulb fails and it is completed
by
using flashlights. On a trip to Saigon, essential medical equipment are acquisitioned through
backdoor negotiation.
Raised in a Christian environment to love his enemy as himself and indoctrinated in American
medical ethics to heal and save the wounded and ill, Dr. Dan Schubert is confronted by the bitter
realities of brutal guerilla warfare. Trained to treat both friend and foe, the irony of saving the
enemy
from death brings his conscience into conflict regarding the horrific absurdity of war. With no
escape
from brutal reality and endless stream of casualties, Daniel Schubert struggles with emotional
conflicts between his daily life and ethics.
In an alien land, when time is spent off-duty playing cards and watching old movies, what should a
guy do when he gets bored? Buy Saigon Tea and with three get the lady? Isn't it risky? How can a
doc be safe with a strange lady? Although nobody knows the trouble he's seen, life is happier
when
misery loves company. Where to escape from the private hell that surrounded the
compound?
"Treating war wounds,especially in children, ws mentally wearing. The medical care at our
outpost,
barely adequate for the natural problems of life, broke down almost entirely in the face of the
instruments of war...Renee's love and understanding could have supported me, but I couldn't go
to
her." (p274)
Why not? How can a doc tell friend or foe? Does it show up in the blood like type A or O? Can
the
course of love run smooth when stars are crossed, particularly when they are artificially created by
firing munitions? Could Hobbes be right in his warning, "Dan, listen carefully to this... Renee
Redon
may be a Viet Cong agent." (p171) Torn by civil war in a country where the enemy remains
invisible, the soldiers are not identified by uniforms of blue and grey as in the War between the
States. Here there are no bugles blown, and the casualties are frequently women and children who
do not fight with bayonets on the front line of the battle. Impossible to know the identities that are
hidden behind the social masks worn in public, his love for renee is both selfless and selfish in the
face of war as he endangers not only himself but his colleagues by the affair. The traders are
victims
of VC agents as the French tea plantations survive by paying extortion money to the VC. What
was
her game? What would she get out of him? The latest treatment for malaria or intestinal
worms?
With less than two months left on active duty before recall to the States, internal conflicts explode
in
the external world of work and war. The Viet Cong need or want a doctor for their private needs.
Like bullies bent on the grab, who's going to stop them? Isolated from immediate protection, the
hospital can be easily overrun before the alert is received. Untrained in combat and self-defense,
Dr.
Schubert gets ambushed en route to an emergency medical call. The Viet Cong call to
"Eliminate imperialism, smash the gang of traitors.
With crushed bones and oozing blood,
Ourr hearts overflow with hatred." (p209)
With vengeance they attack unarmed people, destroying villages. Faceless and nameless they
disappear into the dense jungle, reappearing on the village streets, in the local places, playing
tennis
and socializing behind their anonymous faces. Laughter turns to tears and sounds like
"The rain on the leaves is the bitter tears
when the mother learns that her son is no more." (p208)
Extracted from Vietnam, Naval Lieutenant Daniel Schubert returns via military transport to the
States. His beliefs are shattered through the bitter realities of war. The Vietnam War has ended
for
him, but he still struggles with the personal war within and offends his family by rejecting a
medical
residency and isolating himself from society. With elements of history, romance and suspense,
Richard Siebert draws us through the Vietnam Conflict, but the conflict continues in the daily life
of
Daniel Schubert. A good read, the story is told through the diary pages of the isolated soldier
recovering from duty in a small cabin on the shores of an isolated lake. Although hefty, don't use
it
for a kitchen door prop on warm evenings, but take it out and read it while swinging in your
hammock or sitting on a green hill somewhere on the edge of civilization.
Mary C. Legg
Reviewer
Maggie's Bookshelf
A Cook's Tour: In Search Of The Perfect Meal
Anthony Bourdain
Bloomsbury: ISBN 1582341400, $A29.95
Thorndike Press (Largeprint Edition): ISBN: 0786242590, $30.95
Harper Audio (Abridged Edition); ISBN: 0060009705, $25.95
Warning, if you are a vegetarian, or worse, a vegan, stop now. Don't even read this review, much
less the book. If you are at all sensitive about what your read, offended by nasty language,
politically
correct, or feel that food should be kept separate from smoke, drink, calories, or sexually charged
prose, you should give this book, and anything written by (or spoken by) Bordain a wide
berth.
Does the idea of eating a still beating cobra heart and following it up with a blood chaser appeal
to
you? How about a potentially deadly puffer fish? Lamb gonads? Tete de veau (sweetbread stuffed
calves face)? An old rubbery iguana? Birds nest soup? What about a sublime 20 course meal at
The
French Laundry in Napa Valley Ca, or roasted bone marrow at St. John restaurant, London. A
Cook's Tour is partly a foodie's book, covering both the delectable and the disgusting, and it is
also a
travel book, tracing Boudain's course through Tokyo, Vietnam, Cambodia, Portugal, Spain,
France,
Morocco, Russia, Mexico, California, Scotland, and England. There is plenty of gossip, especially
in
England, where the celebrity chefs get a real going over. Helen Hunt, Mel Gibson, Judy Collins,
and
Andrew Lloyd Webber don't do too well either. There is also drunken ranting, overeating, not as
many drugs as Kitchen Confidential, but still some hashish and a few funny cigarettes, and
surprisingly, a lot of rather profound insights, not only about food, but about life. Bourdain's
Kitchen
Confidential was as fun as it was gross (see review at:) and A Cook's Tour is equally enjoyable,
fast
paced, funny (laugh outloud funny at times), and nicely balanced between sensational,
informative,
self-reflective, self-obsessed, thoughtful, and vindictive.
A Cook's Tour is ostensibly about Bourdain's quest for culinary perfection, but it isn't really about
that. Firstly, Bourdain himself admits that perfection is a relative and unimportant term, that
perfection is rarely about sophistication or expense, but rather about context and memory.
Bourdain
likens his trip to a kind of culinary boy's own - an unreasonable, overromantic, uninformed, and
foolhardy quest for "the kind of melodramatic thrills and chills" yearned for since boyhood. It is
also
about the quest for magic. Food magic. Not so much perfection, as an exploration of the
"mystical,
magical aspects" of food in all its exotic forms, and in its own context. A Cook's Tour is the
search
for the really fresh, the really interesting, and the really unusual food in a kind of real fictional
setting
- reality TV for the kitchen. The book is also very much about the cultures Bordain is visiting, and
an American's perspective on these things. Aside from his much noted feelings towards the
"Vegan
Taliban", Bordain keeps an open mind about the things he sees and the people he meets, and tries
to
write about them with sensitivity and understanding. He also provides some historical and
sociological background, particularly to countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, rural Mexico, and
Japan,
and the traditions within those countries.
Bordain remains the focus of the book, which is as much a diary as a travelogue foodlog, but
there
are other characters. There is the camera crew, who follow Bordain about and who generally
manage to capture unflinching film footage of copious pig blood, getting "film gold" while
torturing
a food poisoned Bordain by refusing to turn off Jerry Lewis, and keeping up with the antics while
producing a television series. There is also the long suffering Nancy, Bordain's wife, who we met
for
the first time in Kitchen Confidential and get to know better through Bordain's letter home, which
opens the book, through her threats of divorce court if he eats monkey brains, and when she joins
the "girl's night out" in Basque spain. There are also many local characters, from Jose his boss
who
takes Bordain to his village in Portugal, his younger brother Chris, who joins Bourdain on a trip
down memory lane in their childhood holiday village in France, "desperately seeking
epiphany".
And then there is Vietnam. Vietnam figures so prominently in this book it is almost a character,
with
its beautiful women, its incredibly coffee, and its delicious and fresh food. There are several
chapters
devoted to Vietnam, which Bordain falls in love with, and the most powerful moment in the book
occurs here when he sees a beggar in Saigon scarred head to toe from napalm burns. The
immediacy
of Bordain's response, and his shame comes through clearly, as he swings from hungry gourmet to
everyman, shamed by what we've done:
How could I come to this city, to this country, filled with enthusiasm for something
so...so...meaningless as flavor, texture, cuisine? This man's family has very possibly been
vaporized,
the man himself transformed in to a ruined figurine like some Madame Tussaud's exhibit, his skin
dropping like molten wax. What am I doing here? Writing a fucking book? About food? Making a
petty, useless, lighter-than-air television fucking show? The pendulum swings all the way over and
I
am suddenly filled with self-loathing.
There are other such soul searching moments, as when Bordain experiences disappointment and
rage
in France only to realise he is missing his father, or his sense of communion with Japanese
businessmen, his feeling of disorientation and unbelonging in Morocco, his diatribe on over
legislation of food in the US and Britain: "Try and eat an American chicken and you will see what
looms: bloodless, falvorless, colorless, and riddled with salmonella - a by-product of letting the
little
guys go under and the big conglomerates run things their way".
The book is full of tastes, and wonderful food descriptions, and if you are the sort who (like me)
tends to crave what they are reading about, you will swing from seriously desiring tapas: "a fresh
duck egg, whole, yolk and white undisturbed, which had been removed carefully from the shell,
wrapped in plastic with truffle oil and duck fat, then lightly, delicately poached before being
unwrapped and presented, topped with wild mushroom duxelles and a dusting of dried sausage",
thick Russian borsht, mutton tangine with sweet mint tea, super fresh edomae sushi, roasted bone
marrow with parsley and caper salad, croutons, and sel de gris at St John in London, stuffed
poblano
peppers, and spicy Vietnamese soup with hot rice cake. Better get that wanderlust going
again.
Not everything is degustatory rapture though. There are some foods that even make Bourdain
gag.
There is black bean "natto", which Bordain eats for breakfast in Japan: "Given a choice between
eatting natto and digging up my old dog Pucci (dead thirty-five years) and making rillettes out of
him? Sorry, Pucci." There is dog smelling tripe in Cambodia, pigeon's head amidst birds nest soup
on top of a huge seafood lunch, three day old veal face ("Tete de Veau"), cobra bile, and
someone's
old pet iguana.
Like Kitchen Confidential, A Cook's Tour is not for the faint of heart and delicate of stomach.
Bordain's prose is very straight, and often ribald, and he doesn't censor himself or his descriptions
a
bit. That is part of the book's charm. There is an intimacy and honesty in Bordain's style which
makes you feel as comfortable with the lack of pretence as you would if you had known Bordain
for
years. In the meantime, you will find yourself liking him regardless of what he says, does, or who
he
bags. Even if you don't, the book is full of fun, sensual food writing, and some serious reflection
amidst the flavours.
Maggie Ball
Reviewer
Harwood's Bookshelf
Lying About Hitler: History, Holocaust, And The David Irving Trial
Richard J. Evans
Basic Books
10 East 53rd St, New York, NY 10022
ISBN: 0465021530, $16.00, hc, 318 pp, (First published in Humanist in Canada, Summer
2002)
William Harwood
Reviewer
In 1977 David Irving published Hitler's War. In an otherwise monumental study of Third Reich
history, he reached the indefensibly non-sequitur conclusion that, because Adolf Hitler had
allowed
no documentation to survive linking him to the origin of the gas chambers of the "Final Solution,"
he
therefore could not have known about them until they were already in operation. In 1991 he
released
an updated version of the same book, this time alleging that there never was a Final Solution, and
the gas chambers were a post-war myth.
In 1993 Deborah Lipstadt published Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and
Memory. Irving was mentioned on only six out of more than three hundred pages. But on those
pages she described Irving as "discredited," and labeled him "one of the most dangerous
spokespersons for Holocaust denial. Familiar with historical evidence, he bends it until it
conforms
with his ideological leanings and political agenda.... Distorting evidence and manipulating
documents
for his own purposes ... of skewing documents and misrepresenting data in order to reach
historically untenable conclusions, particularly those that exonerate Hitler.... On some levels
Irving
seems to conceive himself as carrying on Hitler's legacy." (p. 6)
In September 1996, in an action reminiscent of the Leon Uris book and TV miniseries QB VII,
Irving sued Penguin Books and Lipstadt for libel, declaring that Lipstadt's book "caused 'damage
to
his reputation' in his 'calling as an (sic) historian.'" (p. 8)
In December 1997 Richard Evans was engaged as an expert witness for the defense. He quickly
found that, while Irving was indeed a giant to the general public, he was far from being highly
regarded by other Third Reich historians. As Evans puts it (p. 8), "Yet as I began to plow through
the reviews of Irving's books written by a wide range of historians and journalists, the case he
made
for his high reputation among academic reviewers began to crumble. Academic historians with a
general knowledge of modern history had indeed been quite generous to Irving, even where they
had
found reason to criticize him or disagree with his views."
Evans notes that, "Lipstadt was far from being the first critic of Irving's work to accuse him of
bending the documentary record to suit his arguments." (p. 13) One expert on British history had
written that, while Irving was "usually a Colossus of research, he is often a schoolboy in
judgment."
(p. 8) Another found "too many avoidable mistakes ... passages quoted without attribution and
important statements not tagged to the listed sources." (p. 9) Hugh Trevor-Roper "found Irving's
method and judgment defective" and containing a "consistent bias." (p. 10) Another "went much
further, however, and included the allegation, backed up by detailed examples, that Irving had
manipulated and misinterpreted original documents in order to prove his arguments." (p. 11) The
author of a lengthy study of the SS called Irving's claims to incomparable thoroughness
"pretentious
twaddle," and "accused Irving of innumerable inaccuracies, distortions, manipulations, and
mistranslations in his treatment of the documents." (p. 11) Other scholars' comments included,
"Mr
Irving is a great obfuscator," (p. 11), "Mr Irving's factual errors are beyond belief," (p. 12), "at
best
casually journalistic and at worst quite exceptionally offensive. The text is littered with errors
from
beginning to end," (pp. 12-13) and "perversely tendentious." (p. 13)
Add to that, that Irving's previous courtroom experience had apparently taught him little or
nothing.
He had been successfully sued for libel for accusing a naval officer of cowardice, and ordered to
pay
?40,000 damages, an enormous award in 1970 England; for calling Anne Frank's diary a forgery;
and
for calling a newspaper article about himself a product of the journalist's "fertile brain." And he
had
been ordered to pay costs over an unsuccessful libel suit that he launched against an author who
attacked his allegation that Polish resistance leader General Sikorski had been assassinated on the
orders of Winston Churchill.
In the miniseries, a jury found for the plaintiff, and ordered the defendant to pay one halfpenny
damages, in effect a declaration that, while the plaintiff had been libeled, he had had no good
name
to be damaged in the first place. High Court judge Charles Gray did not resort to such
hair-splitting.
He found in favor of defendant Lipstadt, and labeled Irving a falsifier of history, a racist and
anti-Semite, and an active supporter of neo-fascism, thereby putting the final nail in his
reputation's
coffin.
Evans' dust jacket asks, "Is it possible, though, that he lost his case not because of his biased
history
but because his agenda was unacceptable? Evans answers those questions and more in ways that
may surprise many of the commentators and pundits on the trial."
In the light of the conviction of James Keegstra for hatemongering in Canada, even though the
law
under which he was prosecuted unambiguously exempted statements stemming from sincere
religious belief (and as ignorant, bigoted, hate-ridden and dogmatic as Keegstra is, only a jury
whose
bias was different from but equal to his own could have failed to acquit on the ground of
"sincerity"), the reason for the High Court's ruling indeed deserves close scrutiny. But unlike the
Keegstra case, or any North American civil or criminal action, where the onus is on the
prosecution/plaintiff to prove that Holocaust denial stemmed from malice, England's libel laws are
so
stacked in favor of the plaintiff that Irving was assured of victory unless the defendant could
prove
(1) that her words had been misinterpreted (as they clearly had not), (2) that they did not tend to
damage the plaintiff's reputation (as they just as clearly did), or (3) that the allegation of
deliberate,
conscious, intentional distortion and falsification was true-in most cases impossible to prove. For
all
practical purposes, Lipstadt as defendant was obliged to prove, both that the Holocaust really
happened, and that Irving was fully aware of (and suppressed) the evidence that it really
happened.
A journalist from The Independent noted that, if Irving won his suit, "the door will have been
opened for revisionists to rewrite any event in history without a requirement to consider evidence
that does not suit them and without fear that they will be publicly denounced for their distortion."
(p.
38) Another commentator wrote "It is as if a quack was challenging the most prominent doctors
in
the international medical profession. Absurd. Here in London an obsessive charlatan is forcing a
parade of [five] top researchers to take part in a duel that he will win one way or the other, either
as
a martyr or as a successful plaintiff." (p. 36) Evans added the comment that, "a geography
professor,
after all, does not waste time debating with people who think the earth is flat." (p. 229) A former
director of the US Holocaust Memorial feared that persons who correctly identified the case as
"nothing less than a trial of the truth of the Holocaust" might be doing historical truth a disservice.
He wrote, "If the plaintiff wins, the alarmists will have created ... doubt among the ill-informed
about whether the Holocaust happened." (p. 36) Whether an Irving victory would in fact have
created a widespread belief that Holocaust deniers were right is fortunately academic. Irving lost,
and the principal that incompetent and fraudulent interpretations of history can be safely
denounced
was upheld.
After the verdict, a Guardian writer (p. 226) commented that, "Libel trials rarely end with the
feeling
that the full story has been told. Irving v Penguin Books is a rare exception." Another Guardian
writer (p. 259) declared that, "England's libel laws are still rotten," that "Our libel laws present a
formidable weapon against free speech to those who use them malignly.... It is a scandal that
Penguin's and The Observer's defence of their writers should have cost the best part of
?3m[illion]....
Free speech can be very expensive," and that "it was obvious from the outset that Irving would
never be able to pay the defense costs if he lost, leaving the innocent objects of his libel suit with a
seven-figure bill to pay."
Even after the trial, Irving demonstrated that he had still learned nothing. He continued to
maintain
that the Holocaust was a Jewish fiction, and even withdraw some of the concessions he had been
forced to make in court when confronted with evidence that he was wrong. A week after the trial
he
claimed (p. 235), "I have managed to win," because "two days after the judgment, name
recognition
becomes enormous, and gradually the plus or minus in front of the name fades." As Evans
observes,
(ibid), "The cartoons that had him denying the trial had ever taken place, or the verdict ever
delivered, were not far from the truth."
Perhaps Evans' most important point is that Irving successfully deluded many observers that he
was
on the side of free speech. He was not. Irving was the plaintiff, and his suit was designed to
suppress
Lipstadt's right to free speech. As the Daily Telegraph pointed out (p. 257), "Nobody forced him
to
sue Deborah Lipstadt and her publisher, Penguin, for libel." And Lipstadt herself "opposed the
outlawing of Holocaust denial as had happened, for example, in German law, because it made
martyrs out of deniers." (p. 256)
This book should be mandatory reading for the Keegstras and Zndels of the world, even though
it
might as well be written in Etruscan for all the chance it has of curing incurables of their
auto-reinforced ignorance.
As Ebert and Roeper like to say about movies: thumbs up-way up!
Editor's Note: page citations refer to Evans' book, including when he quotes from earlier
publications
Dana's Bookshelf
Gutenberg: How One Man Remade The World With Words
John Man
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158-0012
ISBN 0471218235, $24.95, Octavo 5-1/8 x 7-3/5, hardbound, 312 pages,
http://www.wiley.com
Without John Man, history would be a duller place. He is a historian, and an excellent one, with a
background in German studies and the history of science. But thicketed in the groves of academe
he
is not. He is fascinated with Mongolia, certainly off the beaten track for the historian after
academic
renown. His book Gobi: Tracking the Desert elegantly presaged todays Silk Road kerfuffle by
many
years. This was in itself no mean feat because it is not easy to be elegant and witty when writing
about steppes, Mongols, and deserts. He then blossomed in the garden of topical historians who
chronicle a phenomenon rather than traditional events. His The Atlas of the Year 1000 (actually a
bit
more: ACE 950 to 1050) garnered critical accolades for putting a complex era into imagistic
settings
readily understood by readers who cant stand footnotes and bibliographies. Next came Alpha
Beta,
in which he puffed the imaginations of readers criss-across the Etruscan and Phoenician lake,
turning
them into modern Odysseans after the fleece of ciphers. Merchants managed rather nicely long
before Club Med.
Gutenberg enjoys the paternity of both those books, combining the best of era painting with the
liquor of the word when uncorked from the chisel and quill:
For 300 years now, the production of books had brought Christians ever further and ever faster
out
of the age of darkness that had descended on Europe after the fall of Rome. The flame of learning,
tended for a thousand years in a thousand monasteries, burned brighter by the year. Religious
books
were easier to read, with capital letters marked with colour, and chapter divisions. No longer did
monks mutter out loud as they read, as if reading was a form of talk; people actually read to
themselves, in silence. As trade links grew and towns evolved, learning escaped from the cloister,
and ordinary people began to send their children to school, to learn the three Rs as well as Latin,
the
language of religion and thus of learning. Universities arose from about 1350, with a consequent
demand for books. As paper made from rags became more popular, so books became cheaper.
Merchants' offices and city halls had their scribes, and the scribes acquired assistants, and all
needed
an education, and the teachers needed books, and so literacy spiralled, feeding itself One Italian
entrepreneur, Francesco di Marco Datini of Prato, left 140,000 letters when he died in 1410.
People,
particularly Italians living in a score of trade-rich city-states, already knew they were in the midst
of
an intellectual and artistic fermentation; the Renaissance was one of those few historical periods
that
discovered itself, rather than being defined by hindsight.
Thus in 239 words Mr. Man takes us from Rome to the Renaissance and from mutters to majesty.
Much of his book has this mix of dustcloth and microscope. He does stop short of tourism
writing,
perhaps to a fault: the ragpickers he mentions in passing still survive in out-of-the-way Italian and
Greek villages, hollering their connect-the-hollers routes through the labyrinths of towns little
touched by technology.
One of the most delicate tasks when writing about history is to remain rigorous as to the facts
while
transporting the reader into scenes that feel like they are happening right now, just outside the
door,
the two-team oxcarts as real as todays FedEx trucks. In his choice of telling detail Mr. Man is a
miniaturist as delightful as any Netherlandish court painter. After quoting a modern Dutch
typographers description of working with chisels on steel, Mr. Man goes above and beyond the
call
of historian duty:
This is truly artistry in miniature, a Western version of those Chinese geniuses who wrote on
grains
of rice. A curl of steel cut in this way is no more than 0.01 millimetres thick, which is the width of
a
dot on a dot-matrix printer with a resolution of 6.25 million dots per square inch. By comparison,
an
early dot-matrix had 90,000120,000 dpi (dots per square inch). Today's laser printers have a
resolution of 750,000 dpi (measured in grains of toner rather than old-fashioned dots, but the
terminology endures). Now remember that these minute slivers of steel were no more than 0.01
millimetres thick; they could be as little as a tenth of that, just one micron thick (a thousandth of a
millimetre, or a twenty-five-thousandth of an inch).
The startling conclusion is that Johann Gutenberg, from his childhood, was in the company of men
who could carve a letter in steel that had at least six, and perhaps sixty, times the resolution of a
modern laser printer....
With writing like this, you dont exactly have to step across the cart furrows on your way to check
on the goings-on in Weledelherr Gutenbergs shop across the way, but Mainz and Strasbourg
under
the deft daub of his pen are the next best thing. Mr. Man mixes the mirror and the macroscope to
such adroit facility that Gutenberg the man and Gutenberg the phenomenon come alive as
one.
As his compatriots have before him, Mr. Man had relatively little hard fact to work with. For all
that
Gutenberg did for the profusion of the word, he left precious few of his own behind. Little is
known
about him until the 1440s, by which time he was somewhere in his 40s. He already was renowned
for merging the techniques of the coinage trade with the casting of convex mirrorlike buttons,
producing thereby countless medallions then in great demand by the trinket trade along pilgrimage
routes. One of grander versions of these mirrors is depicted in Jan Van Eycks Marriage of
Giovanni
Arnolfini. Think of Gutenberg as having devised the latest thing in 15th century Sai Baba buttons.
Frippery perhaps this was, but it led to the development of modern type casting, the key element
in
the evolution of moveable type.
Neither Gutenberg nor even the Western devotion to practical technique were the first at this. At
the
other end of the Silk Road, as far on it one could get without walking into the sea, a genius
surpassing even Gutenberg, Sejong by name, devised both moveable type *and* a written
alphabet
where even the sound of the winds, the cry of the crane and the barking of the dogall may be
written. Lucky Sejong was blessed not merely with intellect and inventiveness, but also the title
Emperor before his name. This gave him no end of advantage over the average type founder and
alphabet inventor. Nor was he the first: the 28-letter Hangul (Great Script) he devised was based
in
part on a script devised by a Tibetan monk named Phangs-pa as a way of systematizing the many
tongues of the Mongol Empire. Alas, though Sejongs efforts resulted in a library of over 160
works
printed with moveable type based on Hangul, it did not create an information revolution of the
sort
inspired by his contemporary colleague in far-off Mainz. Why? Because the Korean elite insisted
on
sticking with Chinese, in great part because they wanted to preserve their status. Mr. Mans brief
outline of events in Korea hint of a great tale to be told by a novelistor Mr. Man himselfwith a gift
for creating in the minds eye what the actual eye of the time would have seen. To say nothing of
what the nose smelled and the tongue tasted. The sensuality of history is its least-examined
feature.
Koreas triumph of elitism wasnt replicated in the West. The Catholic clergy stuck to Latin, in
large
part to keep the masses from finding out what they knew and said among themselves. But unlike
Korea, the elitism of the Church was underlain by moral and economic corruption so blatant we
can
scarce imagine it today. Some say that once the words of the Bible became known to anyone who
cared to read them, Luther or someone like him was inevitable. Maybe. What was inevitable,
though, was the Enlightenment. Nearly everyone today nourishes from the fruits of that tree.
Within
fifty years of Gutenbergs first Bible circa 1450, the number of books of all kinds in Europe grew
from thousands to millions. Science, literature, and the factual approach to history emerged.
Church
hegemony collapsed. Kings created nation-states. Proof, not faith, became the criterion of truth.
As
Mr. Man points put, the book, and no less the man behind it, was the vehicle out of the Dark
Ages.
It becomes very clear on a second reading of his book, cover to cover and this time looking at the
air and light in the room as well as the furnishings, that Mr. Man is no less a scholar to the teeth
than
the myriads of Ph.D pensters who have made the Middle Ages and Renaissance such a huge
section
in the Dewey Decimal catalogs. The difference is that Mr. Man can write rings around most
historians. Pages 60 and 61 are such a recital of the fakery of the relics and pilgrimage trade that
you
might take it as satire until you reflect on how many Westerners today pilgrimage to Indian
ashrams
to lap up equally fanciful interpretations of Hindu legends, without much bothering to put into
practice in their daily lives the moral and behavioral principles those gods commend.
Maypoles and meanders around the trees of history. If you dont have a love affair going with
todays
forest of words before Mr. Man, you certainly will after him.
Dana De Zoysa
Reviewer
Judy's Bookshelf
Accessible Bathroom Design
Jessie C. Jacobs, Illustrators: Jessie C. Jacobs & Ralph Gee
Jireh Publishing Company
P.O. Box 4263 San Leandro, California, 94579-0263
Formats: Ebook (Microsoft Reader version) (PDF version)
ISBN 1-893995-01-1 (59p) Price: $10.95 pdf
http://www.jirehpublishing.com http://www.designlinc.com/order_book_info.htm
Jessie Jacobs has a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and over fifteen years of experience in
the
design field. Accessible Bathroom Design - Tearing Down The Barriers, is the result of that
experience and Jacobs' extensive research in adjustable/adaptable design concepts.
Although written to inform care givers and physically handicapped people about designing safe
and
accessible bathrooms, this practical guide can be used by anyone who wants to add value to their
home by creating a safer bathroom environment.
In the brief introduction to the ebook, the author quotes statistics that suggest - 37% of the
population of the United States of America have some form or, multiple forms, of disability.
Jacobs goes on to state: "A growing segment of this group is the elderly who, according to the
'middle series' projections, will more than double, between now and 2050, to 80 million."
Considering these statistics, it is only reasonable to think that, any bathroom remodeling job can
be
made better if issues of accessibility are addressed. In this practical guide, you will learn how to
plan
your design to take into consideration the needs of one handicapped individual or improve the
overall design to make your bathroom a safer place in general.
Comprised of the introduction, seven chapters, and two appendix (listing American Living
Centers
and Bathroom Product resources,)every chapter of this 59 page ebook is packed with useful
information. The page layout is particularly good. Each chapter addresses one concept fully and
sets
out the main considerations in bullet form.
Easy to read and written in simple language, the ebook serves as a ready reference for any of the
design concepts discussed. There are over a dozen diagrams, depicting space, height, and reach
requirements, to illustrate each concept.
Chapter 1: Designing Your Needs
Chapter 2: Space Requirements for Accessibility
Chapter 3: Support Devices
Chapter 4: Toilets
Chapter 5: Washbasins
Chapter 6: Bathtubs and Shower Stalls
Chapter 7: Other Design Considerations
Designing for wheelchair accessibility is fully covered. How much clearance room is needed to
transfer a person from the wheelchair to the toilet? The author offers two options, the diagonal
approach and the side approach, with illustrated dimensions for both types.
There are suggestions for improvements to assist the visually impaired, the deaf, and those with
mobility problems as well as suggestions on choosing materials with general safety in mind.
I believe every bathroom essential is addressed. There are practical hands-on tips and interesting
ideas on mirrors, fixtures, lighting, flooring, storage, and other items not ordinarily considered to
be
bathroom accessories. The section on installing a telephone in the bathroom is particularly
innovative and makes so much sense, I wondered why I had not thought of communication
devices
as bathroom essentials.
Whether you are doing renovations yourself or hiring a contractor to do them for you, everything
you need to know to make your bathroom safer, and more accessible, can be found in this ebook.
While I have seen other books addressing bathroom design, this is the only one I've read that
completely covers the concerns of persons with disabilities and offers solutions for the elderly in
our
rapidly aging population. Jacobs says, "With the proper planning the elderly can continue to live in
their environment with some degree of dignity and independence."
Accessible Bathrooms is the definitive guide to bathroom remodeling for persons with disabilities,
as
well as a practical handbook for anyone looking for innovative ideas for bathroom design in the
new
millenium. Highly recommended.
Neon Queens
Gale Baker
eBookstand Books,
PO Box 7670 Auburn, CA 95604
ISBN 1-58909-082-9, Paperback Version Price: $19.95, http://www.ebookstand.com
http://www.ebookmall.com (Adobe Books and PDF) Price $9.95
Neon Queens is a nostalgic look back over fifty years on the Las Vegas strip as seen through the
eyes of the beautiful Las Vegas Showgirls. The author, Gale Baker, was undoubtedly one of the
smallest Showgirls, standing only 5'4" when she was a singer in the extravaganza Hallelujah
Hollywood in 1973.
Always interested in becoming a writer, being short was only one of the things that made Gale
start
looking for another career. "To Understand my dilemma, you would have to picture me at the
peak
of what I considered my artistic ability just short of 5' 5" dressed in rhinestones and feathers and
drowning in a sea of tits." (p. 29)
Although no longer performing on the Las Vegas stage, the author retained her friendships and
contacts from the strip and I suspect the writing of this book was a labor of love. Due to the
prodigious research and many interviews, this ebook offers such a unique view of the elegant and
beautiful Showgirls of the last fifty years. The comments on their experiences and the people
famous, and not-so-famous, provide a delightful read. As the Showgirls worked with the most
famous stars on the strip, you'll find comments about many recognizable names.
Bluebell Queen, Josie Snow recalls, "One night as I was rushing to get backstage, I nearly tripped
over this tall gentleman who said, 'Hey, what's your hurry?' After I spat out my tirade about being
late and having to run, I looked up and realized it was Elvis smiling down at me." (p. 82)
The ebook is well laid out in PDF format with a good index, and bookmark features, making it
easy
to access any part of the book quickly. As with any business, Las Vegas productions have their
own
language and before you get into the anecdotal part of the book you can browse 'Production
Speak'
a glossary of terms relating to the world of the Showgirls. (pp.14-17) What is the Lead Nude?
Ever
wondered what a G-String is? These and many more terms are defined for the reader.
Although it took great stamina and determination to succeed as a Showgirl, the author has
captured
many hilarious anecdotes that must have provided stress relieving laughter for the girls. Often
times,
they would be in productions that included wild animals and the stories about tigers leaping into
the
orchestra pit and elephants that wandered around leaving 'packages' give us an intimate backstage
view of those fabulous acts.
One interviewee, Lillian D'Honau, relates her experience with a panther that was mauling a little
boy.
Without thinking, she intervened by grabbing the boy and dragging him down a hallway where she
managed to get into the girls' dressing room. The panther followed and kept attacking. "There I
was
with this little boy on top of me and this panther's eyes just inches from my face, hissing." (p. 99)
It
was a very serious mauling she did save the boy's life and she was also able to go on for her next
performance.
Another thing many of the girls remember are the fantastic costumes and some of the mishaps that
occurred while onstage. Jeri Packe recalls the night she tripped and fell during her number, losing
both her wig and the roll of toilet paper she used to fill out the top of the headpiece. "There I was
flatter than a fritter with toilet paper rolling out of my head." (p.131) This is just part of one of
many
such anecdotes.
Neon Queens introduces us to the people behind the make-up and costumes and brings them to
life
through their own memories. This ebook is a wonderful glimpse into the evolution of Las Vegas
as
seen by the glamorous Showgirls who were part of every production. Each story reflects the real
people behind the glitz and glamour of the strip. Really wonderful and refreshing scenes from
behind
the lights that you don't see in most books about the entertainment industry.
It's interesting to read about how the girls got started, what they remember most, and then find
out
what happened to them when their Vegas days were over. As well, Baker collected over 150
photographs and many of them are included in the photo album at the end of the ebook, so you
can
read the stories and then see what the girls looked like in costume. (p. 172-196)
This multi-talented author has since been involved in many creative fields. A playwright,
songwriter/singer, author and poet, Baker is also a TV scriptwriter and line producer. From her
own
unique perspective, and her interviews with many of the most famous Showgirls of the twentieth
century, Baker has put together a most entertaining and informative account of the history and
inner
workings of the world of the Las Vegas entertainment industry. A Microsoft Reader and
print-on-demand version is also available. Highly recommended.
Retire In Style
Dr. Warren Bland
Next Decade, Inc.
39 Old Farmstead Road, Chester, NJ 07930
ISBN: 0-9700908-0-3, $22.95, www.nextdecade.com.
Make Retire In Style your first retirement-planning stop, because it lists 50 great last stops;
Actually,
it lists 50 "affordable places" in the U.S.A. to retire, although not all of them a particularly
affordable. But author Dr. Warren Bland, an award-winning geographer, gives more than just a
listing; That would make for a very thin book; Instead, this 34-inch thick, 81/2 by 11 reference
guide
devotes five or six pages to each location; The information is divided into categories ranging from
transportation to quality of life, from retail services (stores for us plebes) to health care, cost of
living to climate; In fact, this is an excellent starting point for anyone thinking of relocating for
any
reason (except for families interested in schools for their children); Based on Bland's 12
categories,
Boulder, Colorado, is the most desirable retirement location in the country. Of course, before
making a move, you want to get much more information about a community, but this guide helps
with triage to select those communities worth that more detailed investigation. What's missing?
Well, my wife's first take on the book was, "Oh great, where can we retire?"; (which I hope won't
be
for a few more decades); Her second take, as she flipped through the pages was, "What?!; No
pictures?; They should have pictures."; There may be no pictures, but there are sketch maps. Lack
of
photographic content aside, Retire In Style is an excellent way to kick-start the decision making,
with a snapshot of 50 popular retirement locations.
Embracing Fear: And Finding The Courage To Live Your Life
Thom Rutledge, Ph.D.
HarperSanFransisco
ISBN 0-06-251774-0, $21.95
Take a walk with Thom Rutledge 25 years ago, strolling across the campus of Austin College;
Feel
the cool breeze; And feel his fear, fear that didn't show because he had learned already how to
cover
it up. Embracing fear is not the first book this therapist writes, but it is unquestionably a book that
comes from his heart as he teaches through stories and experiences from his private and
professional
life; Whereas many therapists write books replete with stories from "the couch", Rutledge draws
on
his unique qualifications as "an out-of-the-closet, recovering neurotic-depressive alcoholic
psychotherapist." The writing is nothing to get excited about, but it is clear, easy to read and
accessible to a broad audience; This is a calm man speaking through his keyboard, sharing a few
stories and offering a few lessons. He offers four steps to transforming our relationship with fear:
Face it; Explore it; Accept it; Respond to it; The fact that the first letters in each step form the
word
"fear" is purely coincidental, I am sure. All in all, a very thought-provoking book by an author
with
solid credentials; I recommend it to anyone who feels fear is holding him back from
something.
David Leonhardt
Reviewer
Liana's Bookshelf
Ancient Wisdom, Modern World: Ethics For The New Millenium
Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Abacus, Division of Little,Brown and Company (UK)
Brettenham House,Lancaster Place, London WC2E 7EN, 2001.
Hardcover, ISBN 0-316-85863-3, UK 14.99 , 246 pp, Very Highly Recommended
Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet, is a political and religious leader, winner of
the
Nobel Peace prize and famous worldwide.
In this book he writes about ethics and how we can find truth and other fundamental qualities that
lead to happiness. The author says: ' As I understand it, genuine happiness is characterized by
inner
peace and arises in the context of our relationships with others. It therefore depends on ethical
conduct.'
This is neither a religious book nor a book about Buddhism, but a book based on universal
principles.
First, the author speaks about ethics generally, and then shows their connection with the
individual
and their relation to society by supporting his ideas with simple examples illustrating every day
life.
He explains in his own unique way some human truths and qualities that, if applied, can bring
people
happiness, peace of mind and consequently show them the meaning of life.
A sophisticated ,yet clearly written book , it is by no means a quick read. Personally speaking, I
had
to stop several times at certain pages to think more about the concepts mentioned. The book
undoubtedly succeeds in what the author is trying to accomplish, that is to say , in approaching
ethics based on universal principles.
Ancient Wisdom, Modern World, is a good intensive read for both philosophy lovers and for all
those who wish to improve their life.
Other related titles that might interest a reader : Freedom in Exile , which is the autobiography of
the
author of Ancient Wisdom, Modern World.
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Louis de Bernieres
Vintage, Random House (UK)
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA, 1998
Paperback, ISBN 0-7493-9754-3 UK 7.99,CAN $ 19.95, 436 pp, Highly Recommended
Louis de Bernieres, winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize, Best Book in 1995 -Captain
Corelli's Mandolin, is undoubtedly a great master of fiction . Captain Corelli's Mandolin is his
fourth
successful novel.
The story unfolds on the Greek island of Cephallonia in the year of 1936. Dr Iannis, a graphic
local
character, is the father of Pelagia, the Greek heroine who later on, in 1941, gets involved with the
hero of the story, Captain Corelli, a young Italian officer who is sent to Cephallonia by the Italian
occupying forces. Due to his post the local people dislike him at first , but, later on ,as they
gradually
get to know Corelli's talents and civilized manners they start to accept him. But can Corelli's and
Pelagia's love survive? Can Pelagia, who is already engaged , forget her fianc ? There's the
classic
love triangle in an idyllic setting. Are the heroes ready for everything?
In this epic love story , Louis de Bernieres touches our hearts from the very first brilliant pages of
the book, so that the reader just have to go on reading. The first chapter is exceptionally striking
in
every aspect. Apart from the vivid setting of the scene, that only a film director could produce in
such detail, the author introduces a local vivid character, a doctor, who is involved in a humorous
event displaying the full naivety of the local people.
The plot has a tint of history, of geography, of archaeology and of music, and all these elements
together comprise a unity that brings about alternate feelings of comedy and tragedy, love and
hope,
friendship and, yet, cruelty. Above all, Captain Corelli's Mandolin is a love and war novel you
can't
easily forget after finishing it.
The plot is complex, yet, flowing and vivid and keeps the reader wondering about the final scene
till
the very last page.
An absorbing novel that is by all means educational as well. Readers can learn about Greece and
Italy, the Second World War, customs and culture , and are, at the same time , entertained by the
moving plot.
There are also several political characters involved in the plot, such as the Duce and Metaxas,
who
played an important role during the war. The author draws their personality caricature in such a
humorous way that, although far-fetched at times, it shows clearly the futility of politicians and
the
war.
The Duce says: ' Come here. Now, tell me something; which is my best profile, right or left?...
Now,
I want you to arrange some attacks against ourselves. Our campaign requires legitimacy for
reasons
of international policy... WHO LET THAT CAT IN HERE? IS THAT CAT THAT SHAT IN
MY
HELMET?'
Prime Minister Metaxas says: ' What am I going to do about Mussolini? And 'What am I going to
do
about Lulu?' ... 'Lulu , my most beloved daughter.' The author goes on: Thank God he had
muzzled
the press , because every journalist in the land had a pet 'Lulu' story....Couldn't he hear the
sniggers
and the whispers? That he controlled all of Greece and could not control his own daughter?'
Captain Corelli's Mandolin is an excellent , touching , enjoyable novel that caters for all fiction
lovers.
Related titles that might interest readers: The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts, Se¤or Vivo
and
the Coca Lord, The troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman, which are written by the same
author.
Enjoy it!
Liana Metal
Reviewer
Lowe's Bookshelf
None So Blind
L.J. Maas
Renaissance Alliance Publishing, Inc.
PMB 238, 8691 9th Ave., Port Arthur, Tx 77642
ISBN: 1930928130; $21.99; 392 pages; www.rapbooks.biz
L.J. Maas has written a captivating and touching romance of unrequited love and survival against
difficult odds in None So Blind. Torrey Gray and Taylor Kent -- who bear a striking resemblance
to
the actors Renee O'Connor and Lucy Lawless -- first meet at the Tau Alpha Zeta sorority house
when Torrey is a college freshman and Taylor a senior. It is August 1981. The two legacy sisters
make an unlikely duo but become fast friends. The openly lesbian and rebellious, art student,
Taylor,
does have a tendency to lead the younger Torrey into trouble. Yet the genuinely kind, caring and
responsible Torrey has a stabilizing effect on her friend.
These talented, intelligent and likable women live together for almost four years during their late
adolescence. Both women finish college. Torrey writes her first book while Taylor begins her art
career. The best friends support one another as they struggle in those vulnerable, challenging
years
of early adulthood. They also carefully, and perhaps unconsciously, intentionally misunderstand
one
another. Taylor assumes the younger Torrey isn't gay and Torrey assumes Taylor isn't attracted to
her. Or to paraphrase Torrey, "sometimes love isn't blind, she's just plain stupid." (p364) Although
they've never lost touch with one another, the two women went their separate ways when the
strain
of their miscommunication hurt too much to continue to live together. Some 15 years later,
Torrey
asks for Taylor's help and, as promised, Taylor will do her best to help.
Maas does a wonderful job weaving the past and present together as the women find themselves
meeting again after so many years. Unrequited love can be very bittersweet as achingly depicted in
Torrey's first interaction with Kat in New York in 1991. Both women realize that almost two
decades of maturity has increased their understanding of themselves and each other; as well as
their
potential for happiness together and the capacity for love. Maas deals sensitively with issues of
coming out and substance abuse over the course of the story. She provides an erotic denouement
that is romantic, loving and electric.
The practice of Tai-Chi and particularly the Tai-Chi symbol -- more popularly known as the "yin
yang" symbol -- is a leitmotif that Maas threads through None So Blind. A favorite example of
this
theme is the image of Torrey and Taylor on the night they go to Chancey's. In addition to the lead
characters' appearance, there are enough winking references to Xena for fans to recognize this as
"Uber fiction." However, these references strike this reviewer as a pleasant inside joke more than
any real connection with the show. Certainly, Torrey and Taylor are Maas' creation and a reader
with no particular affinity with the show, can enjoy None So Blind, completely.
Others may not identify as strongly with this novel as this reviewer, who was in college during the
same years as Torrey. Still, one might consider this warning should you treat yourself to this
novel:
Be sure you have the time to read None So Blind's 373 pages, because you won't want to put it
down.
The Road To Glory
T. Novan and Blayne Cooper
Renaissance Alliance Publishing, Inc.
PMB 238, 8691 9th Ave., Port Arthur, Tx 77642
ISBN: 1930928270, $15.99, 264 pages, www.rapbooks.biz
The Road To Glory is a charming romantic comedy from two of Xenaverse's better known bards,
Blayne Cooper, AKA Advocate and T. Novan. The lead characters, RJ Fitzgerald, a tall auburn
haired handywoman, and Leigh Matthews, a petite chatty blonde trucker have a familiar feel to
uber
fanfiction readers. Cooper and Novan even point this out via a dialog between a very animated
couple of squirrels. Yes, the squirrels from Cooper's Story of Me make a reappearance and
observe:
The female followed her mate's line of vision. "The humans we spy on back home!"
"Not quite."
"The hair ..."
She squinted. "The eyes ..."
"Just a little different. But not much. Same builds. Same wonderful screen presence no matter the
location or genre." She rolled her eyes. "We all know what they're going to look like."
"Genetic mutations because of the inherent weakness of their race?"
"Or lazy writers." (p41)
Leigh finds herself diverted to Glory, South Dakota, by a highway construction detour. At Fitz's,
a
diner just outside of the small town, Leigh falls in lust at first sight with RJ. She happily returns
each
week during her circular truck route. After several fast and furiously erotic encounters, Leigh
invites
RJ to join her on her week off in Seattle. As these two women continue explore their feelings and
each other, it becomes increasingly clear that nothing is quite what it seems in Glory or with RJ.
The
vacation week in Seattle is full of humor, romance, and revelations. There are amusing trips to
shop,
to dance at a popular lesbian club, to play the arcade at a carnival and even to visit a retirement
community. Strangely at the latter RJ spends time with an old friend named Ruth and gives us
insight into the varied roles of women in the military during World War II.
Wry and witty observations of American culture in general and particularly of scifi/fantasy
fandoms
are sprinkled throughout the story. For example, upon discovering that RJ still lives with her
mother,
Leigh asks:
"You don't attend Star Trek and Xena conventions wearing silly costumes and stalking the actors,
do you?" RJ looked totally confused. "I have no idea what on this earth you're talking about."
"Good." Leigh nodded. A girl couldn't be too careful. Serial killers were one thing. But those
weirdo
convention goers were something else. (p89)
The Road To Glory is an enchanting story dealing with issues of love, death and finding the hearts
desire. Readers familiar with the Xena fandom, particularly uber fanfiction, might have a greater
appreciation of some of the humor. However, that familiarity is by no means needed to enjoy this
story. All that is required is the time to indulge and a willingness to go for the long haul.
M.J. Lowe
Reviewer
Roger's Bookshelf
A Stake In The Outcome
Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham
Currency/Doubleday
ISBN 0-385-50507-8, $24.95, 274 pages, hardcover
A good story
Jack Stack has become well-known in some circles as the poster boy of open book management.
He
and his colleagues at SRC (Springfield Remanufacturing Corporation) have built a company and
set
of business practices (Great Game of Business) around the concept of sharing numbers with your
employees. Yes, it's more than just sharing numbers, it's empowering the employees to be true
team
members, enabling them to take personal and collective actions to influence the numbers and to
share in the profits.
Open book management is a great concept that has made a significant difference for a lot of
companies, and even the U. S. Coast Guard. Stack presented the concept in his 1992 book, "The
Great Game of Business" (Currency Doubleday). That book was instructive.
"A Stake in the Outcome" is more of the story of the transformation of a remanufacturing plant
owned by a large corporation into a thriving independent business. In the midst of the text, the
reader will find some advice, some brief case studies of other companies, and some experience
descriptions that may be instructive. But, when it all shakes out, this is the story of the growth of
a
business. It's an historical review with plenty of detail. It's Jack Stack's story.
If you're looking for an instruction book of how to build an employee-centered open book
management company, this isn't it. If you're looking for an instructive report of what one company
went through, from the leader's perspective, this book fits that description. It's Jack Stack's book,
even though Bo Burlingham, an editor-at-large of Inc. Magazine, is shown as co-author.
Burlingham's photo doesn't appear on the dust jacket, just Stack's.
Reading the book is like listening to Stack telling his story, with the emotion, the ego, the pride,
and
the rough-and-tumble. It would be interesting to hear this story shared by others. You can gain
that
experience by visiting SRC in Springfield, Missouri, but you can't get it from this book.
Coloring Outside The Lines
Jeff Tobe
The Business Conference Press
137 Mayberry Drive, Monroeville, PA 15146
ISBN 0-9662689-2-X, 134 pages, hardcover, $19.95
Delightful Change of Pace
When you're raised with the oft-repeated admonition to stay inside the lines when you're coloring,
the message sticks. When you're an adult, coloring outside the lines, out of the box thinking, and
challenging the status quo can be really difficult. The old tapes come on and hold you within
established boundaries. Creativity is a useless exercise: it's outside the limits. And that's our
problem.
We're all so bound by limits, we can't find new solutions. We're stuck with the old solutions, even
though the problems, the playing field, and the rules have changed. And the tape plays on.
It is said that if you tie an elephant to a stake with a thin rope when it's young, the elephant learns
that it is secured to that stake. The learned behavior "sticks," enabling handlers to secure huge,
powerful elephants to stakes with thin ropes. The elephant doesn't believe it can break free.
Humans
are not so different.
Then Jeff Tobe comes along and shatters all those imaginary boundaries. A salesman and
professional speaker, he specializes in stimulating creativity and innovation in business
organizations.
As demonstrated by his stories in this book Tobe helps companies break through "innovation
deficiency," characterized by Internal Myopia and the Ostrich Syndrome. He argues that business
leaders-and everyone else in the environment-must change the way they perceive, think, and
behave
to succeed in today's competitive world.
You get an immediate sense that this book is going to be a bit different when you open the cover.
There is not traditional Times New Roman type between these covers. The typeface-throughout
the
entire book-looks like something from a primary school primer on the fine art of printed word
penmanship. The message is clear: this book is going to be fun. And it is, but it's serious, too.
"Coloring Outside the Lines" is organized into three sections: Creativity, Marketing, and Sales.
Each
section has 6-9 chapters that stimulate the thinking and illustrate how things can be done
differently.
The lessons are valuable-some are fresh and some are the old saws that we've all learned for years.
Each lesson is presented in the context of a story that you might hear on a fun walk through a
meadow with the author. The chapters are filled with personal stories and experiences with titles
like
"Are Your Bagels Hot?" to "Step into My Office." These narratives are enjoyable (yup, chuckles
in
this book), comfortable and reasonable, yet highly instructive. The book is deceivingly simple in
appearance; the educational aspect sort of sneaks up on you.
This easy-to-read volume will be thought-provoking and stimulating for salespeople, marketers,
and
other executives and managers who welcome inspiration (or permission) to do things just a little
bit
differently. If the thinking and behavior or different, (surprise!) the outcomes are different.
Leading Authorities On Business: Winning Strategies From The Greatest Minds In Business
Today
Marshall Goldsmith and James Belasco, editors
Leading Authorities Press
Suite 850, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005
ISBN 0-9710078-3-7, $29.95, 222 pages, hardcover
Thought-Provoking, Instructive: A Veritable Library of Advice
To really appreciate this book, it's helpful to understand what it is. The publisher, Leading
Authorities, is one of the leading speakers bureaus in North America. The firm serves
corporations,
trade associations, and other organizations in procuring just the speaker(s) they need for their
events. In this work, they interact daily with people hungry for information, advice, and
inspiration-and with the people who deliver just what those audiences seek. The role of the
Leading
Authorities Speakers Bureau is to successfully match the right speaker with the need.
In this book, probably the first of a series, the speakers bureau has ventured into putting into print
what some of their most effective speakers convey from the speaking platform. The theme of this
book is business-winning strategies for business. The essays are all focused on delivering valuable,
useful information and advice for the reader. Mission accomplished.
Reading this book is like experiencing a focused set of powerful professional speakers at a major
convention . . . while sitting in the comfort of your living room. Well, not quite. No convention
would ever give you the opportunity to receive the messages of 34 (count 'em-34) experts in one
sitting. In fact, with the power in some of the chapters, it may be difficult to handle this book in
one
sitting!
Some of the names of the speaker-authors won't be easily recognizable. Others will be very
familiar
to people who know their work, have heard them speak, or work in their fields. Regardless, every
one has a message for the reader. The book is organized into four parts: Toward the Future,
Learning to Lead, The Impact of Technology, and Processes, Strategies, and Techniques of
Leadership. There are no illustrations in this book. It's straight text . . . and straightforward. Even
if
you just pick a few chapters that interest you, reading this book will be worth the price.
Idea: Buy a copy of this book for each member of your leadership team. Assign a particular
chapter
for everyone to read at the same time, then discuss what was learned and how the knowledge can
be
applied in your organization. Then move to another chapter, and another. If one of the chapters
seems particularly important, engage the author to speak at your management meeting.
Note: This book is not a commercial for the speakers bureau. In fact, I couldn't even find a
reference
to the bureau in the book. This is knowledge that I have-being a speaker myself-and share with
you
so you can appreciate the power in this book.
The Churchill Factors: Creating Your Finest Hour
Larry Kryske
Trafford Publishing
Suite 6E, 2333 Government Street, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8T 4P4
ISBN 155212459-2, $17.95, 230 pages, trade paperback
Missed Opportunity, Commercial
Churchill was, without question, a fine man and example for us to follow. Learning more about
Churchill, what made him great, and how he influenced history is a worthy endeavor.
Being motivated and inspired to pursue higher objectives in life, to really make a difference in the
world is also a worthy endeavor. Emulating features of Churchill's life to craft your own success is
also worthwhile.
As I began this book, I found myself reading sections to my wife. Good stuff here! The author's
own
words as well as the quotes from Churchill and other luminaries were getting my attention. I
began
to understand why several of my friends are such devoted students of Churchill and his influence.
The first 37 pages were great.
Then Chapter 5 hit me like a bucket of ice water. I discovered to my astonishment that the author
is
also a distributor of behavioral style learning materials produced by Inscape Publishing. Most of
the
balance of the book is a description of the four principal behavioral styles and how various aspects
of Churchill's attributes relate to the styles. I was tempted to toss the book away as a blatant
commercial for Inscape products. There was nothing on the cover of the book, in the
introduction,
or in the title that suggested that this was the kind of book I discovered . . . unless you look
closely
at the category on the back cover and note that the words "SELF HELP" follow
"BUSINESS."
The four behavioral styles of drivers, influencers, supporters, and conceptualizers were each
presented with some explanation. Churchill's traits were related to each, apparently to validate for
persons with each style that they, too, can be like Churchill. I felt some were rather force-fit. As a
disclosure, I have used Inscape instruments and behavioral style knowledge for two decades and
am
a former national contract trainer for the company; I am quite familiar with the products and their
philosophies.
At the end of the book is a blatant promotion for a wide range of Inscape products. For those
readers who are interested in learning more about behavioral styles, it's helpful to have this
catalog
available. For those who were really interested in what made Churchill great-from an author
touted
as a Churchill expert, it's offensive.
I almost rated this book with three stars instead of four (out of five), but there is some good
content.
Kryske does relate some strong material, particularly in the forepart of the book before he got
into
the behavioral styles. The book is heavily seasoned with quotes (as call-outs); there's a quote from
someone on almost every page. Many of the quotes are from Churchill, but also cited are other
historical figures and present-day motivational speakers.
Roger Herman
Reviewer
Lori Lake's Bookshelf
Substitute For Love
Karin Kallmaker
Naiad Press
P.O. Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
ISBN: 1562802658, 288 pp, $12.95, www.naiadpress.com 1-800-533-1973
Substitute For Love is a well-plotted, intelligent, and nuanced book made all the more excellent
by
the way the author has woven thematic threads throughout.
Holly thinks she is a regular, run-of-the-mill, straight woman. She has abandoned a promising
math
career because her long-term boyfriend, Clay, insisted, just as her overbearing aunt/foster mother
had done when Holly first spoke of her desire to teach. Holly is, in actuality, an
honest-to-goodness
math wizard. Not only is she good at the subject, but she loves it. Instead of following her dream
to
be a math teacher and researcher, she works in an actuarial office so that her boyfriend can be a
teacher. She and Clay live rather predictably, with Clay's needs always coming first. "They had
worked hard to keep everything the same from day to day, as if tomorrow would never come and
neither of them would ever change."
After ten years, Holly is finally ready to crack out of her shell. For this, she is not prepared, but as
Kallmaker tells us, "When dams burst, floods are inevitable." Holly's shocking realization that she
is
attracted to women begins a series of events that lead her to the other main character in the book,
Reyna.
Unlike Holly, Reyna knows she is lost, but she is powerless to change her circumstances without
harming her mother over whom her father has a chokehold. Reyna chooses to live a double
life-one
life that satisfies her domineering and over-reaching father, and the other life a series of one night
stands carried out Friday nights after slipping away from the private detectives her father has
watching her. Reyna works at her father's conservative think tank doing a job that is morally and
ethically repugnant to her, but it pays the medical bills that keep her mother alive. She is lost and
spiraling further downward daily.
But then, Holly and Reyna meet and sparks fly.
In addition to math/numbers analogies and themes, I loved the leitmotif of the sextant. Lost on a
hike with friends, Holly is able to use a sextant and math and mechanical skills to determine
longitude and latitude in a key scene. But what she can do externally takes her much longer
internally, and we are far into the book before "she accepted that even with two mirrors, the
horizon, and a familiar star to navigate by, she still wouldn't know where she was." Neither Holly
nor Reyna know where they are, at least not until a lot of issues start getting worked out.
I liked the fact that this book was not a typical romance, nor was I able to guess how it would
turn
out. I wanted it to have a happy ending, but right up to the end, I wasn't sure how that ending
would
look. It is to Kallmaker's credit that she has infused a genre book with such life, energy, and
unpredictability. Even the title has more than one meaning, with the word "substitute" working on
multiple levels. This is an example of lesbian fiction of the highest quality, well-written and
capably
edited, with memorable scenes and language. Highly recommended.
Common Sons
Ronald L. Donaghe
iUniverse.com, Inc.
5220 South 16th Street, #200, Lincoln, NE 68512-1274
ISBN: 0595097081 $18.95, 400 pp., www.iuniverse.com
The first novel I ever read about homosexuality was The Front Runner, Patricia Nell Warren's
ground-breaking 1974 novel. Even though it's been two decades since I read that story, I recall
Harlan Brown and Billy Sive quite clearly.
Two decades from now, I suspect I will still remember Joel Reece and Tom Allen from Common
Sons, Ronald L. Donaghe's uncommonly well-written novel. Many of the events in Donaghe's
novel,
which is set in Common, New Mexico, are played out on a daily basis in every small town across
America: two young men begin their voyage of discovery about themselves, their sexual
orientations, and their individual identities, and neither of them, nor their families or town, will
ever
be the same.
What I liked best about this book was that neither boy is a stereotype, and the story isn't
predictable
either. There are no easy answers to the conflicts that arise once Joel and Tom fall in love and
people start finding out about it. Joel is a junior and has always been popular in high school. He's
a
talented boxer who won a state boxing title the previous school year. He thinks he would like to
follow in his father's footsteps and be a farmer. Tom, a senior, is the new kid in town. He's
handsome enough that many of the girls are interested in him, but he only has eyes for Joel. As the
son of a fundamentalist, fire-and-brimstone preacher, Tom is in no way prepared for will happen
to
the relationship with his father and mother when they find out he is gay.
Common Sons is set in the early 1960s, but it has a feeling of timelessness, as though the events
could be occurring in any farm town today. The fact that gay and lesbian kids across the country
manage to find one another and build relationships and community is a testament to the strength
and
perseverance human beings so often possess. Despite having no resources, a whole lot of religious
condemnation, and few open-hearted adults, Tom and Joel fall in love and determine to stay
together, no matter what. They face terrible barriers, not the least of which is the enmity of
small-minded and homophobic individuals in their town. Still, the courage Tom and Joe display is
remarkable. One cannot help but believe that if they were real characters, they would make a huge
impact on any community like the one Donaghe has so lovingly described.
In Common Sons, the first in a series of four books entitled "Common Threads in the Life,"
Ronald
Donaghe has written a book full of heart and hope. His writing style is clear and clean, and every
scene is finely crafted by a writer of great talent. Highly recommended.
Lori L. Lake
Reviewer
Kinni's Bookshelf
Why Decisions Fail: Avoiding The Blunders And Traps That Lead To Debacles
Paul Nutt
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
450 Sansome Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94111-3320
332 pp, $22.95, ISBN 1576751503, 1-800-929-2929
Half of all organizational decisions result in failure, says Ohio State professor Paul Nutt, who
traces
these failures to three blunders and seven traps. He explores them using fifteen high-profile
"debacles" (including the Waco siege, the Barings Bank bankruptcy, EuroDisney, and the Ford
Pinto's exploding gas tanks) and concludes with eight lessons for increasing decision-making
success.
The Quest For Authentic Power: Getting Past Manipulation, Control & Self-Limiting Beliefs
G. Ross Lawford
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
450 Sansome Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94111-3320
149 pp, $17.95, ISBN 1576751473, 1-800-929-2929
Consultant Lawford reframes the concept of power, leaving behind its Machiavellian connotations
for a more synergistic, internally generated way of leading. In a short, thoughtful presentation, he
defines the characteristics of power, explores how we create our own power limits, and describes
how "authentic" power is obtained and exercised.
Zero Space: Moving Beyond Organizational Limits
Frank Lekanne Deprez and Rene Tissen
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
450 Sansome Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94111-3320
223 pp, $27.95, ISBN 1576751821, 1-800-929-2929
This pair of KPMG consultants has evolved the virtual corporation concept into the "zero space"
organization - a fast-response model that is all brains and no body. They describe eight building
blocks of the model (zero matter, zero time, zero tech, etc.) and explore four foundational aspects
that enable it: networks, partnerships, communities, and IT.
Capitalizing On Conflict: Strategies And Practices For Turning Conflict To Synergy In
Organizations
Kirk Blackard and James Gibson
Davies-Black Publishing
3803 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303
276 pp, $36.95, ISBN 0891061649, 1-800-624-1765
The book of the month is an authoritative examination of conflict in organizations. The authors,
who
are professional mediators, eschew simple resolution techniques for a systems approach that
recognizes that conflict is normal and has positive and negative elements. They offer a framework
for management that proactively minimizes conflict and ensures conflict that does occur is
surfaced,
resolved, and turned into learning.
Invisible Advantage
Richard Florida
Basic Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
416 pp. $27.50, ISBN 0465024769, 1-800-242-7737
Thirty percent of the workforce - 40 million people - belongs to the "Creative Class," a
"no-collar"
societal segment of scientists, writers, and people in all sorts of other jobs who are paid to be
creative. In Invisible Advantage: The Rise Of The Creative Class: And How It's Transforming
Work,
Leisure, Community And Everyday Life, Carnegie Mellon professor Florida explores this
fast-emerging class: its values; its influence; its current home bases; and how businesses and
communities can attract its members.
Execution: The Discipline Of Getting Things Done
Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan
Crown Business
299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171
278 pp, $27.50, ISBN 0609610570, 1-800-726-0600
Execution - the ability to turn goals into reality - is "the great unaddressed issue in the business
world today," claim this CEO and consultant author team. They identify and describe execution in
terms of three building blocks (the leader's personal priorities, the ability of the organization to
change, and the right people in the right jobs) and three core processes (people, strategy, and
operations).
The Corporate University Handbook: Designing, Managing, And Growing A Successful
Program
Mark Allen, editor
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
278 pp, $32.95, ISBN 0814407110, 1-800-250-5308
Pepperdine's Allen explores design and management considerations in corporate universities with
the
help of ten academics, consultants, and corporate learning executives. The essays mainly address
strategic-level issues, such as funding, organizational alignment, structural models, ROI, and
training
delivery.
The Performance Appraisal Question And Answer Book: A Survival Guide For Managers
Dick Grote
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
238 pp, $17.95, ISBN 0870334441, 1-800-250-5308
HR pro Grote asks and answers 141 questions about structuring and conducting employee
performance appraisals in this practical reference on the topic. His presentation explores the four
phases of a performance management system (planning, execution, assessment and review) and
details the elements of the comprehensive appraisal form and process.
The Strategy Machine: Building Your Business One Idea At A Time
Larry Downes
Harper Business
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
236 pp, $26.95, ISBN 0066211298, 1-800-242-7737
The Internet Bubble has burst, but the technology that spawned it continues to revolutionize
business, says consultant Downes. This information-based revolution will be driven by low-cost
computing and appear in three stages: Efficiency -- the reduction of transaction costs, Exchange -
the enabling of virtual marketplaces, and Emergence - the expansion of information across the
entire
supply chain. Downes describes the ramifications of these changes and offers advice and tools for
managing them
The Selling Fox: A Field Guide For Dynamic Sales Performance
Jim Holden
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
605 Third Avenue, 4th floor, New York, NY 10158-0012
222 pp, $29.95, ISBN 0471061808, 1-800-225-5945
Selling Foxes, says consultant Holden, achieve success by focusing on how they sell instead of
what
they sell. The book explains the "hows" including closing techniques and dynamics, blocking and
trapping the competition, selling to executives, qualifying opportunities, and "de-installing"
competitors.
Making Horses Drink: How To Lead And Succeed In Business
Alex Hiam
Entrepreneur Press
c/o The Entrepreneurship Institute of Canada
P.O.Box 40043, 75 King Street South, Waterloo, ON N2J 4V1, Canada
244 pp, $19.95, ISBN 1891984500, 1-877-993-9921, http://www.entinst.ca/Entpap.lead.htm
The not-so-flattering metaphor of employees as horses drives Hiam's latest book. He sets the
stage
with a short tale about a "horse who wouldn't drink" and then, offers ten chapters of brief,
accessible
ideas and techniques for leading and motivating people. The chapters cover topics such as
building
commitment, communication skills, supervisory skills and employee development.
How Intangibles Are Driving Business Performance
Jonathan Low and Pam Cohen Kalafut
Perseus
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
259 pp, $27, ISBN 0738205397, 1-800-242-7737
Intangibles - brands, strategies, reputation, leadership, innovation, etc. - are and will continue to
be
the primary sources of value creation in business, say the authors. The book identifies twelve "key
clusters of intangibles," describing the value drivers for each cluster, how they can be managed,
and
what opportunities for profit they harbor.
Managing For The Short Term
Doubleday Currency
1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
304 pp, $27.50, ISBN 0385504357, 1-800-726-0600
If we can't deliver short-term performance goals, says the head of the Net Future Institute, we
won't
be around long enough to achieve long-term visions. Managing For The Short Term: The New
Rules For Running A Business In A Day-to-day World Chuck Martin explores the practical
drivers
of short-term success: the measurement of everything down to the individual performance level;
the
incrementalization of every large-scale project into smaller goals and shorter time frames; and,
streamlined communication and fast response at all levels.
Diary Of An Abduction: A Scientist Probes The Enigma Of Her Alien Contact
Angela Thompson Smith
Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
ISBN: 1-57174-201-8, Soft Cover, 320 pp., $14.95, www.hrpub.com 1-800-766-8009
Diary Of An Abduction is Angela Thompson Smith's fascinating account of her contacts with
beings
she has named the Visitors. Her first contact came during her teenage years, in the presence of her
younger brother. As an adult, she described this event to other researchers and learned that she
wasn't alone in her experience.
The standard practice for abduction experiences includes thorough medical examinations followed
by hypnosis. Conventional theory holds that abducted persons are "caused to suffer from an
amnesia
that hides their experiences from themselves and others." Hypnosis is necessary to uncover these
hidden memories.
Smith chose to not undergo hypnosis. She decided to search within for the hidden memories. She
instructed her subconscious mind to reveal any abduction information to her in the form of
dreams,
with the intent of documenting the information. Concurrent with this, she networked with others
and
conducted extensive research into the phenomenon of alien contact, applying her training as a
respected scientist.
Beginning in 1988, she began recording her dreams and possible interpretation of each, all
memories
that surfaced, and the results of her investigations. As a result, she says that she's learned "the
abduction scenario is real. Nonhuman entities have been interacting with us for thousands of years
and they will continue to interact with us."
Starting in 1990, she began a two-way interaction with the Visitors and learned that they find
humans to be a fascinating species which they enjoy observing. Smith maintains however, that the
Visitors have gone beyond observing, into interbreeding with humans. She also comments that the
U.S. government regards itself as being at war with aliens, thus all the secrecy surrounding UFO's
and abductions.
"Offering the immediacy of freshly-lived experience, the precision of scientific reporting, and the
high intrigue of top-notch mystery writing, Smith's real-life Diary Of An Abduction is a riveting
and
provocative journey into the sky, into the soul, and beyond."
Fast Lane To Heaven
Ned Dougherty
Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
ISBN: 1-57174-200-X, Hardcover, 278 pp., $21.95, www.hrpub.com 1-800-766-8009
Ned Dougherty thought he had it all--wealth, power, success--until he died. In 1984, he collapsed
with an apparent heart attack. While members of the medical profession struggled to revive him,
he
"met the Supreme Being, heard messages from the Archangel Michael, had guidance from a
deceased friend, and most importantly, witnessed apparitions of an enigmatic Lady of Light."
Dougherty survived his brush with death, and began investigating what he'd experienced during
the
time he was clinically dead. Fast Lane to Heaven is the story of his near-death experience and his
search for answers. Along the way, he had to fight the perception of various professionals that he
was drunk, on drugs, and/or mentally delusional.
As well as convincing others that he was sane, Dougherty had to accept the mission that had been
given to him during his celestial encounters. This meant giving up a lifestyle he'd spent years
building
and that he greatly enjoyed. It took him fifteen years and travels all over the world to talk with
others before he finally understood the message from the Lady of Light. He has since established a
non-profit organization named Mission of the Angels as well as assisting in the creation of "a new
community of spiritually-minded people."
He believes that "God is giving each of us the opportunity to open up our hearts and souls to
Him"
so that we may undergo a spiritual transformation in preparation for the coming End Times. Only
heartfelt prayer will allow us to avoid the potential cataclysmic events in the future. He says that
"The future of the world can and will be determined not by its leaders but by the prayers of
groups
of people throughout the world."
Dougherty says that more people than ever before are undergoing near-death experiences,
apparitions, miracles, and other spiritually transforming events. Whether or not you've had a
personal encounter with celestial beings, you'll find both inspiration and answers in Fast Lane To
Heaven, a story of personal crisis and eventual salvation.
Emergence
Barbara Max Hubbard
Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
ISBN: 1-57174-204-2, Soft Cover, 256 pp., $14.95, www.hrpub.com 1-800-766-8009
In her latest book, Emergence, visionary author Barbara Marx Hubbard describes the birth of a
new
being that she calls the "Universal Human." She describes a Universal Human as "one who is
connected through the heart to the whole of life, attuned to the deeper intelligence of nature, and
called forth irresistibly by spirit to creatively express his or her gifts in the evolution of self and the
world."
She believes that humans today are undergoing the process of "emerging" from what we've been
to
beings capable of
