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Reviewers Recommend
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Sophie Kinsella
Bantam Dell
New York, New York
ISBN: 0440241413 $6.99 350 pages
Andrea Swanson
Reviewer
I thought I had a shopping problem. Then I read Confessions of a Shopaholic. Becky
Bloomwood,
the main character, takes shopping to a whole new level, namely addiction. Although I have
occasionally succumbed to the temptation of Prada handbags and Hermes scarves, I haven't nearly
bankrupted myself, at Becky has.
Becky is a financial journalist who hates her job and shops way beyond her means. The item
doesn't
matter, she buys it all, from luggage to picture frames to journals and cookbooks. As she gets
farther
and farther into debt, it depresses her, so she shops to cheer herself up. Even her efforts to earn
extra money end up costing her more than she makes. When everything crashes in around her,
Becky hides out at her parents' house, inventing a cover story so they won't think she is a failure.
But she has to come out of hiding to help a friend in need.
Sophie Kinsella has done an excellent job of creating a really likeable, honest, realistic heroine.
Becky makes friends easily at press launches and publicity events. She fibs a bit on her resume,
which comes back to haunt her. She never realizes quite how high her credit card bill is until she
opens it. She buys gifts for Guy from Accounting and others who are leaving for another job. And
the story is not just about shopping. There is also friendship: her co-worker Elly, her roommate
Suze, her parents' neighbors, and the lengths that friends would go to for each other.
The story was unique and hilarious. I found myself alternating between laughter, the feeling of
having been in Becky's shoes myself, and the desire to physically restrain her from spending any
more money. This book is definitely a must-read for any woman who covets Kate Spade shoes
and
owns five pairs of black pants. You're in good company. This book is also great for frivolous
summer reading on the beach or on an airplane.
Stargazing
Pater Hill
Vintage
ISBN: 1740512766 A$22.95 275 pages
Ann Skea, Reviewer
http://ann.skea.com
"Anything' for a quiet life, as the man said when he took the situation at the lighthouse"
Charles Dickens: The Pickwick Papers.
Stargazing is more than a book about romantic dreams of lighthouse keeping. Stargazing is what
Peter Hill used to do at night from the lighthouse tower - "playing join-the-dots with the
constellations...kept awake by the spray and the cold wind". And Stargazing is a book in which
Hill
joins-the-dots between bright points in his own memory to make nostalgic, very funny, very
entertaining pictures of youth, adventure, a variety of admirable, strong-minded, tough characters,
and a vanished profession. It is a delightful book.
Hill was nineteen in the early nineteen-seventies, when he landed a holiday job as student trainee
lighthouse keeper. Vietnam, Watergate, and Jefferson Airplane were matters of importance to him
and his art-student friends in Dundee. And, being an undomesticated, long-haired, poetry-loving,
laid-back sort of fellow, Hill was totally unprepared for the next few months of his life, much of
which was spent in close contact with total strangers in the confined spaces of isolated lighthouses
off the west coast of Scotland. It was a life totally occupied with shift-work, weather reports,
cooking, polishing, painting, gardening, road-building and whatever other odd jobs the
Commissioners of Northern Lights (in their warm, dry offices in Edinburgh) thought up to keep
their
lighthouse keepers awake.
So, how did he find it? "Being on a lighthouse", says Hill, "resembled nothing more than being on
a
spaceship. Perhaps one co-designed by NASA and the Goons". One can understand the spaceship
analogy, but the Goons? Hill was constantly busy, but he was also amazed and amused by the
characters of the men who manned the lights and by the stories they told. Over the weeks of night
watches (art-student Hill immediately christened these 'Rembrandts') he heard tales of mystery,
giant
storms, vanished keepers, madness and heroism. Crazy things happened - like sheep-shearing on
Pladda and learning to find the business end of sheep which, pre-shearing, "all look like roadies
for
Dr Hook" - and bird invasions. On Ailsa Craig, the doors had to kept shut at night to keep
hundreds
of swarming rats out. And on tiny Hyskeir, there were three goats which "decreed that we had to
walk in single file in a precise sequence of goat - human, goat - human", an order which was
always
strictly enforced by the mother goat. Apart form that, there were basking sharks, herring shoals,
sudden storms and a frightening near-death experience.
Hill's first lighthouse was on Pladda, off the coast of the isle of Arran. "Don't tell me they've sent
another fucking hippie!" was his greeting from the farmer who picked him up by tractor from a
remote field to deliver him to the rowing-boat which would take him to the lighthouse. Perhaps
the
greeting had something to do with the fact that Hill was standing on a wall reading a Langston
Hughes poem about a mighty river to a small Scottish stream. It was, however, a meeting of
romantic youth and dour Scottish elder which was typical of his first two weeks on the lighthouse.
There, the three, seasoned, older keepers inculcated him into the job, and into the art of living
together in a small space, and into the art of telling stories gripping enough to keep each other
awake on night shifts.
Story-telling is an art Hill has never lost. He has an artist's eye for colourful detail and poet's ear
for
accents and for the hypnotic rhythms and varied emotions of a good yarn, all of which make his
own
tales a delight. His serious descriptions of everyday life of lighthouse-keeping include fascinating
details about the light itself, and since this was before lighthouses were automated, there were
many
vital routines to be learned so that the light remained reliable and bright. And Hill's periods of
shore
leave and his reflection on his own teenage character and experiences also make funny and, often,
nostalgic reading.
Stargazing is also an enlightening book for anyone who ever dreamed that living in a lighthouse
might offer them a quiet place in which to read, write, paint, meditate or do anything which
requires
peace and isolation.
For example:
Not long before I read Stargazing, I saw the two cottages at the Douglas Head Lighthouse on the
Isle of Man, advertised for sale. "Enclosed garden. Superb location. Stunning views" the
advertisement said. And there was a photograph of the cottages, gleaming white in the sun, with
the
lighthouse towering above them into a cloudless blue sky.
The location is not as remote as any of Hill's lighthouses. You can walk round Douglas Head,
down
seventy-six concrete steps to a rocky beach and jetty, then up fifty-three stoney steps to the
cottage-garden wall. Or you can climb down (and up!) the hundred-or-so steps from the top of
the
cliff.
Postal deliveries might be a bit of a problem unless the postie is young and fit. More importantly,
though, the Isle of Man is more noted for its legendary mists than for clear, blue skies of the
Estate
Agent's photograph. So it's funny that the advertisement omitted to mention 'Moaning Minnie', the
foghorn on the cliff just below the cottages' garden walls. And, it's interesting to hear what Peter
Hill
has to say about foghorns. "Nothing", he writes, "had quite prepared me for the painfully loud
noise", or for the number of hours "turning into days" that the foghorn might have to blow. Hill's
account of conversations held in fifteen second bursts between deafening blast of sound is
hilarious,
but he certainly put paid to any romantic idea I might have had of buying a lighthouse
cottage.
Hill's book, however, did leave me with some intriguing stories about the Isle of Man to ponder.
Was it Douglas Lighthouse from which the keepers were once sacked for selling off the spare
stock
of mercury: stock which was needed in order to keep the light turning smoothly? And is there still
a
naked lighthouse keeper on Chicken Rock?
As you can tell, I enjoyed Stargazing with Peter Hill. And he certainly revealed some unexpected
and fascinating constellations.
Caught in the Net
Jessica Thomas
Bella Books
P.O. Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
ISBN: 1931513546, $12.95, 224 pages
Arlene Germain
Reviewer
Alex Peres, a thirty-something private detective and part-time nature photographer living in
Provincetown, Massachusetts, is walking her black lab Fargo along the beach one late winter day.
Business is slow which has forced her to take a tail-the-hubby case. While pondering her state of
affairs, or rather her depressing lack of any, Fargo dashes toward her and deposits a sneaker at
her
feet. More flotsam left on the beach by last night's storm, or so she thinks, until she takes a closer
look and sees a human foot still inside that sneaker. Like it or not, it appears that Alex has a more
intriguing problem to solve now than spying on a cheating spouse.
So begins this first novel by newcomer Jessica Thomas. The author has created a rather
whimsical,
witty, and wary detective in Alex Peres. Surrounded by the denizens of the Wharf Rat Bar, her
police detective sergeant brother, and several other colorful characters living in Provincetown
during
the off-season, Alex's world is further turned upside down when Janet Meacham, a beautiful and
mysterious newcomer to town, walks into the Wharf Rat. After a rather inept attempt to
introduce
herself to Janet, her pick up line needs work, Alex strikes up a friendship with Janet and soon the
heat between these two independent women begins to intensify. They soon find themselves
involved
in murder and deceit as their feelings for each other deepen.
As first novels go, this one has several strong elements going for it. The first person narrative is
extremely well written. Both the internal and external dialogue flows seamlessly, carrying the
reader
along effortlessly, while divulging those traits and nuances which make some characters more
memorable for the reader than others. Another plus is the author's wry sense of humor. Whether
trying to impress the lady, solve the crime, catch the bad guys, or face some unpleasant truths,
Alex
views her little corner of the world as theater; the people whom she encounters are playing their
parts; some are just better at it than others.
Although the book is rather short and at times the plot becomes a bit static, the author
compensates
for it by creating a main character that is likable, sympathetic, and engaging. Now that the
groundwork has been laid, here's hoping that Jessica Thomas decides to continue to share the life
and times of Alex Peres with a lengthier, more developed sequel. This freshman novel certainly
has
"series" potential.
Manners That Sell: Adding The Polish That Builds Profits
Lydia Ramsey
Longfellow Press
P.O. Box 16545, Savannah, GA 31416, 912-598-9812
ISBN: 096700120X $19.95 188 pp.
Bonnie Jo Davis
Reviewer
This beautifully laid out trade paperback has a gorgeous and practical design both inside and
out.
I recommend you read this book with a highlighter and a pen and be ready to take copious notes
in
the blank pages thoughtfully provided between chapters.
Manners That Sell: Adding The Polish That Builds Profits should be required reading for high
school and college students and for anyone already in the business environment. Once upon a
time,
good manners were taught in school and at home, but that time has long since passed. This book
provides the perfect refresher course for those of us who were taught manners but no longer
remember the finer points of etiquette.
While reading this book I discovered that the author, Lydia Ramsey, covered every conceivable
point of etiquette including many that I'd never been taught. Each of the twelve chapters covers
one
main topic broken down into digestible bite sized chunks of rules and guidelines to enhance
credibility and professionalism. Topics include first impressions, greetings and introductions, the
art
of conversation, dressing for business, telephone courtesy, electronic etiquette, correspondence in
business, etiquette in the office, gift-giving in business, etiquette out of the office, dining for profit
and doing business internationally.
The author of this delightful book, Lydia Ramsey, is a business etiquette expert with over thirty
years of experience working with non-profits, corporations, colleges and universities. She is a
frequently published author who presents workshops, seminars and keynotes on all aspects of
business etiquette.
I recommend businesses buy this book in bulk and present one to every employee from the
frontline
up to the top management. In this ever changing world with so many consumer choices, the
bottom
line is often affected by the simple courtesies that can and should be afforded to customers. You
need this book if you want your employees to succeed and your business to thrive.
Sunshine Rider: The First Vegetarian Western
Ric Lynden Hardman
Delacorte Press
ISBN 0385325436 $15.95
Jean Carroll
Reviewer
Pick up this book and get ready for a fun trip as you ride along with young Wylie Jackson as he
starts out on a cattle drive from Odessa, Texas headed for Wichita Kansas. The ride will take
many a
detour as Wylie gets into one scrape after another.
Although Wylie wants to make it as a cowboy, several things stand in his way, one being his
promise
to Alice Beck to deliver Roselle, her pet cattalo (a cross between a long horn and a buffalo) to her
cousin in Enid, Okalahoma so Roselle won't end up on someone's dinner table.
Accompanied by Roselle, Wylie goes from one incongruous adventure to another. On occasion
his
escapades seem a bit contrived and coincidental, but the author's description of the predicaments
and
the means by which Wylie escapes to live and ride and blunder into yet another scrape is so
hilarious
that the contrivances and coincidences are forgiven.
Wylie tells his own story and, since his aunt Clara forced him to read Sir Walter Scott, Dickens,
Thackery and the like, his speech is not that of an ordinary cowpoke in the year 1881. He
describes
an incident where he wakes to find an Indian standing over him:
"Painful constriction occasioned by a mixture of terror, poorly digested breadroot, and gooseberry
tea ran through my interior. I wanted to rid myself of the whole mess, but all my ports were shut
tight."
Wylie's meeting with medicine man Tim-oo-leh starts him on his quest to become a doctor.
Later Wylie takes up with salesman Dr. Majul Majul Dadu Budge Budge Burns, inventor of the
Electric Belt. which has caused burns to many men. Majul Majul turns to a new source of income,
the sale of a burn remedy and hair restorer, with Wylie and Roselle as his sidekicks.
Warning: Each chapter begins with a recipe or two. For those who are animal lovers, vegetarians,
PETA members, or a bit squeamish, don't read the first recipe, and check the names of the ones
thereafter before reading.
Aside from the recipes, almost every page will make you laugh out loud. But the author has some
surprises in the final chapters and they hit hard.
I can't wait to read the sequel, MOONLIGHT RIDER, The Second Vegetarian.
All Around Me Peaceful
Kent Nelson
Dell Publishing
666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10103
0385297157, $19.00, 397pp
Coletta Ollerer
Reviewer
Neil Shanks is a young man who hails from Michigan where his family has a prosperous lumber
business which was financed by his great grandfather's Colorado mining efforts. Neil has always
been interested in his forebear and determines to go west to discover how he made his money. It
had
never been fully explained to anyone.
Neil starts working for a newspaper in the town of Gold Hill, Colorado, then opens a sandwich
shop, then a souvenier shop, all to keep himself sheltered and fed while he searches archives to
find
out about his great grandfather, Thomas Shanks.
He strikes up a friendship with Becky Carlsson, who finds him interesting because he is so
different
from other men she knows. He enjoys reading and lends her some books. She is entranced by the
new things she learns from this platonic relationship. She does not tell her husband, Finn, because
he
would not understand the friendship.
Hunting season starts in this mountainous area and nearly everyone in town sets out for their
hunting
camps including Finn and Becky. Snow begins to fall heavily and a few days later an exhausted
Finn
comes back into town, having arrived there by hanging onto the tail of his horse and walking
down
the mountain. He reports that Becky had been lost while they were hunting and he doesn't know
where she is. "`Becky,' Finn said. He opened his eyes again, but stared blankly, as if he couldn't
remember where he was or what he'd said. The usual tightness of his mouth was gone, and his lips
were slack." (p80)
Sheriff Ed Wainright sends Aurey Vallejos, a local experienced climber, to find her. Later groups
of
townspeople and volumteers go out in waves to search for the missing girl.
Neil gets a clue about his great grandfather from the Indian Museum and finally comes to
discovery.
"To whom could he explain what he knew? Who would listen? None of his family would want to
hear such a story. Thomas was a man of their own blood, a hero." (p361) He decides to return to
Michigan but stays to help search for Becky.
The Colorado Search and Rescue team spots something from the helicopter. Something red in the
snow seen at a distant and secluded part of the mountain. Ed sends Aurey to investigate. Aurey
reports back that it was a bloody ptarmigan apparently killed by a coyote.
The search continues but on more than one level. People find themselves looking inside while
searching outside. Some recognize the need for change and go forward, others are locked in
neutral.
Some see no need for change, and there are those who find reform forced upon them.
Millard Fillmore, Mon Amour: A Novel
John Blumenthal
St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 0312323689 $12.95 320 Pages
Jennifer Colt, Reviewer
www.jennifercolt.com
A Booksense76 pick for September 2004.
Plato G. Fussell is rich, handsome, and a complete mess, ensnarled in a web of compulsions that
have him doing everything from starching his argyle socks to speaking backwards. He keeps his
galoshes close, his Xanax closer. But Plato is a nut you can love (and frighteningly, identify
with).
The question is, can he break through his neuroses and take a chance on the ultimate human
experience a connection with another human being? Or will he forever be consigned to an
obsessively ordered bachelorhood, convinced that romantic love is but a practical joke played on
us
by our wily hormones?
Plato's last hopes of normality were dashed by a failed marriage eight years ago. The sale of his
Internet company left him with an impressive fortune and considerable free time: "twenty-four
hours
a day." So he dotes on his odd parents and his dachshund Isabella. He embarks on a lifelong quest
to
discover the true "Millard Fillmore," penning a ten volume biography of history's most forgettable
President. He also attends twice-weekly sessions with his psychiatrist, Dr. Alphonso K.
Wang.
But when he's hit in the head with a Frisbee at Dr. Wang's patient picnic, Plato starts to believe in
kismet. The culprit is a beautiful woman named Emily Thorndyke, who can match him neurosis
for
neurosis, and whose own slobbering mutt is providentially named Ferdinand.
Plato falls almost instantly for Emily (of course, they both need affidavits from each other's doctor
ensuring a clean bill of health, first). Taking this one brick from the wall of his emotional fortress
has
hilariously disastrous consequences, as every defense that kept Plato functioning as a "somewhat
quirky, pseudo-insane" person comes tumbling down around his ears.
Millard Fillmore, Mon Amour is romantic comedy of the highest order, a book so funny you will
think you're completely laughed out halfway through inured, by that time, to the witty dialog, the
devilishly clever story turns, the puns (never intended), and then
You're in convulsions all over again. It does not let up. It is relentless.
For those who have mourned the demise of Woody Allen, this is the good news: John Blumenthal
is
in the house. A storyteller of wit, warmth and charm he has picked up the Allen mantle and is out
there waving it around like a crazy man.
Millard Fillmore, Mon Amour. Read it and be very glad you did.
Also recommended: What's Wrong with Dorfman? By John Blumenthal
Tibetan Astrology
Philippe Cornu
Translated by Hamish Gregor
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Horticultural Hall, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
www.shambhala.com
ISBN: 1570629633 $16.95 294 pages
Rose Glavas
Reviewer
Tibet brings to my mind mystery. This immediately gets my interest because I love to delve into
just
about anything that explores the unknown.
Combine mystery with astrology and I couldn't wait to set time aside to explore this detailed book
on Tibetan Astrology. According to the back cover, this is the first detailed book on this subject.
It
was originally written in French, but was translated into English by Hamish Gregor.
Philippe Cornu has studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhism with Dudjom Rinpoche, Sogyal
Rinpoche, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, and other teachers of the Nyingma tradition. He is the
author
or translator (into French) of several books on the Nyingma school and Dzogchen.
Tibetan Astrology is quite complex and needs an understanding of the cultural and spiritual
history
of this mysterious country. This is covered in Part One - General Considerations where a concise
look as these topics has been prepared. Part Two - Practical Astrology goes into the technical
information needed to use this system of astrology - get ready for your brain to be boggled!
I have to be honest and say that I was a bit naive in starting my review on this book, I had no idea
that this topic would be so complicated! I enjoyed reading most of the background in Part One
but
when I got into the technical side of "Tibetan Astrology" I found it hard to take all of the
information in. Basically, this is a totally different way of using astrology to our Western version
and, I feel, needs more than a book to learn. "Tibetan Astrology" is certainly a book for the more
confident and experienced astrologer.
This is why I would recommend this book to be used as a reference in conjunction with some type
of
educational course. This is simply because of the complex nature of the topic.
The author has done exceptionally well in presenting the complicated Eastern theories to the
Western mindset and should be congratulated on this achievement. But again, I think it is too
complicated to learn from a book (or maybe I should just have another coffee to get my brain
moving along!).
In summary, if you are looking for a challenge in your quest for astrological knowledge you've hit
the jackpot!
Waltz With Me, Alaska
Donna Blasor-Bernhardt, JADA Press
Jacksonville, FL
http://www.JadaPress.com
ISBN: 0974750115, $19.95, 271 pp.
Jody Pryor
Reviewer
I met the author, Donna Blasor-Bernhardt a couple years ago on an Internet list. Through her
emails, and visiting her web site, she encompassed everything I associated with being Alaskan.
When
she announced the release of her book pertaining to the thirteen months Donna and her family
lived
in a tent, I knew it was one book I had to read.
Donna, Dick, and their two children left Anchorage in 1977 to find the Alaska Donna and Dick
remembered as kids. As summer drew to a close, they finally found their new home, in the last
place
they ever expected to live, Tok.
Blasor-Bernhardt takes the reader on a journey that will linger long after the last page has ended. I
found myself alternating between laughter and tears as she shared her life with me.
She takes the reader from the harsh reality of life in the tent during -70 degree weather, to the
beauty of Alaska flawlessly.
"After once again shoving a log into the stove, then squirting the roof (a chore they did constantly
to
keep the tent from catching on fire), I noticed the frost had moved higher up the inside of the tent
walls. I could almost see it moving. Knowing the temperature was dropping rapidly...I decided to
go
outside and check the thermometer.
"A spectacular night greeted me.... The sky...was filled with stars that fairly leaped from their
places
in space. They flickered like swarms of fireflies attracted to the North Star. Mountains glowed
beneath northern lights dancing gracefully to an unheard heavenly symphony. A full moon shown
over us all. Nearly bright as day, frost sparkled brightly on the tree boughs."
Waltz With Me, Alaska will appeal to any reader who wants to learn about Alaska. Not only the
beauty of the 49th state, but the harshness, and the people who call Alaska home.
As I read Ms. Blasor-Bernhardt's words, I felt as if I were sitting across the table from her,
listening
to her confide what she and her family had endured during those thirteen months. When they went
hungry, I felt their hunger. When the temperature dropped outside and inside their tent, I
shivered,
though it was summer outside. As they overcame each obstacle, I cheered for them.
This is a true story of the Bernhardt's rediscovery of their love for Alaska and their family. Donna
writes for the Tok newspaper, has been featured in countless newspapers and magazines,
including
Peter Jenkins book, Looking for Alaska. She has self-published five books of poetry, two short
historical books, two recipe books and a children's book. Donna is poet laureate for Tok and the
Alaska Highway.
A complete list of her other works, including her latest detailing the building of the Alaska
Highway,
Pioneer Road, can be found at http://www.alaska-wintercabin.com/
Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece
Debra Hamel
Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300094310 $26.00 200 pages
Medb
Reviewer
Trying Neaira is just what one would NOT expect an historical nonfiction book to be: witty and
easy
to read, with little bizarre bits that one just MUST read out loud! Furthermore, her writing style is
light and makes a normal dry subject (the ancient Athenian judicial system) interesting and
comprehensible.
Neaira was a prostitute in the 4th century, who grew up in Corinth and eventually found herself in
a
stable relationship as the long-time mistress of an influential Athenian, Stephanos. Unfortunately,
Stephanos had an equally influential enemy (or at least rival) Apollodoros. They battled back and
forth in the courts, and eventually Apollodoros hit on a different way to attack
Stephanos--through
Neaira.
Athenian laws were quite strict about foreigners and allowed no intermarriage. Apollodoros set
out
to prove that Neaira was living with Stephanos as his wife, instead of as his mistress, and that
their
children were being given the rights of Athenian citizens--which, as Neaira's children, they never
could be.
Using Apollodoros speech to the jury, Hamel recreates Neaira's life, while using other sources to
fill
out the story with interesting details about prostitution, jury duty, social customs and Athenian
law.*
Hamel approaches Neaira's life (via the speech) as a detective would, piecing together bits,
shifting
out obvious falsehoods, and in the end presenting a surprising full picture of one woman's
life.
This is an excellent book for anyone who is, or who is NOT, interested in ancient Athenian law. I,
myself, had not the least curiosity in said subject and yet found myself fascinated, all the while
being
constantly entertained by her sly wit and bizarre trivia. I learned enough from this book to become
quite interested in Athenian history and I feel it will have the same effect on any other casual
historian.
*to quote from the Preface:
Apollodoros' speech, inevitably hostile to Neaira, must be the principal source for her biography,
though we will need very often to question and reject the information he provides. Where what he
tells us is not inherently unlikely, however, or contradicted by other sources, and when lying
about
the issue under discussion would not have furthered the prosecution's case, we can feel reasonably
confident about accepting Apollodoros' testimony. Fleshing out Neaira's story, too, will require
frequent dips into other source material.
Screams From the Furnace
Marjaree Mayne
Writers Showcase
www.iuniverse.com
ISBN# 059515414X $15.95 303 pgs
Rick Mohr
Reviewer
I've been doing book reviews for quite a while now and have had the privilege of reading some
really
great work by a lot of authors you have never heard of but need to, as well as some that can only
ever aspire to mediocre. Every now and then, one will rise to the top and make me wonder why
there are not more people reading this why is this author languishing in relative obscurity, and
even
more so, why is this work not published by one of the major publishing houses? I am delighted to
say, that this is most assuredly the case with Screams From The Furnace by Marjaree Mayne. Her
writing is of such a quality, her characters and situations so real and electrifying, that I cannot
truly
begin to express the feeling I had while reading. I don't know how much research went into this; if
she dug into the minds of serial killers or if it is even based on a real case or not, but this story is
as
well told as anything published by one of the big houses, or the best episodes of C.S.I. (take your
pick which one), or Law and Order (again, pick which series you like).
Within the pages of this work, you see how some lives are harder than others. The homeless or
streeters, are at a much higher risk for violent crimes and the chances that any will even notice
their
absence is low. They are the perfect pray for a serial murderer.
In Screams From the Furnace, the streeters of Daytona Beach Florida are disappearing without a
trace. There is a man stalking them who strongly believes he is doing God's work and has to settle
an old score. Joanne Logan, a reporter assigned to live with the streeters, finds herself thrown
right
in the middle of the crisis, which becomes more personal each day as she grows to love not only
her
new friends but also the free lifestyle they lead. After the loss of a close friend to the killer, Joanne
and her new family of streeters, set out to do what the police can't -- or don't care enough to do --
to
catch and bring to justice the person who is stalking and killing the homeless.
As I was saying above, the characters and setting in this novel are so real that it could easily pass
as
true crime. The motives are clear and frightening. Besides, I live only about an hour's drive from
Daytona Beach, and I can verify that she has the look and feel of the town down cold. There is a
side of the 'World's Most Famous Beach' that the City Council does not want anyone to know
exists,
and her covering it brings to light the blight which no one wants to admit exist -- that there are
many
homeless which wander the streets. However, what Ms. Mayne does which I find so remarkable
and
commendable is that she does not simply portray them as unclean masses, but infuses each with
such
personality and depth that we, as readers, grow to not only know and care about each of them we
meet, but to also empathize with them and their situation.
Screams From The Furnace by Marjaree Mayne is the novel that other writers should turn to see
how it's done. I don't know if it is the perfect novel, but it is pretty darn close. This gets the
highest
recommendation I can give. The only thing I don't understand is why is this not out by one of the
major house -- this work and the author deserves, no, demands, to be seen by a wider audience. I
only hope with her next release she gets the recognition she is rightly due.
Semper Fi: Business Leadership the Marine Corps Way
Dan Carrison & Rod Walsh
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
ISBN 0814472729, $15.00, 1-800-250-5308, 226 pages
Roger Herman
Reviewer
Great Value at Twice the Price
Semper Fi is one of the best business books I've read in a long time. And that's a pretty strong
statement from an avid reader and reviewer with over three decades of experience as a
management
consultant and executive.
Somehow I missed this book when it was first released in 1999 in a hardcover edition. As the
authors point out in their introduction, the messages contained in the book are perhaps more
relevant today than they were in 1999. We face more challenges, different corporate and
operating
environments, and greater needs for strong leadership than ever before. Complicating this
condition
is the serious dearth of leadership in corporate America. Our playing field is no longer level now
more like shifting sands or shifting geology. Special leadership is needed in times of
earthquakes!
The United States Marine Corps builds leaders, and has for centuries. The application of
techniques
and values to make a Marine or a Marine officer are powerful and proven; they have stood the
test
of time. The authors, both former active duty Marines ("once a Marine, always a Marine"),
explain
the process and the foundation that makes each Marine and the Corps so well-respected and so
effective. These principles really resonated with me as I read page after page, in light of the role of
the Marines in the history that leaps out of our front pages every day.
Each chapter begins with some aspect of how the Marines do it, then relate the principles to
business
applications. The advice is solid, inspiring, and immediately useful. The content and the writing
style
held my rapt attention and made me want more. I was actually disappointed when the book
ended.
And I found myself wishing I had served my country as a Marine instead of a dedicated member
of
the US Army. Now understanding the difference, I am sorry I missed what Marines get. And, at
the
same time, I'm anxious to share the message of this book with clients and friends.
With a price tag of only $15 retail, corporate leaders can purchase copies of Semper Fi to give to
each of their executives and managers at least. Learn, appreciate, and apply the knowledge in
these
pages to change your organization into a high performance team. Idea: if your company is
fortunate
enough to have former Marines or reservists on the payroll, call on them to validate and explain
what being a Marine is all about and what the experience means to them today.
Gandhi: Behind the Mask of Divinity
G. B. Singh
Prometheus
ISBN 1573929980, $32.00 355 pp.
Xavier William
Reviewer
Mud is one of the most plentiful and cheapest of materials on earth and slinging it is one of the
easiest of pastimes. It has been said that the success of a man can be measured by the number of
his
enemies. It may safely be added that the greatness of a man or woman can be gauged by the
amount
of mud slung at him or her. The truth is that we humans have a propensity to make titans of
ordinary
men and women and then comes the equal and opposite reaction of tarring and feathering great
man
or woman. The mud slung at Gandhi by G.B.Singh only adds to the greatness of the Mahatma.
(Mahatma means large minded).
I was born into a Catholic family in Kerala on the SW coast of India hardly a month after India
gained independence and Godse assassinated Gandhi. The ecclesiastical establishment was not
happy
about the independence as the Christian community in India was mostly pro-British, pro-Christian
West. Gandhi was painted as a diabolic force by my community. Then the India Government
propaganda machinery began churning and Gandhi was painted as one of the greatest men of all
times, the Mahatma. According to that propaganda Gandhi lived with the untouchables and the
scavengers, used the same toilets as they did and even cleaned the toilets. According to the
government propaganda this cleaning of toilets was the cause of much friction between him and
his
wife Kasturba.
I am not a student of history and so am not in a position to give a real picture of Gandhi. But I
would like to lay before you some facts I know first hand that might belie much of what Singh has
described in his work.
By the time I was six I was put into a primary school run by nuns and subsequently into a high
school run by priests. Then I went to a college run by the diocese and last to an engineering
college
run by the government. All along I had Harijans as classmates. Harijan is a euphemism for the low
castes and untouchables and means people of god. This term was coined by Gandhi. They are also
called Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, as there is schedule of such castes and tribes of
formerly untouchables. The students belonging to the Scheduled castes and tribes do not have to
pay
any fees and have special reservation in colleges. Their hostel and food expenses are paid for by
the
government and they also get a monthly stipend. Once they are through with their education they
have special job reservations and get preferential treatment in promotions. All these privileges
were
there with independence and if Gandhi were casteist as Singh alleges, this would not have come
about.
I have also heard it said that before he died he forgave his assassin, Godse. That does not come
easy
for an ordinary human being. It may also be noted that Godse was a high caste Hindu and bore a
grudge against Gandhi for his secularism.
Gandhi could very well have chosen to become India's first ruler. Instead he gave way to Nehru
and
that too does not come easy for an ordinary human being. If Gandhi had chosen to lead the new
government he would have been well protected and he might in all probability have not been
assassinated. As a result India would have had Gandhi's grandsons and granddaughters-in-law
ruling
India instead of Nehru's. By the way, people in the West have the misconception that the Gandhis
ruling India today are descendents of the Mahatma Gandhi. Nothing could be farther from the
truth.
The ruling Gandhis of India are not even remotely related to the Mahatma.
I have read an essay or two by Mahatma Gandhi and there are two quotations attributed to him
that
I still remember after so many decades. One is 'If you take an eye for an eye, then the whole world
will finally go blind' and the second quotation is 'No one can insult you without your permission'
Then there are a series of advices attributed to him and displayed at many government offices and
businesses across India and these stress the necessity of serving the customers and the
people.
He had his faults. He advocated self sufficient villages. This was economic naivet‚ and a pointer
to
his total ignorance of macro and micro economics.
Khuswant Singh, a turbaned Sikh from the same community as G.B.Singh , has also written a
defamatory treatise on Gandhi. In his works he has alleged that the aged Gandhi slept with naked
girls on either side to test his self-control. Chairman Mao has also been accused of sleeping with
virgins every night. But then Mao had the absolute power to enforce every wish of his. Gandhi
had
no such power in pre-independent India and if there were even the inkling of such sexual
misdemeanor on the part of Gandhi, the English would have been the first to pounce on the
opportunity to denigrate Gandhi.
I have seen news reels of Gandhi leaning on the shoulders of young girls as he walked. In my own
society it is and was perceived as a misdemeanor. But then I am not in a position to judge Gandhi
by
the same yardstick, as he belonged a distant society and a distant period from mine. Even if there
were misdemeanors and shortcomings on his part they only serve to highlight the greatness of a
fallible man.
Alisa's Bookshelf
The Winter Oak
James A. Hetley
Ace
http://www.penguin.com
ISBN: 0441012019 $14.00 295 pp.
Camelot is long gone. Merlin was not the benevolent wizard nor was Arthur the true hero. Very
little about the legends are true except that a magical place exists called the Summer Country.
James Hetley has taken a modern fantasy tale and reminded us that happy endings never happen in
the real world. Winter Oak is a wonderful follow-up to the Summer Country.
At the conclusion of the Summer Country, Maureen had come into her own as a witch by killing
Dougal and defeating Fiona. Maureen rescued Brian from his half-sister Fiona's twisted binding
and
found a way to free her sister, Jo and David, Jo's boyfriend. Maureen suddenly finds herself in
possession of a castle with slaves, a boyfriend, a very pissed-off dragon, powers she is just
beginning
to understand, and benefactress of a forest with unknown delights and dangers.
Winter Oak starts with Jo and David's return to the real world and all its troubles. Time has
elapsed
and Jo and David cannot just return to their lives as if nothing has happened. Too much has
happened for all to be as it was. David and Jo must find a way to face all the changes and to
decide
if they do indeed love each other.
Childhood sexual abuse and other abuses have scarred Maureen and negatively effected Jo. Each
finds a sort of solace and succor in a bottle. Of course alcohol only provides temporary relief and
creates more problems. Jo is forced to reckon with her parent's relationship - the outcome of
which
will change everything for Jo and Maureen.
Maureen is haunted by all around her. She cannot accept Brian's love nor can she fathom why he
remains. The bottle provides a means to deaden all the pain in her mind. Luckily, Maureen has the
forest to support and love her unconditionally.
Brian finds himself thrust into a web of deceit and betrayal involving the Pendragons. He is
unwilling
forced to leave Maureen and in order to hang onto his own life. Much is revealed in his struggle
to
return to Maureen.
The wicked black witch Fiona lends a macabre presence in the Summer Country. Having
impregnated herself with her own half-brother, Brian, she plots to destroy Maureen and Jo. Fiona
crafts magic and science to bring ruin to those she feels threatened by. Fiona lies in wait, probing
for
weaknesses she can use to destroy Maureen, Jo, and Brian.
After reading Winter Oak, I was stunned by the depth of the continuing story started in the
Summer
Country. The dark, twisted, urban fantasy only expanded to another level while allowing us
readers
to enjoy the ride. Maureen is so burdened by all her problems that it is easy to understand how
hopeless she feels. The addition of alcohol makes the scene that much more depressing. Maureen's
descent into alcoholism is incredibly realistic and painful to read.
The realism of Jo and David's difficulties further validates James Hetley as not your average
fantasy
author. While most fantasy books rely on the fantastic to convey interesting stories, Hetley relies
on
the underbelly of what we all have come to believe in as real. Reality is gritty and has teeth. The
Winter Oak is earthy, dark, and yet redeeming all at once. Each character plays a part in their own
redemption. No one waves a wand or casts a spell that suddenly makes all their unhappiness and
pain go away. Instead, magic only enhances their abilities to survive and to heal.
Incubus Dreams
Laurell K. Hamilton
Berkley Publishing Group
http://www.penguin.com
ISBN: 0425198243 $23.95 658 pp.
Incubus Dreams is author Laurell K. Hamilton's latest installment in the Anita Blake, Vampire
Hunter series. After 11 books in this series, Hamilton still manages to surprise the reader with
new
material.
Incubus Dreams opens at a wedding Tammy and Larry's. This is not a church event as the
blushing
bride is not only a cop, but a witch as well. Not to mention that the groom raises the dead for a
living. It would seem a Halloween theme has been somehow made to fit for a wedding orange
bridesmaid dresses, orange and black decorations, and so on. Thankfully, Anita is on the groom's
side and allowed to wear a tux as a 'groomsman.' The Anita we know has been forced into many a
bridesmaid dress but the orange creations for this wedding are horrid in every way.
As with any event in Anita's life, a murder takes place and she is forced to leave the wedding to
fulfill her duties as a consultant to the Regional Preternatural Investigation Unit and a Federal
Marshal. The murder is almost tame after the murder scenes visited in Narcissus in Chains and
Cerulean Sins. Just a dead stripper. Only twist is that this stripper seems to have been drained dry
by
multiple vampires. While Anita is positive none of her lover and the vampire Master of the City
Jean-Claude's vampires would commit this crime, others are not convinced. Anita must face many
prejudices and find ways to fit into the cop mentality once again.
To add more spice to the murder storyline, Anita, Jean-Claude, and Richard - werewolf and
Ulfric,
enter into a new power level. This creates many conflicts within Anita's life. Not only must she
embrace Richard's beast and her own, but into this comes her 'vampire servant' Damian's
loneliness,
everyone's rage, Jean-Claude's blood lust and ardeur to round out the mix. Everything in Anita's
life
hinges on her ability to be flexible and accepting. These are not two characteristics that Anita has
been known to posses in the past.
Incubus Dreams delivers to more then just a die hard Hamilton fan. The mystery/murder is
interesting and allows us to experience the horror of the monsters. Anita has just enough friction
from her fellow investigators to remind us just how sexist and bigoted the old boy's school
mentality
can be. Her new powers enhance her skills in the investigation, but also hinder her with their
baggage. Nothing is every straight forward with Anita and her powers.
While many consider the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series to be nothing more than erotica,
they
are vastly underrating the series. Incubus Dreams does contain many explicit sexual encounters.
Some of these encounters are not pleasant to read nor do I think they are meant to be. The
powerful sexual incubus that Jean-Claude has inadvertently shared with Anita is not amiable. It is
a
driving force that she must feed or face the consequences. This dilemma gives rise to the sexual
acts.
The sexuality is not gratuitous in nature and has a purpose in the story arc of the entire
series.
Incubus Dreams allows the reader to see that Laurell K. Hamilton is still able to produce amazing
characters in mind-blowing situations. The story line of the mystery/murder and Anita's life is
continued, but more complete then any of the previous books. Hamilton has allowed herself to
write
until she has completed the story and it shows in the 658 pages of Incubus Dreams. I look
forward
to the next installment of Anita Blake.
Laurell K. Hamilton is the St. Louis author of twelve Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series books
and
three novels in the Meredith Gentry series. She has also published a number of short stories along
with another novel recently re-released, Nightseer.
Alisa McCune
Reviewer
Bethany's Bookshelf
Nobody's Perfect
Charlotte Chandler
Applause Theatre Books
c/o Hal Leonard Corporation
151 West 46th Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10036
1557836329 $17.95 1-800-637-2852
Nobody's Perfect: Billy Wilder by biographer Charlotte Chandler is the personal and engaging
story
of one of the great figures of 20th century movie-making -- the legendary Billy Wilder
(1906-2002).
The great director perhaps best known for classics such as "Some Like It Hot", "The Apartment",
"Sunset Boulevard", and many more, Billy Wilder narrates much of "Nobody's Perfect" in his own
words, rendering it as close to an autobiography as any story of his life can be. A filmography
complements this witty, insightful, life story of a creative visionary.
The Persian Blanket
Tim Chappell
Fremantle Arts Centre Press/ISBS, dist.
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
192073144X $22.50 1-800-944-6190 www.isbscatalog.com
The Persian Blanket: The Life Of Janina Milek by Tim Chappell is the true story of one woman's
determination and spirit. Born in Poland in 1921, Janina Milek and her family were sent to Siberia
in
the winter of 1940. She worked in labor camps for two years, then spent eight years as a refugee
in
camps in Uzbekistan, Persia, Northern Rhodesia and Tanganyika. At each stage of her journey,
members of her family left her - whether succumbing to death, left behind, or striking out on other
roads. In 1950, she came to Western Australia alone, and formed a connection with author Tim
Chappell. A heart-wrenching life experience, reflecting a stirring testimony to the strength of
human
will.
As Long As This Land Shall Last
Rene Fumoleau
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive, N.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
1552380637 $24.95 1-800-565-3770 www.uofcpress.com
Now in a new edition with an afterword by Joanne Barnaby that covers signficant cultural
developments since the first edition, As Long As This Land Shall Last: A History Of Treaty 8 and
Treaty 11, 1870-1939 by Canadian historian Rene Fumoleau examines two specific treaties
(Treaty
8 - 1899-1900 and Treaty 11 - 1921) between the Canadian government and the First Nations
peoples from northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. These treaties promised that the
native
peoples could live and hunt in freedom on their ancestral lands "as long as the sun rises from east
to
west, as long as the river flows downstream, as long as this land shall last." Black-and-white
photographs and plain-terms text clearly spell out history, expectations, and conflicts. A welcome
contribution to Native American history and reference shelves.
The Story Of V
Catherine Blackledge
Rutgers University Press
100 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8099
0813534550, $24.95 1-800-446-9323 http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu
The Story Of V: A Natural History Of Female Sexuality by science writer Catherine Blackledge is
a
methodical, meticulous discussion of female sexual organs and their role in sexual pleasure,
reproduction, and myth throughout history. Black-and-white illustrations are sparsely included;
the
text itself is straightforwardly clinical as it describes physical biology and representations of the
vagina in art and architecture in-depth. A serious and scholarly treatment of an oft-overlooked
portion of the human body.
Empowered Girls
Frances A. Karnes & Kristen R. Stephens
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
1593630050 $27.95 1-800-998-2208 www.prufrock.com
Empowered Girls: A Girl's Guide To Positive Activism, Volunteering, And Philanthropy by the
team
of Frances A. Karnes (Professor of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Educatonl, University of
Southern Mississippi) and Kristen R. Stephens (Support Services Coordinator, Duke University
Talent identification Program, and Adjunct Assistant Professor in Programs in Education, Duke
University) is a solid, practical, hands-on guide for young women seeking to become active in
their
school and community. Filled with strategies and methods for getting involved, whether in
activism,
volunteering, community service, or philanthropy, and offering the testimony of girls who
contributed and brought their inspiration, Empowered Girls is truly a soul-charging read and an
encouraging self-help guide to setting out and making the world a better place.
Complete Guide To Carb Counting
Hope S. Warshaw & Karmeen Kulkarni
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street , Alexandria, VA 22311
1580402038 $16.95 www.diabetes.org
In fulfillment of their mission to improve the lives and health of people affected by diabetes, the
American Diabetes Association has come out with a new instruction manual about counting
carbohydrates to assist in the planning of meals and management of glucose levels for men and
women who have to deal with diabetes in their daily lives. Now in an updated and expanded
second
edition, Complete Guide To Carb Counting by diabetes treatment experts Hope Warshaw and
Karmeen Kulkarni covers the basics of carb counting, as well as protein, fat, and alcohol counts,
how to figure and manage restaurant meals, blood glucose pattern management, common
questions
and answers, and much more. A no-nonsense, plain-terms guide, that walks the reader through
simple formulas that anyone can follow and adapt.
Remember The Distance That Divides Us
Marcia J. Heringa Mason, editor
Michigan State University Press
Suite 25, Manly Miles Building, 1405 South Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
0870137131 $42.95 www.msupress.msu.edu
Compiled and edited by museum administrator Marcia Mason, Remember The Distance That
Divides Us: The Family Letters Of Philadelphia Quaker Abolitionist And Michigan Pioneer
Elizabeth
Margaret Chandler 1830-1842 is the true story of a middle-class woman who left behind privelege
in
her early 20's to head into the wilderness of Michigan Territory with her brother and aunt. She
became an enthusiastic abolitionist and activist for four years, until her unfortunate death four
years
later. Her literate and inspirational correspondence, most of which was written to family members
during her years in Michigan, has been straightforwardly transcribed and presented, along with a
smattering of letters from other family members concerning her life. Her tireless contribution to
the
abolitionist cause as well as her remarkable contributions has caused her to be viewed as a
precursor
to the more well-known Grimke sisters. A first-hand glimpse into a fascinating pioneer life.
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Betsy's Bookshelf
All These Girls
Ellen Slezak
Theia
c/o Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
0786867426 $23.95 1-800-759-0190 www.HyperionBooks.com www.TheiaBooks.com
All These Girls by Ellen Slezak is the story of a bond between a young woman and aunts. Candy
Golden has lost her mother, and quit her high school basketball team in the wake of accusations of
having sex with her coach. Her Grandaunt Gloria struggles to help Candy straighten out and
reclaim
the energy to return to the basketball court, while her other, more distant aunt Elizabeth
reluctantly
comes along in what is meant to be a rejuvenating trip. Yet the travel goes off-course, and places
the
three of them in a remote locale, confronted by characters that will make them re-examine who
they
all are and what they are striving for in life. A story of emotional transformation, hope, and
forgiveness in troubled times.
The Mystery of Mary Surratt
Rebecca C. Jones
Tidewater Publishers
PO Box 456, Centreville, Maryland 21617
087033560X $9.95 1-800-638-7641
The Mystery of Mary Surratt is a straightforward treatment of a controversy in American history,
concerning the role of Mary Surratt in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Convicted and
hanged
in 1865 for conspiring to bring about his death, it remains a matter of debate whether she was a
criminal mastermind or an unwitting dupe who did a few favors for her friend John Wilkes Booth.
An aptly researched and presented account by accomplished reporter and journalism professor
Rebecca Jones, The Mystery of Mary Surratt is a head-on, no-nonsense, and engrossing look at
an
individual criminal justice case presented in plain terms for general readers of all ages.
Bound For Montana
Susan Badger Doyle
MontanaHistorical Society Press
PO Box 201201, Helena, MT 59620-1201
0917298985 $19.95 1-800-243-9900 www.montanahistoricalsociety.org
In Bound For Montana: Diaries From The Bozeman Trail, western historian Susan Badger Doyle
has compiled and annotated diaries and journals kept by men and women who traveled through
the
American west on the Bozeman Trail. The Bozeman Trail was a route from the Platte River Road
to
the goldfields of Montana; its experience through the eyes of seven different people, ranging from
a
new bride traveling with her husband to a prospector in search of wealth to a Civil War veteran, is
all recounted in the travellers' own words. A fascinating primary source, as useful for historians
and
period piece writers as it is entertaining to lay readers.
Faux and Decorative Painting
Christine E. Barnes
Sunset Publishing Corporation
80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025-3691
0376014105 $16.95 1-800-643-8030 www.sunset.com
Faux and Decorative Painting is a no-nonsense guide to beautifully coloring one's walls with
water-based painting and glazing. Full color photographs and step-by-step instructions
demonstrate
37 quick and easy latex painting techniques, from simple solid colors to designing petroglyph wall
stencils. A superbly enjoyable home improvement resource, as fun to page through as it is to pick
out follow project ideas.
The Writer's Handbook 2005
Elfrieda Abbe, editor
The Writer Books
c/o Kalmbach Publishing Company
PO Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187
0871162121 $29.95 1-800-533-6644 www.kalmbach.com
Exhaustively compiled and adroitly edited by Elfrieda Abbe, The Writer's Handbook 2005
features
articles from top writers worldwide offering tips, tricks, and techniques for both the process of
writing and the difficulties of earning a living at the craft. Everything from screenplay writing to
novel writing to nonfiction, magazine subscriptions, and more, as well as names and address
listings
of publishers and annual awards accepting open submissions jam-pack this superbly informative,
"must-have" resource for aspiring professional writers everywhere. Whether one is just starting
out
or looking to hone's one craft or sell one's work, The Writer's Handbook 2005 is absolutely not to
be missed. The 69th edition for 2005 especially features a brand-new reference section with some
of
the best books and websites to be found on the internet, and copyright and contract basics.
Mommy Baby Body Builders
Lyda Liu & Lindy Shapiro
Lily Productions
411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1067, Kiehei, HI 96753
VHS $19.95 www.lilypro.com
Also available in a DVD format, Mommy Baby Body Builders is the collaborative effort of
physical
therapist Lyda Liu and speech-language pathologist Lindy Shapiro. This 30 minute, full color, live
action "follow along" interactive, highly recommended instructional video offers the viewer a
practical and fun exercise regimen for baby and mother which combines patterns of behavior
germane to the daily tasks of motherhood and a baby's physical and mental growth. In addition to
post-natal exercise enabling a mother's body to strengthen, firm, and reshape after the physical
distortions and stresses of pregnancy and childbirth, these fun-filled, enjoyable exercises allow for
the natural increase in a healthy babies weight gain and physical maturation. Perhaps most
importantly, these mutual and interactive exercises enhance mother and baby bonding.
Chinese American Children & Families
Amy Lin Tan, Ph.D.
Association for Childhood Education International
17904 Georgia Ave., Ste. 215, Olney, MD 20832
0871731630 $18.50 www.acei.org
Chinese American Children & Families: A Guide for Educators & Service Providers is a
straightforward summary of Chinese beliefs and cultural practices that American educators, health
care workers and service providers need to know when working with the Chinese-American
community. Chapters address not only beliefs prevalent in mainland China, Hong Kong, and
Taiwan,
but also how living amidst American culture has influenced the traditional ways of doing things
especially for second and third-generation Chinese. Topics covered include cultural views of
disabilities and emotional or belief-system oriented impediments to seeking help for a disabled
child,
folk nutritional practices, attitudes toward education, child-rearing practices, family composition
and
structure, and more among Chinese-Americans. A plain-terms, easy-to-understand overview,
highly
recommended for anyone who needs to work with Chinese-American communities.
Betsy L. Hogan
Reviewer
Betty's Bookshelf
Emerald Sea
John Ringo
Baen Publishing Enerprises
P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com
0743488334 $25.00 441 p.
I was a bit confused by the title of the first book in this series. Ringo called it There Will Be
Dragons, and I expected it to have lots of dragons in it. Instead, to the best of my memory, the
only
dragon in it was Joanna Gramlich, a young lady who'd Changed into a dragon to attend a friend's
birthday party, and ended up stuck in that form when the power net went down and the Dying
Time
began. I should have read it prophetically, I guess; Joanna is introduced again in Emerald Sea,
along
with what is possibly the coolest idea I've ever read in a fantasy sci fi book, a dragon-carrier.
Dragons! Finally!
The United Free States is still at war with New Destiny, a Nazi-style dictatorship that considers
the
Changed as cannonfodder and the displaced family members of key personnel as legitimate
hostages,
with their safety and decent treatment dependent on what their family members do for ND in
return.
The USF now has a new weapon, the Bonhomme Richard, the first tall ship designed to carry a
wing
of dragons and their riders and launch them off its flight deck, in a manner similar to an aircraft
carrier. Comm. Gramlich's wing of wyverns (non-sentient dragons) and their riders, under the
command of Lieutenant Herrick, have been assigned to the Bonhomme as defense, so that their
diplomatic team can get across the ocean to the mer people, in the teeth of all-out attack by the
creatures and ships of New Destiny. But is there a spy on board?
If so, he (or she) is going to make it hard for the diplomatic team to reach the mer safely, let alone
forge an alliance between them and the people of the UFS. Meanwhile, if the ship's complement
wants to get there in one piece, they're going to have to find the spy and figure out how to use the
dragons' defensive abilities offensively. It won't be easy...
But the mer only want to be left alone - at least, until ND secretly sends a pod of Changed orcas
and
manta rays against them, threatening their entire race. Caught between their desire to be neutral
and
their need to survive, the mer must decide which to accept: the string-tied and insincere promises
of
ND? Or the freely-offered aid and friendship of the USF. And they must decide soon, before the
attacks succeed and it is all taken out of their hands.
This edge-of-your-seat book brought back all of my favorite characters from the first book: Duke
Edmund, the toughest Renn Faire reenactor ever; Herzer, once wasting away from illness and
now
Blood Lord Extraordinaire (like a Navy SEAL, only in armor); Rachel, Herzer's dream girl, who
loves him - like a sister; Bast, the wood elf, who loves him in a far different way; and the AI rabbit
cyborg, bunny from hell, who makes the Eveready bunny look like he's in suspended animation,
along with many others. And I now have a new favorite: Evan (the Ever-Efficient Engineer)
Mayerle, whose ability to come up with amazing answers to problems almost before they've been
brought to his attention reminds me of a cross between Scotty and McGyver.
You'll be cheering for the UFS all the way to the end, even though you may not have much doubt
as
to the outcome. After all, Herzer and his friends are on the UFS's side and he's a Blood Lord. And
Blood Lords fight until they die and drop. Hoo-ah!
Diary of a Worm
Doreen Cronin & Harry Bliss
Joanna Cotler Books
HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
http://www.harpercollins.com
006000150X $15.99 40 p.
Doreen Cronin, whose teamwork with Betsy Lewin produced the 2001 Caldecott Honor book
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, has teamed up with yet another talented illustrator (Harry
Bliss) to come up with Diary of a Worm, the side-splitting story of a young male earthworm, told
through his journal entries and upclose shots of his life.
At home, Worm gets scolded for telling his vain sister that, no matter how pretty she thinks she is,
her face will always look like her rear end, and is taught good manners by his grandfather.
At school, he gets in trouble for eating his homework, makes (and later eats) a macaroni necklace
in
art class, and attends a school dance, where he and friends do the Hokey Pokey - sort of.
After school, Worm plays with his friend Spider, fights with him about the importance of legs, and
makes him laugh so hard he falls off his tree. Other funny bits: Worm's choice of future career
(Secret Service), a nightmare he has, caused by eating too much garage before bed, and what he
likes and dislikes about being a worm. Also funny: "snapshots" of him and his family, friends, and
classmates, found on the flyleaf in both front and back.
There's more to this book than humor, though; it is also an ideal book for introducing the
importance of earthworms in the earth's ecosystem, using the serious comments that have been
slyly
tucked in alongside the fun.
Betty Winslow
Reviewer
Buhle's Bookshelf
Eloquent Witnesses
Mirjam M. Foot
Oak Knoll Press
310 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19720-5038
0712348271 (The British Library); 1-800-996-2556 www.amazon.com
1584561173 (Oak Knoll Press), $65.00 www.oakknoll.com
An impressive joint publishing project of the Bibliographical Society, The British Library, and
Oak
Knoll Press, Eloquent Witnesses: Bookbindings And Their History is a compilation of essays
knowledgably edited by Mirjam M. Foot and "must" reading for all dedicated bibliophiles. A
scattering of black-and-white illustrations and photographs and text printed on high-quality paper
enhance this in-depth study connecting minute aspects of bookbinding history, including tool
design,
manufacture and supply, the relationship of the bookbinder to the rest of the book trade and much
more. A scholarly treasure that explories the nuts and bolts of bookbinding through the ages in
minute detail.
The New Americans
Ruben Martinez
The New Press
38 Green Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10013
156584792X $29.95 1-800-233-4830 www.thenewpress.com
Written as a companion volume to the new PBS series available on television or video, The New
Americans by Emmy Award-winning journalist, poet, and performer Ruben Martinex (who is also
an
Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Houston) follows the stories of seven
new immigrant families from their roots in their home cultures to adapting to life in the United
States. An East Indian couple; a Mexican family, two families of Nigerian refugees; two L.A.
Dodgers prospects from the Dominican Republic; and a Palestinian American who brings his new
wife to Chicago, all have their stories told with an impeccable eye for the positives and negatives
of
forging a new life for oneself. A positive anthology of human determination and the capacity for
change and growth.
De Gaulle, Israel And The Jews
Raymond Aron
Transaction Publishers
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
0765809257 $24.95 1-888-999-6778 www.transactionpub.com
Enhanced with a new introduction by Michael Curtis (former professor of political science at
Rutgers University), De Gaulle, Israel And The Jews by the late political and social theorist of
post-World War II France Raymond Aron (1905-1983), continues to be germane to the
contemporary issues facing France with its five million muslims, Israel with its continuing tenous
relationship with the French government, and the Jewish population in France which has
experienced
a significant rise in antisemitic activies over the past few years. Expertly translated from the
original
French, De Gaulle, Israel, And The Jews studies de Gaulle's language and policies, including his
infamous 1967 press conference in which he characterized Jews as "an elite people, self-assured
and
domineering". Drawing upon a wealth of research and critical examination, De Gaulle, Israel, And
The Jews struggles to understand whether de Gaulle was truly anti-Semitic, what his real policies
and attitudes were toward Israel and how they connected with his Middle East policies, and his
legacy to modern-day France. An in-depth, technical analysis intended for students, scholars, and
historians, and a welcome contribution especially for students political science and Judaic
reference
shelves.
The Creation And Destruction Of Social Capital
Gunnar Lind Haase Svendsen & Gert Tinggaard Svendsen
Edward Elgar Publishing
136 West Street, Suite 202, Northampton, MA 01060-3711
1843766167 $90.00 1-800-390-3149 www.e-elgar.co.uk
The Creation And Destruction Of Social Capital: Entrepreneurship, Co-Operative Movements
And
Institutions by Gunnar and Gert Svendsen, applies the authors' scholarship in economics to
scrutinize social capital as the "forgotten" production factor, in addition to physical, financial and
human capital. Exploring how social capital is created and destroyed, in a combination of political
science, economics, anthropology, sociology, and history, The Creation And Destruction Of
Social
Capital delves into case studies and notes that some of the most brilliant entrepreneurs were as
motivated by social incentives as by the hunger for financial reward. A welcome contribution to
scholarly economic and public policy debates, The Creation And Destruction Of Social Capital is
written for advanced students yet offers insights critical to better understanding micro and macro
economics alike.
Il Dottore
Ron Felber
Barricade Books, Inc.
185 Bridge Plaza North, Suite 308-A, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
1569802785 $24.95 1-800-592-6657 www.barricadebooks.com
Il Dottore: The Double Life Of A Mafia Doctor by author and biographyer Ron Felber is the
startlingly true story of a physician at Mount Sinai Hospital who provided health care services for
Mafia kingpins including John Gotti and Joseph Bonanno. By day, he pursued a flourishing career
as
a respected cardiac surgeon; by night, he was a gambling and sex addict, drawn ever deeper into
the
high-stakes world of organized crime. His double life came to a head-on conflict in the mid 1980's
when the government's star witness, Ralph Scopo, lay on the operating table. Directed by John
Gotti
to "make sure that only one of you comes out of the operating room breathing" on one hand, yet
threatened with ruin by mayor Giuliani on the other, he had to make the choice of a lifetime
between
loyalty to La Cosa Nostra and adherence to the Hippocratic Oath. An exciting and suspenseful
true
story, more enthralling than fiction.
I Refuse To Die
Koigi wa Wamwere
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
158322615X $15.95 1-800-596-7437 www.sevenstories.com
The autobiography of Kenyan human rights activist and political exile Koigi wa Wamwere, I
Refuse
To Die: My Journey For Freedom is the intensely personal story of Kenya's blood-stained colonial
past as encapsulated in Wamwere's life. This is a story of racial oppression and domination of the
British, the role of religion in that exploitation, and the revelations Koigi experienced when he left
Kenya in 1971 to attend Cornell University in New York where he discovered black pride,
democracy, and freedom of speech. He returned to Kenya to fight for human rights and in 1979
won
a seat in the parliament where he represented the economically depressed Nakuru district for three
years. Koigi was targeted by the Kenyatta and Moi regimes and was framed for offenses he did
not
commit but for which he spent a total of thirteen years in prison where he was systematically
tortured. He was at one point even kidnaped in Uganda by Moi and brought back to detention in
Kenya. Koigi escaped execution only with the help of the Norwegian government and human
rights
organizations around the world, including Amnesty International. Today Koigi continues to work
for social change in Kenya and continues to inspire a new generation of Kenyans with his political
vision and personal strength. I Refuse To Die is informative, inspiring, and highly recommended
reading.
A Telescope On Society
James S. House, et al.
University of Michigan Press
PO Box 1104, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1104
0472068482 $27.95 1-800-621-2736 www.press.umich.edu
Collaboratively edited by the team of research academicians and collegues in the Survey Reserch
Center of the Institute for Social Reserch at the University of Michigan that includes James S.
House, F. Thomas Juster, Robert L. Kahn, Howard Schuman, and Eleanor Singer, A Telesocpe
On
Society: Survey Reserach & Social Science at The University of Michigan & Beyond examines
how
developments in survey research have influenced social science disciplines and interdisciplinary
areas. The effects of improved survey analysis on the studies of everything from political behavior
to
individual income dynamics, mental and physical health, aging issues, relationships, racial and
ethnic
diversity, and much more are all discussed in scholarly and scientific detail. A welcome addition to
social science studies shelves.
Artificial Intelligence For Computer Games
John David Fune
A. K. Peters Ltd.
888 Worcester Street, Suite 230, Wellesley, MA 02482
1568812086 $35.00 www.akpeters.com
Artificial Intelligence For Computer Games by John David Funge is a solid, straightforward
instructional text of basic artificial intelligence theory, the principles from which it derives, and
how
it is practically applied to program challenging and creative NPC behavior in popular computer
games. Black-and-white diagrams and boolean logic symbols help drive the precepts home,
though
Artificial Intelligence For Computer Games does not contain any computer code per se - this is a
manual of basic techniques that can generalize to any programming system. An absolute
must-read
for anyone striving to program or refine their own games.
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
Burroughs' Bookshelf
Experiences Of Depression
Sidney J. Blatt
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
1591470951 $49.95 1-800-368-5777 www.apa.org/books
Experiences Of Depression: Theoretical, Clincial, And Research Perspectives by psychiatrist and
academician Sidney J. Blatt draws upon the author's 30 years of clinical experience and research
into
the nature of depression and the life experiences that shape it. Case studies lead into an in-depth
dissection of the psychological dimensions of depression. Categorizing depression into anaclitic
depression, which comes from feelings of loneliness, and introjective depression, from feelings of
failure and worthlessness, Experienced Of Depression goes on to explore a widening range of
assessment and treatment tools and methods to help those in greatest need. A scholarly,
contemplative and clinical work researched in-depth and intended especially for advanced students
and experts in the field.
Treating Health Anxiety
Steven Taylor & Gordon Asmundson
Guilford Publications, Inc.
72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012
1572309989 $35.00 1-800-365-7006
The collaborative work of clinical psychologist Steven Taylor (Department of Psychiatry,
University
of British Columbia, Canada) and professor of psychiatry Gordon Asmundson (Research
Director,
Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina, Canada), Treating Health
Anxiety:
A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach is a solid, in-depth resource focusing especially on helping
those
people for whom fears of contracting a serious illness cause excessive, serious, and chronic
problems
with day-to-day life. Reviewing current knowledge about health anxiety disorders, stressing the
need
for continuing collaboration between Cognitive-Behavioral practitioners and primary care
physicians, outlining recent advances in the treatment of health anxieties, and much more,
Treating
Health Anxiety is a seminal contribution with emphasis on the practical and a welcome
contribution
to mental health reference shelves.
The Culture Of Profession In Late Renaissance Italy
George W. McClure
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 2W8
0802089704 $65.00 1-800-565-9523
The Culture Of Profession In Late Renaissance Italy by George W. McClure (Associate
Professor,
Department of History, University of Alabama) is a close study of themes concerning profession
and
livelihood in Renaissance Italian culture and society. Especially scrutinizing "Universal Piazza of
All
the Professions of the World", published in 1585 by the monk Tomaso Garzoni, The Culture Of
Profession In Late Renaissance Italy explores how various different vocations made their voice
heard, and the genesis of an intense debate concerning occupational choices and tha nature of
different tasks. Throughly researched with extensive notes, The Culture Of Profession In Late
Renaissance Italy is a fascinating and scholarly contribution to history, literature, and especially
Renaissance studies shelves.
From A Limestone Ledge
John Graves
Southern Methodist University Press
PO Box 750414, Dallas, TX 75275-0415
0870744852 $14.95 1-800-826-8911
Now in a new edition with a foreword by Bill Wittliff, From A Limestone Ledge: Some Essays
And
Other Ruminations About Country Life In Texas is a collection of the writings of Texas author
and
freelance writer John Graves. Enhanced for the reader with illustrations by Glenn Wolff, the
subjects
range from caring for animals such as cows, goats, bees, dogs, and chickens to growing grapes
and
making wine, smokeless tobacco ponderings, the day-to-day issues that face a countryman, and
much more. From A Limestone Ledge reverberates with the wholehearted appreciation for Texas
country life, and offers an open window into profound treasure of simple daily joys.
Developing The Curriculum
Peter F. Oliva
Allyn & Bacon
75 Arlington Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02116
0205412599 $101.00 ablongman.com
Now in a significantly expanded and updated sixth edition, Developing The Curriculum by
academician and education expert Peter F. Oliva takes the reader through a methodical,
comprehensive, step-by-step process of currciulum developing based upon a core of key models
and
basic concepts. Chapters address both the technical details and the human dimension of the art of
curriculum planning, the philosophy and aims of education, curriculum implementation strategies,
appropriately evaluating instruction, and much more. A seminal instructional, illustrating its
abstract
concepts with diagrams, discussion questions, supplementary exercises and exhaustive, in-depth
text.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Teach!
Lisa Funari Willever & Lisa Battinelli
Franklin Mason Press
PO Box 3808, Trenton, NJ 08629
0967922755 $13.95 1-609-291-5030 www.franklinmasonpress.com
In On Your Mark, Get Set, Teach!: The Must Have Guide For New Teachers, experienced
classroom teachers Lisa Funari Willever and Lisa Battinelli have collaborated to produce a perfect
introduction for anyone who aspires to make teaching children their life's career whether in a
private,
parochial, or public school setting. Written especially for novice urban or suburban teachers
preparing to make a difference in the lives of their students, chapters address the crucial
importance
of establishing relationships in the school community, acquainting oneself with one's curriculum,
keeping parent-teacher lines of communication open, determining whether or not to stay at the
end
of one's first year on the job, and much more. An absolute "must-have" guidebook and
introduction
to the ups and downs of a career in public education.
Recall!
Larry N. Gerston & Terry Christensen
M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504
076561457X $18.95 1-800-541-6563
Also available in a hardcover edition (0765614561, $45.95), Recall!: California's Political
Earthquake by San Jose State University political science professors Larry N. Gerston and Terry
Christensen is the true story of the 2003 election to recall California's sitting governor, Gray
Davis.
Detailing in precise economic, political, and sociological terms the events that led up to the vote
and
the election of bodybuilder turned actor turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, Recall! is a
superb addition to modern American history shelves, and unmatched in its acutely keen and
balanced
perspective of recent events.
Hard Cop, Soft Cop
Roger Hopkins Burke, editor
Willain Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
1843920476 $32.50 1-800-944-6190 www.isbscatalog.com
Compiled and edited by Roger Hopkins Burke (Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Nottingham
Trent
University), Hard Cop, Soft Cop: Dilemmas And Debates In Contemporary Policing is an
anthology
of essays by learned authors discussing policework in contemporary society. From reviews of
contemporary methodologies for reducing crime, to issues of democracy and human rights, as
balanced against community rights, to thorny issues of over-policing and under-policing and much
more, Hard Cop, Soft Cop is a gritty, serious discussion of the conflicting need for security versus
the need for civil and human rights. Examples cited range worldwide, including New York City,
Germany, British Asian communities, and more, but the central theme of Hard Cop, Soft Cop is
nothing less than universally human. Highly recommended.
Ugly Ducklings?
Viggo Hjornager Pedersen
University Press of Southern Denmark
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
8778388562 $37.50 1-800-944-6190 www.isbscatalog.com
In Ugly Ducklings?: Studies In The English Translations Of Hans Christian Andersen's Tales And
Stories, Viggo Pedersen carefully studies the major English translations of Hans Christian
Andersen's timeless stories, and of the people who created the translations. Working from the
assumption that the personality and background of the translator, as well as the literary climate of
the day, strongly affected the translations themselves, Ugly Duckings? superbly demonstrates how
different English translations have affected one another - especially given that many were made
with
little or no reference to the original Danish text. A thoroughly researched account that covers the
efforts of virtually every well-known translator of Andersen's work from 1846-1907,
contemporary
translations, and common translation problems such as pragmatics, syntax, vocabulary, and
phraseology, Ugly Ducklings? is a superb and thoughtful contribution to linguistics and literature
shelves, as well as a "must-read" for any interested in up-close study and literary analysis of
Andersen's classics.
Engaging India
Storbe Talbott
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-2188
0815783000 $27.95 1-800-275-1447 www.brookings.edu
Engaging India: Diplomacy, Democracy, And The Bomb by Strobe Talbott (President of the
Brookings Institute and the American Deputy Secretary of State from 1994 to 2001) is the
fascinating true story of diplomatic relations between United States, India, and Pakistan in 1998
and
1999 - a time marked by India's underground testing of nuclear weapons. Deputy Secretary of
State
Strobe Talbott and Minister of External Affairs Jaswant Singh met fourteen times, striving with
urgent issues of arms control and nonproliferation as well as visions for a U.S.-India relationship
and
the possibility of both economic and strategic cooperation between both nations. Even though
India
and Pakistan disputed the territory of Kashmir in the summer of 199, the conflict did not escalate
to
war or nuclear conflagration - perhaps due at least in part to the mediating influence of the U.S. A
true story with a positive message, Engaging India is a raply engrossing work and a welcome
addition to modern world history shelves.
John Buroughs
Reviewer
Carson's Bookshelf
River Time
John Firth
NeWest Press
#201, 8540-109 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 1E6
1896300669 $24.95 1-800-805-1083 www.newestpress.com
River Time: Racing The Ghosts Of The Klondike Rush is a chronicle of a Canadian backcountry
adventure undertaken by John Firth and his nephew in their determination to travel the miles of
rugged ground traversed by so many thousands of others back in the days of the Yukon Gold
Rush.
Combining historical record and modern-day adventure, as an uncle and nephew retrace the steps
their grandfather blazed during the Klondike Rush of 1897-98, River Time is a breathtaking
journey
that stunningly portrays beautiful natural scenery, the rough hardships of nature, and reflects upon
the reality of fierce human competition then and now. An absorbing travelogue, the next most
vivid
thing to embarking upon a Klondike gold rush recreation oneself.
High Noon For Natural Gas
Julian Darley
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120, White River Junction, VT 05001
1931498539 $18.00 1-800-639-4099 www.chelseagreen.com
Environmental researcher Julian Darley's High Noon For Natural Gas: The New Energy Crisis by
Julian Darley is a highly documented and timely expose of the natural gas industry, American
increasing dependency on natural gas, and the implications for environmental, political, and
economic issues. A sharp wake-up call to the environmental and economic dangers of increasing
dependence upon natural gas to generate electricity, High Noon For Natural Gas pulls no punches
in
its scrutiny of the history and future of national gas consumption. A chilling expose into a very
serious social problem, one with the potential to shake the nation's future more severely than its
dependence on oil. Highly recommended.
Find It Online
Alan M. Schlein
Facts On Demand Press
PO Box 27869, Tempe, AZ 85285
1889150452 $21.95 1-800-929-3811 www.brbpub.com
Now in a substantially revised, expanded, and updated fourth edition, Alan Schlein's Find It
Online:
The Complete Guide To Online Research is an award-winning reference collaboratively edited by
Peter Weber and J. J. Newby. Intended as a desktop companion for quick and thorough online
research, Find It Online includes tested search strategies, instructions for utilizing government
sites,
tips, tricks, and techniques for verifying found information, advice for guarding against spyware
and
making the most of popup blockers and spam killers, and much more. An accessible, easy-to-use
resource, championing more than 2,000 of the most reliable and informative reference websites to
be
found. Highly recommended.
America's Curious Botanist
Nancy E. Hoffmann & John C. Van Horne
American Philosophical Society
PO Box 40098, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3387
087169249X $40.00 1-800-821-7823 www.amphisoc.org
Collaboratively compiled and edited by Nancy E. Hoffmann and John C. Van Horne, America's
Curious Botanist: A Tercentennial Reappraisal Of John Bartram 1699-1777 is an anthology of
essays by learned authors, most of which were first presented to Philadelphia's Bartram
tercentenary
conference in May 1999, concerning the contributions John Bartram and his contemporaries made
to
18th-century botany and natural science. A scattering of black-and-white illustrations enhance this
scholarly compendium, which deftly explores the roots, flowering and fruitition of scientific
inquiry.
America's Curious Botanist is a welcome contribution to reference shelves concerning the history
of
science, and especially recommended for its insight into the life and works the determined and
ever-inquisitive John Bartram.
Naming Edmonton
Edmonton Historical Board
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
088864423X $39.95 www.uap.ualberta.ca
Naming Edmonton From Ada To Zoie was compiled by the Historic Sites Committe of the
Edmonton Historical Board and presents background information on over 1300 sites in the city of
Edmonton, Alberta along with 300 photographs and detailed maps. Entries are arranged
alphabetically, each with a simple, straightforward vignette concerning how a given locale got its
name or the individual it was named after. As Edmonton now celebrates its 100th anniversary as a
city in 2004, Naming Edmonton From Ada To Zoie is a welcome and engaging contribution to
local
history and folklore.
Globalize Liberation
David Solnit, editor
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
0872864200 $17.95 www.citylights.com
Enhanced for the reader with more than 180 black-and-white illustrations, Globalize Liberation:
How To Uproot The System And Build A Better World is an anthology of thirty-three essays by
an
immense variety of community organizers, edited by social activist David Solnit. The common
theme
of all the topics is how to contribute what one can to making the world a better place, especially
in
the postmodern era. From identifying global problems of class struggle, racism, discrimination,
and
extreme concentration of power, to putting ideas in action whether in America, Argentenia,
Scotland, or other nations around the world, Globalize Liberation offers a crucial glimpse into
what
is needed to shape the future of humanity for the better.
Misfits In America
Lawrence R. Velvel
University Press of America
Gulotta Communications (publicity)
4270 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706
0761826963 $40.00 www.univpress.com
Misfits In America is the first volume of a planned trilogy titled "Thine Alabaster Cities Gleam"
and
authored by journal editor, lawer, academician, and host of "Books of our Time" (an hour-long
television book review show seen throughout New England). The focus is the lives of two men
who
grew up in the 1950s. They are indoctrinated into the virtues extolled by the American Dream -
honesty, hard work, competence, social justice, and modesty. At the same time, they see their
generation misled, and that those who do seize success for their own are the ones who embody
the
opposite of the American dream - the liars, the lazy, the sycophants, the unjust. Embodying an era
of
the author's own life, during which he has labored as a pioneering lawyer who fought tooth and
nail
against the presidental war-mongering power that brought the Vietnam and Iraq wars, Misfits In
America is a bold, involving portrait of society itself, and the failings it needs to overcome to
move
into a future that can in any way aspires to the noble ideals of its foundation.
Gods, Genes, And Consciousness
Paul Von Ward
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
1571743790 $14.95 1-800-766-8009 www.hrpub.com
Gods, Genes, And Consciousness: Nonhuman Intervention In Human History by independent
scholar and author Paul Von Ward is a metaphysical call to pay attention to historical and
archaeological evidence that human evolution has been influenced by advanced nonhuman entities
-
whether they are called gods, angels, ETs, aliens, or spirits. Daring to address why modern
scientific
institutions do not want to deal with the question of whether and to what degree advanced beings
may have involved themselves in human biological and spiritual growth, as well as examining how
humanity reached the point where its leaders claim to speak for God in such radically conflicting
ways, Gods, Genes, And Consciousness is a fascinating treatment of an all-too-taboo subject.
Webster's New Explorer Dictonary Of Word Origins
Merriam-Webster
Federal Street Press
25-13 Old Kings Highway North, #277, Darien, CT 06820
1892859661 $9.98 1-877-886-2830 www.federalstreetpress.com
Created and published in cooperation with the Editors of Merriam-Webster, this bargain edition of
Webster's New Explorer Dictonary Of Word Origins features the histories of more than 1,500
English words. Presenting its alphabetically arranged entries in a down-to-earth, conversational
style, cross-referenced for easy lookup and supplemented with a brief history of the English
language, Webster's New Explorer Dictonary Of Word Origins is as amusing a resource as it is
useful, for students and bibliophiles alike. Especially recommended for anyone striving to enhance
their English vocabulary, since the background stories behind the words make for especially
interesting mnemonics and other means to keep their definitions in mind.
Michael J. Carson
Reviewer
Cindy Lynn's Bookshelf
The Mirror of Love
Alan Moore and Jose Villarrubia
Top Shelf
ISBN: 1891830457 $24.95 116 pages
It is one of the most beautiful love poems I've ever read. A beautifully wrought, emotional and
devastating, it tells the story of homosexual love, but anyone who has ever loved, or wanted love,
or
even dreamt of it despite themselves, will find tears in their eyes over these perfectly wrought
words
and thought provoking, elegant pictures.
Starting from the very beginning and ending with thoughts about the future, it is a love letter and
a
history, as the narrator addresses his or her words right to their beloved.
"And I marched
as I loved, my dear,
with thee,
always with thee."
The narrator mentions famous names and events, events of horror as well as hope. The people
mentioned are all listed in back, Alan Moore has included a wonderful set of appendixes that
definitely enhance the experience. The short historical snippets allow you to understand exactly
the
person he mentions place in history (Mata Hari, Michelangelo and The Ladies of Llangollen are
just
a few of those mentioned). The next appendix has the full text's of the poems he quotes from, one
line snippets that meld seamlessly into Moore's own work. Here we have poems from Sappho,
Michelangelo, Emily Dickinson and Wilfred Owen. The third appendix shows a very interesting
list
of suggested reading, and the fourth discusses Clause 28, an English law that attempted to deny
the
existence of homosexuality, and where the roots of this poem has it's place, as the work first
appeared in a comic (AARGH!) created in protest of this law.
Jose Villarrubia's photos, one next to each page of poem, are extraordinary and evocative. The
first
page, nothing but the beautiful, quiet blue of the sea, the next, a dark image of a painted face we
can
almost see symbolizes the emergence of man, the next, a close up of a lower part of a face, the
lips
stained with blood. The picture becomes even more disturbing when you read:
"The word
was law:
in Sumer,
women scorning men
had teeth crushed
with burned bricks."
You can feel your teeth hurt. The pain of that becomes real. And then, a few pages later,
"Spat blood
through powdered teeth,
staining each other
as we kissed.
Always we loved."
Reminds us of that pain of a few pages ago, but turns pain to a triumph of sorts, even through the
pain of broken teeth, even though the blood and fear of worse happening, they still loved.
The models Villarrubia uses are powerful, ethereal, perfect. The Spartan, helmed, blood covered,
is
no less perfect that the rose crowned women who lay side by side, each with an arm around the
other's head, their faces the definition of peace and content. The pictures and words alone could
each tell their own story, but together, they are magic and pain and hope.
In a perfect word, if one were searching for a quote on love, Alan Moore would be listed in
Bartlett's. I dare anyone to read this book and not be moved.
The Secret Sky
Jeanine Berry
Double Dragon Publishing
Trade Paper and Ebook
ISBN: 1554041155 $TBA 274 pages
Ever since he was a lad on his father's ship, Aren dreamed of being able to reach up into the secret
sky, but only those strong in the power of khi can become priests, and therefore receive the
training
that will allow them to communicate with their gods. When an accident nearly takes a lovely
young
woman's life, Aren uses never before realized khi to save her...and gain a wife. Now, at the
Temple,
Aren has trained long and hard to be able to become The Living Voice, the one member of the
Inner
Council who will be able to travel to visit the sky gods and discern their will. He fails the test, but
gains something greater. The Sky Gods have not communicated with the Voice for a time, and the
chief priest, Zevir, has shown Aren a stone artifact, one that no one has been able to unravel the
secrets to, but calls to Aren. He is forbidden to touch it, this Heart Stone, but may study it, see if
he
can learn something. Ten years pass, and during that time he has lost his beloved wife, and, now
that
plague has swept the land, destroying many, he also loses their son. Angry, desperate, this healer
who could not heal the two who mattered most, decides that if the Sky gods are going to abandon
their people, then they could all go rot.
He leaves to found a new house that will teach the healing powers of khi to all who wish to
learn...but realizes that though his love of the sky gods has disappeared, his faith, or at least desire
for it, has not. So he seeks new gods, sending out the power of his khi as a sort of call. What he
gets
are the S'haznons. He speaks to Shanasta, who tells him that they are not gods, but beings that
have
evolved beyond the point of needing bodies...and that they would like to help his people evolve,
as
well. But are these new creatures truly benevolent?
From the very beginning, this book sweeps the reader into a new realm. The wistful magic of the
opening scenes where Aren is looking up at the sky and dreaming is lovely, and Berry does an
amazing job of showing us his pain, his doubts, his anger. You feel terrible for his loses, and
understand completely why he's turned his backs on those who turned their backs on him. His
travels
and discussions with the S'hazonons are also fascinating, and you can feel his joy when they say,
early in the relationship, "We will not betray you like the sky gods did." And his journey shows us
more wonders, he gets his desire to see many of the secrets, and he wants to use these things he's
learned to make the world a better place, where everyone will be healthy and happy and free from
trouble and war. He makes a lot of sacrifices to this cause, and while you can't always agree with
his
decisions, you do agree that his heart...or should I say soul?...is in the right place.
An extremely thoughtful story, exploring much about our own faiths and dreams, and the
responsibility of the deities we worship. This first book of the Dayspring series brings much food
to
feed both our thoughts and our imaginations.
Cindy Lynn Speer
Reviewer
Debra's Bookshelf
Sleep No More
Greg Iles
Signet Books
ISBN: 0451208765 $7.99 480 pages
Petroleum geologist John Waters' life is far from perfect at the outset of Greg Iles' thriller Sleep
No
More. Waters' wife has been depressed for several years, following two miscarriages, and his
otherwise successful oil-drilling business is under investigation by the EPA and is threatened
besides
by the irresponsible personal behavior of his business partner and life-long friend Cole Smith.
Potentially devastating though these difficulties are, however, they will seem insignificant to
Waters
two weeks later, after he has been tempted into the first affair of his marriage by an aggressive
seductress, real estate agent Eve Sumner. Sumner, as it turns out, is not your average
cleavage-baring predator. She is willing to do anything necessary to wrest Waters from his wife,
and
she is armed with a peculiarly effective bait: intimate knowledge of Waters' relationship with his
college sweetheart, the sexually aggressive, frighteningly possessive--and verifiably
deceased--Mallory Candler. Waters' descent into infidelity leads him to question his sense of
reality.
Is he mad to consider transmigration of the soul as an explanation for Eve's uncanny likeness to
and
knowledge of Mallory? Or is Sumner part of a convoluted plot designed to unhinge our
hero?
The characters of Iles' Sleep No More inhabit the same world the author described in his novel
The
Quiet Game--Natchez, Mississippi, which Iles, a real-life inhabitant of the town, describes
eloquently. And it is peopled by some of the same characters: Penn Cage, the protagonist of Iles'
earlier novel, takes on a supporting role here. One need not be familiar with The Quiet Game,
however, to enjoy the author's more recent effort. But enjoy it you will. After a relatively
unhurried
introduction, readers will find themselves, perhaps a third of the way through the book, willing the
likeable Waters to somehow extricate himself from a relationship that threatens to destroy him.
But
saving himself and his family, we understand, cannot be a simple business. While Iles' novel ends
perhaps a bit too conveniently, it is otherwise well-written, and it is genuinely gripping. Sleep No
More is just the thing to keep readers from resting in peace themselves.
Posted to Death
Dean James
Kensington
ISBN: 1575668858 $22.00 242 pages
Dr. Simon Kirby-Jones, an American recently moved to the quaint English village of Snupperton
Mumsley, is a man of many secrets. A successful author of respected histories, Simon also churns
out best-selling historical romances and a popular series of mysteries, which he publishes
pseudonymously. He is also gay, which, if not exactly a secret, is a piece of information he
imagines
would alarm the straight-laced but nonetheless dishy local vicar. Most interesting, however, is the
fact that everything Simon does, from cranking out genre fiction to mooning over married clerics,
he
does posthumously: young Dr. Kirby-Jones, as it happens, is a vampire.
It being wise for vampires to cultivate good relations with their neighbors, Simon immerses
himself
upon his arrival in Snupperton Mumsley in various local civic projects. He joins the Church
Restoration Fund Committee, for example, and becomes interested in the Snupperton Mumsley
Amateur Dramatic Society's rancorous debate over the selection of a new play. These activities
allow Simon to become acquainted with the village's more civic-minded residents--the snobbish
aristocrat Lady Prunella Blitherington (nee Ragsbottom), for example, the Miss Marple-ish Jane
Hardwick, the poorly coiffed and abrasive postmistress Abigail Winterton.
It is less difficult than one might suppose for Simon to blend in with the locals, as medical
advances
have, in his world, taken the bite out of vampirism. The pills Simon takes twice daily mean that he
needn't avoid sunlight--though he is careful to wear sunglasses--or suck the blood of unwilling
donors for his daily sustenance. As a newly minted vampire, Simon has in fact never had to
engage
in traditional vampire activities, and he finds the whole blood-sucking,
burying-oneself-in-cemeteries
business a bit disgusting. Indeed, apart from a few small differences, Simon is indistinguishable
from
humans: his hearing is inhumanly acute, he cannot ingest garlic and live to tell about it, he can get
by
on very little sleep. The last of these is a boon as far as literary productivity goes, and it comes in
handy as well when Simon turns to late-night sleuthing after a Snupperton Mumsley-ite is
murdered.
Dean James' first Simon Kirby-Jones mystery is a delightful romp of a novel, but it is a
disappointment that the author has elected to effectively defang his protagonist. The book would
have been much more fun if Simon had had to satisfy his vampiric appetites at least occasionally,
fussily wiping the blood from his lips, perhaps, as he returns after the hunt to the drawing rooms
of
polite society. As it is, Simon's interests are informed less by his vampirism than by the more
mundane fact of his homosexuality. Nonetheless, James' clever cozy is definitely worth a
read.
Buzzwords
May R. Berenbaum
Joseph Henry Press
ISBN: 0309068355 $14.95 298 pages
It is clear from the prologue of May Berenbaum's Buzzwords that readers of the book are in for a
good time. The author's breezy, conversational description of the bug-related essays to
follow--most
of them written in the 1990s and reprinted, with minor revisions, from the author's column in
American Entomologist--culminates in her apologia for including in her otherwise user-friendly
prose the scientific names of the critters under discussion:
"But before you proceed, here's a word of warning. In these essays, you'll encounter scientific
names. For reasons I'm not entirely clear on, these seem to alarm people, even some biologists,
unnecessarily. These names, which are written in Latin and consist of two parts, the genus
followed
by the species, are used not to impress people with dazzling displays of arcane knowledge; I don't
know that I've ever won anyone's heart or stopped a fight or brought the world one step closer to
peace and tranquility by reeling off a scientific name at a critical juncture. They're used simply
because they're really very useful."
And we readers are hooked. There follow 42 brief, amusingly-titled essays divided into four broad
categories: how entomologists see insects, how the world sees insects, how entomologists see
themselves, and how an entomologist sees science.
While written initially for the amusement of entomologists, Berenbaum's essays are accessible to
the
general public, both those who are enamored of, or at least tolerant of, the beasties with whom
she
works and those more squeamish readers who believe that in a perfect world all bugs would
perish
from the face of the earth. (Not that I'm choosing sides here.) Moreover, though readers who are
not scientifically inclined will occasionally encounter passages in Berenbaum's essays that are
beyond
their ken, this should by no means dissuade them from reading the book: there is much here that
can
be appreciated by the ignorant layman.
Berenbaum's subject matter, if always bug-related, is otherwise varied. In a delightful discussion
of
flatulence ("Putting on airs"), for example, both human and insect, we learn that termites may be
responsible for a scandalous proportion of the earth's atmospheric methane levels. In the same
essay
Ms. Berenbaum further informs us that the manifold varieties of human flatulence are codified in
the
apparently otherwise stolid, doorstop-sized Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy (which
reports,
we are told, that the "open sphincter" type is "said to be of higher temperature and more
aromatic").
In "Ain't no bugs in me!" we read of the alarming tendency of insects to find their way into
various
of the human body's orifices. There is the case of the appearance of maggots in a Japanese girl's
urogenital tract as well as the infestation of a London man's nasal cavities with the sheep nasal bot
fly--an occurrence which is not, we are told, "all that uncommon in shepherds and in other people
who for whatever reason choose to spend a lot of time around sheep," but which is apparently
unusual indeed among sheepless Englishmen.
Berenbaum discusses sexual cannibalism among praying mantids in her essay "A prayer before
dining": decapitating the mantid male prior to intercourse, she reports, removes his inhibitions.
And
in "Entomological legwork" the author describes the disturbing circumstances under which she
reached "the profound realization that cockroaches are just not like us."
But it was with particular interest that I read Berenbaum's essay "Kids Pour Coffee on Fat Girl
Scouts," wherein she writes about the various mnemonic devices she's come across in her
academic
career--those for remembering the 12 spinal nerves ("On Old Olympus' Towering Tops / A Finn
and
German Viewed Some Hops") and the 10 classes of stars, for example ("Oh, Be A Fine Girl, Kiss
Me Right Now, Sweetheart"). The teaching assistants of her undergraduate geology class, she
remembers, taught an alternate version of the mnemonic usually used for rendering the Moh scale
of
hardness in minerals. It's traditionally rendered as "Texas Girls Can Flirt And Other Queer Types
Can Do," but, Berenbaum writes, "according to the version the teaching assistants taught us, the
Texas girls were considerably friendlier and had moved well beyond flirting."
Berenbaum is a very good and a very funny writer. she may not make readers who are hostile to
the
insect community any more forgiving of those hordes of roaches and carpenter ants and tsetse
flies
awaiting their chance to wrest from humanity the mantle of world dominance...but she sure makes
it
fun to read about them....
...But before I go I should say one more thing, by way of full disclosure: while I have never met
or
communicated with Ms. Berenbaum, and while she certainly can have no idea who I am, we do
enjoy a relationship of sorts. You know those foul-mouthed teaching assistants who, to extract
their
cheap pleasures from the business of education, corrupted a perfectly serviceable device for
remembering the Moh scale of hardness? Well, I'm ashamed to report that I'm married to one of
them.
The Piano Teacher
Lynn York
Plume
ISBN: 0452284775 $13.00 293 pages
Fifty-something Wilma Mabry lives an ordered life--apron donned when preparing dinner, linen
closet just so, and, always, the adoption of a supremely polite, even ostensibly indifferent exterior.
This brand of southern gentility and a reliance on the comforts of routine have sustained
Wilma--"Miss Wilma," the piano teacher of Lynn York's title--through marriage and motherhood
and fifteen years of loneliness after her husband's suicide. But the price of maintaining equanimity
has been a failure to communicate fully with the people closest to her. Wilma's relationship with
her
daughter Sarah, in particular, has suffered for it. During the course of the novel Wilma's ability to
move through life seemingly unaffected is tested by a string of dramatic events: the unexpected
attentions of a suitor, the murder of one of her Mayberry-sized town's policemen, and the
unannounced appearance on her front porch of Wilma's troubled daughter and
granddaughter.
Although its plot revolves in part around a nasty murder and its solution, Lynn York's The Piano
Teacher is a sweet, quiet novel. In it the relationships between Wilma and Sarah, and between
Sarah
and her husband, are explored and, while we're watching, subtly altered. The
characters--particularly
that of Wilma--are well drawn, and life in a small community in which non-conformity is checked
by
the threat of scandal is nicely evoked. The book gets off to a slow start in its initial chapter, but
readers who keep with the book will be rewarded.
The Little Women
Katharine Weber
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0374189595 $23.00 240 pages
The three Green sisters who are the little women of Katharine Weber's title--Meg, Joanne, and
Amy,
who were indeed named after the characters of Louisa May Alcott's classic--have, like their
literary
counterparts, lived an insular life centered on their family. They have in fact constituted, they
understand--together with their English professor mother and their inventor father--the perfect
family, the sort of nuclear unit other families aspire to be, a self-contained quintet of tall,
attractive,
intelligent people who pepper their discourse with literary allusions and entertain themselves with
ingenious made-up games. But when the girls discover that their mother has had an affair, and
when
their father refuses to join them in condemning her, the sisters become as disgusted with their
family's imperfection, with their parents' failure to live up to the family's moral standards, as they
had
been convinced of its superiority. The younger Greens choose to divorce themselves from their
parents, and they move out of their New York apartment to New Haven, where Meg is in her
third
year at Yale. Together the sisters face the logistical difficulties, unanticipated by them, of a life
lived
without parents.
Katharine Weber's The Little Women, which follows in broad strokes the plot laid down by
Alcott's
book, takes the form of an autobiographical novel written by middle sister Joanna and punctuated
with disapproving notes penned by her sisters. Meg and Amy complain throughout about,
alternately, Joanna's departures from the truth in her novelized portrayal of their exploits and her
too
intimate revelations about them. Their comments refer to events that occur outside the scope of
the
story Joanna tells, and thus supplement what we know about the Greens' lives while furthering
our
understanding of their characters.
Weber's novel tells an interesting story in an unusual way, and in sometimes very pleasing prose,
such as this description of Joanna's initial response to the lobby of their New Haven apartment:
"The
small lobby was disappointingly dingy, and Joanna privately hoped its faintly urinaceous
atmosphere
had arrived with them as a lingering memento of their taxi ride and wasn't going to be an olfactory
theme of their new lives." I do have some complaints with the book: Amy's tyrannical substitute
teacher in her public high school in New Haven seems too cruel to be believed, and a scene in
which
the girls' roommate Teddy, acquired at the beginning of the school year, expresses a romantic
interest in Joanna seems unprepared for. In the early part of the book the girls' dialogue
sometimes
struck me as unrealistic, but this fault may be attributable to the purported author of the
book--Joanna, about whose lack of facility in writing her sisters regularly complain--rather than to
Weber herself. It is noteworthy, at any rate, that my other complaints about the book were
answered, in a sense, by the book itself: just as I was becoming annoyed at Joanna's over-long
description of her family's perfection, for example, her sisters' scholia intruded to tell the author to
cut it out. And while I found it difficult to sympathize with the Green sisters' overreaction to their
parents' "faults"--sundering a happy home because they are unable to forgive their mother--I was
not
alone in my criticism of them: parentless, good guy Teddy was present to express his own
impatience with the girls.
Well-written, and interesting for its unusual form, Weber's book also appeals--to me, at least--for
its
accurate depiction of Yale life and New Haven landmarks. Readers familiar with Weber's earlier
work, too, will get a nice surprise in the appearance--in a sort of deus ex machina role--of
photographer Harriet Rose, the protagonist of the author's first novel, Objects in Mirror Are
Closer
Than They Appear.
Debra Hamel, Reviewer
http://www.tryingneaira.com
Duncan's Bookshelf
Saving Faith
David Baldacci
Warner Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, Room 913, New York, NY 10020
ISBN#: 0446608890; $5.99 495 pages
"Lee paced the floor incessantly, hands shoved in his pockets, head down, talking to no one. He
had
said every prayer he could remember. He had made up some new ones. He was helpless to do
anything for [Faith], and that's what tore at him. Constantinople, that old, bulky sonofabitch, had
gotten that shot off? And him right beside the guy? And Faith, why had she taken the round?
Why?"
(page 442)
In the critical scene of the book, Faith throws herself in front of her boss. She saves the man who
could bring down the veteran CIA mastermind who plots to rebuild the CIA as it once was. He is
the 'bent and crooked' man who exercises his power with ruthless intensity. Shot in the chest,
Faith
undergoes surgery to repair damage to her heart and our hero, Lee realizes that he has fallen in
love
with her.
Saving Faith begins with Lee in the woods behind an isolated cabin. He is there to examine the
contents of the cabin. He discovers a state of the art electronics setup in a locked closet and
realizes
that Faith is being taped when she is interrogated by FBI agents. When he hears a car arriving, he
dashes back into the woods. He is watching Faith and an FBI agent exit their car when an assassin
shoots the FBI agent and narrowly misses Faith.
Faith has an exit strategy, a safe house. She and Lee travel to the beach in North Carolina where
they hide out. Assassins locate the house and Faith's trusted friend, FBI agent Constantinople
takes
out the assassins but is about to kill Faith's boss when he is killed by Lee, just after shooting
Faith.
Saving Faith is a mystery laced with the sharp arsenic of danger and the threat of power abused by
a
Washington veteran, the CIA mastermind. Saving Faith is also about a man's search for meaning
in
his 'essentially' empty life. There is a romantic angle and you will be surprised by how Baldacci
ends
the relationship of Lee and Faith.
Four Blind Mice
James Patterson
Little Brown & Co.
New York
ISBN#: 0316693006; $14.95 387 pages
A tragedy occurred in the An Lo valley of Vietnam when teams of ten killers were sent into the
jungle to wreak havoc among the Vietcong. Some of the men went berserk and killed entire
villages.
Twenty years later a team of hired killers, known as the Three Blind Mice are killing innocent
civilians and effectively framing Army veterans for murder. Worse yet, the evidence against these
veterans is enough to send them to the gas chamber.
Alex Cross (a D.C. detective) and his friend John Sampson set out to find the overlooked
evidence.
They find evidence that has been concealed by the Army. The Three Blind Mice are indeed vicious
killers without remorse and there is a fourth man, their controller. The plot meanders through a
series of plot twists that lead the reader to wonder if Alex Cross will survive a deadly shootout
with
the vicious killers. He has just seen his friend John Sampson shot. John is lying motionless in the
road. And three deadly killers are about to stalk Alex. They want to carve him up then kill
him.
The secondary plot involves a possible love angle (Jamilla, a detective in California) and a
grandmother who has been mother to Alex and his children. At 83, Nana Mama may have a
degenerative heart disease.
The blurb for Four Blind Mice promises suspense, explosive action and plot twists. Patterson's
book
delivers what the blurb promised. The kind of evil that is embodied in the vicious killers in this
book,
we can only hope, is purely fiction. As readers, we can also hope that people find love as do Alex
and John in Four Blind Mice.
Jester
James Patterson & Andrew Gross
Little Brown & Company
Boston & New York
ISBN#: 0316602051; $14.95; 388 pages
In the 'Acknowledgements' the author James Patterson wrote, "And to our kids, Kristen and Matt
and Nick and Jack, in the hope that the sound of laughter will never fail to be a guiding
companion
and a cherished friend in their lives." Patterson and Gross have written a novel in which laughter
plays no small part. In fact laughter saves the hero's life twice in the novel.
Hugh De Luc is a poor inn-keeper who leaves for the Crusades, sees the wanton death and rape
of
hundreds at Antioch and returns home a 'wiser' man. He returns to find his baby son dead and his
wife Sophie missing, raped and hauled away by a band of ignoble knights who live on the dark
side
of chivalry.
Hugh sets out to find Sophie and becomes the Jester who rallies the peasant farmers and
tradesmen
to stand up against nobility and arrogant aristocracy. The battles are gory, but enjoyable. The
twists
and turns in the tunnels under the castles are easily understood. The reader can enjoy himself
laughing at some of the minor characters.
Jester was an easy read, perfect for a lazy summer afternoon in the shade by a lake, listening to
the
laughter of gentle waves and the distant laughter of a raucous crow laughing at we puny
humans.
The Lake House
James Patterson
Little Brown & Company
Boston & New York
ISBN#: 0316603287; $14.95; 311 pages
The Lake House requires the reader to believe that children could be born with avian DNA and
wings and the strength to fly. Lake House is a story of six children who survive the cages and fear
that were part of the gruesome experiment in which they were created. Lake House is a story of
human relationships and the love between an FBI agent, a veterinarian and the six amazing
children.
Lake House is the story of genetic experiments and nasty bureaucrats and 'evil' judges who would
return these six children to their natural parents, who thought they were dead.
As an author myself, I have to salute Patterson. I love Science Fiction. I did not, however, like
this
book. Re-read the first sentence of this review. In the back of my mind I could not get over the
initial impression that the six kids, as beautiful as they were, as awe inspiring as they were, simply
could not be possible.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves. (Julius Caesar).
Marty Duncan, Reviewer
www.omagadh.com
Emanuel's Bookshelf
Black Eye: Escaping a Marriage, Writing a Life
Judith Strasser
www.judithstrasser.com
Terrace Books
ISBN 0299199304 $26.95 350 pp.
"My husband punched me in the eye." This powerful sentence begins an even more powerful
memoir
describing one woman's heartbreaking relationship with an abusive spouse. In "Black Eye," Judith
Strasser describes her rollercoaster ride of a relationship with her husband Stu. Stu, a mean and
surly
alcoholic who lives off his inheritance, is psychologically abusive throughout most of the couple's
marriage, even during and after her pregnancies and when she is going through chemotherapy for
cancer. He makes Archie Bunker look like Mickey Mouse.
"Black Eye" is an exquisitely written and deeply personal journey. The author takes you on a
world
wind tour of emotional and physical abuse, including actual journal entries from the time of the
events. This technique gives the reader a sense of being with the writer during every tongue
lashing,
every two-bit argument, and every smack and punch. When the author is faced with the dilemma
that many women dealing with domestic violence are faces with, she writes, "The problem now,
as I
see it, is that I have two alternatives. I can stick around, if Stu will change. But what most
provokes
his flight or fight reaction is my "using the stick," as he puts it, to make him change is behavior."
Later she continues, "Or I can leave. But what other prospects for intimacy do I have, forty-one
years old, with two children and a questionable health history?"
Though it sometimes fees like the story gets bogged down in the minutia of events, it is only
because
the reader is dying to know what happens next and how it will end. The autobiographical tale
offers
a fascinating view of the writer's life, which includes her political activism in the sixties and
seventies, her battle with Hodgkin's Disease, and the ups and downs of her career. "Black eye"
will
serve as a powerful warning and survival guide for those living with domestic violence. Strasser
serves as living proof that there is a way out.
Highly recommended
Chasin' It
Tony Lindsay
Urban Books
www.urbanbooks.net
ISBN 0974363677 $14.95 248 pp.
One of the hottest trends in African-American literature has been street lit or literature involving
life
on the streets. Oftentimes, this life includes hip-hop themes, the drug culture, and even
prostitution.
In "Chasin' It," a new novel by novelist Tony Lindsay (One Dead Preacher), the author takes the
idea of street lit to the extreme.
The novel is based on the wild and dangerous life of Terri Parish, a gay drag queen who has been
in
and out of jail. When Parish is released from prison after a seven year bid for fraud, he is faced
with
life on the streets once again. Terri gets caught up in prostitution, selling his body for both money
and drugs. When Terri gets involved with a former inmate, Mo-red, who mistreated him in prison,
Terri decides to get even by stealing his drugs and money, and leaving him for dead. When
Mo-red
shows up, battered but alive, Terri must decide if he will run for cover or stand up and fight.
The story is told primarily in flashbacks. These flashbacks include Terri's first sexual experience
with
the boy next door, his growing up under his grandmother's guidance, and his troubles in prison
where he was forced to prostitute himself. When the story returns to the present, we find a
crack-addicted Terri, longing for love yet chasing money, drugs, and sex. While Terri dreams of
moving to Birmingham to escape the mean streets of Chicago, there always seems to be
something
pulling him back.
Lindsay's style of writing makes the story feel authentic and even funny at times. It is very
interesting
the way the author mixes pronounces, sometimes referring to the protagonist as she, other times
as
he. When Terri is on his way to prison once again, the author humorously writes:
"All Terri heard the judge saying was fifteen to life. He said it as easily as if he were ordering a
drink: scotch, no ice; fifteen to life; scotch, no ice; fifteen to life scotch, no ice; fifteen to life.
Terri's stomach was twisted as tight as one of Madear's dishrags. He found it difficult to breathe.
He
could no longer distinguish between what he imagined the judge was saying and what the judge
actually said.
Bring the prisoner here or Get all the picaninnies out of here.
We're getting behind or Kill all their kind ."
"Chasin' It" is a one-of-kind story that is hard to put down. The idea of commingling the street
culture with the gay lifestyle is a risky yet successful endeavor. When the material gets sexually
explicit, it's almost like being a fly on the wall. Though the material may make a few people
uncomfortable, those readers who enjoy stories of brothers on the down low, life in and out of
prison, and stories from writers like E. Lynn Harris will no doubt enjoy this fast-paced, no holds
barred story. Lindsay has not only crafted an intriguing tale but may have also added a new genre
to
the field. It will be worthwhile to discover if the book (or the genre) finds an audience.
Recommended
County of Origin
Don Lee
W.W. Norton Inc.
ISBN# 0393058123 $24.95 317 pp.
Where in the world is Lisa Countryman? Lisa, a twenty-something American woman of
mixed-heritage seems to have disappeared after a trip to Japan. As the plot unfolds in "Country of
Origin," we learn that Lisa is a Ph.D. candidate looking to write about Japan's matriarchal society.
Her research (and need for money) leads her down the dark path of the country's underground sex
world in the early eighties, where men pay wads of cash for female companionship. Is it the
reason
for her disappearance? That's what Kenza Ota would like to know.
Ota, a bumbling detective, is given the task of finding the whereabouts of Countryman. But his
lack
of skill either leads him to dead ends or two steps behind. Though Ota suffers from the
humiliation
of being a terrible detective, he takes the Countryman case very seriously since it could redeem
him.
Meanwhile, Ota deals with the crisis in his personal life, including a divorce that occurred fourteen
years ago that left him single and celibate. When his ex shows up in Japan with her teenage son,
he is
convinced that he is the boy's father. He follows the boy while working up the nerve to speak to
him.
Then there's Tom Hurley. Tom, an embassy service officer, gets involved in the case when Lisa's
sister contacts him from America. When Tom begins an affair with Julia Tinsley, the wife of a CIA
agent, Lisa Countryman's case becomes the highlight of their conversations. Once he learns this,
he
digs deeper into the case, not because he truly cares but because he wants to keep Julia
interested.
This book is not only about the mysterious vanishing of Lisa Countryman, it is also about race,
gender, sex, and Japanese culture. The underlying theme of the Japanese's obsession with racial
homogeneity is eye-opening and mind-boggling. The underground sex world is described in
titillating detail. Author Don Lee, who also wrote "Yellow," is a gifted writer who is best when
taking a subject and rolling with it like in this passage:
"Kenzo had always been rail-thin, as was Yumiko, but Simon was fat. Roly-poly, flesh-bobbing
fat.
Trundling, waddling fat. Wheezing, heaving, lard-ass fat. American fat. What had they been
feeding
him over there in Atlanta, Georgia? Kenzo could only imagine. Mounded, gelatinous meals, like
chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes, white biscuit gravy."
Though some of the material may be considered offensive (Africans look like monkeys,
Caucasians
stink of dairy products, and lighter skin in considered better than a darker hue), it does not take
away from the fact that this is an intriguing read. Reading "Country of Origin" is like riding a time
machine to Japan's underworld in the late seventies and early eighties. "Country of Origin" is
worth
the read.
Recommended.
Jasminium
Jonathan Luckett
www.jonathanluckett.com
Strebor Books International
ISBN 1593090072 $12.00 218 pp.
When Taj and Cheyenne met during a trip to Jamaica, they shared a horrible tragedy that would
bond them for life. Fast-forward twenty years later and it would appear that both have managed
to
put the past behind them in order to move on with their lives. Cheyenne is now a promising
vocalist
who is married to Malcolm, a record producer. Meanwhile Taj is also happily employed and
equally
happy in love with Nicole, a beautiful woman he calls his soul mate. But a chance encounter
between Taj and Cheyenne during the holiday season brings the past into view once more and
threatens to damage their love lives permanently. This is the premise of "Jasminium" by Brooklyn
native Jonathan Luckett, the author of Feeding Frenzy.
As the story unfolds, we discover that Cheyenne's marriage is not as glorious as it appears.
Malcolm
is a demanding and somewhat abusive husband who seems to care more about his own
gratification
than his wife. When the mysterious Taj shows up, with his haunting eyes and his own nickname
for
Cheyenne, the possessive record producer naturally becomes jealous. When Cheyenne refuses to
share the past with her husband, it complicates matters further. Taj is just as secretive and aloof
when Nicole inquires about Cheyenne. Both Taj and Cheyenne both arrive to the conclusion that
they've left unfinished business in Jamaica. Unaware of the each other's actions, they both return
to
the country for closure. Will the two be able to bury the past that haunts them? Or will they find
each other and create a new future together?
Luckett is a stylish writer who shows great patience in letting a story unravel, revealing just
enough
throughout it to keep you longing for more. As a result, the payoff is a well-written, suspenseful,
and deeply erotic tale of fiery passion. For example, the author writes:
Cheyenne's breasts were firm and upturned; her nipples were emergent like a flower to the sun's
radiance. Taj watched her in profile and his breath caught in his throat.
As she turned her back to him, the fullness of her spoke to him. The curves of her waist, her long
golden legs were magical. And when she pivoted like a ballerina and turned to face him, he saw
the
patch that covered her sex. Taj was overwhelmed with unfamiliar, intense sensations.
Muy Caliente!
"Jasminium" is the type of book lovers should take turns reading to one another while sipping
white
wine and listening to John Coltrane in the background. But what else would you expect from an
author published by Zane's Strebor imprint, the number one African-American, erotica publisher
in
the business? You should expect nothing but the best, which is exactly what this book
delivers.
Highly Recommended
The Origin of Brands
Al & Laura Ries
Harper Business
www.originofbrands.com
ISBN 0060570148 $24.95 308 pp.
What do WebTV, The Swiss Army Knife, and Miller Lite all have in common? If you said bad
ideas,
you're only half right. According to the new book "The Origin of Brands" from marketing experts
Al
& Laura Ries (The Fall of Advertising & The Rise of PR), they are also examples of convergence,
which should be avoided whenever possible.
Convergence occurs when products produced separately are merged into one. The authors of this
book offer an alternative, divergence or new products or services that stand alone. Relying heavily
on examples from Darwin's "Origin of Species" the authors explain why creating separate
categories
are more beneficial to consumers, businesses, and the marketplace. The authors state "Did you
ever
see a tree in which two branches converged to form a single branch? Perhaps, but this is highly
unlikely in nature. It's also highly unlikely in products and services." Instead, according to this
book,
divergence is the answer.
In the chapter titled "Survival of The Firstest," the authors give the best advice. They insist on the
importance of launching a brand into a naught market, relying on the importance of being first.
And
if you can't be first in the market, the chapter "Survival of the Secondest," explains how to survive
being second and how to overcome the competition. The authors explain how emulation is to be
avoided and being the direct opposite of competitor's works best. They use The University of
Phoenix, G.I. Joe, and Bud Light as successful examples.
Though this book tends to overlook some of the successes in convergence, like the car stereo and
the caller ID/phone, "The Origin of Brands" is still an excellent book. It's packed with intelligent
marketing and public relations advice that could be applied to practically every product, business,
or
service. Anyone in business will love this book and will not be able to put it down until the very
last
page. "The Origin of Brands" will make a wonderful desk reference for anyone who wants to
practice sound marketing techniques. Buy it. Study it. And put in into action.
Highly Recommended
Parasites
H.B. Marcus
www.hbmarcus.com
PublishAmerica
ISBN# 1413743633 $19.95 153 pp.
After the mysterious death of a young woman in her supposedly haunted house, a young
newspaper
reporter named Jack is assigned to investigate the tragedy. The skeptic Jack enlists his friend Phil,
a
scientific expert with all kinds of gadgets and equipment for these types of occasions, to help. Not
only does Phil want the opportunity to investigate the ghosts and spirits of the house, but he also
wants access to a rare and priceless book. Phil assembles of a team to help with the investigation,
a
team that includes psychic expert Kurt Schroeder and an odd and obnoxious pair of janitors
named
Spidey and Smokey. This sets the stage for "Parasites" a new suspense/humor book from Ohio
writer H.B. Marcus (Crispy & The Joe Schmoe Show).
As the story unfolds, Jack and Phil use their investigative skills and wits to uncover the mysterious
death of Barbara Pinchot. When the pair first visit the spooky home, they are faced with all kinds
of
things that go bump in the night. Further visits with the Phil's team reveal even more strange
happenings, such as doors that shut by themselves, equipment that does the same, and ghosts that
don't necessarily respond to angry taunts and machine gun blasts but lose it when the word "dude"
is
spoken. The strange and hilarious duo of Spidey and Smokey provide the shots, shouts, and
"dude"
utterances. The team try to find the truth before it kills them.
Though the book could stand alone as a mystery/suspense novel, it is the humor that makes it
worthwhile. While Spidey and Smokey serve as the comic relief in the book, it is at its hilarious
best
when Marcus provides Jack's first-person narration. Upon the first visit to the mansion, the author
writes after hearing a strange voice ask for help:
"Help me open the door!" he grunted. "What the hell is taking you?"
I could almost hear Richard Dawson yell, "Survey says paralyzing fear!"
H.B. Marcus writes in a fun and imaginative style you'd expect to find in a Farrelly Brothers
script.
The style is also reminiscent of the classic writings from 60's sitcoms like The Dick Van Dyke
Show
and I Love Lucy. Though the length of the book may be a little shorter than a novel intended for
an
adult market, "Parasites" is still intriguing and laugh out loud funny. This book, which could be
categorized as a Scooby-Doo for grown-ups, gave me a legitimate reason for using the letters
LOL!
Highly Recommended
Shades of Retribution
Chandra Adams
Adrolite Press
www.adrolitepress.com
ISBN# 0974890294 $14.95 341 pp.
They say everything done in the dark will eventually be brought to the light. Such is the case in
"Shades of Retribution" a first novel from newcomer Chandra Adams. The book centers around
three women, the central characters. Meena is a successful African American entrepreneur who
runs
a successful winery with her Caucasian husband Justin. They also spend their time raising their
young daughter Simone. Kenya is a beautiful black woman who has suffered a few of life's
failures,
including battles with the bottle and relationships. And Basilah is a tough, African-American,
ex-convict whose life has taken a turn for the worse.
When Kenya threatens to expose the illegal activities of the trio's past, Meena takes matters into
her
own hands. But instead of walking away from it all, Kenya becomes more determined to get
revenge
and even recruits the hardened Basilah to help her set it off. Meanwhile, Meena must deal with her
relationship woes with Justin, a man she admits to marrying without fully loving him. And Kenya
must deal with the inquisitive police officer, Marvin, who wants more from her than the chance to
protect her from harm's way.
"Shades of Retribution" is a novel of epic proportions. The plot is stimulating and original; and
the
writing is above par. Adams abandons chapter numbers, opting to use creative chapter titles
instead.
The California native succeeds at crafting a story with authentic characters and a suspenseful
storyline. Though the main characters are women, don't be fooled. This ain't no chick lit.
Although
an element of the novel involves an examination of relationships and romance, there's still enough
action and violence to appeal to the fellas as if it was an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Take a
chance on "Shades of Retribution," and look forward to more from this new novelist.
Recommended
Emanuel Carpenter, Reviewer
www.geocities.com/emanuelcarpenter
Gary's Bookshelf
Reel Shame Bad Movies and the Hollywood Stars Who Made Them
Christopher Holland and Scott Hamilton
A Stomp Tokyo Book
3212Ehwy 30, Kearney, NE 68847
www.reelshame.com
ISBN 0971835608 $14.95 1-800-650-7888
Authors Christopher Holland and Scott Hamilton, who are film critics, have a guide that is very
different from other books about movies, because they deal with many of the worst films ever
made.
They include such things as who directed the schlocko film, the stars and when in their careers
they
made the film, plot lines, and what makes the film so bad. They also list other books that deal with
lousy films, B movie websites, and much much more. The book is divided into four parts that are
bad to beyond bad. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "The Lonely Lady," "King Kong," (the
remake)
and "Zardoz," are just a few of the many titles they have chosen. Pick up a copy and see if you
agree
with their evaluations. I had a lot of fun seeing if I agreed with the two critics on their list and
what
makes a bad film
The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
Robert A. Heinlein
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com
ISBN 074348844X $12.00
I loved this short book of the thoughts and writings of one of Heinlein's most famous characters.
More important, for those of us who know the author's take on politics, this book shows a lot of
the
thoughts, ideas and perceptions that ran throughout his works of fiction and non-fiction.
Fishing Florida's Coast
Jan S. Maizler
iUniverse
5220 S.16th ST Suite 200, Lincoln, NE 68512
www.iuniverse.com
ISBN 0595222463 $15.95 877-288-4737
If you want to know where the best fishing in Florida is and what to use to catch different types,
this
is the book to use. The author has laid out the best areas of the state with an easy to follow
writing
style that is also very educational.
Afraid to Be Free
Jeannette L. Rowe
Archer Publishing Ellison Publishing
P. O. Box 5795, Winter Park, Florida 32792
ISBN 1574723001 $22.95 1-800-449-4095
I found in some places that I completely agree with the author on what should be done to make
this
country much much better. One aspect is that many of our problems could be solved by everyone
taking personal responsibility instead of finding someone or something to blame. Another is her
conclusion of why good people do not run for political office. Where I disagree is when she is
feeding the reader the same Republican Party lingo that trickle down economics often called
"voodoo economics." What's great about this form of economics is that even President George
Herbert Walker Bush said it would not work. At any rate Rowe does make the reader think about
what she has written and hopefully she does wake up the general public of this nation that there
are
problems that need to be addressed.
3-Minute Heydays
Ed Hayes
Pineapple Press Inc
P. O. Box 3889, Sarasota, Florida 34230
www.pinapplepress.com
ISBN 1561642975 $9.95 1-800-746-3275
I especially liked this book of writings by the former Orlando Sentinel book critic, columnist, and
public radio personality because they are simple, short and have lots to say about our society.
Each
piece has a laid back charm that draws the reader into Hayes' web. Some of the things Hayes deals
with are chalkboards at school, neighbor's children, his brother and family, wars, shopping. Those
are just a few of the gems he appraises so well.
Trumpet of the Unicorn
E. Detetcheverrie
iUniverse
5220 S.16th ST Suite 200, Lincoln, NE 68512
www.iuniverse.com
ISBN 0595191282 $13.95 877-288-4737
Detetcheverrie has written a novel that is filled with fascinating shady characters in search of
proof
of the legendary unicorn. There is everything a person could want in this story. Thieves,
murderers,
corruption, and lots more in a tale that would make a very fine movie in the realm of the "Indiana
Jones" classics.
Midnight Rain
James Newman
Leisure
Dorchester Publishing Co. Inc
200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
www.dorchesterpub.com
ISBN 0843953896 $6.99
What do you do when you see a murder but you can't tell anyone because the murderer is an
important person in the city and he is dating your mother? Such is the dilemma of twelve-year-old
Kyle Mackey. I just loved this novel because the writing swiftly moves the story along with a
most
interesting predicament for Kyle that he somehow has to resolve. I look forward to seeing other
things from James Newman in the future.
Ten Big Ones
Janet Evanovich
St. Martins Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010
www.stmartins.com
0312289723 $25.95
The last few Stephanie Plum novels I have started but been bored with later on. I am happy to say
that this one gives new life to the series and is back to being funny with interesting characters,
crisp
writing, and snappy dialogue. It also has her Grandma who is funnier than ever. This is a laugh
out
loud story that adds so much to the series. I also love the gimmick of each book being a number.
Evanovich and Plum are back on top with this new title.
The Twilight Zone Scripts of Charles Beaumont Volume I
Edited by Roger Anker with a foreword by Richard Matheson
Gauntlet Press
5307 Arroyo St., Colorado Springs CO 80922
www.gauntletpress.com
ISBN 1887369736 $66.00
Gauntlet Press should be praised for publishing these wonderful books that are the scripts of old
TV
shows. Beaumont is one of several writers who wrote the episodes of this classic ground breaking
show. After reading this volume I have a deeper appreciation of why the "Twilight Zone" was
such a
great series. What also helps are the commentaries on each episode that add a new dimension to
how and why the show is one of the best anthologies of science fiction ever to be made. These
editions should be required reading in film courses across the country for students to learn how to
better their craft.
What You Need to Know about Terror
Micah Halpern
The Toby Press LLC
POB 8531 New Milford Ct 06676-8531 USA
www.tobypress.com
ISBN 1592640265 $9.95
Though President George W. Bush said recently that the war on terror cannot be won Micah
Halpern shows that it is possible to win the war on terror. He defines terror, tells why something
is
classified as a terrorist act, shows ways to eliminate terror, and poses to the reader ways to have
average citizens help fight terror. The book is a very detailed expose on things that should and can
be done to stop terrorism.
Darkness and Dawn
Andre Norton
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com
ISBN 0743488318 $7.99
Like most kids when I was in high school, I read Andre Norton novels because they were fast
easy
reads. Now many years later it is nice to see that the Norton titles that have been out of print for
so
long are back with new art work and combined into two novels for one price. I have a different
perspective also with these books because back when I read them I enjoyed them for the action;
now
I see that her stories are very well written character driven tales as well. Norton is to me the
Agatha
Christie of the science fiction fantasy genre. It is easy to see why with the edition.
Sullivan's Law
Nancy Taylor Rosenberg
Kensington Publishing Corp
850 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022
www.kensingtonbooks.com
ISBN 0758206186 $24.00
I have read many of this author's works and loved them. Sadly I cannot say that here. I looked
forward to this one so much when I learned that the author was back with the editor she worked
with on many of her early books that were so fantastic. I think what is wrong with this one is that
it
takes too long for something to develop, and when it does it is not too believable. I like the fact
that
Rosenberg has a new character and new situations, but something just didn't jell here for me. I
hope
in the future that she is able to pull off another great novel like her own book "Mitigating
Circumstances."
Cyber Age Adventures
Frank Fradella
Cyber Age Press
2403 NW 27th Avenue, Boynton Beach, Fl 33436
www.cyberageadventures.com
ISBN 0970683200 $13.00
Fradella's collection of short fiction is filled with interesting new super hero comic book
characters
who have conflicts as well as fighting the forces of evil. What was also interesting were the
commentaries after each story. This is the first volume of, hopefully, many more editions.
Starfall
Michael Cadnum
Orchard Books
Scholastic Inc.
557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
www.scholastic.com
ISBN 0439545331 $16.95 212-343-6100
What raced through my mind as I read this book, was, this is not the same Scholastic I read when
I
was a kid and this is not just a kids book. Phaeton is on a quest to find his father Apollo, god of
the
sun. Along the way he encounters some very interesting characters that lead him through his
journey. Cadnum has written a very fascinating tale of fantasy that can be read by all ages.
Sex, Lies & Politics the Naked Truth
Larry Flynt
Kensington Publishing Corp
850 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022
www.kensingtonbooks.com
ISBN 0758204833 $24.00
The publisher of "Hustler Magazine" sets his sights on President George W. Bush, other
politicians
and their corruptness or their sex scandals, major corporations and shady business practices.
About
Bush he says that this good Christian who is anti-abortion paid a woman many years ago to go
and
have an abortion because he knocked her up, and he shows many other half-truths and lies W has
been telling for a long time. Flynt also talks about the Bill Clinton scandal and shows that no one
lost
their life over it, unlike Bush who has killed close to 1.000 service men and women in his war on
terrorism. The book is typical Flynt in that he is not afraid to dig and write about what he has
found.
If there were more people like him in the national press corps, Bush and others would not be able
to
get away with their lies and deceptive practices.
Gary Roen
Reviewer
Goldman's Bookshelf
Cyrus Bull Tells How To Become A Billionaire: Money, Love and Revenge Stirred With A
Barbed
Spoon.
Richard Crissman
iUniverse Inc
2021 Pine Lake Road, suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68512
ISBN: 0595305458 $22.95 http://www.iuniverse.com
Mea culpa, when I initially flipped through Richard Crissman's latest book, Cyrus Bull Tells How
To
Become A Billionaire: Money, Love and Revenge Stirred With A Barbed Spoon, I cheated a
little. I
immediately turned to the appendix, wherein the author's principal protagonist, Cyrus Bull,
enumerates the seven principles of how he became a Billionaire.
I asked myself what is so unique about these revelations that for the most part have been repeated
"ad nauseum" in the media? In fact, if the novel were a work of non-fiction rather than fiction, I
probably would have been bored out of my mind! However, fortunately, such was not the case, as
Crissman has delivered to his readers a cleverly crafted work of financial fiction, wherein the
seven
principles are intertwined with the life of Cyrus Bull and his friends, as they indulge in the
passionate
pursuit of wealth.
The novel begins when our protagonist Cyrus Bull agrees to be interviewed by a young reporter,
Chad Howell, who turns out to be the son of a former lady friend of Bull, with whom he had
shared
many an intimate moment. Cunning and devious, Bull is not keen on divulging too much to this
young reporter, however, over a period of days he formulates a set of seven principles that were
instrumental in his becoming extremely wealthy.
These principles follow Bull's life from the time he was married to his first wife Enid until he
remarries his true love, Cindy. No doubt, the first marriage was one of convenience in order to
secure capital, which incidentally is Bull's first principle-"get capital."
After succeeding in securing the initial seed capital, our protagonist reveals how patience is a
virtue,
when he divulges that big profits take time to realize. This is clearly demonstrated when, after
three
attempts, he is able to orchestrate a takeover of a Philadelphia bank. However, along the way he
does meet up with a female employee of the bank, Ramona, whom he believed he had
manipulated in
order to realize his objectives. It turns out that he was the one who was manipulated, which
confirms the belief of many that people have a tendency to use one another to attain their
goals.
Unfortunately, underlying Bull's obsession with the pursuit of wealth, and one that is not brushed
off
by the author, is his loneliness and isolation. As he admits to one of his lady friends, "I have never
found people very interesting, not nearly as interesting as making money. So I'd never taken time
on
people, had avoided entanglements with them. I missed being part of something, but feared it
too."
Other rules expounded upon and interwoven with a series of Bull's escapades are control of
money
is almost as good as having it, don't lend your name, learn from opportunity, and obsession is a
loser's game.
Crissman gets top marks for sweetly serving to the reader all these pearls of wisdom in a fashion
that
advises as well as entertains. Perhaps, he was aware, when writing the novel, of the Roman poet
Horace, who coined the term "utile dulce," or sweet instruction, when he was describing the
deeper
purpose of comic drama?
Retribution: City Of God Series
Randall Ingermanson
Zondervan
www.zondervan.com
ISBN: 0310247071 $12.99 US $19.99 CDN
Retribution City of God Series is Randall Ingermanson's third historical fiction in his time travel
series.
As a result of a bungled physics experiment, Israeli scientist Ari Kazan and his wife Rivka, find
themselves back in time during the era of the Jerusalem Church, 57 A.D.
Jerusalem is seething with a great deal of tension, wherein on the one hand you have the harsh
treatment of the Jews at the hands of Imperial Rome, and on the other hand you have the debate
between the followers of Jesus (referred to as Rabban Yeshua) and those who have rejected him.
It
is within this context, that Ingermanson focuses his novel.
In addition, Rivka, who is quite knowledgeable in matters of Hebrew history, particularly the
writings of the renowned Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, has the uncanny talent of predicting
the
future. Unfortunately, this has not endeared her to many of her neighbors, who refer to her as a
"seer" woman. Moreover, Marcus Julius Agrippa, also called Herod Agirppa II, last Jewish scion
of
the Herod family and his sister, Berenike, are not very enchanted with Rivka's clairvoyant abilities,
often leading to some uncomfortable encounters.
Ari, whose father was murdered by Christian Arabs, clings to the belief that it was Jesus who was
responsible for the blood curse and all the bloodshed suffered by the Jews throughout the
centuries.
On the other hand, Rivka cannot forgive those who passed judgment on Jesus, particularly Hanan
ben Hanan, who had presided at the trial of Jesus and was also responsible, in his capacity of high
priest, in the execution of James, brother of Jesus.
Throughout the book, Ingermanson moves with ease from the larger to the smaller picture, the
personal conflicts between Ari and Rivka, and the wider issue if Ari should use his scientific
knowledge to help Jewish zealots rise up against Rome.
Personally, I felt the book, consciously or not, was advocating the philosophy of the Jews for
Jesus
movement. I also felt that there should have been more reference as to why many of the Jewish
population rejected Jesus. It should be borne in mind that it was the belief of a large segment of
the
Jewish population that the coming of the Messiah would be marked by a series of events as: the
gathering of exiles, the return of the Davidic King, and the reconstruction of the temple. As none
of
these events occurred during the lifetime of Jesus, it is little wonder why many of the Jewish
elders
could not accept him as the Messiah.
However, no doubt a great deal of the information Ingermanson presents is fascinating stuff, and
is
certainly a reflection of his twenty years he has devoted to researching the topic. The end result is
a
captivating snapshot of an era that is not widely written about or known. I must also add that a
welcome and helpful added feature of the book is the list and brief descriptions of the principal
characters mentioned throughout the story. Without this list, I surely would have been lost!
Norm Goldman, Reviewer
Bookpleasures.com
Gorden's Bookshelf
Hidden Prey
John Sandford
G. P. Putnam's Sons/Penguin Putnam Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
ISBN: 039915180X $26.95 US 393 pages
I must admit that I had to read 'Hidden Prey.' Sandford finally chose a location for one of his
'Prey'
novels that matches up with my own haunts. You can't get an un-biased review from me on
'Hidden
Prey' but does it really matter? There are sixteen bestselling 'Prey' novels. With any luck, there
should be at least sixteen more.
A Russian seaman is executed on the docks of Duluth. It is eventually discovered that he has high
government connections. Suddenly, a local murder becomes international. A Russian investigator
is
sent to Duluth. With the FBI, CIA and local cops all trying to find out what is happening,
Minnesota
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Lucas Davenport is sent to keep everything under
control. Lucas is more suited to a shootout with a bad guy than running interference between
local
cops, FBI, Russian operatives and the media but reluctantly he finds he is good at doing both jobs.
Soon Lucas is up to his neck in communist and Russian spies. An amorous relationship between a
Russian and local cop are just the beginning of the problems Lucas has when another murder
occurs.
Lucas follows the few clues to Virginia and Hibbing as Cold War intrigue lost in the collapse of
the
Soviet Union turns hot when an old man can't let go of his dreams.
'Hidden Prey' is another great detective novel. If you live in or near the Iron Range or Duluth, you
have to read it. Sandford has picked up just enough of the people and region to make the tale our
own. He didn't find everything so there is hope another 'Prey' novel in Northeastern Minnesota
will
follow. Out-of-state readers will enjoy the cast of local characters and regional details. 'Hidden
Prey'
is a hard edged, richly detailed and thrilling detective story that anyone can enjoy.
The Book of Were-Wolves
Sabine Baring-Gould
Renaissance E Books
P.O. Box 1432, Northampton, MA 01060
www.renebooks.com
ISBN: 1588733432 $4.00 electronic download 158 pages
Disclosure: I have 4 novels published through Renaissance
Baring-Gould wrote 'The Book of Were-Wolves' in the 1890s. He tried to produce a scientific
study
of the superstitions and myths about were-wolves, vampires, shape changing and cannibalistic
serial
killers. By tracing word usage, history and myths he is able to produce a convincing argument
linking these topics and the possible truths the folk-lore is based on. Baring-Gould had an
enormous
advantage over later authors since he was able to personally verify many oral myths with people
who
still told them.
'The Book of Were-Wolves' is the key source text for many later authors. It documents were-wolf
and shape changing myths from across the world and places them in relation with local cultures
and
linguistics. The cross-referencing of folk-lore with actual cannibalistic serial killers in history is
especially useful for the study.
Any writer, who is interested in exploring were-wolves, vampires, shape changing, and cannibals,
will find much needed information in this volume. 'The Book of Were-Wolves' is highly
recommended for researchers. It is slightly less useful for the casual reader.
S.A. Gorden, Reviewer
www.paulbunyan.net/users/gsirvio/content.html
Greenspan's Bookshelf
Simply Better
Patrick Barwise & Sean Meehan
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way , Boston, MA 02163
0875843980 $24.95 1-800-668-6780 www.harvardbusinessonline.org
Simply Better: Winning And Keeping Customers By DeliveringWhat Matters Most is the
collaboration of Patrick Barwise (Professor of Management, London Business School) and Sean
Meehan (Martin Hilti Professor of Marketing and Change Management at IMD, Lausanne,
Switzerland). A straightforward guide to what customers really want, and how to attract and keep
them - not with silly bells and whistles, or trivial differences between brands, but rather by offering
the solid benefits of good service, on-time delivery, and quality products. Chapters address the
challenges of striving for innovation, warn against the impracticality of "inside-the-box"
advertisement, the importance of distinctive advertising (far more so than having a distinctive
product!), and much more. A solid treatise, recommended especially for business managers and
owners striving to improve the bottom line through higher quality and better customer
reputation.
Poker Wisdom Of A Champion
Doyle Brunson
Cardoza Publishing
PO Box 1500, Cooper Station, New York, NY 10276
1580421199 $14.95 1-800-577-9467 www.cardozapub.com
Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson is a living legend of the poker world. Televised poker tournaments
are
wildly popular and owe their increasing popularity to such legendary players as Brunson and the
invention of the micro-camera that shows individual player's cards in that "Cadillac of poker"
known
as No-Limit Texas Hold'em, which is known to "take a minute to learn and a life time to master".
But no matter what kind of poker you play, Doyle Brunson's Poker Wisdom Of A Champion is
considered "must reading" as an informed and informative compendium of insights, advice, and
anecdotes on and about poker and those who play it whether it be for small stakes or veritable
fortunes. Poker Wisdom Of A Champion is particularly recommended for those legions of
armchair
poker fans who follow any of the televised poker competitions such as the World Poker Tour,
Late
Night Poker, or the annual World Series of Poker Championship (which Brunson won
back-to-back
in 1976 and 1977) held in Las Vegas. If you only have time for reading one poker book this year,
make it Doyle Brunson's Poker Wisdom Of A Champion!
Riddell Presents The Gridiron's Greatest Quarterbacks
Jonathan Rand
Sports Publishing, L.L.C.
804 North Neil Street, Champaign, IL 61820
1582613222 $24.95 1-877-424-2665 www.SportsPublishingLLC.com
Professional sports reporter and columnist Jonathan Rand presents The Gridiron's Greatest
Quarterbacks, a survey of 25 of the most influential and legendary quarterbacks of American
football, from Sammy Baugh and Sid Luckman, who were instrumental in defining the
quarterback's
role, to modern-day sport stars such as Brett Favre. Black-and-white and color photographs add a
bright highlight to the easygoing text that resonates with the author's love of the sport and respect
for those who dedicate their lives to it. A most enjoyable survey that football fans of all ages and
backgrounds will delight in reading.
Final Draft Presents Ask The Pros: Screenwriting
Howard Meibach & Paul Duran, editors
Lone Eagle Publishing Company
1024 North Orange Drive, Hollywood, CA 90038
1580650562 $17.95 1-800-815-0503 www.hcdonline.com
Enhanced with an accompanying install demo disc, Final Draft Presents Ask The Pros:
Screenwriting: 101 Questions Answered By Industry Professionals is the collaborative
compilation
of joint-editors Howard Meibach and Paul Duran. covers everything from formatting to deal
making.
Applicable to screenwriting for film and television productions alike, professionals from ICM,
UTA,
Writers & Artists Group International, DreamWorks, MGM, Paramount, and other production
companies were tapped to explain every aspect of developing a screenplay, including what to do
with what's gone wrong. If you aspire to write a screenplay worthy of production, then give a
close
and careful reading to Final Draft Presents Ask The Pros: Screenwriting.
Powerdown
Richard Henberg
New Society Publishers
37 Cherry Street, Easthampton, MA 01027
0865715106 $16.95 1-800-283-3572 www.newsociety.com
Powerdown: Options And Actions For A Post-Carbon World by energy resource expert Richard
Heinberg (Core Faculty, New College of California) addresses the rapidly impending problems of
energy resource depletion and increasing population pressures for an expanding energy resource
consumption. After an informative and fact-based overview of the likely impacts of il and natural
gas
depletion, Heinberg offers four possible options for industrial societies during the new several
decades: "Last Main Standing": the path of competition for remaining resources; "Powerdown":
the
path of cooperation, conservation, and sharing; "Waiting for a Magic Elixir": wishful thinking,
false
hopes, and denial; "Building Lifeboats": the path of community solidarity and preservation.
Exploring predictable responses to each of these diverse options, Powerdown is a timely and
urgent
call to action before our time runs out and our energy resources run dry.
Waterfalls Of The Mid-Atlantic States
Gary Letcher
The Countryman Press
PO Box 478, Woodstock, VT 05091
0881505439 $17.95 1-800-245-4151 www.countrymanpress.com
The first, detailed, comprehensive, and thoroughly "user friendly" guidebook to some 200 of
region's
waterfalls, Gary Letcher's Waterfalls Of The Mid-Atlantic States provides directions to each
beautiful site enabling the reader to use it as a guide book to experiencing these natural, beautiful
wonders in person. Some of these sites are in or near major cities, others are tucked away in
remote
wilderness areas. The flowing falls are, for the most part, on national, state, and municipal
parkland,
forests, and game lands in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Each waterfall is rated on a
scale of 1 to 5. The location information includes GPS coordinates; trail access and difficulty;
waterfall type and source; geological factors; historical and culture features; and even the best
times
of the year to visit them. Enhanced with tips on waterfall photography and the author's "Seven
Ways
to Find the Height of a Waterfall", Waterfalls Of The Mid-Atlantic States is confidently
recommended reading for tri-state area backpackers, hikers, canoeists, and anyone else with an
appreciation for the natural beauty and spectacular wonder of falling water.
Chesterton And Evil
Mark Knight
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
0823223094 $55.00 1-800-247-6553 www.fordham.edu
Chesterton And Evil by Mark Knight (Lecturer in the School of English and Modern Languages
at
the Roehampton University of Surrey, England) provides contemporary readers with an informed
and informative analysis of the writings of poet, journalist, critic, biographer, novelist, aphorist,
Gilbert Keith Chesterton with an especial focus upon Chesterton's attitudes with the problem of
evil
in contemporary society. Drawing upon Chesterton's fiction, essays, criticism, and poetry,
Professor
Knight argues persuasively that a serious and analytical approach to the nature of evil was the
central focus on Chesterton's work within the background context of such then contemporary
issues
of socialism, capitalism, and other popular ideologies of the day. Chesterton And Evil is a seminal
work of impeccable scholarship and will prove to be of intrinsic interest to not only academia, but
also to non-specialist general readers with an appreciation of the writings of G. K.
Chesterton.
New Stories From The South: 2004
Shannon Ravenel, editor
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
PO Box 2225, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2225
1565124324 $13.95 1-800-722-7202 www.algonquin.com
Enthusiastically recommended reading, New Stories From The South: 2004 is knowledgeably
compiled and expertly edited by Shannon Ravenel and a compilation of the year's eighteen best
short
stories. Ravenel (series editor of "The Best American Short Stories" for fourteen years and who
inaugurated the "New Stories from the South" series in 1986) is uniquely qualified to assemble the
best of southern storytelling and storytellers, thereby making them accessible to those who enjoy
great literature throughout the country. From Edward P. Jones' A Rich Man, Ingrid Hill's Valor,
to
Brock Clarke's The Lolita School, to Bret Anthony Johnston's The Widow, these are true gems
reflecting the phenomena of love in all its diverse variations and generations.
Flying Blind
Michael A. Smerconish
Running Press
125 South Twenty-Second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4399
0762423765 $18.95 1-800-345-5359 www.perseusbooks.com
To put it bluntly, "political correctness" has made a chronic mess of post-911 efforts to secure our
country from Islamic terrorist attacks on our airlines, on our seaports, on our borders, on our
infrastructure, and on our cities. Flying Blind: How Political Correctness Continues To
Compromise
Airline Safety Post by radio talk show host Michael Smerconish focuses specifically upon our
airports and airlines and how anti-profiling tactics (first developed during the Clinton
Administration
and perpetuated under the Bush Administration) put 590 million airline passengers at risk every
year
for the past three years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Flying Blind exposes
the absurdities that pass for airline security these days, but even more importantly, offers practical,
effect, applicable solutions for fixing the problem of insecure airports, foolish nitpicking while the
larger picture is ignored, and the shell game that's been going on (such as federalizing baggage
inspector and airport security personnel by simply changing the color of their uniform jackets but
providing little or no in service training to better do their jobs) to disguise just how vulnerable we
continue to be. Flying Blind is a highly recommended wake up call -- especially in this time of a
presidential politics charged atmosphere of posturing and disassembling by all sides.
Deaf Way II: An International Celebration
Harvey Goodstein and Laura Brown, editors
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
1563682745 $35.00 1-800-621-2736 http://gupress.gallaudet.edu
Deaf Way II: An International Celebration presents 250 full-color photographs with captions and
brief essays that superbly capture a July, 2002 event in which more than 9,700 deaf people from
around the world met in Washington, D.C. to share arts, research, and languages in a cultural
festival. An amazingly vivid portrayal of people enjoying and exhanging highlights of life,
experience, and art, Deaf Way II is truly breathtaking, from its glamorous images of the
"Thousand
Hand Bodhisattva" dance as portrayed bye the China Disabled People's Performing Arts Troupe
to
behind-the-scenes glimpses from the tireless individuals who worked so hard to make the
gathering
such a grand success. A treasury and wondrous giftbook that embraces a positive message of
living
life to the fullest.
Able Greenspan
Reviewer
Harwood's Bookshelf
Tilting at Religion
Glenn W. Ferguson
Prometheus
ISBN 1591020417, $20.00 152 pp.
Tilting at Religion reads like exactly what it is: excerpts, slightly rewritten, from the author's
diary.
And while it shows the author to be a more than competent thinker, his personal thoughts do not
have the universal relevance of Samuel Pepys or the poignancy of Anne Frank. On the other hand
they are much wider ranging than the personal memoirs in the diary on which Hilary Clinton's
memoir was based, and if hardcore religion addicts shared Ferguson's ability to reach conclusions
consistent with observable reality, religion would be on its last legs.
For example (p. 20), "The person (elected) who resides in the White House must inform the
religious believers in the electorate that their private religious approach to birth control must not
dictate the foreign policy of the United States." And (ibid), "When a church states that God does
not
want an impoverished African to use a condom, somebody gets hurt." Even a majority of
Catholics
must agree with that. Nonetheless (p. 15), "It is my belief that the majority of thinking Americans,
a
generous percentage of whom are nonbelievers, are cowered into silence about religion because
of
overt and veiled threats from those discharging religious power." Amen to that.
Ferguson makes many observations that, if I had kept a diary, I might also have jotted down. For
example (p. 18), "I believe that capital punishment should not be imposed, even for egregious
crimes
that abortion should be sanctioned, and that citizens who refuse to exercise restraint regarding
the size of the family should be sterilized that handguns should only be licensed when significant
external violence threatens national security ... that Israel should be treated as a foreign country ...
Americans should not be granted passports to serve as missionaries abroad lawyers should be
deported to Liberia."
However, when Ferguson writes (p. 26) that, far into the future, "the existence of God will not
yet
be disproved," I have to differ from Macbeth and cry, "Hold! Enough!" Anyone who still thinks
that
religion has not been and cannot be disproven is referred to the chapter, "Has Religion Been
Disproven?" in A Humanist in the Bible Belt. While that article does not disprove the existence of
generic gods, it assuredly disproves the existence of "God," defined as the deity of the Christians,
Jews and Muslims, possessing the specific qualities attributed to it by those mythologies.
But despite that concession to political correctness, Ferguson does draw attention to the proofs of
the nonexistence of "God" that every believer witnesses (and rationalizes away) on a daily basis
(p.
27): "If God existed, he, she, or it would not have any justification for refusing to correct the
overt
iniquities on Earth." And (p. 40), "Emile Zola placed the miracle cures at Lourdes in perspective.
He
inquired why wooden legs were not discovered among the crutches of those who had been
(ostensibly) cured."
I disagree with Ferguson's contention that (p. 117), "Religion does not represent an opiate, per
Lenin [actually Marx], but only an irrelevancy that creates meaningless but explosive schisms."
What
Marx meant was that religion was the mind-deadening opiate used to pacify the masses into
accepting an iniquitous status quo in the belief that they would be rewarded in the sky and their
oppressors would be posthumously oppressed. And he was right.
Among Ferguson's observations on the hypocrisy of organized religion, particularly the Catholic
Church (p. 66), "In the United States, according to a news report, the incidence of AIDS among
Catholic priests is three times greater than that of the general population." Even if not all infected
priests contracted the disease from other priests (or male lovers), all but an insignificant handful
assuredly contracted it by behavior that priests pretend is only practised by other people. So
religion
pushers speak with forked tongue. So what else is new?
Stupid White Men and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation
Michael Moore
Harper Collins
ISBN 0060392452, $25.95 304 pp.
reprinted from Open Society (NZ), summer 2003/04
Stupid White Men raises more questions than it answers. Among these, the most prominent
are:
Why has the unelected pretender currently inhabiting the White House not been strapped to a
gurney
with a needle in his arm, for the most blatant treason in American history, the coup d'‚tat that
overthrew the Constitution and appointed him to the office of President that he failed to win by
election?
Why have the five Republicans who appointed Bush not been strapped to gurneys with needles in
their arms?
Why have Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris, who between them concocted a law designed to
remove
31 percent of the state's blacks, known to be overwhelmingly Democrat, from Florida voter rolls;
John Ellis, Bush's cousin and co-conspirator at the Fox News Channel; Jim Baker, whose gang
counted spoiled ballots for Bush but rejected spoiled ballots for Gore; not been strapped to
gurneys
with needles in their arms?
As Moore makes unambiguously clear (p. 11): "Bush didn't win! Gore did!" Moore's evidence of
the
full extent of the criminal conspiracy to put a Republican in the White House at any cost (pp.
1-16)
is far more detailed and irrefutable than Vincent Bugliosi's The Betrayal of America. Yet the man
who achieved the impossible by depriving Ronald Reagan of the title of the least intelligent
president
America has ever had is still destroying the American economy, the American people, America's
allies, world peace, and the whole human race by his occupation of an office he could not exercise
competently even if he had actually been elected.
"On November 7, 2000, as black Floridians flocked to the polls in record numbers, many were
met
at the ballot boxes with a blunt rebuke: 'You cannot vote' . Hundreds of law-abiding citizens
looking to exercise their constitutional right to vote, mostly in black and Hispanic communities,
were sent away and threatened with arrest if they protested." (p. 6) Would those thousands have
wiped out Bush's 537 vote lead? Unquestionably.
But Gore did not need the votes of the disenfranchised blacks, or the more than 3,000 Jewish and
elderly voters whom a misleading voting system tricked into voting for Pat Buchanan in the belief
that they were voting for Gore, to win Florida. The Republican Miami Herald, while headlining
the
Big Lie that a manual recount would not have deprived Bush of victory, acknowledged on an
inside
page that a legitimate count would have given Florida to Gore by either 393 or 299 votes. (pp.
12-13)
And what has been the consequence of the Banana Republic Putsch that changed America from a
democracy to a Republican oligarchy? Plenty and none of it good.
"Pardon me if I was dreaming, but weren't things looking up just a year or so ago? Weren't we
supposed to be living through the 'largest economic expansion in history'? Hadn't the government
[under Clinton] ended fifty-five years of operating in the red and finally boasted a 'cash surplus'
large
enough to fix every road, bridge, and tooth in America? Air and water pollution were at their
lowest
level in decades, crime was at a record low, teen pregnancies had dropped out of sight .
"Then something happened.
"Investors lost millions in the stock market. Crime went up for the first time in a decade. Job
losses
skyrocketed. American icons like Montgomery Ward and TWA vanished. Suddenly we were 2.5
million barrels short of oil every day! Israelis started killing Palestinians again, and Palestinians
returned the favor. By mid-2001, thirty-seven countries were at war around the world. China
became our new enemy again. The United Nations kicked us off their Human Rights Commission,
and the European Union attacked us for unilaterally violating the ABM treaty by reintroducing
'Star
Wars.'" (p. xii-xiii)
Add to that a consequence that Moore could not mention, for the logical reason that it happened
after his book was published, namely that a quarter of the population in a dozen friendly countries
now have a negative opinion of America, and in those same countries America is ranked as a
greater
threat to the peace and stability of the world than any country or organization on earth other than
Al
Qaida.
So why has America's economy and reputation emulated the situation that bankrupted and
destroyed
the Soviet Union? It cannot be the elevation to the White House of someone best described as "no
rocket scientist," or the same thing would have happened following the election of Reagan and
Eisenhower. The explanation is precisely that America has ceased to be a democracy, and will not
regain worldwide trust until that situation is rectified. Bush's legitimate election in 2004 would
help,
but his defeat would help far more. The Reagan administration added more to the national debt
than
all previous administrations back to Washington combined. Now Bush's warmongering is costing
Americans more money than their great-grandchildren can ever hope to repay. If he is actually
elected, the fate of the Soviet Union may not be far behind.
While Bush's inner Cabinet may not have been accessories to his treason against the USA, they
are
certainly guilty of moral treason against basic human rights, and for that should be incarcerated
for
the term of their natural lives in an asylum for the morally challenged. Among the oligarchs whose
crimes against equal justice Moore spells out, are Dick Cheney, John Ashcroft, Paul O'Neill, Ann
Veneman, Don Rumsfeld, Spencer Abraham, Tommy Thompson, Gale Norton, Andrew Card,
Lynn
Scarlett, and Karl Rove. "As you can see, friends and neighbors, this is a regime that is intent on
lining its pockets and won't leave office without a fight. It is their mission to combine their
economic and (newly acquired) political power to rule the country and help their friends get even
richer along the way." (p. 25) Just as the strongest evidence that Richard Nixon was intrinsically
evil
was not the crimes for which he was caught, but the conscienceless sycophants such as Haldeman
and Ehrlichman with whom he surrounded himself, so Bush's appointment of the foregoing
throwbacks to a less evolved time in human history is the strongest evidence that he falls
somewhere
on the evolutionary scale between Khomeini and the Taliban.
Among the five pages of crimes against humanity that Bush perpetrated in his first few months as
pseudo-president, Moore lists (pp. 32-36, 164-165):
- Cut funding for research into renewable energy sources by 50 percent.
- Delayed rules that would reduce 'acceptable' levels of arsenic in drinking water.
- Cut funding for research into cleaner, more efficient cars and trucks by 28 percent.
- Broken your campaign promise to invest $100 million per year in rain forest conservation.
- Reduced by 86 percent the Community Access Program, which coordinated care for people
without health insurance among public hospitals, clinics, and other health care providers.
- Pulled out of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol agreement on global warming, ultimately signed by 178
other countries.
- Rejected an international accord to enforce the 1972 treaty banning germ warfare.
- Eliminated prescriptive contraceptive coverage to federal employees (though Viagra is still
covered).
- Cut half a billion dollars from the Environmental Protection Agency's budget.
- Abandoned your campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide emissions, a major contributor to
global warming.
- Prohibited any federal aid from going to international planning organizations that provide
abortion
counseling, referrals, or services with their own funds.
- Allocated only 3 percent of the amount requested by the Justice Department lawyers in the
government's continued litigation against tobacco companies.
- Pushed for development of 'mini-nukes,' designed to attack deeply buried targets a violation of
the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
- Nominated Michael McConnell, a leading critic of the separation of church and state, to a
federal
judgeship.
- Nominated civil rights opponent Terrence Boyle to a federal judgeship.
- Cancelled the 2004 deadline for auto makers to develop prototype high-mileage cars.
- Named Bennett Raley, who has called for the repeal of the Endangered Species Act, as Assistant
Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science.
- He reneged on our agreement with the European Community to cut our carbon dioxide
emissions.
- He started a new Cold War with Russia by actively preparing to violate the anti-ballistic missile
(ABM) treaties of the 1970s.
- He defied UN human rights agreements, resulting in the United Nations removing the United
States from the Human Rights Commission.
- He turned basically every country in the world against us by stating that he was going to go
ahead
and build the nutty 'Star Wars' missile defense system.
And those are only Bush's crimes as pseudo-president. Moore does not mention that, as Governor
of
Texas, Bush became the most prolific serial killer in American history, with approximately 150
state-sanctioned, ritualistic revenge murders on his resume.
Among "Mike's Fantasy List of Women Presidents" (p. 151), the one I particularly liked was,
"President Bella Abzug (even dead she'd do better than Junior)." Much better! And I liked his
reference to a terminology that is surely offensive to the sixty percent of this planet's population
who
are not religion addicts: "Such a nice name the Holy Land for a place with more evil acts per
square mile than the VIP room at Satan's annual marshmallow roast." (p. 176)
Perhaps the best summary of what Stupid White Men is about is the following paragraph (p. 163):
"We're the country everyone loves to hate. And who can blame them? We obviously hate
ourselves how else can you explain 'President' W? In olden times, his head would already be
adorning one of the bridges over the Potomac. Instead he prances around the world telling people
he's our 'elected leader,' and we just look like ignoramuses and fools. The world is laughing at us,
not with us."
Moore's final chapter is a defense (sort of) of his role in persuading thousands of Florida residents
to
vote for Ralph Nader and thereby deprive Al Gore of thousands of votes that would have made
the
Republican coup impossible. He advised supporters to vote for Nader only in those states in
which
the vote was expected to be one-sided either way and their votes would send a message but not
make a difference. Unfortunately, he thought the Gore-Bush debates would put Florida on that
list.
He was wrong, and not only America but the whole world is paying the price. Since Nader was
probably similarly motivated, that somewhat mitigates his crime. But Nader's participation is one
more factor that gave America the most disastrous president it is ever likely to have.
With another unelected King George imposing taxation without representation on a nation that
would rather be a democracy, where is George Washington now that America really needs
him?
William Harwood
Reviewer
Henry's Bookshelf
The Bible in the British Museum: Interpreting the Evidence
T. C. Mitchell
Paulist Press
997 Macarthur Blvd., Mahwah, NJ 07430
www.paulistpress.com
ISBN 0809142929 $22.95 136 pp.
This author who is a former Keeper of Western Asiatic Antiquities at the British Museum does
not
try to solve any esoterica or controversies in the Bible in discussing a wide variety of antiquities
mostly from the Near East with some from adjacent Mediterranean lands. Rather, Mitchell uses
the
diverse, interesting antiquities as direct or related references to the historical periods covered in
the
long time span of the Bible and the cultures of the different lands and civilizations which are parts
of
its tales. The photographs of the numerous antiquities are photographed as if part of a museum
exhibition on the subject. A group of 7th-century B.C. pottery vessels found in a tomb near
Bethlehem exemplify the "metaphor of the potter [Jeremiah] used to clarify his prophetic
message."
Hieroglyphics, statues, passages from ancient texts, and impressions on coins are similarly used to
illustrate parts of the Bible. From Mitchell's approach, limited though it is to materials from the
British Museum, one learns a good deal about both the Bible and related ancient cultures.
Timber Press Pocket Guide to Ornamental Grasses
Rick Darke
Timber Press
133 S.W. Second Ave. - Site 450, Portland, OR 97204-3527
ISBN 0881926531 $19.95 226 pp.
Over 330 bright, sharp color photographs illustrate as many different kinds of ornamental grasses.
The grasses are cataloged alphabetically. But 32 categories preceding the encyclopedic catalog
group the hundreds of kinds according to different characteristics. A few of these are clumping
ornamental grasses, cool-season ornamental grasses, ornamental grasses for cut flowers,
ornamental
grasses for dry sites (and woodlands, dry shade, fragrance, etc.), and ornamental grasses for
movement in breezes. Ornamental grasses are becoming increasing popular with today's gardeners
because of their textures, variety, and adaptability. And because, as the numerous photographs
show, they make for attractive gardens and landscapes that do not appear overly manicured.
Darke
is a landscape design consultant who has won awards in the field. His "Pocket Guide" is a ideal
reference for anyone interested in ornamental grasses, particularly gardeners at all levels.
The Mind of the Paedophile: Psychoanalytic Perspectives
edited by Charles W. Socarides with Loretta R. Loeb
KARNAC Books
London
distributed in U. S. by Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Dr., Sterling, VA 20166-2012
1855759705 $35.95 211+xix pp. bibliography, index.
Cure, of "healing," of pedophilia is only one of its aspects dealt with in the six articles by
psychiatrists with teaching and clinical backgrounds. Recognizing that the sources and causes of
pedophilia are too little understood for any cure to be much more than a somewhat arbitrary,
hopeful exercise, the editors and authors of this volume of the publisher's Forensic Psychotherapy
Monograph Series attempt to answer the questions "where to these urges come from?", and
"what
purpose do they serve?" for the pedophile. In the articles with references to individual pedophiles,
clinical studies, sexual abuse suffered by pedophiles themselves, and the relationship of adolescent
experiences and homosexuality to pedophilia, the psychiatrists shed much light on the murky
origins
and the playing out of pedophilia. With the bulk of its content on the psychology and behavior of
pedophiles rather than clinical data, the collected articles are of interest to many lay readers.
Lost in Tibet: The Untold Story of Five American Airmen, a Doomed Plane, and the Will to
Survive
Richard Starks and Miriam Murcutt
Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
www.LyonsPress.com
1592285724 $22.95 210+x pp. 800-962-0973
In 1943 during WWII, five U.S. airmen flying the "Hump" between Burma and the U.S. ally
Nationalist China were blown off course into Tibet in a storm and bailed out of their plane before
it
crashed. After an arduous trek across the forbidding Tibetan mountainous terrain, they arrived in
the
capital of Lhasa--only to find themselves at the center of precarious international affairs. The
Chinese were trying to take over Tibet. Since the U. S. was an ally of China in the war against
Japan, the Tibetans could not believe that the American airmen were not somehow involved with
China's hostile aims toward their country. The Chinese were concerned that the airmen would be
witnesses to their actions taken to occupy Tibet even while the U. S. government was trying to
keep
the Chinese movements from becoming widely known. The authors tell this complex, engaging
tale
clearly, skillfully keeping its different elements in balance while keeping a focus on the plight of
the
airmen resented by both Tibet and China and dealt with at arm's length by the U. S. until they
made
their timely overland escape to India with the aid of British citizens in the region who were acting
as
surrogates for the American government. The authors, both journalists, recount the full story of
this
little-known episode of WWII that has heretofore received only passing attention. From their
travels
to mountainous areas of Asia, they bring a special sense of the five airmen's struggles to survive in
the Tibetan terrain at the beginning and again at the end of their incredible story.
The Life of Isamu Noguchi: Journey Without Borders
Masayo Duus
translated by Peter Duus
Princeton U. Press
41 William St., Princeton, NJ 08540
www.pup.princeton.edu
ISBN 069112096X $29.95 439 pp.
Noguchi was an illegitimate child. As if this it itself were not enough to engender persistent
ambivalences within him, he was the illegitimate son of an American mother and Japanese father
who was a poet. He was never entirely settled in his long life lasting more than 80 years. At
different
times, he lived in the U. S., Europe, and Japan. He had romances and relationships with many
women. Yet, as the recognition and influence of this artist's art attests, he was able to
productively
channel the ambivalences rather than be handicapped by them. He did this not only by living in
different cultures at different times and having relationships with many different women, but by
working in different artistic fields. Noguchi not only made about 2,500 sculptures, many of these
abstract, but also designed furniture and lamps for use in homes and offices, designed stage sets
for
plays, and landscaped public gardens. Although Noguchi's feelings were changeable and he, by his
own admission, never developed a defined identity based on attachments to people or place,
unlike
many modern artists, he was not theatrical, alienated, or ironic. Rather, over his career of more
than
60 years, he continued to produce notable works of art in the different fields, shifting between
these
as if this were natural. Duus in her biography regularly using striking quotes of the artist revealing
a
self-knowledge as well as his grasp of his art and modern art in general interweaves the winding
course of his life and the steady rise of his career.
The Utopian Fantastic: Selected Essays from the Twentieth International Conference on the
Fantastic in the Arts
edited by Martha Bartter
Praeger
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
www.praeger.com
ISBN 031331635X $64.95 157+viii pp. 800-225-5800
In the opening article, Thomas Morrisey remarks that although the Conference took place before
9/11 and the subsequent war in Iraq and rise in terrorist incidents around the world, these
developments have not extinguished the urge for utopia. He quotes a Carl Freedman from his
critique of writings of the philosopher Ernst Bloch: "[Utopia is not imagined] in the future...by
mere
chronological forecasting, or in mechanistic or philistine notions of bourgeois 'progress,' but
rather
as the future is the object of hope, of our deepest and most radical longings." The following 14
essays, most by professors in fields of English, write about this "hope" as it is inherent in or
reflected
in different types of literature in different periods, from Kurt Vonnegut's "Player Piano," David
Mamet's play "The Water Engine," Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," to William Gibson's
"Neuromancer," among many others. As the diverse works evidence, the utopian vision rising out
of
hope has at times been portrayed as resulting in dystopian conditions. Most of the essays focus on
single works or a couple. A few deal with the topic as found in areas such as writings by women
or
romantic fantasy, as seen in the writings of Ursula K. Le Guin or Tolkein. By taking a long
historical
view of this genre which has become especially popular in today's technological, futuristic age as
well as in-depth critical views on some of the most popular and influential works, the collected
articles bring a new appreciation of the utopian fantastic literature. It is no longer seen as
essentially
escapism or fantasy, but as central to the modern psyche.
Norman Parkinson: Portraits in Fashion
Robin Muir
Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Rd., North Pomfret, VT 05053
www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com
ISBN 1570762775 $45.00 191 pp.
Beginning his career in the 1930s, the British photographer Norman Parkinson practically
invented
the genre of fashion photography with his bold, elegant, and imaginative photographs in the
magazines Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Town and Country, and others. Robin Muir, former picture
edition of the British "Vogue," follows Parkinson's career with an introduction and with an essay
and
gallery of representative photographs from each decade from the 1930s to the '80s. Parkinson
died
in 1990 while on location for a photo shoot. Parkinson managed to remain at the center of the
highly-competitive field of fashion photography for the most demanding fashion magazines
because
his photographic genius was such that he adapted to the styles, celebrities, imagination, and
interests
of each decade without loosing his exceptional, uncompromising gift. His buoyant, mannerly
personality going with his self-evident professionalism played a part in this. A Parkinson
photograph
from the 1980s stands out as clearly as one from the beginning of his career in the 1930s, as does
one from any other decade. This finely-produced art book with informative and knowledgeable
text
and over 100 full-page photos, most in color, is a fitting commemoration of this incomparable
fashion photographer who left an indelible mark on the field.
Mendieta - Earth Body, Sculpture and Performance, 1972-1985
Olga M. Viso, with essays by Guy Brett, Julia P. Herzberg, and Chrissie Iles
chronology by Laura Roulet
Hatje Cantz Publishers
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.
Hatje Cantz, Germany
www.hatjecantz.de
ISBN 3775713956 $49.95 286 pp.
Ana Mendieta was only in her early 40s when she died in 1985. Born in Havana, Cuba, she came
to
the U. S. as a political refugee with her family when she was 12. Beginning in her artistic training
at
the U. of Iowa, she incorporated feminist and multicultural leanings into the conceptual art, land
art,
photography, and performance art she practiced with equal intensity and innovation. No matter
what
type of art she engaged in, Mendieta used her own body, or sometimes images or impressions of
it,
as a medium. With earth, blood, streams, shoreline, trees, and foliage, Mendieta meant to teach
viewers about the close, intimate connection between a person's body and the natural world. With
other art works, she makes statements about the savagery of rape and tyranny. No matter what
point
she means to convey or type of art she engages in, Mendieta's art is distinguished by its
exceptional
rawness. While the rawness is often inevitably provocative, it strikes one mostly as unaltered,
immediate reality. The copious photographic record of Mendieta's art with essays by art experts
who
knew her or are familiar with her is a comprehensive appreciation of the short career of this artist
who work both strikingly and complexly mixes artistic, political, and cultural elements of
contemporary society.
The Whales, They Give Themselves: Conversations with Harry Brower, Sr.
edited by Karen Brewster
U. of Alaska Press
PO Box 75640-UAF, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
888-252-6657; www.uaf.edu/uapress
ISBN 1889963658 $45.00 hc 232+xii pp.
ISBN 1889963666 $22.95 trade paper
The child of a white whaler and trader who lived in the Arctic and an Eskimo mother, Harry
Brower, born in 1924, straddled two worlds. Because of this, he was able to work out a
satisfactory
arrangement between the local Inupiaq Eskimo tribe and scientists interested in whales for
scientific
and environmental reasons. Most importantly to the Inupiaqs, the tribe was able to continue
hunting
whales as they had since time immemorial. For the Inupiaqs, such whale-hunting was a
fundamental
part of their culture, as the Plains Indians hunted buffalo. The cycle of the year centered on whale
hunting, and many community events were based on the hunts and the cutting up, cooking, and
preservation of the whales killed in a hunt. One would hardly realize Brower was not a native
Eskimo steeped in the culture. His conversations range over all parts of Eskimo life--family life,
surviving the winters, holidays, the inroads of European culture, hunting, and religion. Brower is a
rich font of Eskimo life and lore. But beyond this, the material is informative and fetching
especially
for its unique, first-hand, picture of whale hunting from the viewpoint of Eskimos.
The Artist of Ipswich: Craftsmanship and Community in Colonial New England
Robert Tarule
Johns Hopkins U. Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218
www.press.jhu.edu.
ISBN 0801878691 $42.00 155+xi pp.
Tarule, himself a furniture-maker in Vermont making reproductions of 17th-century furniture,
tells
Thomas Dennis's story almost as if Dennis were a character in a novel. Dennis was one of the first
furniture-makers in America to gain notoriety. Coming to America and settling in the
Massachusetts
village of Ipswich in the mid 1600s, Dennis used many of the techniques and styles found in
British
furniture-making of this period. Yet having to select appropriate trees from American forests,
usually in consideration of village laws relating to certain kinds of trees, work with other
American
craftsmen, make furniture to order from nearby residents, and give it suitable embellishments for
attractiveness, Dennis is seen as an originator of American woodworking and furniture-making.
But
in this work, Tarule is not interested in a study of furniture-making, or a history of it. The author's
concern is the work and expertise Dennis put into making one oak chest. From the author's
following this in detail, one learns a great deal about 17th-century furniture-making and also the
regional Colonial society. For Dennis is viewed in the narrative as both a extraordinary and
respected craftsman and a member of the community which supported and shaped his trade.
Tarule
does not simply say what kind of wood the particular chest was made of, but takes the reader
right
with Dennis as he goes to the nearby woods looking for a tree with suitable oak tree, keeping in
mind the village's laws. "As soon as Thomas Dennis entered the Ipswich woods, he was in the
New
World. The forest was primordial...The sort of trees Dennis looked for are apparent in his
furniture.
The wood is close grained...." And so on with a discussion of different types of oak trees whose
characteristics Ipswich artists knew from "forest type, slope degree and direction, dampness of the
ground, soil conditions, and even genetic variation on local trees." Tarule even engages in a
comparison of British forests and American forests of the period, and changes in American forests
over time. Tarule weaves a fascinating narrative under the general heading of Americana of
interest
to diverse readers such as antique dealers, woodworkers, and American Colonial historians.
Hitchcock with a Chinese Face: Cinematic Doubles, Oedipal Triangles, and China's Moral
Voice
Jerome Silbergeld
U. of Washington Press
PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096
www.washington.edu/uwpress
ISBN 0295984171 $29.95 146+x pp.
Silbergeld takes the three Chinese films Suzhou River, The Day the Sun Turned Cold, and Good
Men to examine how Western film techniques have been brought into Chinese cinema. The films
also evidence that Western literary and cultural influences are a part of Chinese cinema. The
influence of Freud, Faulkner, and Dostoevsky can be seen in one or more of the films; and, not
surprisingly, the cinematic techniques of Hitchcock are seen, as well those of David Lynch and
Jean
Luc-Godard. "The [Chinese] films are remarkable for their intellectual depth and range, their
layered
complexity, their emotional sobriety, their appeal to a sophisticated film audience rather than a
mass
market, their determined critique of contemporary culture...and the resonance of their moral
voice."
The same could be said for Western art films, which the Chinese films plainly resemble, to the
point
of imitation in many ways. In a pocket inside the back cover is a CD with scenes from the movies.
Silbergeld's selection of only three distinctive, yet in many ways representative films makes for an
efficient, yet pithy exposure to the best of Chinese art films; which films are gaining more
attention
as China's economic and political power grows.
Wandering Star
J. M. G. Le Clezio
translated by C. Dickson
Curbstone Press
321 Jackson St., Willimantic, CT 06226
800-283-3572; www.curbstone.org
ISBN 1931896119 $15.00 316 pp.
The "wandering stars" are two young girls, each trying to escape from an oppressive, threatening
condition. Esther is a Jewish girl who escapes from Nazi-occupied Europe to Israel. Nejma lives
in a
Palestinian refugee camp. The two girls' lives are not intertwined physically, but rather spiritually
in
how they both deal with similar feelings of fear, helplessness, and desire for a better life. Le
Clezio, a
French author of 20 novels, goes beyond politics, cultural differences, and historical moments to
cast
light on the universal feelings in experiences of suffering and the struggles, desires, and dreams
growing out of such experiences.
Saints and Their Symbols: Recognizing Saints in Art and in Popular Images
Fernando and Gioia Lanzi
Drawings by Ermanno Leso
Translated by Matthew J. O'Connell
Liturgical Press
PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321
www.litpress.org
ISBN 0814629709 $49.95 237 pp.
Under the heading of the major section, "Historical Survey or Historical Atlas of the Saints," over
150 saints are included in rough chronological order, beginning with the parents of the Virgin
Mary
and ending with Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, who died in a German concentration camp in
1942.
Along with key biographical facts, entries for each of the numerous saints discuss symbols,
settings,
poses, clothing, and objects commonly included in paintings or other artistic representations of the
respective saint and why these details are associated with him or her. With each entry is a work of
art in which the saint is pictured. The large-size, glossy-paged reference has the quality of a
coffee-table art book. But its primary purpose is helping reader identify saints in works of art
mostly
from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, but from other eras as well. The well-thought-out
reference
is useful in different ways. One can go through the "Historical Survey" in order or randomly to
learn
about the saints as they have been represented in works of art throughout history and look at the
related works of art. The Index, on the other hand, lists the many details found in works of art on
saints so that one can find a particular saint from details in a particular work--which one might
have
seen in a museum or public square in Italy, for example. And there's a third approach to coming to
understand and appreciate the the portrayals of saints that have been a large part of Western and
Near Eastern visual art in past centuries: The "Dictionary of Saints with Their Attributes" is a
visual,
alphabetical cataloguing of the saints in typical poses with typical garb and holding or alongside
typical symbols or objects. The black-and-white illustrations of the Dictionary can be compared to
an image one might have seen or recalled; and then one is directed to the written entry to learn
about
the saint and the work of art where one saw the image. For its comprehensiveness, attractiveness,
and usefulness as a reference, this work is patently a leading work in its field. The authors are
involved in different Italian cultural, art, and religious institutions.
Japanese Kite Prints: Selections from the Skinner Collection
John Stevenson
Drachen Foundation
Seattle, WA
distributed by U. of Washington Press
PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096
www.washington.edu/uwpress
ISBN 0295984546 $50.00 234 pp.
Flying kites was a part of the traditional culture of the major Japanese city of Edo (present-day
Tokyo). Also a center for traditional Japanese printmaking, it was natural that kites and kite-flying
would often be depicted on prints. Stevenson, who has spent much time in Asia, treats the
intertwined subjects of kites and prints with a historical overview that includes frequent
discussions
of particular kites and prints. "These kites [depicted in a print] must be large: the kite the young
men
are flying requires two to control the line, with a third looping the line into a basket." Besides
depicting ceremonial or recreational kite-flying, prints could also use kites symbolically, as when
one
artist suggests that confetti falling from a kite could be seeds being scattered over a field by
farmers
hoping for a good harvest. Such symbolisms indicate the meaningful place held by kites in the
culture, almost as if they were religious or ritualistic objects. Stevenson's narrative and analyses
for
newcomers to the subject or advanced students complemented by colorful prints and details of
them,
including a number of large fold-outs, brings this somewhat specialized subject to life. With the
author's special interest in kites as a part of Asian culture and his many years living in Asia, the
subject seems second nature to him. He writes about it both naturally and knowledgeably, as if
one
were listening to an absorbing lecturer.
Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate, The Essential Guide for
Progressives
George Lakoff
Chelsea Green Publishing
PO Box 428, 85 N. Main St. - Suite 120, White River Junction, VT 05001
www.chelseagreen.com
ISBN 1931498711 $10.00 124+xvi pp.
Lakoff uses his background as a cognitive linguist with the U. of California to give guidance on
how
to counter conservatives' very effective shaping of the national dialogue on politics, cultural
issues,
environmental questions, and most other topics of national concern. The foundation of Lakoff's
guidance is distinguishing conservatives as adhering to a "strict father" mode, whereas
progressives
can be seen as adhering to a "nurturant parent" mode. This timely political/social activist
handbook
outlines a program of communication, public relations, and activism not only for progressives, but
for any individuals and groups opposing the agenda, direction, and values of the conservatives
who
are currently dominating politics and political dialogue so as to undermine serious consideration
of
any other points of view.
The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World
Alister McGrath
Doubleday
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.doubleday.com
ISBN 0385500610 $23.95 306+xiii pp.
With the title playing off the title of Nietzsche's "Twilight of the Idols," McGrath goes into the
grounds and development of atheism in Western society. Nietzsche is dealt with in a few places,
but
McGrath locates the sources of atheism mainly in the period leading up to the French Revolution
of
the late 1800s when the centuries-old place of the Catholic Church, along with the place of the
monarchy, was challenged, and drastically minimalized by subsequent revolutionary events and
related political and cultural changes. Darwin and later Freud are seen as prime expressions of the
atheism in the European cultural milieu after the French Revolution. Recognizing the extent of
atheism in its various forms in the era of modernism down to today as well as its strong appeal
considering the failures of religion and government, McGrath nonetheless detects that atheism has
reached its limits, and that large numbers of persons in postmodern society are being prompted to
"explore...the forbidden fruit of spirituality." The religious fundamentalism of many American
Christians or Islamic radicals is ordinarily pointed to as evidence of the limitations and deficiencies
of atheism and the secularism that is closely related to it in the contemporary world. But McGrath
goes beyond this to lay out the reasons for and attractions of atheism as a vital force which could
continue to play a central role in the culture if today's religious fundamentalism repeats the errors
of
religion in the past which gave rise to atheism and made it such a powerful, and in some ways a
hopeful, restorative force.
Magazines That Make History: Their Origins, Development, and Influence
Norberto Angeletti and Alberto Oliva
University Press of Florida
15 NW 15th St., Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
800-226-3822; www.upf.com.
ISBN 0813027667 $45.00 407 pp.
In these days of TV, movies, DVDs, computer graphics, and ubiquitous advertising, most are
unmindful of the role that magazines founded in the earlier and middle years of the 1900s played
in
bringing about and affecting this visual culture. The two South American authors with extensive
experience in international magazines and media focus on eight magazines that had leading roles
in
bringing about the contemporary visual culture and which to varying degrees continue to
influence
and reflect it. The eight are Time, Hola!, Life, Paris Match, Reader's Digest, People, Der Spiegel,
and National Geographic. Time, for example, founded in the early 1920s, created the mold for
news
coverage which is followed by other news magazines and TV news programs down to today. Life
pioneered photojournalism, and laid the groundwork for the media treatment of celebrity.
National
Geographic helped to popularize many areas of science, from paleontology to astronomy; and in
more recent years, raise environmental and multicultural concerns. By covering eclectic and
unpredictable subjects, Reader's Digest and People were instrumental in the ascendancy of
popular
culture. The foreign magazines from Spain, France, and German had similar influences on their
respective cultures, while at the same time, like the U. S. publications, had a part in bringing about
the global culture of media, celebrity, and entertainment. The authors Angeletti and Oliva explain
the
strategies of the founder of each of the magazines which allowed them to become so successful
even
though the odds were heavily against them. About half of the content is photographs or art work
from the magazines over the years. As the text relates the playing out of the strategies in the
adaptations to cultural and competitive changes over the years, the extensive visual matter is a
record of visual styles in media over the years. Some photos or illustrations are cultural hallmarks.
The work is a notable contribution to media studies for bringing together the leading magazines
so
as to put them alongside the newer media such as TV and computers as a part of the media field
that
has taken a central, formulative role in today's society.
Remember the Distance That Divides Us: The Family Letters of Philadelphia Quaker Abolitionist
and Michigan Pioneer Elizabeth Margaret Chandler, 1830-1842
edited by Marcia J. Heringa Mason
Michigan State U. Press
1405 S. Harrison Rd., Suite 25, Manly Miles Bldg., East Lansing, MI 48823
fax orders 800-678-2120; www.msupress.msu.edu
ISBN 0870137131 $42.95 458+lviii pp.
Numerous letters to and from Elizabeth Margaret Chandler not only provide incomparable
knowledge about the early days of the abolitionist movement, but also American Midwestern
society
of the time. One of the appendices is a list of the household effects relating to Chandler. But the
book is of interest mostly for the sympathies and activities of the young Elizabeth Chandler
regarding the issue of abolition. She died in 1834 before she was 30. The letters are written in the
now-archaic language used by the Quakers of the time--e. g., "I thank thee my dear Elizabeth for
thy
large sheet or sheets so well filled for I believe there are several of thy letters yet unanswered by
me...," from a lengthy letter by Chandler's aunt to her. The length of many of the letters, which go
on for three or more pages, imparts to an exceptional degree the thoughts and activities of the
individuals as well as their relationships with others. In her short life spent mostly in Michigan,
Chandler contributed much to raising the consciousness of the region about the issue of abolition.
The founder of the Logan Female Antislavery Society, she is also seen as an early activist in the
fledgling women's movement. When she died, some individuals were moved to write poems about
her. These are included in another appendix. The voluminous and varied materials brought
together
with editor Mason's deft sense of organization and worthiness is not only an invaluable source
book
on the little-known but influential Chadler; but it is a rich picture of individuals and their
involvement
in a major social issue of the time as well as their ordinary, daily activities and concerns. From the
length and depth of the letters of Chandler and others she communicated with, the reader becomes
involved with them as if they were subjects of a biography or characters in a historical novel.
Henry Berry
Reviewer
Isobel's Bookshelf
What Price Success: A Louisiana Malady
Sam Pigno
1st Books
Bloomington, IN
ISBN 1410746811, $25.45 238 pages
What Price Success is a story I had difficulty with from the moment I read its awkward sentence
on
the back cover. "This story is written in a fictional mode, but based on true life events of the
author,
who was raised as a child to always be as kind and honest as possible." When I flipped to the
copyright page and read the disclaimer, I thought, honestly how can honest Sam Pigno write this
disclaimer when he just alerted me that this story is patterned after his life? Still, I tackled the task
of
reading knowing that Pigno's challenge was to write a gripping tale of his life and that it would be
difficult. Writers of fascinating personal histories need to do more than write a virtual diary to
keep a
reader's attention. Unfortunately, Mr. Pigno's didn't rise to the occasion. His chronological
account,
devoid of details or dialogue killed his chance of captivating me.
Pigno begins with the Early Days, announcing that he and his brother were born to truck-crop
farmers during the Depression, lived with no electricity and had a life so simple that it was an
adventure to go to the grocery store. Sentences like, "Years later, Sal's mother married Sal's
father. .
." can be found throughout the book. Chapters are short and dry, though informative. We learn of
his early successes on the football field, his early jobs in education, his belief that he was not liked
early on, his political dabbling in order to raise above it all, his attempts to control the school
board,
his political and administrative successes, the issues he faced as Superintendent of Schools and his
downfall.
Pigno's straight narrative gives little insight. Issues are not discussed. When he writes his concern
for
a black honor student being prevented from becoming Valedictorian because of one grade and his
fears that the grade was improperly motivated, he tells of holding meetings with the teacher,
parents
and school board but never shares what each side said. We are left to take his word that he was
right
to change the grade over the teacher's objections. Well, it might have been that right thing to do
as
Superintendent, but as an author it is a failing. In leaving out the discussion, Pigno prevents us
from
choosing to take his side in the matter. Unfortunately, this pattern runs throughout. He tells us
people hate him. He tells us he has enemies. He tells us he is victimized. He tells us he has to
defend
himself again criminal charges. He tells us his rationale for decisions. He even tells us what his
opponents, neighbors, friends, political adversaries think. Amazingly, he does so without even
giving
them names. They are the sheriff, or the old woman principal, or the teacher of a black student, or
a
board member who is his friend, or a board member who hates him.
In the end there are lessons here. The first is that if one lives in a community where people are
hateful, venomous and vindictive, don't stay there and build your career. Go somewhere else! The
second less is do not take a plea if you are innocent. In the end, I must simply say that I hope Mr.
Pigno got catharsis from writing his story. I fear that is all that there is to get.
Winning Ways
Toni Leland
Equine Graphics Publishing Group
P.O. Box 8016, Zanesville, OH 43702-8016
Parallel Press
ISBN 188793223-, $15.95, 268 pp
As soon as you begin reading Winning Ways you know you are entering a different kind of world.
This is a story of horses, horseshows, horsemen and horsewomen and a welcome respite from the
formula romance novel. I, for one, enjoyed being brought into an atmosphere so different than
mine
and I also looked forward to learning more about the heroine, Liz.
Liz, a young veterinarian, recently moved and is attempting to pick up her life on the opposite
side
of the country. When we meet her, she is doing a good deed for a stricken horse. They say no
good
deed goes unnoticed, but in her case it did. Her efforts did nothing to bring her new clients or help
build her veterinary practice. With too few clients, too many hours to fill and few friends to share
them with, Liz feels lonely and frustrated and is thinking her move west is a huge mistake. Her
only
solace is her horses. Part of her plan is to build a stable and breed high quality horses. To do that,
she has to show them. Liz enters a local horse show and manages to pick up several ribbons. The
fact that she did not to come home empty handed makes her a perceived threat to the established
breeders in town and we are told to anticipate something dreadful.
If Leland intended to create some suspense, she didn't. And, there are aspects of this story that I
had
difficulty accepting. Liz, we learn is an innocent, this despite a lifetime of being around horses,
and
being mature enough to have completed a degree in veterinary medicine. It is hard to believe that
she
could be so ignorant of the dirty business that goes on at horse shows. It is equally difficult to
believe that she is an innocent when it comes to men. Why Leland suggested that Liz be an
innocent,
I have no idea because she didn't sterilize her longings. Liz is not innocent in her dreams. Almost
from page one, she lusts after one guy Kurt, whose brusque behavior turns her off, no, on, no,
off,
no, on, no. . . and so, Liz takes us on an emotional rollercoaster each time she sees, hears or
thinks
about Kurt, the trainer at a neighboring farm.
I will leave the rest of story for you to enjoy, and enjoy it you will if you like a fast read, like
things
simple, are not annoyed when characters and plot is not fully developed, and like being taken to
places you haven't been before.
Isobel Kleinman
Reviewer
Jennifer's Bookshelf
Ten Little Elvi
Laura J. Henson & Duffy Grooms
Tricycle Press
http://www.tenspeed.com
ISBN: 1582461244 $12.95
Elvis fans will relish Laura J. Henson and Duffy Grooms picturebook TEN LITTLE ELVI. As an
Elvis fanatic, I found Henson & Grooms book absolutely adorable. Not only will children learn to
count backwards from 10 to 1, they will also get a good laugh out of this book. Each page
features
little Elvis impersonators such as GI Elvis, Karate Elvis, and Blue Suede Shoes Elvis as well many
more little kings. The vivid, full-color illustrations by Dean Gorissen adds to the bouncy, rhyming
text, giving it a comical appeal while encouraging conversations between reader and listener.
This reviewer highly recommends TEN LITTLE ELVI for children in Pre-K through 2nd grades,
as
well as for Elvis fans, any age, everywhere!
Edgar & Ellen #3: Under Town
Charles Ogden
Tricycle Press
http://www.tenspeed.com
ISBN: 1582461260 $12.95
Edgar & Ellen are two ill-behaved twins who like to confuse and frustrate residents of Nod's
Limbs.
Pulverizing bricks and using as playground mulch or taking care of an overgrown junkyard
carnivorous plant named Berenice is just a typical day for these spooky grade school twins. As
much
as they enjoy terrorizing Nod's Limbsians, Edgar & Ellen discover in book #3 UNDER TOWN
that
someone called The Mason is stealing all their little pranks, while coming up with a few new ones.
How dare they? Nod's Limbs is Edgar & Ellen's to threaten. Now they must race UNDER TOWN
to discover the identity of The Mason so they can start horrifying the residents once again.
Charles Ogden's entertaining book will keep you guessing and make you laugh while you read the
intricate schemes the twins put together. EDGAR & ELLEN: UNDER TOWN by Charles Ogden
and illustrated by Rick Carton is a real page-turner.
This reviewer found Ogden's gothic-themed book hard to put down, and highly recommends this
fantastic piece of children's literature for ages 9 and up.
The Lost Zoo
Connie Boone
American Literary Press: Shooting Star Editions
http://www.americanliterarypress.com
ISBN: 156167768X $12.95 US $17.95 CAN
A floating zoo what a creative idea!
When a powerful storm hits, Mr. Cassidy and the animals he cares for, along with a little lost boy
named Joshua, float out to sea. They're scared and lost. All seems hopeless until they spot an
island
in the distance. Mr. Cassidy, Joshua, and the animals make the best of their Dream Island by
putting
on shows and telling tales hoping to one day return to their home. With charming full-color
illustrations, THE LOST ZOO comes to life with excitement and adventure. Welcoming a series,
this reviewer enjoyed THE LOST ZOO by Connie Boone.
Mistletoe Madness: a Short Story Collection
Miriam Hees, editor
Blooming Tree Press
http://www.bloomingtreepress.com
ISBN: 0971834822 $8.95
Blooming Tree Press has put together a splendid collection of short stories, poems, and
illustrations
with a Christmas theme. MISTLETOE MADNESS is a 384-page treat for children ages 7-12,
however, adults, any age, will enjoy it just as much.
This inspiring collection includes over thirty authors, poets, and illustrators from the United
States,
Canada, and Switzerland. This book would make a wonderful stocking stuffer. It will warm your
heart and send your mind spiraling back toward your own Christmas memories. Light the fire,
pour
yourselves cocoa, and curl around and read MISTLETOE MADNESS. You'll enjoy stories such
as,
First Turkey, Christmas in a Pickle Jar, Winter Wonderland, Jordan's Shoes, Miracle on Stone
Street, and Leader of the Band.
This reviewer highly recommends MISTLETOE MADNESS.
Mommy, Someone Is Blowing Me Kisses
Alice Elizabeth Avery
PublishAmerica
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN: 1413713521 $14.95
Written entirely with dialogue, MOMMY, SOMEONE IS BLOWING ME KISSES is an
inspirational, easy-to-read children's picture book. In this book, a boy and his mother, along with
their dog, wake early one spring morning to go on a nature walk. Not knowing what a nature
walk
entails, the boy's mother tells him 'we walk together and look at all the beauty of nature.' They do
just that say they discover many different types of flowers.
This book would make a wonderful addition to any pre-kindergarten and kindergarten
classrooms.
The adorable, hand-drawn illustrations enhance each lovely page and brings the boy, his mother,
and
their dog, Harvey, to life. A quick-read at 24 pages, MOMMY, SOMEONE IS BLOWING ME
KISSES by Alice Elizabeth Avery comes highly recommended by this reviewer and her
children.
Mommy, the Moon Smiled at Me
Alice Elizabeth Avery
PublishAmerica
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN: 1413702848 $14.95
Have you ever thought that the moon was smiling at you? Did you ever wonder why? Well, in
MOMMY, THE MOON SMILED AT ME, a little boy seems to think the moon smiles and has
lots
of fun coming up with the reasons why. MOMMY, THE MOON SMILED AT ME by Alice
Elizabeth Avery is encouraging and delightful, and fills you with warmth and happiness. The
hand-drawn, lovingly detailed illustrations are outstanding as they make your heart smile. As with
her other picture book "Mommy, Someone is Blowing Me Kisses," Avery tells the story entirely
in
dialogue.
This children's picture book would make a wonderful stocking stuffer for little ones and comes
highly recommended by this reviewer and her three children, ages 13, 8, & 7.
Jennifer LB Leese, Reviewer
http://www.geocities.com/ladyjiraff
Judine's Bookshelf
Soaring Through Setbacks: Rise Above Adversity, Reclaim Your Life
Cheryl Perlitz
Cameo Publications
PO Box 8006, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
ISBN: 0974582417 $16.95; 220 pp.
Description: Holistic Approach to Life's Mountains
When was the last time you went mountain climbing? No, I don't mean the planned step-by-step
loft
of the physical rocky terrain. I'm talking about the kind of climbing which deals with the
emotional
stress of family deaths, job terminations, or simply a unwanted lifestyle change. How do you scale
the rugged foothills?
"Soaring Through Setbacks" teaches us how to handle the sudden, unseen bolders of life. "No
matter how challenging a physical mountain is, the hardest mountains we climb are the ones we
can't
see." (pg 25) Nature continuously provides a three-fold process of ascending the peaks by
Surviving,
Reviving and Thriving. It is how we live through an emotional mountain (surviving), handle the
new
enviornment (reviving), and learn to adapt with the changes (thriving), that allows you to climb
one
step at a time. It is then we realize nothing bad really happens; the mountain appeared for a
reason.
"...we go beyond and soar by sharing our lessons with others...and then we climb again." (pg
193).
Throughout the book, key phrases are in bold, and each chapter has a backpack full of survival
tips.
I am thankful for the foothills in Cherly Perlitz's life. After the sudden death of her husband, loss
of
her home, and move to a new location, she uses her journey as an example of the possible flight
above treacherous terrain. Cheryl combines ancient philosophy with her love of nature to provide
a
path through the dense forest. I recommend "Soaring Through Setback" to anyone looking for a
holistic approach for recovering from the mountains of life.
The Kings of the Sea
Brian David Williams
Trafford Publishing
Suite 6E, 2333 Government St., Victoria, BC V8T 5P4, Canada
ISBN: 1412025826; $15.00; 140 pp.
Description: A pen instead of a fishing rod
How do you measure greatness? Some consider financial security, good health or simply a job
well
done as an indicator of success. And the career that brings you to this plateau, might take time
away
from your family, or cause physical an emotional stress. But when the day is done, if you are
satisfied and you feel as if you are fulfilling your passion, then any trials which float down your
stream are well worth it.
The Kings of the Sea is a testimony of a man and a boy who fulfilled their passion as fisherman.
Chelsea Oxford always wanted to become a fisherman, even as a very young child. When he
turned
thirteen, he skips school and goes down to the river to learn from the best fisherman in the
Bahamas,
Paul Ronney. Paul tries to discourage Chelsea with his stories of being on the sea for months
away
from his family, and losing the affection of his children. But Chelsea could only hear the strength
of
Paul's life lessons while pursing his passion. "Train yourself to be an early bird; early birds catch
the
most fish." (pg 24) "Just because your fathr wasn't there of you doesn't mean you have to do the
same." (pg 54) "You don't hate people because they make mistakes." (pg 68) These antedotes and
many more dangled as bait for Chelsea. He continued to visit with Paul at the river, until he is old
enough to set sail alone. He suffered many trials to become the greatest fisherman, even
amputating
one of his legs to catch a great white shark.
Brian David Williams uses the pen as his fishing rod to reel in a compelling story. His personal
history interwines with Paul's many stories. The main goal lies in what it takes to become
successful,
not only as a fisherman, but any career. Read "The Kings of the Sea" and takes Paul's advice, "Be
the best at what you decide to be. Don't ever lose sight of what you believe in." (pg 119)
The Hearts of Darkness: How White Writers Created The Racist Image of Africa
Milton Allimadi
Black Star Books Co.
PO Box 64, New York, NY 10025
ISBN: 0974003905; $12.00; 96 pp.
When someone mentions Africa to you, what picture scans your imagination? Is it wild animals in
the jungles, with bare breasted women and tribal men? If so, how did you get these images? What
newspaper or magazine helped to form your perception? The "Hearts of Darkness" dares to tell
how
most Americans learned about Africa.
The archives of "The New York Times" contains thousands of letters exchanged between the
editors
of the newspaper and their white correspondents in Africa. Many of these letters reveal intentional
false coverage of the facts to promote racial stereotyping, which the newspaper eventually put
into
print. The Hearts of Darkness supplies snippets of these letters from the 60's and 70's, detailing
the
actual events in Africa, to prove the corruption of Western media. There is even a Black
American
writer who "thank(ed) God my ancestor made the (slave) voyage." (pg 57) But, not all writers
agreed to the twisted tales.
I am grateful Milton Allimadi took the time to research this information. What is his purpose to
unearth the past? "...that lay readers, students of history and journalism, as well as practincing
journalists and editors, can learn from this book." (pg 1) He writes with a professional journalist
style, which does not let his own emotions get caught up in the cover-up. "Hearts of Darkness"
states the facts, with photocopies of a few of the letters, and plenty of references. I recommend
"Hearts of Darkness" to challenge what you have read in the past about Africa, which will foster
an
better education when you read in the future.
Promises Beyond Jordan
Vanessa Davis Griggs
BET Publications, LLC
One BET Plaza, 1900 W Place NE, Washington, DC 20018-1211
ISBN: 0739441515, $15.00; 280 pp.
Description: Two promises kept
When an author promotes their book, there's a unspoken promise that their words are worthy to
be
read. The reader should feel satisfied after spending their money, especially when so many books
permeate the buyer's market. Friends will want to share the book, or invite others to buy it.
Vanessa
Davis Griggs keeps this author's promise in "Promises Beyond Jordan."
One week after Christmas, Pastor George Landris and Theresa Jordan plan for holy matrimony.
Although Theresa has heard Landris call out "Johnny" in his sleep, she doesn't give it a second
thought. Until Landris' makes an emergency visit to see Johnny, when her husband and only child
are
in the hospital, 5 days before the wedding. After three days, she thinks he has spent too long for a
"pastor's visit," and consoles herself with a friend from her past. A wedding takes place, but soon
not everyone is happy to learn about Theresa's pregnancy. What does Pastor Landris have to say?
"I've done nothing wrong, so there's nothing for me to explain really." (pg 213) But the
congregation doesn't believe him.
Vanessa Davis Griggs should be a preacher. While I read "Promises Beyond Jordan" I kept
questioning, "This is a religious book?" Although biblical verses are sprinked throughout the
content, some of the things the characters say and the way they act, I thought it was more secular
in
nature. Then I had to realize, the church is filled with humans, not angels. What goes on outside
of
the church, happens on the inside because we all fall short of the glory of God. Vanessa tells it
like it
is as far as church folk. And she wraps up the story with a realistically happy ending. "Promises
Beyond Jordan" is for all souls, I promise.
Judine Slaughter, Reviewer
www.eybooks.com
Kimberly's Bookshelf
Pumpkin Jack
Will Hubbell, author & illustrator
Albert Whitman and Company
6340 Oakton Street, Morton Grove, Illinois 60053-2723
ISBN: 0807566659 $15.95 32 Pages
When Tim carved his first pumpkin, it was fierce and funny and just perfect. A jack-o-lantern this
good deserved a name, so Tim gave it one- "Jack."
Discarded after Halloween, Tim's beloved jack-o-lantern eventually grows new pumpkins from its
old seeds. The perfect text gave me the opportunity to feel Tim's pride and joy as he carved his
pumpkin, his sorrow as his jack-o-lantern began to deteriorate and his excitement and hope when
he
found the new pumpkin plants. This beautifully illustrated picture book tells a wonderfully hopeful
story about the cycle of life.
Pumpkin Circle: The Story Of A Garden
George Levenson
Photography by Shmuel Thaler
Tricycle Press
P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, California 94707
ISBN: 1582460787 $7.95 40 Pages
Deep within each pumpkin
The air is damp and cool.
The walls are lined with teardrop seeds,
Each one a slippery jewel.
Sometimes it's difficult to find a nonfiction book that will keep a young child's interest. As you can
tell from the sample text above, that won't be a problem with this book full of gorgeous words
and
photographs. The life of a pumpkin as told in this book from beginning to end, to beginning, will
hold a young child's interest from beginning to end, over and over again! You'll also find a
resourceful page at the back of the book that explains to young readers how to grow their own
pumpkins.
The Pumpkin Fair
Eve Bunting
Eileen Christelow, illustrator
Clarion Books
215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003
ISBN: 0395700604 $15.00 40 Pages
We all hold hands and sing a song
Of pumpkins round and pumpkins long,
Of pumpkins fat and pumpkins lean
And pumpkins somewhere in between.
This is just a small taste of what you will see at the pumpkin fair. You'll also see, among other
things, pumpkin bands, pumpkin games and pumpkin pie! With lively text and pictures, Eve
Bunting
and Eileen Christelow show that they certainly know how to celebrate the beauty and joy of
pumpkins!
Kimberly Hutmacher
Reviewer
Levine's Bookshelf
Designed to Kill
Chester D. Campbell
Durban House Publishing Company, Inc.
7502 Greenville Ave., Suite 5000, Dallas, Texas 75231
www.durbanhouse.com
ISBN: 1930754469 $15.95 217-890-4050
The collapse of the balcony of a luxury condominium opens the Greg McKenzie Mystery,
Designed
to Kill. Author Chester D. Campbell adeptly weaves a tale of greed and murder.
Greg McKenzie, a sixty-five-year-old retired Air Force Office of Special Investigations agent, is
asked by a close friend to look into the death of his son, Tim Gannon, who was found dead in his
car
from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. Tim's architecture/engineering firm developed
the
plans for The Sand Castle where two people died after falling fifteen stories. Greg and his wife,
Jill,
travel to Florida where Tim had been staying in their condo while The Sand Castle was under
construction. What the McKenzie's learn about the tense relationships between Tim and the other
significant players in the project, leads to the discovery of the truth about the accident and Tim's
death.
Designed to Kill does what a good murder mystery should: It leads the reader to believe one
person
is the obvious killer then ends with an unexpected twist. Campbell, who is also the author of
Secret
of the Scroll, writes with great pacing in his current novel and makes use of his journalism
background in presenting the facts as the case evolves.
Chester Campbell's Designed to Kill is an entertaining piece that will hold great appeal for mystery
lovers. I highly recommend this intelligent, unpredictable story.
Soaring Eagle, Spirit of the Wind
H. J. Courtright
Literary Art Publishers
144 North Beverwyck Road #175, Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034-1997
www.amazon.com, www.HJCourtright.com
ISBN: 0974486612 $8.95
Author H. J. Courtright has composed a tale of loss and renewal in the New Age novella, Soaring
Eagle, Spirit of the Wind. This piece lyrically illustrates the process of evolution required to
survive
tragedy and pain.
Rosalie lost her parents in a car accident at the age of six. Her childhood abandoned her as well,
thrusting Rosalie into a life of guilt, isolation, and addiction. Nothing in Rosalie's adult life places
a
hold on her strong enough to save her from the grieving that has taken place over twenty years.
"Loneliness forbade forgiving her parents for their death." Instead, Rosalie turns to heroin for
comfort.
During a search for lost childhood memories with her friend, Alison, Rosalie faces her own death
and soul loss. Her imminent demise is seen in a vision by the healer, Soaring Eagle. The journeys
of
the young woman and the shaman intersect as Rosalie searches for The Stones of the Four
Corners
and the answer to the great mystery in the spirit world while Soaring Eagle seeks to save her body
and soul.
Soaring Eagle, Spirit of the Wind is thick with allegory and poetry. Courtright's use of shamanism
to
spin a tale of deep self-exploration and forgiveness brilliantly exhibits the complexity of spirituality
and healing. This is a beautiful story of surrender.
Melissa Brown Levine, Reviewer
http://problemsinliving.tripod.com
Lori's Bookshelf
Firelands
Michael Jensen
Alyson Publications
PO Box 4371, Los Angeles, CA, 90078-4371
www.alyson.com
ISBN: 1555838405 $14.95 298 pgs
Out on the Ohio frontier, frontiersman Cole Seavey is trying to avoid an oncoming storm. He is
hoping to make it out of the open and under the cover of the woods when two things happen:
first,
he finds a seriously injured young girl, whom he tries to help; and second, before he can assist the
girl, he is attacked by a wildcat. "It was moments like this that had earned me the nickname
Cold-Blooded Cole. Staring back at the cougar, my pulse did not quicken, my hands did not
shake.
Some said it was not bravery that kept me so composed, but dim-wittedness. I don't know why I
was not afraid at such times, but as far back as I could remember, I never had been. Perhaps to be
afraid, one must have something he fears losing" (p. 6).
Being cool-headed, Cole fights the cougar, but before the fight concludes, something far more
sinister comes at him: "a monster, a devil out of the bowels of hell" (p. 7). As the storm suddenly
crashes all about him, he fights the monstrous creature for his life.
I don't want to give away too much of the story, but after the initial attack and a frighteningly
exciting escape, Cole has lost his musket and all his supplies. He is found and helped by a
Delaware
brave named Pakim, and luckily they are close to Hugh's Lick, a settlement near the Delaware
camp
where Cole's brother was supposed to be living. But it's as if Cole has brought bad luck with him.
The townspeople call the brutal, bloodthirsty killer a wendigo, and no one feels safe once it begins
to
systematically attack and kill.
Featuring appearances by characters John Chapman and Palmer Baxter from the previous novel
FRONTIERS, Jensen has woven together a spell-binding story that is half mystery and half
horror. I
read the book in one sitting, intensely curious to discover the secrets of the murderous attacks and
whether the phantom could be vanquished. I also found Cole's personal journey to be interesting
as
he goes from the self-professed state of being cold-blooded to a man who is discovers the depths
of
his fear and strengths. FIRELANDS is an exciting addition to what I hope will be a whole series
of
gay frontier historical novels.
The Lie That Tells A Truth: A Guide to Writing Fiction
John Dufresne
W.W. Norton
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10110
www.wwnorton.com
ISBN: 0393325814 $14.95 298 pgs
Each evening for the past two weeks, it has been my great joy to end the day by reading a chapter
or
two of John Dufresne's sensible, sensitive, and sometimes funny book. Dufresne, a novelist and
college teacher, has written a wonderful volume about writing well. I went through two
containers
of Post-It flags in order to mark the wise and witty spots that I want to reflect upon further for
my
own writing and use in teaching my own classes.
But this book is not necessarily a book for teachers. It's a guide for writing fiction that writers at
all
levels would benefit by reading. Dufresne has split the book into two major sections: The Process
and The Product, with a follow-up section containing advice about reading and craft, with a
bibliography as well. Using common sense and a breadth of knowledge about the life and writing
of
authors throughout the ages, the author gives solid advice and often laugh-out-loud observations.
Each section provides wonderful exercises some of the best ideas for prompting writing that I
have
ever encountered.
Dufresne approaches fiction the "lies" we write that tell the truth by focusing on the importance
of the story and of the characters who people our stories. He tells us we "crave a person's story.
You want meaning, but not answers. Fiction writers understand that there are no answers, simple
or
otherwise. The point is not to answer, but to question, not to solve, but to seek, not to preach,
but
to explore, not to assure, but to agitate" (p. 61). In the Introduction, when Dufresne says, "Well
the
_idea_ of writing is overwhelming; the act of writing, however, is simplicity itself," he is right on.
And everything he tells us throughout the rest of the book is aimed toward encouraging each
writer
to get past being overwhelmed to focus on the act of writing.
I loved this book! It is one to which I will return again and again, both as a writer and as a
teacher.
John Dufresne does a marvelous job making the process and experience of writing
understandable.
His sage take on things and his witty, educated style make this volume a joy to read. Whether you
are already an author or are contemplating writing, this lively, clever, and entertaining book will
speak to you. Highly recommended.
Holy Hell: A Lillian Byrd Crime Story
Elizabeth Sims
Alyson Publications
PO Box 4371, Los Angeles, CA, 90078-4371
www.alyson.com
ISBN: 1555836534 $13.95 272 pgs
Lillian Byrd's life is in flux. She's worked for four years at Detroit's "Eagle Eye" newspaper
covering
various subjects including the crime scene, but after the owner's son manhandles her one too many
times and she retaliates, she gets fired. Bad timing. She'd been working on a story about the
murder
of a woman who had worked as a DJ at the local lesbian bar Lillian sometimes frequented. Now
Lillian won't get a chance to write the story. Still, she can't let the murder rest; she has to know
why
the woman was killed.
What follows is a rollicking good mystery as Lillian attempts to make sense of the oddities of the
crime. Why would the killer remove some of the dead woman's teeth? Does this case connect to
the
seemingly unrelated disappearances of other women in the area? Who is this mysterious "Jean"
anyway, and why would anyone kill her?
HOLY HELL is aptly named as some of the wacky suspects in the story are freakish about the
Bible. Sims writes the book in first person, and self-assured, wise-cracking amateur detective
Lillian
has tremendous Voice. The novel also has unstoppable narrative drive, and I dare readers not to
read the book in one sitting. I couldn't put it down and am looking forward to the next book in
the
series, DAMN STRAIGHT. Don't miss the beginning of what is sure to be an entertaining
series.
Everyday Smart: 30 Ways to Spark Your Inner Genius
Eric Maisel
Red Wheel Book Publishers
368 Congress St. 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02210
www.redwheelweiser.com
ISBN: 1590030788 $12.95 30 pgs
After a couple of weeks of using the "Everyday Creative" set of cards, I moved on to "Everyday
Smart: 30 Ways to Spark Your Inner Genius," which contains thirty different ways to prompt
one's
inner genius. Author Eric Maisel encourages people to "manifest your native intelligence, your
intuitive abilities, and your critical thinking skills." Looking at one of these cards each day over a
period of a month was a real eye-opener. Each card concentrates upon one specific area ("Grow
smart by strategizing," "Grow smart by inviting the elegant solution," etc.), and the reader is
invited
to think about ways to be smart and to use intelligence, wit, and intuition.
By turns playful and serious, the cards are exactly what Maisel bills them to be: evocative,
beautiful,
and useful. I also found that they serve as excellent affirmations for the day. I highly recommend
this
kit for anyone focusing on art, writing, politics or any other topic or subject that requires
creativity, originality, or problem-solving.
Lori L. Lake
Reviewer
Magdalena's Bookshelf
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Bill Bryson
Broadway; 1st edition
ISBN: 0767908171 $27.50 560 pages
Bill Bryson's travel writing has always been laugh outloud funny. But after conquering Britain,
Australia, the US, and Europe, Bryson's latest book has a much wider scope--the known universe.
His non-fiction science book for everyone tackles, as Bryson says in the introduction, all of the
questions which have plagued him over the years. It is a book of science which is as clearly
written,
as funny and interesting as anything Bryson has written to date and does significantly more than
simply demystify. For a layperson's guide which uses no technical jargon, and is meant to appeal
to
all levels of scientific enquiry, A Short History is surprisingly deep, and raises issues which strike
at
the heart of what it means to be a modern human being.
The book begins appropriately with the Big Bang and moves through concepts like the birth and
death of stars, meteors, the age of the earth, carbon dating, gravity, the construction of the earth,
the
elements, relativity, thermodynamics, quantum physics, plate tectonics, evolution and extinction,
fossils, the atmosphere, clouds, the oceans, taxonomy, cells, bacteria, ice ages, volcanism, and
much
more. It isn't the breath of what Bryson covers that is so impressive, although he does cover a
surprisingly broad spectrum. What makes this book so marvellous is the way in which Bryson gets
to the point, using his command of the English language to make otherwise incomprehensibly
large
numbers or metaphysical concepts concrete:
Imagine trying to live in a world dominated by dihydrogen oxide, a compound that has no taste or
smell and is so variable in its properties that it is generally benign but at other times swiftly lethal.
Depending on its state, it can scald you or freeze you. In the presence of certain organic
molecules it
can form carbonic acids so nasty that they can strip the leaves from trees and eat the faces off
statuary. In bulk, when agitated, it can strike with a fury that no human edifice can withstand.
Even
for those who have learned to live with it, it is an often murderous substance. We call it water."
(330)
Impressively researched, Bryson references and explores a wide range of great scientific thinkers
and
writers both modern and ancient, and incorporates a kind of history of the sciences into his work,
so
that we not only learn about current theory but the lead up to it, including some prescient and
forgotten souls who managed to come up with ideas which took decades or even centuries to
reach
the public imagination. We not only learn about Newton's discoveries, we also learn about his
propensity for sitting for hours in bed immobilized by "the sudden rush of thoughts to his head,"
or
his unpleasant experiment with a bodkin and his eye. We learn about Halley and Hooke's scientific
wager and Rutherford's booming voice. Under Bryson's hand, the history of science comes alive
and
his characters as literary and fascinating as those in a novel. Bryson places everything into the
context of a modern literary reader, his audience, to whom he shares his discoveries with the kind
of
wide eyed excitement which readers will link into.
Not all of the book is lighthearted. Although Bryson never preaches, the chapters on the number
of
human beings we've exterminated ("Goodbye") is terrifying, as is the chapter which describes the
damage which we have done to our oceans ("The Bounding Main"):
Large areas of the North Sea floor are dragged clean by beam trawlers as many as seven times a
year, a degree of disturbance that no ecosystem can withstand. At least two-thirds of the species
in
the North Sea, by many estimates, are being overfished. Across the Atlantic things are no better.
Halibut once abounded in such numbers off New England that individual boats could land 20,000
pounds of it in a day. Now halibut is all but extinct off the northeast coast of America.(147)
The whole book converges on one point: that all life is one, on Earth, and in the wider universe,
and
that life is a miraculous thing and not something to be taken lightly. Put into the context of this
large
work about everything, the point is well made and one which will stay with readers long after
they've
put down the book. A Short History of Everything is a remarkable book, not because it
illuminates
anything about science which isn't more or less commonly known. It is actually not really a
science
book at all. What makes it wonderful is that it is a humanistic book, written so well that by the
time
the reader puts it down, the impact of science on life as we know it, and don't yet know it, will
become a part of self-awareness. We can't afford to live in a vacuum, and considering the
miraculous
and rare nature of our birth and development, we shouldn't want to. There is much still to
discover,
and much which we need to learn, quickly. This is a book for everyone. It is easy enough for my
seven year old to read and enjoy (he read the first chapter before I did), and sophisticated enough
to
spark the imagination of most literate adults.
eliXir: a story in poetry
Ali Alizadeh
Grendon Press
ISBN 0957944519 $TBA
It is difficult, as a critic, to tear apart a poem or series of poems. When poetry comes across as
trite,
or meaningless, or worse, deliberately silly and confrontational, the reviewer is tempted to simply
put the work aside and claim that it didn't speak to them and leave it at that. It seems almost
impossible to go too deeply into bad poetry, to delve into meaning where there is none, or to
tease
out the vagaries of writing which comes across as the random utterings of Tourette's Syndrome.
On
the other hand, if we don't set up reasonable aesthetic standards, and make clear judgements
between work which is objectively good, and work which is poorly written, anything goes. Ali
Alizadeh's eliXir is, I'm afraid, work which falls into the poorly written category. That it hints at a
potentially evocative story and characters which might have been interesting only makes the
letdown
worse. The story is based around two main characters, Gemma/Jasmine, an ex-model turned
cocaine
addict/party girl, and Arash, a homeless, aimless poet who somehow ends up impregnating and
colliding with Gemma as she jumps off a balcony, saving her life while losing his. Other characters
include Gemma's "boyfriend" Felix and a few assorted misfits and girlfriends that Arash bumps
into.
None of the characters are well developed, nor are any of them likeable in any way. The poetry
itself
is patchy, relying mostly on visual tricks such as changing fonts, ample use of caps, italics,
asterisks,
exclamation points, an entire page of black background with 9 words on it, thick black lines, and
things like 3 lines of 16 point "CHOO CHOO" moving across the page. These gimmicks, which
are
headache provoking and deliberately visually unpleasant, are not enough to distract the reader
from
the bad writing, which reaches its apex during a music concert by a band called the "Clit Tease
Twats." At this point the writing is more or less unreadable and takes on the patter of the
teenaged
drug induced rambling that it is meant to convey. Few readers would continue past this point,
which
is a shame for the author, as he shows that he is actually capable of writing reasonably well when
he
later writes a nicely balanced Ghazal (although it is not certain if this is the author's work or the
translation of another poet's). Once again however, the book disintegrates into an alphabetised
catalogue of Islam's wrongs, along with a grab bag of seemingly random imagery which has no
relation to the rest of the story.
I once watched a comedy program on television where a poet sombrely counted to one hundred
and
forty to an audience of bemused people who weren't sure if the reading was meant to be serious
or
not. Alizadeh's eliXir is on a similar level. If the author sold the book as a comic parody of the
poetic
process, it just might work. Otherwise, this is a clear example of why poets need to take their
craft
seriously and why we need aesthetic standards. It is hard to find meaning in this random jumble of
words, and lighthearted teen lust. The final piece, "after the fall," hints at a relationship, both
physical and metaphysical between Gemma and Arash. This could have been the basis for some
thread to hold the work together, but instead, the work reads as the random and completely
unedited musings of a drugged person. Lovers of similarly unedited chaotic writing along the lines
of
Kathy Ackers, might just approve and find all sorts of Marxist implications in the lack of
structure,
meaning and overuse of fonts and typing characters. For the rest of us, this is one to avoid.
Magdalena Ball, Reviewer
http://www.compulsivereader.com/html
Margaret's Bookshelf
Rodin's Eyes
D. A. Feinfeld
Fithian Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel, Publishers
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
156474437X $14.00 1-800-662-8351 www.danielpublishing.com
The third published volume of D. A. Feinfeld's poetry, Rodin's Eyes offers word-imaged themes
on
every-day objects and perceptions that are visually inspiring to the mind's eye. These are poems
for
the intellect as well as the emotion for a sophisticated readership. What Matters: Matter, said
Einstein, is the same/as energy; force isn't solid/but has its moment, can mass/when concentrated,
then/matters very much./We ask/what's the matter, seeking concern/not equations, and
desire/answers that deserve our time./Time, though, just cuts a distance/along with energy--or
matter-slides/till it collides with some burst/of greater gravity, in a moment veers/to another axis
and
casts no light/down time's immaterial alley./If light is struck it will wave sheets of energy across
the
gulf/between great matters and less,/and when at last the torch blows out,/does anything
matter?
Personal Effects
Michael Bradford
Coteau Books
401 - 2206 Dewdney Avenue, Regina, SK, Canada, S4R 1H3
1550502921 $10.95 1-800-440-4471 www.coteaubooks.com
The debut collection of Michael Bradford's published poetry, Personal Effects is a collection of
intensely personal poetry providing the reader with portraits and letters form the heart, articulated
with an insightful passion as only a lyric passage verse can transmit. After Moving Day: In this
sun-filled kitchen/light waits for the past/in your unpacking,/old cookbooks, say,/or the
merry-go-round teakettle/that yesterday whistled its horses/into an orange and blue frenzy/all a
blur
and gallop/trailing steam./We are still, now, and I/who have listened for a step/all afternoon, hear
it/already falling away,/the sun quietly collections/pieces of you everywhere.
The Descent
Sophie Cabot Black
Graywolf Press
2402 University Avenue, Suite 203, Saint Paul, MN 55114
1555974066 $14.00 1-651-641-007 www.graphwolfpress.org
Sophie Cabot Black is an award-winning poet whose lyrical verse and revelatory images evoke
and
highlight doubt, loss, survival, and spiritual resilience. The Descent is her second published
collection and continues to document her unmistakable voice and literary talent. Lost: I am still
here
between the sun/That rises and the one that sets. To remain/Or go on. Which means to talk,//To
remember wind, words for what happened,/How I could no longer figure you/From trees. And a
turning of weather so quiet//I grew ashamed. I should have stayed with the horse/Huddled under
ledge, but to go back now/Means to come upon myself. To be lost//Is to keep arriving. And so a
trail becomes/All trails, perhaps a way out. Which is to say already/I am moving toward voices,
each
bend of the road//Made worse by knowing what I tell them/Will be different than what I've told
myself.
Underwater City
Kelle Groom
University Press of Florida
University of Florida, 15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
0813027527 $12.95 1-800-226-3822 www.upf.com
Also available in a hardcover edition (0813027519, $24.95), Underwater City is the debut
compilation of poetry by Kelle Groom. Currently a Tennessee Williams Scholar in poetry at the
Sewanee Writers Conference at the University of the South in Tennessee, Kelle's poems have
previously appeared in such publications as "Agni", "The New Yorker", "Luna", and "Witness",
and
she was named the Norma Millay Ellis Fellow for 2003 by the Millay Colony for the Arts in New
York. In the body of poetry comprising Underwater City, Kelle deftly explores personal
relationships in terms of emotion, metaphysics, and boundaries. Kukla: Sometimes I think when I
was suffocated & died,/I lost much of my childhood memory.//I'm just jotting this down so I don't
forget./When You read the Amichai poem with two girls//who overflow & vanish. I had the
feeling/from Kukla, Fran, Ollie movies--//the European ones: children in a field, rain,/my heart
beating fast.//During the war, I stood on my bed/at the top of the house,//arms upraised &
screamed,
the tongue of a bell calling you home.
Chattahoochee
Patrick Phillips
The University of Arkansas Press
McIlroy House, 201 Ozark Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
1557287759 $16.00 1-800-626-0090
Chattahoochee is an impressive compilation of verse by poetry award winner Patrick Phillips who
is
currently a Henry Mitchell MacCracken Fellow at New York University. This is poetry that is
spare,
sophisticated, and above all, memorable. The Flood: Two-thirds of earth, and most of us, is
water./Come life, come death's black, fathomless water.//At the mirror I try to picture the soul./I
raise my cupped hands, full of water.//And think of my birth: the scalpel, my mother's/skin parting
like a sea of red water.//In the dream of the flood I'm always the one/looking back, turning into a
pillar of water.//I drag a stick through my reflection: there lies/another, whose name is written in
water.
Ms. Holmes Of Baker Street
C. Alan Bradley & William A.S. Sarjeant
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
0888644159 $34.95 1-800-678-2120 www.uap.ualberta.ca
Ms. Holmes Of Baker Street: The Truth About Sherlock by C. Alan Bradley in collaboration with
the late Sherlockian scholar William A.S. Sarjeant is a methodical survey and analysis of the
literature of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his detective sleuth, Sherlock Holmes. Imaginative,
methodical, scholarly, iconoclastic and very highly recommended reading for the legions of
Sherlock
Holmes fans, Ms. Holmes Of Baker Street is as thoughtful and thought provoking, as it is
controversial and unexpected.
Mythologems
James Hollis
Inner City Books
PO Box 1271, Station Q, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4T 2P4
1894574109 $18.00 1-416-927-0355 www.innercitybooks.net
Mythologems: incarnations Of The Invisible World by Jungian scholar and analytical psychologist
James Hollis explores the role that mythology plays in human identity and understanding, from
early
civilization to the modern day. With especial focus upon transcendental archtypes of the child, the
parents, the hero task, gods, and death/ascent or death/rebirth, Mythologems reveals the stunning
extent upon which people depend upon explanations, comfort, and stories absorbed at an early
age.
A fascinating discourse that dwells upon the profound impact principles of Jungian psychology
have
on everyday life.
Hindu Iconoclasts
Noel Salmond
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
0889204195 $44.95 1-519-884-0710 www.wlupress.wlu.ca
Hindu Iconoclasts: Rammohun Roy, Dayananda Saravati, And Nineteenth-Century Polemics
Against Idolatry by Noel Salmond (Assistant Professor of Humanities and Religion, Carleton
University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) is a serious, scholarly study that asks why would
nineteenth-century Hindus, who come from an iconic religious tradition, give voice to the types of
declarations and invectives one might more readily attribute to Hebrew prophets or Calvinists?
Questioning the simplicity of the common assumption that nineteenth-century Hindu iconoclasm
simply borrowed attitudes from Muslim and Protestant traditions, Hindu Iconoclasts delves
deeper
to explore the lives and words of such prominent figures of the era as Rammohun Roy and
Dayananda Sarasvati, who sought to bring about reform by eliminating image worship. Hindu
Iconoclasts stretches further beyond the initial scope of its premise, contemplating a link between
religious image-rejection and the unification and modernization of society in a process Max
Weber
has termed "disenchantment of the world", in a seminal discourse highly recommended for
religious
history and studies shelves.
Margaret Lane
Reviewer
Nancy's Bookshelf
The Lost Village
Mark Edward Hall
Page Free Publishing Inc.
ISBN 1589610601 $19.95 508 pages
Between the never-ending battles of good vs. evil, there stands a secluded patch of land known as
James Village, Maine. The Lost Village takes us on a quest, an exhaustive journey of human
emotions, pain, suffering, and wanderlust. It takes us on an inner exploration of those very
themes,
and the inhabitants that reside there. From the haunting cover, rich with the infusions of blood
stained tears of lost children, to the final page where one can actually catch their breath this is a
genuine must read!
Mark Edward Hall is an insightful author with the ability to craft a brilliant story to speak to any
reader of all genres. Throughout the prolific and sometimes somber story, the readers will be
forced
to question their own level of thought and conscience. He bestows upon each individual his vast
ideas of a unique frame of mind, where you hope to wake up, but find solace in the realm
between.
It's a multifaceted story where you want to pay attention, because things go on many different
routes. Each character is realistic with their own set of baggage, desires, despairs, and secrets.
With
absolute attention to detail, setting, and ambience, you are along for an incredible ride.
James Village is home to a plethora of strange and unexplained events, giving it a history that is
dark
and unpleasant. Sadly children have gone missing, yet the lack of grief among the families is
unsettling. The ambience of the village is reminiscent of a walk through a forest late at night with
a
thick fog, disabling your view and fueling your imagination with disturbing apparitions. It's the
unnerving realization someone or something may be watching you, but still you stumble on in the
dark, hoping you don't lose your way or your mind. The Lost Village also suggests we as humans
are far too removed from our past, ignoring it and seeing only what we're told to see. When we
take
a step back and dig from our insides, we may not like the outcome, but it's a part of us. The
legacies
and ancestry behind us may be a wake up call for the here and now.
The characters are well developed and thought out with qualities that allow you to forgive
whatever
sins they have. Within the pages of The Lost Village are the disappearances of the children, as
well
as their return. It's a constant uncovering of times, places, and the forgotten, with an ending that
will
surprise you. The most terrifying part of this compelling and supernatural story is that it borders
on
reality. I look forward to reading all of Mark Edward Hall's work.
The Curse of Mesphisto's Seed: Book One: The Day of the Awakening
William P Haynes
Publish America
ISBN 1413728650 $19.95 192 pages
The Curse of Mesphisto's Seed is a divine blend of evil and the pursuit of it. Tightly woven in a
complex and tempting story is a tale that lures you in and threatens to get you tangled in deep,
unless you can climb your way to the end. It is taut with a poetic and vivid style. William P.
Haynes
is an author to keep your eye on, and has a vast imagination.
Elliott Stephens isn't your average seven-year-old boy. Plagued with visions, images of his father
who passed away, and the devil himself, he is an outcast and considered a danger. He lives with
his
mother, Gloria, in a small home on Dover Street, where she tries to do her best to raise him
despite
the obvious problems. When Elliott is angry or hurt, he can make things happen. Unfortunately
they
are always bad things. He "sees" something take place and then it becomes real. Both teachers and
the principal claim he doesn't get along with other children, lacks social skills, and is the cause of
the
unexplained incidences and accidents that occur regularly. A boy suddenly dies, a prominent
woman
of the school lands in the hospital, and no other men are allowed to get close to his mother. Gloria
hates to admit the fact that she is afraid of her own son, and worries if she is indeed
responsible.
Mesphisto, father of death, master of decadence, watches young Elliott and sends a wolf to act as
a
guide, and to help aid in terrible accidents. The wolf requests the boy's life be spared until he is
grown, and not so weak. The wish is granted at the expense of the wolf's life, and things become
normal again; but nothing is really over in Hell is it? As Elliott gets older, the "Day of the
Awakening" comes near and the "quiet years" are shattered.
Mark Talbot may be a key player in the story, but can his life be spared? Does he know too much,
and if so, will he be able to play with the devil and come out untouched? With each character
introduced, you gain an honest sense of what they feel, think, and fear.
William P. Haynes has created a well thought out, intriguing storyline and added an interesting
twist
with the devil. The Curse of Mesphisto's Seed: Book One: The Day of the Awakening will hold
your
attention until the end, a speed-induced spiral that ties it all together and looking forward to
more.
The Sab
Steve Zinger
Authorhouse Publishing
ISBN 1418402354 $21.95 508 pages
To all those who claim vampire stories aren't original, that there are no more ways to write a new
twist into this gothic oblivion, for any that still question it, read The Sab. Author Steve Zinger will
set you straight and shake you up in the process. Empowering, hypnotic, frightening, and raw.
Those are just a few elements that will entice you to read on, and leave you with a chill down
your
spine. Sometimes it's just the hint of horror that gets the adrenaline going.
With the coming of the Fall, I was ready and in the mood for something that dripped of ambience,
atmosphere, and a little blood. The moment I received the book and looked at the nasty pumpkin
on
the cover, all fangs and a glare to stab my heart with, I knew the season was upon me, and I
started
to read. I had a hard time putting it down.
The Sab is the kind of story that gets you going, relies on storytelling, dialogue, and character
development to reel you in. Forget shock value, this is subtle, gothic, and psychologically
disturbing
to the core. There are layers here, many facets to read through and it works in such a smooth way
you don't realize how drawn into it you are.
The characters are real, with feelings, angst and strange visions. They exist in their own desolate
worlds, half-alive, half-dead, and somewhere in between. With an unexpected common bond, they
forge together. Are they strong enough to resist the urges, the calls, their ways of a dark life to
save
others from the vicious and wicked Sab?
Talissa, a bloodthirsty vampire is awakened from a thousand year sleep, fresh and renewed to
contrive her revenge and corrupt anyone who stands in her way. She is the key, the shadow, and a
cold silence of death that unlocks the demons and desires of mankind. Her role is a sort of queen
of
the dead; she unleashes an army to do her bidding, a wretched troupe you wouldn't ever want to
meet.
This is a big book, but it doesn't drag with unnecessary words or melodrama. You are thrust head
first into a plot, setting, and character rich story and the time flies. I am anxious to read other
works
by Steve Zinger; he's proving himself to be a solid writer in suspense, horror, and the
macabre.
The Face of Heaven
Sherry Mauro
Publish America
ISBN 1413737781 $24.95 463 pages
The Face of Heaven is the sequel to Even Angels Fall written by accomplished gothic romance
author, Sherry A. Mauro. In her signature haunting and poetic style of writing, she has brought
yet
another twist into the already perverse world of both the Tate and Devour families. This is not
only
a continuation where the first one left off, but also an in-depth look into Sabrina's life, both past
and
present.
I had been looking forward to reading this one, revisiting the characters I had come to know so
well.
I figured I was in for some surprises, and I was more than thrilled with the end result. The whole
illusion of a family that Sabrina, has grown up with, delivers yet another blow to her world. It's
hard
for me to imagine being part of a family where secrets and sins run rampant, but the author paints
it
in a way that is not only realistic, but gives great attention to detail.
The first book Even Angels Fall, set the tone and introduced us to the scheming, evocative, and
often-benevolent characters we grew to either hate or love. The Face of Heaven takes us further,
yet
reaches back at the same time. New characters are introduced and old ones never seem to want to
leave. We are able to delve into the realms of the Devour Women Curse with intensity and
strength.
Why aren't the women allowed to be with the men they love? Is Sabrina's life already accounted
for
just because of her last name? The answers will keep you flipping pages, and in suspense until you
reach the end. However, there is always room for more.
Each chapter is rich with ambience, lush settings, complex characters, and devilish dialogue.
Deaths,
murder, accidents, and revenge are only a small taste of themes hidden in the pages. So many
answers lie in the Tate mansion, but those who go in don't always come out.
Sherry A Mauro has made a solid name for herself in Gothic Romance and is a true teller of
stories.
Her work continues to grow, improve, and keep the reader wanting more. You'll want to read
both
Even Angels Fall and The Face of Heaven, to prepare yourself for the final book Tangled Souls:
Legacy of Deceit to round out an impressive and decadent macabre trilogy.
The Ghost Eater
Elaine Corvidae
Double Dragon Publishing
ISBN: 1554041562 $5.99 359 pages
If you want to escape to a place where spirits and magic coincide with one another, then pick up a
copy of The Ghost Eater. Having already lost myself in many of Elaine Corvidae's fantasy books,
I
was more than ecstatic to read this one. I will admit this is a bit different from her other works
I've
encountered, but it has shown me the range and talent she possesses. Here we delve into a more
mystical world, where things are not as they seem, and a battle quickly ensues against all that is
right
in nature.
As with each book by this author, you are thrust into a new place and era. It's a time where people
still remembered when the wizards and natives lived. Where a war was raged using weapons of
sorcery and extensive magic, the very same magic that was all but destroyed. What remained was
the secret of how ghost eaters were created, soul-devouring zombies with nothing but memories
and
a strong duty to protect their tribes.
One particular ghost eater must seek out the Enemy, a woman who suffers from terrifying visions.
Gwendith, along with others of her kind, once entered through a portal three-hundred-years
earlier,
and could never find their way back. She has suffered for years in an asylum, plagued by horrific
nightmares, and finally has a chance at freedom. Though in many ways she will never be free.
The ghost eater must track down the Enemy and find a way to bring her back, to help his people
from the deadly Devourers. They must unite their separate ways and risk everything they know to
be
true. It is their joint force that furthers the intensity of this story and brings in a lot of turmoil and
inner pain. Trust and courage become synonymous to their survival and that of their people.
As is the case in many of Elaine Corvidae's books, the women characters are strong and
intelligent.
Their dialogue is articulate, witty, and often they have a fair amount of fire. We are also treated
the
more gentle and unknowing side of the ghost eater, now just an entity, one of the undead. He
must
deal with his inner needs to refuel his strength, an act that sucks the soul from a life. There is a lot
of
emotion to their plight, and gives us a solid balance with the action and suspense. The Ghost
Eater
will call to you and keep you reading until the climatic yet poignant end.
Camdigan
C. Dennis Moore
Scrybe Press
www.scrybepress.com
$4.49 52 pages
Camdigan, takes you on a moody and peculiar journey into the realm of dead, the undead, and the
reborn. It's a piece about ambience, atmosphere, emotion, and choice. Themes of oblivion,
religion,
politics, and dreams intertwine with one another in a constant bevy of thoughts, ideas, memories,
and events that occur in one character's life.
David Tierney travels the vestal streets until he realizes he's lost. He finds himself in a somewhat
dead end, nowhere town by the name of Camdigan. I love that title by the way. There he meets an
array of odd residents, a Pastor with a different form of healing power and beliefs, and his
deceased
wife, reborn and as a twelve-year-old girl. That part of the story alone haunted me. To try and put
myself in the shoes of having lost someone, only to find they have been alive, but not, and you
meet
them as a child. Baffling.
You can literally feel the gloom and morbidity in each paragraph. It almost sucks you in to a place
of
depression, angst, and the fear of unknown. C. Dennis Moore is a prolific author with a natural
talent for in-depth storytelling, and he proves it again here. His style is thought provoking and rich
in
setting and description. He makes you think, and gets your gears rolling, only to keep the pace
moving right along into the next journey, your fingers turning the pages in a wicked frenzy.
The length of this novella is perfect; it's complete from beginning to end without unnecessary
words
or venturing off in a million different directions. However, while it is its own sweet package, there
are many places I'd love to hear more about. Perhaps we will someday. Like David you get lost in
Camdigan, and the only way out is to keep reading to the end. The cover is unsettling and enables
us
a glimpse into the world we're about to set foot in. Both the characters and dialogue are realistic
and
help drive the story foreward. I found a few disturbing elements, which only added to the dismal
world and its themes. It seems whether in life or death, our ways of life are dictated, governed,
and
watched by someone who thinks their way is the only way. We often believe death will bring
about
peace and serve as an end to all the real-life horrors in our daily lives. In Camdigan, they only face
a
new set of horrors, and where does one go from there?
Nancy Jackson
Reviewer
Paul's Bookshelf
I, Robot: The Illustrated Screenplay
Harlan Ellison and Isaac Asimov
Ibooks
http://www.ibooks.net
24 W. 25th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10010
ISBN 0743486595 $14.95 271 pages
This is Ellison's script, written in the late 1970s, for a full-length movie incorporating several of
Asimov's classic I, Robot stories.
The essay which begins this book is not as vitriolic as some others of Ellison's, but it pulls no
punches in chronicling the script's journey through Hollywood. The process was characterized by
delay after delay. The script was supposedly "impossible" to film. At one point, Ellison realizes
that
a certain studio executive, with the power to say Yes or No to the project, hadn't even read the
script, despite being given several months to do so. At another point, Ellison was asked to make
the
robots cute, like C-3PO (this is the era of Star Wars), something he refused to do. Eventually, all
of
the options are used up, and the script is not put into production. It is decided to get some "use"
out
of the script and it is published in "Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine."
The story concerns robot psychologist Susan Calvin. Her life story is the history of robotics. A
reporter named Bratenahl is told to find the answer to the question, "Who is Susan Calvin?" Now
an
old woman, she has become very secretive. Bratenahl talks to people who knew Calvin and
worked
with her in the past. One person remembers when the Calvin family had a robot as a part-time
playmate for six-year-old Susan. Her father worked for US Robotics, but her mother was not
convinced that a robot in the house was such a good idea. The robot was seven feet tall, and
could
break Calvin like a toothpick if it so desired. One day, the robot is sent away, permanently.
Another remembrance is about a robot who could read minds, and who interpreted the Three
Laws
of Robotics (programmed into every robot) in an unexpected way. A third remembrance is about
the
time Calvin was part of a manned mission to Mercury. A certain element, available on the surface,
is
vital if the ship is going to leave Mercury, and return to Earth. It is far enough away so that a
human
will not back to the ship without burning up in the strong sunlight, so a robot is dispatched.
Having
received unclear instructions, the Second and Third Laws of Robotics cause the robot to go
temporarily cuckoo. Calvin goes out on the surface, and almost dies, but "fixes" the robot, and
they
are able to leave Mercury.
If filmed as written, this would have made a great film. It has nothing to do with the recent film
starring Will Smith. It's interesting and complex, the characters are real people, and, best of all, it
doesn't rely on sex, violence or car chases. Highly recommended.
The Apparition Trail
Lisa Smedman
Tesseract Books
P.O. Box 1714, Calgary AB T2P 2L7, CANADA
http://www.edgewebsite.com
ISBN 1894063228, 266 pages, $14.95
This book is set in 1880s Canada, eh? But, in this world, the moon has acquired a slow orbit on
its
axis, due to being struck by a comet several years previously. Also, the secret of perpetual motion
machines and magnetic locomotives have been discovered and put to practical use.
Corporal Marmaduke Grayburn of the Northwest Mounted Police is one of those building the
western frontier. For most of his life, he has been plagued by prophetic dreams and "hunches,"
one
of which saved his life. He is assigned to the secretive Q Division, a unit of paranormal
investigators.
With help from an eccentric psychic researcher named Arthur Chambers, Grayburn investigates
the
sudden disappearance of a Methodist missionary and his family. Also gone is an Indian artifact of
great power called the Manitou Stone.
These are hard times for the local Indian tribes. The buffalo, on which they depend, are almost
gone.
A Cree sorcerer, Wandering Spirit, plans to use the power of the Stone to bring about the
long-prophecied Day of Changes, when the natives of western Canada will reclaim their stolen
lands.
Also included in this story are underground tunnels where time and distance work very differently
than aboveground, and the spirit of a white buffalo forced into the body of a newborn child too
early.
This novel is really good. Much of it is based on actual history. It's just weird enough to be
interesting, the characters are real people, and it's very well done. It is well worth reading.
Atlantis Continued
Moe Dickson
Publish America
P.O. Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705
http://www.publishamerica.com
ISBN 1413708765, 457 pages, $29.95
Everyone "knows" that life on Earth started due to alien infestation. This novel shows how it was
done.
The planet Atlantis has spent millennia working on other planets throughout the galaxy, helping
their
native civilizations to survive and thrive. For various reasons, the planet Earth was passed over
seven times in the past. Finally, approval was given and an observation base was set up on the far
side of Earth's moon.
First of all, Earth's orbit and atmosphere had to be stabilized, with help from meteors that were
made
to hit the planet. Atlanteans are a very long-lived species; life spans of several hundred years are
common. It was hoped to slow down Earth's orbit to the point where five Earth years would
equal
one Atlantean year. To a human, Atlanteans might as well be immortal.
As time goes on, the Atlanteans realize that humans are not like the other species they have
encountered in the past. Humans have this surprising need for procreation, which might go along
with their short (to an Atlantean) life span. Many attempts are made, sometimes in person, to
guide
various groups or tribes in this or that direction. Occasionally, an Atlantean will spend years
among
a certain group of people and start to "go native." At one point, a group of Atlanteans spend a
large
amount of time procreating with humans, and create a group of alien/human hybrids, a potential
disaster. For the Atlanteans, it almost reaches the point of hoping that Earth doesn't (figuratively)
explode in their faces.
The various civilizations that have risen and fallen on Earth have all been influenced by the
Atlanteans (Sumer, Akkad, Egypt, Crete, etc.). Among the people who have met the aliens are
Noah
(whose descendants populated much of that part of the world), Sargon, Socrates and Abram. The
book ends with a ship being sent from Atlantis to see just what has been happening. They are
disgusted by much of what they find, especially two cities that are full of immorality and
contagious
disease, cities that must be dealt with. The cities are Sodom and Gomorrah.
Ancient history enthusiasts will love this book. For everyone else, this book belongs somewhere in
that large gray area of Pretty Good or Worth Reading. The reading is a little on the slow side, but
it's worth the reader's time.
Thran Reborn
H. David Blalock
Booklocker.com
P.O. Box 2399, Bangor, ME 04402-2399
http://www.booklocker.com
ISBN 1591133610 $15.95 272 pages
Andalarn Thran, head of House Thran, is attempting to reestablish his family on the island of
Adylonis. The House was exiled to the mainland several hundred years previously when it took
sides
against another human House who had attacked a race of dwarves called the Telmet. Andalarn is
not
the hero type, being a merchant with five children. With help from an elven healer named Baliak,
he
appeals to the Telmet for help in restoring House Thran to its former position.
Standing in Thran's way are House Suum, a military House who makes no secret of their desire to
wipe out House Thran, once and for all, and the priestly caste called the Tialsar who play the
Houses
against one another for their own advantage. The referee between the Houses is the Council of
Mages in the city of Moorkai, the actual seat of power on Adylonis.
No House has the power to become Ascendant on its own, so the choice of the Council will have
plenty of authority on the island. Underlying all of this are rumors and uneasiness about a
legendary
being called the Great Diur, whose return would mean the end of everything on the island. Many
believe that anything, even death, is better than the Great Diur's return.
Fans of Robert E. Howard will love this book, for his influence is all over it. For everyone else,
it's a
really good dark fantasy story (the first of a series) with good characters, elves and dwarves, a bit
of
blood, ancient forces best left alone; in short, it's got everything a reader needs. Keep an eye on
this
series; it's worth reading.
Thran Reborn
H. David Blalock
Booklocker.com
http://www.booklocker.com
P.O. Box 2399, Bangor, ME 04402-2399
ISBN 1591133610, $15.95 272 pages
Andalarn Thran, head of House Thran, is attempting to reestablish his family on the island of
Adylonis. The House was exiled to the mainland several hundred years previously when it took
sides
against another human House who had attacked a race of dwarves called the Telmet. Andalarn is
not
the hero type, being a merchant with five children. With help from an elven healer named Baliak,
he
appeals to the Telmet for help in restoring House Thran to its former position.
Standing in Thran's way are House Suum, a military House who makes no secret of their desire to
wipe out House Thran, once and for all, and the priestly caste called the Tialsar who play the
Houses
against one another for their own advantage. The referee between the Houses is the Council of
Mages in the city of Moorkai, the actual seat of power on Adylonis.
No House has the power to become Ascendant on its own, so the choice of the Council will have
plenty of authority on the island. Underlying all of this are rumors and uneasiness about a
legendary
being called the Great Diur, whose return would mean the end of everything on the island. Many
believe that anything, even death, is better than the Great Diur's return.
Fans of Robert E. Howard will love this book, for his influence is all over it. For everyone else,
it's a
really good dark fantasy story (the first of a series) with good characters, elves and dwarves, a bit
of
blood, ancient forces best left alone; in short, it's got everything a reader needs. Keep an eye on
this
series; it's worth reading.
Paul Lappen
Reviewer
Pogo's Bookshelf
Life of Pi
Yann Martel
Vintage Canada
Random House: Toronto
http://www.randomhouse.ca
0676973779 $21.00 CA 354 pp.
Ever felt that life is a zoo? Suffered culture shock? Abandoned and lost in a salty sea unlike the
warmth of Motherland's protective belly? Cast ashore in Mexico, Pi survived to immigrate to that
vast cold northern country of Canada to relate his harrowing tale. Like all catastrophes, it began
with good intentions. Pondicherry entered the Union of India on November 1, 1954 an
insignificant fact except for historical details. The Pondicherry Botanical Gardens included a huge
zoo, sprawling over acres of land, run by the most modern scientific methods. Pi grew up in
paradise
on earth, living the life of a prince among apes. No palace had such a fine menagerie, stocked with
howler monkeys, hill mynahs and Moluccan cockatoos that eliminated any need for a wind-up
Swiss
alarm clock. Life amongst the beasts is an education in itself, learning about the territorial claims
of
animals and respecting their dietary routines by a respectful distance when predators are hungry.
There's the story of the lady whose sari was caught by a lion and the tragedy of Goliath's death,
brutishly killed by being fed a broken beer bottle. A two ton bull elephant seal is difficult to
replace.
School offers education in mathematics and literature, but zoos offer experience. Father wanted
us
to be well-educated. As the proprietor of the zoo, he believed we should understand the basic
principles of life and survival. One particular Sunday morning, Father decided to educate us on
the
natural inclinations of ferocious animals, erasing from our minds the niceties of
anthropomorphized
animals that tumble about in children's books. We passed the birds, apes, ungulates and giraffes to
enter the domain of the big cats where Richard Parker lived. Mahisha was the patriarch Bengal
then,
with 550 pounds of resilient muscle. Babu the keeper was there waiting for us by the cage. Father
had a point to make: Tigers are dangerous.
Let me add, they are also carnivorous.
And unlike hyenas, not carrion eaters.
Which makes the narration of my survival even more remarkable, for I, one Pi, Piscine Molitor
Patel,
survived 227 days at sea in a lifeboat accompanied by Richard Parker.
Earthquakes rumbled in Paradise during the 1970's during Mrs. Gandhi's dictarorial takeover of
the
nation. Although the animals went about their business as usual, the suspension of the country's
Constitution for eight months was the straw that broke my father's back. Frustrated by the
political
situation and confronted by the conflict of Greater Profit versus Greater Good of the people
through
public education, Father decided to sell the zoo, from the crocodiles to the orangutans and move
to
Canada.
More complicated than getting entry visas for a poor Indian family without immediate
employment
is shipping animals overseas. The Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species had
just been effected. The paperwork was colossal, enough to bury a giraffe to its fluttery long
eyelashes. It took a year to dispose of the animals, sending them as orphans to faraway places;
Oklahoma City, Los Angeles and Cinncinati benefitted from our clearinghouse sale. Eventually,
through a mass of bureaucracy, our extended family was adopted. Father bought our passage on a
Panamanian-registered Japanese cargo ship, Tsimtsum to transport us to Canada.
We left Manila and entered the Pacific. On the fourth day out, the ship sank. It vanished as
suddenly
as toilet-paper whooshing down that inscrutable hole. Something alerted me in the middle of the
night. There was a funny noise and as a kid, I always liked to explore. Two levels below the main
deck, noises are always peculiar anyway and being in the middle of the night, I didn't want to
wake
my parents from their sleep. When I arrived on deck, I clutched the rail. The ship was listing to
port.
The drop to the sea wasn't sheer any longer. Sensing a storm at sea, I dodged back to the stairwell
and pulled open the door. One level down, water flowed. Frothing, boiling water. On deck, men
were running in the gloom. Someone had loosened the animals. Chaos ensued.
Shoving a life-jacket in my arms, someone tossed me over the edge toward a lifeboat below. The
zebra missed the tarpaulin, crashing onto the last bench. So I survived, clinging onto a buoy while
a
triangle fin circled near me. It was the beginning of a long-term, intimate acquaintance with
Richard
Parker, stranded alone in the middle of the Pacific, orphaned of father and mother, bereaved of
brother. At first there were others, but they succumbed to natural adversities of the environment.
There was the hyena and Orange Juice and let me remind you, Richard Parker.
We survived. The two of us: Richard Parker and I.
Although I was named after a famous swimming pool in Paris, Richard Parker was named because
of a clerical error. A panther was marauding the Khula district in Bangladesh and having a feast
on
small children. In such occassions, the state calls for professional hunters to exterminate the
threat.
Instead, the hunter bagged two tigers which ended up in the Pondicherry Zoo. The clerk reversed
the names of hunter and tiger, so the cub became known as Richard Parker.
A mystic will explain that all names have significance.
Survival at sea requires resourcefulness and tenacity. It is the ultimate battle of survival: Man's
Wits
against Nature's Insensitivity. The lifeboat had an emergency kit, equipped with a manual with
many
useful tips. I read it, studied the stars and invented my own rules to enter literary history. Captain
Bligh drifted about for a mere forty-seven days and Owen Chase, the subject of Melville's Moby
Dick, endured eighty-three. The longest survival before my arrival into the books, was a Korean
merchant Poon, surviving one hundred and seventy-three days in the 1950's. I topped them all
with a
record of two-hundred and twenty-seven days from July 2, 1977 to February 14, 1978 in the
South
Pacific until drifting ashore in Mexico.
Remarkable is all I can say. A remarkable experience to be shared by one and everyone, written
and
read about in a book that recounts the traumatic account. And although, an adopted son of
Canada,
bereft of family and extended family, estranged from motherland and Pondicherry, the memory of
Richard Parker haunts me whithersoever I go to this very day.
Mendelssohn is on the Roof
Jiri Weil
translated by Marie Winn
Penguin Books
London
0140167765 $23.00 227 pp.
Ethnic cleansing goes beyond rounding up people and deporting them to eastern village utopias,
extending to statues clustered along the roof of the Rudolfinum, overlooking the Vltava rolling
serenely though Prague. Antonin Becvar and Josef Stankovsky were on the roof awaiting on the
orders of Julius Schlesinger, a minor Municipal official and candidate for the SS.
Schlesinger hated heights. His job was on the line. A devout Catholic, he had already committed a
terrible desecration by the removal of the bones of the Unknown Soldier. Orders from higher up.
Frank Krug had received the order from Giesse, passing it down the line to the bottom man.
Besides, with a name like Julius Schlesinger, refusal to perform the order would be suspicious.
Moreover, a trained locksmith, he should know how to beak into locked places. It nagged at his
conscience, but now he had the problem of removing the statute from the roof. No trivial request,
sworn into secrecy. Prague the Golden, city of a hundred spires with a joint history with the
Hapsburgs of eight hundred years, must be returned to its previous cultural heritage in the bosom
of
the Reich. The newly re-dedicated German Theater must be the social scion of German culture.
That
Jew, Mendelsohnn, must come down off the roof, no longer allowed to rub shoulders with
Wagner's
bust.
The only problem, Schlesinger realized, he didn't know which. There had to be a way to tell.
Afraid
of heights and clueless to Mendelssohn's identity, he surmised:
"This was a pretty mess. Nobody had even told him what the statue of that Jew looked like. And
even if they had told him, it wouldn't have done any good. The statues all look alike. He had
counted
on there being plaques. Such statures usually have plaques. Yet he couldn't and mustn't ask
anyone.
Probably only the Acting Reich Protector would know what Mendelssohn's statue looked like.
Frank
wouldn't know, or Giesse, or Krug. Heydrich would know, because he was a musician. But who
would dare ask him?" (p.6)
For every problem, there is a solution. Schlesinger was learning the ABC's of the new political
situation, taking a course called, The World View. Indoctrination to the party included lectures on
racial science which included the exacting study of noses. Everyone knows that you can easily
identify the foreign element by the size of his nose. Time was running out before lunch and he had
to
get the job done.
"Go around the statutes agains and look carefully at their noses. Whichever one has the biggest
nose, that's the Jew." (p7)
Unfortunately it wasn't. It was Wagner instead, complicating his plans for life. Schlessinger afraid
of
revenge, backed off. After all, statutues do take on lives of their own, dabbling at times in their
own
revenge. Wasn't that the ending of Mozart's Don Giovanni? Better to call in a specialist for
identification than risk the furor of the Reich Protector for pulling down the bust of Wagner.
Jiri Weil takes the reader into the confused labyrinth of the Nazi occupation of Prague from 1938
to
the Soviet Liberation. He follows the life of Julius Schlessinger and the repercussions of pulling
the
bust off the roof. The consequences of his actions ripple through the city of Prague, incurring
retribution in the Jewish Community.
Throughout Prague, Jewish residents go into hiding, relying on the courage of their acquaintances
and the complicated underground network binding them together in secrecy. Adela and Greta are
hidden in a cubby hole in Javurek's flat in a crowded walk-up. With both parents dead, death was
familiar as more people were deported by transports. Hidden, they couldn't move about much or
peek out the windows. Neighbors had tongues which informed. Maybe their lives would be ended
there in a late night raid or the brutal bashing on the door of Gestapo sent on a midnight
round-up.
With no place to go, and no food to eat, their lives had become a monotonous state of waiting.
Any
tiny movement of a curtain or suspicious noise would alert neighbors who might alert others.
Death
was the price for anything and everything, but mostly for breathing. Red decrees hung on every
street corner proscribing names signed by Reinhard Heydrich.
In the Josefov, the Reich was busy collecting artifacts for the creation of a museum, dedicated to
an
extinct race. The Spanish Synagogue was converted to a warehouse and an underground network
of
blackmarketing was established, diverting the flow of confiscated goods. Better to work in a SS
warehouse for stolen goods than shipped to the German front or work camps. As a result of
Schlesinger's failure, Reisinger finds himself shuttled to his new job to work under the greedy
hands
of SS officers pilfering Jewish property.
Although fictional, Weil draws a realistic portayal of occupied Prague and the daily struggle for
survival under the Nazi Protectorate. Weil maintains wry humor while creating suspense and
sympathy for his characters, making the text thouroughly enjoyable. Summoned for transport in
1942, Weil eluded it by faking suicide. Today, the Spanish Synagogue is filled with living Jews,
observing the High Holidays. Others celebrate in the Jubilee Synagogue, High Synagogue and
Pinkas Synagogue, bringing their faith to life again. On the walls of the Pinkas Synagogue are the
thousands of names of Czech and Bohemian Jews who died in the Shoah, each one meticulously
inscribed by hand. And although Weil ends his book with the liberation by Soviet troops, the story
of
Jewish liberation and revival did not happen until about 1994 when the Spanish Syangogue was
once
more opened for the High Holiday services after the Nazi occupation. Less than one percent of
the
Jewish population remained after the war, but today the community is alive and growing, filled
with
diversity from Liberal, Reconstructionists, Masorti and Orthodox. Voices still echo the stories
found
in Weil's book.
A moving account of the harrowing lives of those oppresed during Occupation, Weil makes us
aware of the interdependency of human life upon the good faith of others, inspiring the reader to
take one step further to fight a good fight for life.
Pogo
Reviewer
Sharon's Bookshelf
Every Day Is A Good Day
Wilma Mankiller
Fulcrum Publishing
16100 Table Mountain Parkway, Suite 300, Golden, Colorado 80403
1555915167 $16.95 1-800-992-2908
Composed and compiled by author, activist and former principal chief of the Cherokee Nation
Wilma Mankiller, Every Day Is A Good Day is an anthology of writings by Native American
women
reflecting on such varied topics as day-to-day life, love and acceptance, governmental issues,
ceremony, finding one's way through difficult times, and much more. Black-and-white
photographs
of the contributors are included, but the primary focus of Every Day Is A Good Day is the power
of
the multitude of voices, most of which are from different tribes, and each one's message to all
readers. A welcome amalgamation of wisdom, warnings, and dry commentary.
Zero-Day Exploit
Rob Shein
Syngress Publishing
800 Hingham Street, Rockland, MA 02370
1931836094 $49.95 www.syngress.com
Zero-Day Exploit: Countdown to Darkness is an exciting novel of suspense. The trade paperback
format is curiously reminiscent of computer tutorial manuals, and indeed there is a strong moral
concerning the laws of cyber-security (such as "security through obscurity does not work" and "if
a
key is not required, you do not have encryption - you have encoding" yet the heart of story is a
cyber-thriller novel. Written in bite-sized chunks of action organized by date, the saga traces the
exploits of a group of hackers who found infiltrating target corporation software remarkably easy.
Featuring a forward by the President and CEO of Black Hat, Inc., and written by one of the
world's
leading counter-terrorism expert who takes pains to present an authentic account Zero-Day
Exploit
is a cyber-terrorist saga reflecting the cutting edge of the 21st century.
Become A Mega-Producer Real Estate Agent
Robert L. Herd
Thomson Business and Professional Publishing
5191 Natorp Boulevard, Mason, OH 45040
0324234961 $19.95 www.thomson.com http://realestate.swlearning.com
Robert L. Herd, CRB, CRS, GRI holds both a California and an Arizona real estate broker's
licence
and over the course of his more than 30 years as a professional real estate career has been a
salesperson, broker/owner, branch manager, and regional manager for some of the largest real
estate
companies in the San Francisco Bay area and Tucson, Arizona. Currently he is a branch manager
for
Coldwell Banker Success Southwest in Tucson. In Become A Mega-Producer Real Estate Agent:
Profit From A Licensed Assistant, Robert Herd draws upon his experience and expertise to focus
on
the role of the Real Estate Professional Assistant (REPA) covering all pertinent issues and
concerns.
Herd spells out the benefits and risks of hiring a licensed assistant and provides sound information
and instruction on determining if the hire will prove of significant value to any particular real
estate
organization. From paperwork to fast turnarounds to closing deadlines, the addition of a REPA
can
significantly impact on any real estate agent's bottom line. Highly recommended for real estate
agents and branch managers, readers will especially benefit from Robert Herd's insights and advice
for avoiding common pitfalls associated with recruiting and employing a REPA.
Josephus
Tessa Rajak
Duckworth
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
0715631705 $23.00 1-800-758-3756
Now in it's second edition featuring a new Introduction and additional Bibliography, Josephus:
The
Historian And His Society is a excellent commentary on a true classic of history by Tessa Rajak
(Reader in Classics at the University of Reading). A Jerusalem upperclass priest and Pharisee, and
a
controversial Jewish general in the great and doomed revolt against their Roman occupiers by the
Jewish populace in 66-73 CE, Josephus was the author of two ancient history texts: "Jewish
Wars"
and "Jewish Antiquities" which became seminal works of importance to both Jewish and
Greco-Roman history. These works were combined under one cover and became known to
academia as an indispensable reference resource for scholars and non-specialist general readers
with
an interest in ancient history. Well versed in both Greek and Hebrew, Tessa Rajak is particularly
positioned to assess diverse source materials and provide contemporary readers with a
sociological
account of the Jewish revolt and its cultural context, as well as the role of Josephus himself in the
events in which he participated and/or personally observed, as well as his chronicled accounts of
Jewish and Roman personalities and politics.
Sharon Stuart
Reviewer
Sherry's Bookshelf
River Dragon
Diane Carr & Kira Earley
Illustrations by John Goldpacker
Jawbone Publishing
2907 Paddington Way, Kissimmee, Florida 34747
www.jawbonepublishing.com
ISBN: 1590940245 $16.95 43 pages
River Dragon, written by a mother and daughter team, is an educational magical wand for the
imagination. This true story combined with a captivating fairy tale describes the story of a dragon
statue built on the tip of Merritt Island, Florida. Created from twenty tons of cement and steel,
Annie the Dragon measured 35 feet high and 65 feet long. When the statue collapsed overnight,
the
author team passionately penned a tale that would keep Annie and her four babies alive in the
hearts
of all who knew her and to enlighten those who didn't.
The irresistible fairy tale starts with Annie magically appearing on the Island. Legend says she was
a
stature by day and a fire-breathing dragon by night. The story continues with Annie's challenging
mission of finding a mystical land where only dragons live and humans will never know.
River Dragon is rich on environmental schooling. The book is innovative in design, superb in
merit
and delicious in dialogue. The illustrations are spirited and colorful. Children and adults, alike, will
be entranced and dazzled. The authors have included a CD for additional entertainment.
Highly recommended
Just Add Kids: Featuring River Dragon
Diane Carr & Kira Earley
Illustrations by John Goldacker
Jawbone Publishing
2907 Paddington Way, Kissimmee, Florida 34747
www.jawbonepublishing.com
ISBN 1590940350 $15.00 36 pages
Just For Kids offers 5 engaging lesson plans based on the book River Dragon. This inventive and
highly educational workbook includes mind growing teachings on endangered species and
vocabulary. One of the most fun exercises is a detailed script for a play filled with the sweetness
and
the spice of the mystical dragon story. Sheet music and coloring sheets complete this wonderful
and
beneficial tool for children.
Just For Kids is an all day lollipop of fun for kids of all ages.
Highly Recommended for elementary age children
Echoes
Sunny Serafino
InstantPublisher
PO Box 985, Collierville, Tennessee 38027
www.instantpublisher.com
ISBN 1591963311 $17.95 330 pages
Echoes main character, Lilly Hoffmann, is a testament to the idea that the power of tragedy can
reshape lives. She learns she is beyond treatment due to an invasive and hungry lung cancer. With
three to six months to live, she is determined to breathe life into what was hardly there love and
trust from family member to family member.
This realistically written book is a study in dysfunctional families striving to be functional. Lilly
confiding to her best friend about her limited life sentence before she tells her husband spikes a bit
of
jealousy yet understanding. Lilly asks her two daughters and one son to visit her for a family
reunion
of sorts. She does this without alerting them to her reasons.
Michael, the smart and savvy son, is plagued with a cold and deceitful wife. Patty, unmarried and
pregnant, is a restaurant worker described as distant yet full of wanderlust and Debbie, with an
unfortunate marriage to a gay man, is full of purpose and confidence. Each of their stories is laid
out
so the reader will understand the full impact of the meaning of these siblings finally coming
together.
When you think of the word echo, you might think about double speak. In the book Echoes, the
reader experiences how the day to day double speak turns into the plain truth as new life enters
and
another exits.
Collages
Cinda S. Wilson
PublishAmerica
PO Box 151, Frederick, Maryland21705
www.publishamerica.com
(301) 695-1707
ISBN: 1413719724 $9.95 63 pages
Collages by Cinda Wilson has a wonderful invigorating effect. This collection of poems is penned
with sparkling jeweled words making each a glistening star illuminating the darkest of skies.
There is not a table of contents but the book is easily negotiable. No matter what page you land
on,
you will find a deep notion sparking your own thoughts. I had several favorites out of the 59
offerings. Two I especially liked are titled "Does It Matter" and "Tread Softly". In both, Ms.
Wilson,
triggers a kind of short hand self-analysis as to how we affect others.
I've always found poems that are simplistic in a total belief to be fuel for the brain. When you are
struck by hurry sickness, a great way to calm yourself is to read and be captivated by
Collages.
If human nature is doing what comes naturally then writing poetry is what comes natural for this
author.
A Collection of Wisdom
Rodney Ohebsion
Immediex Publishing
540 Evelyn Place, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
www.immediex.com (310) 273-1585
1932968199 $29.00 605 pages
A Collection of Wisdom is a precious shot of adrenaline for all those who like to enhance their
lives
with knowledge. It is mindful of a self-development project through philosophy, references,
quotes
and proverbs. The contents are seductively varied and wide-ranging. From African proverbs to
Zen
Buddhism to Voltaire to Oprah Winfrey to folk tales, the reader is engaged in this
wisdom-seeking
missile.
This book is highly recommended as a necessary addition to everyone's bookshelf. You will not
only
be entertained with this book; you will learn and refer to it over and over. A Collection of
Wisdom is
titillating information skillfully wrapped in superior organization and concise writing.
With It: A Year on the Carnival Trail
Barbara Bamberger Scott
Behler Publications, LLC
Lake Forest, California
www.behlerpublications.com
1-800-830-2913 Fax: 949 716-8235
ISBN: 0974896225 $15.95 185 pages
Carnies, gypsies and thieves are the gatekeepers to the golden goose of knowledge on being
successful and staying alive in the Carnival life. The author, along with her husband and small
child,
in what would prove to be a pivotal moment, decided to join a colorful and yet, a seamy
underbelly
of existence.
Husband and wife with babe in tow ran away with the carnival! Actually, they engaged their heart
and soul to the traveling and challenging life of this difficult business. A business that has it's own
carnie speak. The family, in a snap, had to learn this unusual language and honor the business
ethics.
They were now living a life where being uncool to both could be tragic.
They did have help and friendship in a fellow named Alibi Al. Al Al was beneficial in helping them
learn the tricks to the trade and how to implement them. The husband and wife team proved to be
good understudies. Being innovative and free spirits, the duo delicately followed their own road
leading to the creation of a new game and new found respect. "A carny has a ladder of success to
climb, if he wants to. From green agent to independent operator, to ride or show owner, from life
in
the back of a truck to a deluxe home on wheels, from a lifetime of hustling in all weathers to
retirement in a warm hospitable climate and a final resting place beneath the sandy Florida loam."
As
the author acknowledges, there is that good old ladder of success to be had rung by rung for any
determined enough to put in the concerted effort.
The author and her husband, whose journey was leaped into with unwieldy passion, go through
self-appraisal. There are times when the stress oozes bucket loads from their fingertips and times
when it drains free from them leaving them to enjoy the magical moments of their new traveling
reality.
With It is a story about being straight hearted and learning to deal with the wrong-headed. It is a
story of the "today the world is great, tomorrow nothing goes right" syndrome and the
experiencer
attitude that turned it into a talking chalkboard of educational delights. It is a life and a soul
challenge to see life as a one long road of adventure. After three extraordinary weary years, with
all
the ups and downs working its own carnival on the family's emotions, the husband and wife with
child in tow decide to head home.
The author gives selected carnival terms located in to the back of the book. I would suggest the
reader take a look at this section first. You come away from this book feeling this author is not
ever
going to be happy with just a thumbnail slice of experience. Ms. Scott is obviously one to live her
life in the arena of raw humanness. Bravo to the author!
Sherry Russell
Reviewer
Sullivan's Bookshelf
How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life
Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D.,
Gallup Press
ISBN# 1595620036 $19.95 127 pages
About the premise at the heart of this book, "The Theory of the Dipper and the Bucket," the
authors
write, "Each of us has an invisible bucket. It is constantly emptied or filled, depending on what
others say or do to us. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it's empty, we feel awful.
"Each of us also has an invisible dipper. When we use that dipper to fill other people's
buckets--we
also fill our own bucket. But when we use that dipper to dip from others' buckets--by saying or
doing thiings that decrease their positive emotions--we diminish ourselves."
The topic has been covered widely in hundreds of books. But this particular read, which can be
completed in one or two sittings at most, is unique in that it explains , in understandable and
memorable terms, the story of how attitudes, positive or negative, can directly affect a person's
life
for the better or for the worse.
This volume also emphasizes the importance of finding your strengths, skills, and aptitudes. Next,
it
discusses taking those qualities and sharpening them to bring about your own success.
In a more controversial position, the two writers advocate that rather than trying to make all
school
children well rounded, by making them become profiicient, at least, in all subjects taught, parents
and teachers should allow youngsters to concentrate on subjects of interest and that they're good
at
and to leave other topics alone, where no capability has been demonstrated.
Uniquely, when you purchase this volume, you also get information on how to access, online, a
special test that can be taken to find your best skills and abilities.
Tom Rath, who is the grandson of his co-author, holds an undergraduate degree from the
University
of Michigan and is working on a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins.
In his lifetime, Donald O. Clifton, now deceased, earned the title "Grandfather of Positive
Pyychology " from the American Psychological Association.
Highly recommended.
Charles Bukowski, the Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain, New Poems
John Martin, editor
HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN# 0060577010 $27.50 297 pages
Here are more free verse poems from the oftentimes-vitriolic pen of Charles Bukowski. Though
deceased since 1994, his legacy to readers of poetry is the seemingly never-ending appearance of
books of his previously unpublished poems. And lucky are those who admire this gut-level bard of
20th Century America.
His words are gripping and direct, sometimes crude, often personal, but never banal. Real life is
his
arena. He's seldom metaphorical. But his poetry makes readers think.
The product of this poet and prose writer of novels is difficult to put down. The current volume is
no exception. Divided into four parts, it contains a total of one hundred and forty-three poems. A
lot
of them deal with Bukowski's penchants for alcohol, tobacco, females, and betting on horses at
the
racetrack.
If the editor attempted a theme between the covers of this tome, it would appear to be old age,
burnout and cynicism, tiredness, and boredom with life. Yet the poems themselves are, in some
cases, exciting or, in other instances, interesting. Bukowski's discerning eye and ear gave him an
insightful, if curmudgeonly, take on the world and those who exist in it. The following poem's
beginning is a case in point:
CRIME DOES PAY
the rooms at the hospital went for
$550 a day
that was for the room alone.
the amazing thing, though, was that
in some of the rooms
prisoners were
lodged.
I saw them chained to their beds,
usually by the
ankle
$550 a day, plus meals,
now that's luxury
living--plus first-rate medical attention
and two guuards
on watch
and here I was with my cancer,
walking down the halls in my
robe
thinking, if I live through this
it will take me years to
pay off the hospital
while the prisoners won't owe
a damned thing.
[....]
Bukowski was born in Germany in 1920 to an American GI father and German mother. He
moved
at a young age to the U.S. His writing, which includes 45 books of poems and prose, has been
translated into more than 12 languages.
This volume is highly recommended!
Jim Sullivan
Reviewer
Taylor's Bookshelf
The Origins Of Christmas
Joseph F. Kelly
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
0814629849 $11.95 1-800-858-5450 www.litpress.org
In The Origins Of Christmas, Joseph F. Kelly (Professor of Religious Studies at John Carroll
University) deftly traces the evolution of Christmas in Christian life and western culture. Readers
will learn when Christmas was first celebrated as the birth of the Christ; how December 25th
became
the official date for Christmas; how the three "magi from the East" became the three kings known
as
Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar riding on camels and coming from three different continents to
worship the newborn in a manger; why medieval and Renaissance artists tended to portray Joseph
as
an old man; when Christmas music first made its appearance; the real St. Nicholas and how he
became the most well known of all the Christian saints. The diverse origins of Christmas will
come
as a fascinating surprise to most who know only the Sunday School version of the Christmas story
from their childhoods. The Origins Of Christmas, is very highly recommended and informative
reading in which Professor Kelly begins when Christmas did not yet exist, and concludes when
Christmas had become an integral part of the world culture in general, and Christian communities
in
particular.
The Septuagint As Christian Scripture
Martin Hengel
Baker Academic/Baker Book House
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
080102790X $24.99 www.bakerbooks.com
The Septuagint As Christian Scripture: Its Prehistory And The Problem Of Its Canon by Martin
Hengel (Professor Emertius of New Testament and Ancient Judaism, Univerity of Tubingen) is a
scholarly analysis of the Greek Old Testament, also known as the Septuagint, and the history of
its
consolidation and inclusion into both Judaic and Christian canonical texts. Discussing
controversies
sparked by these writings, and carefully dissecting issues of their incorporation into
Judaic-Christian
faith among the course of millennia, The Septuagint As Christian Scripture is an evenhanded,
balanced work of insight intended to broading the depth of the reader's understanding of what
history, archaeology, and literature have to say about the Septuagint itself. Highly recommended
especially for biblical studies shelves, The Septuagint As Christian Scripture involves itself in
technical and complex matters at times and is meant especially for advanced Biblical students and
theologians.
Rich In Every Way
Gene Getz
Howard Publishing Company
3117 North 7th Street, West Monroe, LA 71291-2227
1582293902 $14.99 1-800-858-4109 www.howardpublishingdealer.com
Rich In Every Way: Everything God Says About Money And Possessions by Gene Getz (Pastor
Emeritus, Fellowship Bible Church North, Plano, Texas, and Director of the Center for Church
Renewal) offers the Christian reader 102 Bible-based "supracultural" principles for handling
material
possessions. Grounded firmly in scripture, with extensive quotations and backup support, Rich In
Every Way is an excellent basic guide for individual or group study alike, focusing succinctly
upon
each individual prinicple in the course of a couple, illuminating pages. Highly recommended as
both
a self-help guide to pursue a path that enriches oneself, and as a devotional to bring one closer to
the
word and meaning of God.
The Prayer Workshop
Susan Sherwood Parr
Word Productions
10405 Delicado Pl NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
0972859098 $15.00 www.wordproductions.org
Written especially as a companion for the prayer workshops taught by author Susan Sherwood
Parr,
The Prayer Workshop: Results Through Specific Scripture and Specific Prayer is a consumable
text
especially for Christians seeking means to express their faith and reinforce their gratitude to God.
Simple exercises, guidelines for praying in accordance with God's will, and blank pages with
composition lines to better write out one's own feelings for God fill this uplifting presentation of
ways to forget the past obstacles that hold one back, respect the integrity of God's word, and
walk
with God along the path He has chosen. An excellent resource for group or solo use and
reflection.
Faith And Freedom
David Neville & Philip Matthews, editors
ATF Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166
1920691162 $25.00 1-800-758-3756 www.internationalpubmarket.com
Collaboratively compiled, organized, and edited by David Neville (Lecturer in New Testament at
St.
Mark's National Theological Centre in Canberra and the School of Theology, Charles Sturt
University) and Philip Matthews (Lecturer in the Philosophy Department at the University of
Notre
Dame, Australia), Faith And Freedom: Christian Ethics In A Pluralist Culture is an anthology of
writings by learned authors discussing Christian faith in the context of the pluralist culture of
Australia. Views from Anabaptist, Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and
more traditions offer contrasting discussions of such matters as Christian ethics, the politics of
Jesus
and Christian pacifism, whether seen as political action or as public theology, and much more. A
literate and scholarly amalgamation of probing questions and the search to draw answers from
reason, scripture, and the often harsh lessons of history itself.
The Way Of Jesus
Tony D'Souza, editor
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
255 Jefferson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503
0802826849 $12.00 1-800-253-7521 www.eerdmans.com
Compiled and edited by London-based writer and special teacher Tony D'Souza, The Way Of
Jesus
is a modernized rendition of an anonymous, mystical masterpiece that has been a cherished
devotional text for nearly five centuries, since its discovery in 1516 in a monastic library in
Germany.
First published under the title of "Theologia Germanica" by Martin Luther, the text has been
rendered into plain terms for the lay reader, and flows with a clear message that transcends eras.
A
highly recommended classic of worship, whether for stand-alone reading or as a companion
volume
to more archaically literal transcriptions of Theologia Germanica.
A Seal Of Blessing
Rick McClure
Xulon Press/Faith Works, dist.
4301 Ninth Street, Brownwood, TX 76801
1591608791 $8.99 1-325-643-5225 www.xulonpress.com
In A Seal Of Blessing: Are You Receiving God's Best For Your Life?, author Rick McClure
draws
upon his more than twenty years in a Christian ministry (he is pastor of one of the fastest growing
churches in Brownwood, Texas) to share with the reader how to discover and cultivate an
intimate
personal relationship with God. Founded on the principle that God has provided a sealed contract
with lifelong blessings, A Seal Of Blessing explains how to devote oneself to fulfilling that
covenant,
and achieving communion. Scriptural quotes and words of profound faith distiniguish A Seal Of
Blessing as a motivational and inspirational work of self-transformation.
Hear Him!
Peter Wittstock
Xulon Press
210 Crown Oak Centre Drive, Longwood, FL 32750-6148
1-594674574 $15.99 www.xulonpress.com www.amazon.com
Hear Him!: The One Hundred Twenty-Five Commands Of Jesus by former pastor and theological
seminarian Peter Wittstock directly addresses what the author feels is an epidemic of apostasy
afflicting the Christian churches in this opening decade of the 21st Century. It presents 125
commands of Jesus, many of which have notes concerning the original Greek, each with the
author's
clear and vividly written interpretation. The author's extensive background in Greek shows
through,
as he walks the reader through definitions, issues, and emphasizes the rewards and joys of faith.
An
emphatic and vibrant work reaffirming apostolic doctrine for Christians and their pastors.
Living Fully In The Shadow Of Death
Zonnebelt-Smeenge, Susan De Vries, Robert C. De Vries
Baker Book House
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
0801065070 $14.99 www.bakerbooks.com
The collaboration of licensed clinical psychologist, Susan Zonnebelt-Smeenge and Pastor Robert
C.
De Vries (Professor of Church Education, Calvin Seminary), Living Fully In The Shadow Of
Death:
Assurance And Guidance To Finish Well is an invaluable treatise and guide to the practical and
spiritual issues and concerns of dying in the modern age. Focusing upon the aspects of emotional
and spiritual preparation for the end of life, whether one's own or that of a loved one, Living Fully
In
The Shadow Of Death offers daily meditations to guide the heart and affimations of the value in
life
and faith. A serious-minded and helpful look at enjoying the journey that is life, up to the very
end.
The Very First Easter
Paul L. Maier & Francisco Ordaz
Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63118-3968
0758606273 $6.99 1-800-325-3040 www.cph.org
Impressively enhanced with museum quality artwork by Francisco Ordaz, The Very First Easter
by
Paul L. Maier has as its principle focus the story of Easter and the trial, death, and resurrection of
Jesus. God's plan for the salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ is showcased in a perfect
picture
book format for young readers. Winner of The Gold Medallion Book Award, The Very First
Easter
is ideal as a memorable parent-child bonding experience within the framework of an Easter
celebration in Christian homes and communities.
A Is For Airstrip
Marilyn Laszlo
Chalfont House
PO Box 84, Dumfries, VA 22026
0972011137 $16.95 www.ChalfontHouse.com
Highly recommended for family, Sunday School, and Bible School library picture book
collections,
A Is For Airstrip: A Missionary's Jungle Adventure was written for children by former Wycliffe
Bible translator Marilyn Laszlo with the assistance of Elizabeth Maddrey and Lindap Perry.
Enhanced with almost 70 photographs from Marilyn's adventures in the jungle of Papua, New
Guinea -- where she lived in a remote Hauna Village for 25 years, learning the local language,
crating an alphabet, and translating the Bible for this tribe on the Sepik Iwam River. More than
just
another ABC primer for preschoolers, A Is For Airstrip features bi-lingual pairings of native
words
and their English equivalents, wonderful anecdotes, and activities that will fully capture the
attention
of young readers.
John Taylor
Reviewer
Vogel's Bookshelf
Powerhouse Partners
Stephen M. Dent & James H. Krefft
Davies-Black Publishing
3803 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303
0891061959 $28.95 1-800-624-1765 (NBN, dist).
The joint project of organizational consultants and human resource experts Stephen M. Dent and
James H. Krefft, Powerhouse Partners: A Blueprint For Building Organizational Culture For
Breakaway Results is a handy guide to structuring a strategic partnership, whether between
businesses, within a project, or with an individual, and applying the Powerhouse Model to
smoothly
coordinate and maximize efforts. Chapters outline a three-strep process: practicing focused
leadership, building a partnering infrastructure to balance competencies, retain high-quality talent,
and increase growth, and developing smart partners with creativity, openness, and connectivity to
better allow for quick adjustments to unexpected changes. A practical guide for dealing with both
individual and collective personalities, and making the most of human resources to focus on
optimum goals.
A Common Humanity
O. Gene Clanton
Sunflower University Press
1531 Yuma, PO Box 1009, Manhattan, KS 66505-1009
0897452763 $24.95 1-800-258-1232 www.sunflower-univ-press.org
Written by retired Washington State University history professor O. Gene Clanton, A Common
Humanity: Kansas Populism and the Battle for Justice and Equality 1854-1903 is a studious look
at
the populist movement and its goals in Kansas during the latter half of the 19th century, including
the struggle to uphold democratic ideals, institute progressive reforms, and champion the farmors
and laborers. Especially discussing the sharp contrast between the producer class ideology and
causes championed by populists, which were dramatically different enough to cause the former to
cast the latter as "retrogressive", A Common Humanity is a welcome contribution to American
and
Kansas political studies shelves. An extensively researched focus upon a Kansas political
movement,
yet written in terms accessible to general readers.
Being Japanese American
Gil Asakawa
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208, Berkeley, CA 94707
188065685X $14.95 www.stonebridge.com
Written by a third-generation Japanese American, being Japanese American: A JA Sourcebook for
Nikkei, Hapa... & Their Friends is a straightforward introduction to the history of Japanese
Americans, including the legacy of the American government's forced internment of Japanese
Americans during World War II, and basic Japanese culture, customs, and etiquette. An especial
note reflects on the how the high rate of mixed-race marriage has and continues to affect the
Japanese-American community. Being Japanese American a superb guide to avoiding breaches of
tact around Japanese friends, family, or visitors, regardless of one's own ethnic heritage or
background, and is also chock-full of helpful ways to embrace, preserve, and treasure one's
cultural
identity.
Paul T. Vogel
Reviewer
Volk's Bookshelf
The Canopus Revelation
Philip Coppens
Adventures Unlimited Press
One Adventure Place, Kempton, IL 60946-0074
1931882266 $17.95 1-815-253-6390
The Canopus Revelation: Stargate of the Gods and the Ark of Osiris is a radical, metaphysical
treatise upon the link between the navigational star Canopus (the south polar star of Egypt, and
the
second brightest star in the Sky), and access to the afterlife domain of Osiris - or perhaps a
transition
point allowing mortals to communicate with gods and transcend dimensions. Branching from
science, history, and mythology into mystical theory, The Canopus Revelation discusses matters
of
the soul and hidden knowledge on the brink of rediscovery in simple, serious terms that make for
an
exciting and wondrous exploration of that which seems impossible. A transcendental attempt to
piece together clues of an ancient puzzle to expose mysteries that defy the imagination.
7 Days of Magic
Ellen Dugan
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
0738705896 $12.95 www.llewellyn.com
Written by the Ellen Dugan, the "Garden Witch" who has practiced her art for more than eighteen
years, 7 Days of Magic: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for the Bewitching Week is a simple
guidebook to delving into the magical potential of every day with the right charms and rituals.
Each
section focuses on a specific day of the week, and explores planetary influences, deities, flowers
and
plants, tarot cards, crystals and stones, herbs and spices, and more that are appropriate to that
specific day. An easy-to-use walkthrough of basic witchcraft spells to encourage harmony, good
luck, and happiness.
Playdate: Category 5
Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott
Andrews & McMeel
4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
0740746650 $10.95 1-800-851-8923 www.amuniversal.com
The latest addition to the anthologized series of the popular newspaper cartoon strip "Baby
Blues",
Playdate: Category 5 once again reunites us with the family of Darryl and Wanda MacPherson,
their
three children (Zoe, Hammie, and Baby Wren), along with the motley assortment of their friends
and
neighbors. The humor arising naturally from the process of parenting and resonates so clearly with
the familial experiences of the readers. And then there are those recognizably immortal quotes that
range from "Showers are better than baths. If you stand really close to the wall, you hardly get
wet!"
and " We've gotta learn to travel lighter, or just put some wheels on the house." This latest
installment on the life and times of Darryl, Wanda, and the kids, will leave their legions of fans
looking eagerly toward the next anthology from wit, wisdom, and laugh-out-loud parenting
observations from the cartooning team of Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott!
Homemade In No Time
Better Homes and Gardens
Meredith Books
1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50336-0001
0696220881 $19.95 1-800-678-8091 www.bhgbooks.com
Beginning with an introductory section of "Scratch Basics", Homemade In No Time: 400
Great-tasting Recipes From Convenience Foods from Better Homes and Gardens is the perfect
cookbook for the time-stressed kitchen chef that have has their common factors an ease of
application, a brevity of preparation time, and a palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, nutritionally
nurturing culinary outcome. The recipes are organized into sections dedicated to Appetizers;
Breakfast & Brunch; Beef; Poultry; Pork & Lamb; Fish & Seafood; Soups & Stews; Meatless
Main
Dishes; Slow Cooker; Baked Goods; and Desserts. From Italian Cheese Cups; Beef Burgundy;
Saucy Cranberry Chicken; and Crispy Pork Burritos; to Salmon-Sour Cream Turnovers; Mashed
Potato Soup; Zucchini Quiche; and Sweet Glazed Cherry Pie, Homemade In No Time, while
having
a great deal to offer the more experienced family chef, is especially commended to the novice
cook
as a core addition to their kitchen cookbook collection.
The Strang Cancer Prevention Center Cookbook
Laura Pensiero, et al.
The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
0071424040 $16.95 1-877-833-5524 www.booksmcgraw-hill.com
So much of cancer today is the result of environmental contaminants and high-risk lifestyles --
including diets. The Strang Cancer Prevention Center Cookbook: A Complete Nutrition And
Lifestyle Plan To Dramatically Lower Your Cancer Risk is the collaborative effort of Laura
Pensiero
(dietitian, nutrition educator, restaurant owner, and graduate of the French Culinary Institute in
New
York); Michael Osborne (President of the Strang Cancer Prevention Center and faculty professor
at
Cornell University Medical College); and Susan Oliveria (faculty member at Strang, Cornell
University Medical College, and Memorial Sloan Kettering). A complete and very highly
recommended single volume course of information and instruction, readers will learn how the
phytochemicals in certain foods; how to make delicious eating plans an integral part of a
cancer-prevention regimen; as well as lifestyle modifications designed to minimize the risk of
cancer.
Enhanced with more than one hundred recipes drawn from world-renowned restaurants, The
Strang
Cancer Prevention Center Cookbook reveals how a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle can keep us
physically fit and cancer-free.
Why Some Like It Hot
Gary Paul Nabhan
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009-1148
1559634669 $24.00 1-800-828-1302 www.islandpress.org
Why Some Like It Hot: Food, Genes, And Cultural Diversity by ethnobiologist and nutritional
ecologist Gary Paul Nabhan is a personal and scientific survey focused upon the connections
between human health, what is eaten and drunk, and how health and diet are impacted by cultural
and genetic heritages. Why Some Like It Hot is replete with stories of how native foods and
cultures
have co-evolved in some fairly fascinated ways. Nabhan takes the reader to the cliffs of Sardinia,
where fava beans help ward off malaria due to a genetic trait in the ethnic population; the
highlights
of Crete where the native's olive-oil-soaked diets are healthy for their bodies, but not for western
visitors; as well as the American Southwest and neotropical Mexico where fiery chile peppers help
kill meat-spoiling microbes so prevalent in desert and tropical climates. Why Some Like It Hot
also
reveals the dire consequences to human health represented by homogenous diets and the lost of
traditional foods with such effects as the rampant onset of adult diabetes among 100 million
indigenous peoples and the historic rise in heart disease in peoples of European decent. Indeed,
Nabhan's attention to this phenomena was initiated by the lost of a Native American friend to a
combination of diabetes and alcoholism. Strongly recommended for both academic library
reference
shelves as well as community library collections, Why Some Like It Hot is that rare combination
of
academic excellence and non-specialist general reader accessibility.
Paying For It
Greta Christina, editor
Greenery Press
4200 Park Boulevard, PMB 240, Oakland, CA 94602
189015959X $13.95 www.greenerypress.com
The American sex industry rivals the revenues and numbers of employees of several Fortune 500
companies combined. Quiet literally a multi-billion dollar industry, this area of the service industry
operates quite similarly to any other in terms of workers and managers getting better revenue flow
through better service hallmarked with courtesy, empathy, and professionalism. Paying For It: A
Guide By Sex Workers For Their Clients is basically an instruction manual for sex industry
patrons
to obtaining the most for the money in terms of quality and quantity -- just as they would any
other
type of commercial transaction for any other type of product or service. Knowledgeably compiled
and expertly edited by Greata Christina, Paying For It is a combination consumer handbook and
an
etiquette manual. Very strongly recommended reading for anyone interested in sex work, whether
as
a provider or a consumer, Paying For It is virtually unique, expertly informative, and reliably
authoritative reading.
Carol Volk
Reviewer
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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