The Picture Book Dictionary, The Essential Source for Bilingual Families
English/Spanish Edition
Valerie Laud
Illustrated by Valentin Latushkin
Ekadoo Publishing Group
PO Box 2286, N. Redondo Beach, California 90278
ISBN: 0974738700 $12.99 96 pp.
Alyice Edrich, Reviewer
http://thedabblingmum.com
Intended for ages 9 months to 8 years, The Picture Book Dictionary is designed to help parents
interact with their children, while teaching them (or introducing them to) words used in everyday
conversations. The way the book is structured, parents can easily help children understand not
only
the meaning of the words they are learning, but how to use them in simple, yet constructive
sentences.
Each word is introduced in English first, in big bold letters, then spelled out in Spanish. Each
word is
then used in a simple sentence (in both English and Spanish) that helps the reader understand the
meaning of the word, followed by a colorfully illustrated comic-like picture.
The largest benefit to using this book in homes with small children is the fact that the words
chosen
to fill the pages of this book all meet "the standards of the United States primary schools
programs"
so children are able to learn and reinforce words they are learning in their classrooms.
While I find this 3,000 word picture book to be a good investment for both children learning to
read
and parents learning another language, the only drawback I see is that there isn't a pronunciation
key
to help sound out the words; therefore leaving both parents and child to try to sound out the
words
on their own.
On a side note, studies have shown that learning a new language is easier when the first words
spoken are normal, everyday words, like the ones chosen for The Picture Book Dictionary, The
Essential Source for Bilingual Families. Once children and adults are able to speak and read
simple,
every day words, forming complete sentences and learning more complicated and/or infrequently
used words becomes easier.
Assorted Flavours: A Collection of Lesbian Short Stories
Lois Cloarec Hart
P.D. Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 70, Clayton, NC 27528
ISBN: 0975436627; $19.99; 296 pages
Arlene Germain
Reviewer
Lois Cloarec Hart has written an outstanding collection of ten short stories which decidedly
display
the author's rich and vivid character development, inventive plotting, and original thematic
material.
These selections vary in length, and each one is a radiant gem to be appreciated. All deal with love
and relationships and the inevitable conflicts that occur. At times poignant, bittersweet, and
whimsical, Hart's collection is an absorbing, fascinating, and intriguing exploration of the human
condition.
Three stories are particularly commendable and memorable. In "9 Minutes," the main character
experiences a virtual lifetime as she and her fellow passengers await their fate during an airplane
in-flight emergency while traveling to Toronto. For far too many years, this woman has alone
visited
her daughter, leaving behind her lover and partner - her family. Call it an epiphany or just a
wake-up
call; she decides she can no longer live her life the way her daughter expects. Following a
successful
and safe landing, she makes a startling decision given the recent events, and her actions will make
the reader smile. The crisp and intelligent dialogue is alone worth the reading.
"Rude" is the story of a woman who finds she possesses a thoroughly fascinating skill. If she says
it,
it becomes fact. Courtesy, good manners, and the simple niceties of life are becoming farther and
farther removed from everyday existence, and this collapse of human decency has compelled this
woman to take drastic measures. This reader found Hart's story very reminiscent of some of Rod
Serling's innovative and artful Twilight Zone episodes. The reader is reminded that things aren't
always as they seem, and Hart's conclusion will leave you both bemused and disconcerted. The
development of the characterization for the supersensory woman is deftly and occasionally wryly
created.
The third story that this reader found impressive is entitled "Lost and Found." It is all too rare
today
to find authors writing about the so-called senior lesbian. Here Hart has written a moving and
articulate story of love and renewal forty years after the fact. Misunderstandings, lives lived
according to the tenets set by others, and realizations that, indeed, life is too short are all themes
that
Hart handles with a masterful and compassionate eye. Again, the author treats the reader to
another
relevant and lucid denouement.
Assorted Flavours: A Collection of Lesbian Short Stories is a worthwhile addition to anyone's
library. These short stories are told with candor, sentiment, intensity, and acuity, and they provide
the reader not only with satisfying and entertaining fiction but also with intelligent and significant
substance. Hart has a highly readable and coherent style of writing which, at times, achieves
eloquent elegance. This compilation of fiction is a commendable and imaginative presentation of
Hart's artistry of the short story.
Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas
Tom Robbins
Bantam
Random House, Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
0553377876, $14.00, 400 pages
Barry Allen
Reviewer
Imagine the stock market crashes. We're talking the crash to end all crashes. A crash that brings
apart the end of society as we know it. Now imagine you are a young stockbroker who has spent
their whole life trying to become wealthy. As your very belief system is tested, so is your sanity in
this strange and hilarious tale that only Robbins could write.
This story is about the plight of Gwendolyn Mati, an intelligent Filipino business woman living in
Seattle, whose life is shaken to the very foundation by a series unbelievable events.
Over the weekend she must find a monkey, recover a missing psychic, and unravel a mystery of
5,000 year old aliens that has something to do with frogs and mushrooms. Before the weekend is
over she will have to make a life altering decision. Will she stay in Seattle and hope the market
recovers or will she leave herself behind and join a higher consciousness with a man she hardly
even
knows.
This book is a brilliant look at the material world and the importance of those little green pieces of
paper that everyone puts so much emphasis on. According to Robbins, if you let those little green
pieces of paper run your life, "You're Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas."
Blurry and Disconnected: Tales of Sink-or-Swim Nihilism
Dave Riley
Contortmedia Press
PO Box 0068, Warsaw, IL, United States 62379
ISBN: 1411626974 $16.58 309-331-0166
Ben Jonjak
Reviewer
Dave Riley's "Blurry and Disconnected" is a collection of two short stories and one novella that
are
written in an extremely funny, satirical, alternative style. Of the three, the novella, "Chinese Finger
Puzzle," is the most engaging. The novella follows the adventures of Philo Smith, a sharp-tongued
(or rather, sharp-penned) columnist for a small music magazine. The work mostly deals with
Philo's
contempt for small-time bands trying to make it big. His contempt for these pretenders is rivaled
only by the absolute scorn for he feels for mainstream music. The strong point of "Blurry and
Disconnected" is Riley's pointed criticisms of many of modern culture's most irritating traits.
Through the character Philo Smith, Riley takes us on an epic journey through small clubs and
dingy
lofts in college towns, and paints an accurate, if unflattering, portrait of the denizens who dwell
there.
Philo Smith is one of those interesting characters who seems to inhabit a world that, at first
glance,
is similar to our own, but upon further investigation is blessedly free of many of the more irritating
obstacles most of us have to deal with on a daily basis. I was reminded of Douglas Adams'
character
Dirk Gently, a wonderful creation who makes his living as a "Holistic Detective." Philo Smith is
similar to Dirk in that he has lucked into a position as a columnist in a magazine that allows him to
get away with virtually any crazy thought that comes into his head. Free from the constraints of
normal magazines, and contrary to general thought (though not necessarily general practice), the
magazine and Philo's column are, eventually, successful.
It is gleefully cathartic to bear witness to Philo's constant and scathing criticisms of every one and
every thing he encounters. Although this formula does bear the risk of becoming stale and bitter,
in
this case, the book remains light-hearted, mainly, I think, because the objects of Philo's scorn are
so
wonderfully deserving of it. Philo's harshest criticisms are saved for pretentious rock bands made
up
of art-school drop-outs who live on generous trust funds--surely a group that anyone would like
to
see sand-bagged.
Riley uses a writing style that is somewhat distant, but effective for the material he's presenting.
He'll
commonly offer a great deal of information in the form of an omniscient narrator about peripheral
characters. These digressions are generally designed for the purpose of injecting some humorous
anecdote, and are quite often very funny. The one criticism I do have about the work, however, is
that it lacks a strong thematic element. All of the component parts are there, but I would have
preferred a stronger underlying thread to connect them and magnify their significance. Still, this
book works very well as a sort of chaotic ensemble of snapshots from the club and music
scene.
Overall, I found "Blurry and Disconnected" to be an extremely enjoyable read. It has some
wonderful, piercing criticisms against culture and society in general, and it is written in an
effective
and innovative style. If you are looking for an alternative novel that takes chances most
mainstream
publications would never dream of, then this is the book to pick up.
Dancing With My Shadow
Joel McIver
4Unity Publishing, P.O. Box 548, Pfafftown, North Carolina 27040
www.4unitypublishing.com
ISBN 0975370812 $14.95 130 pp.
Told through the eyes of Remus Carter, Dancing With My Shadow is a raw, yet refreshing novel
about the inner turmoil's of a young African American male, trying to find his place in the world.
Caught up in the party scenes of college life, Remus enjoys hanging with his boys and living in the
shadow of his popular twin brother, Romulus. But his wild shenanigans and one crazy weekend
adventure involving an exotic dancer turns into a manhood rites of passage for Remus as he learns
some valuable life lessons regarding faith, love and trust.
It was nice to see a novel that depicts the collegian life of an HBCU student vs. the urban gang
related material that is too often used as a measuring stick for Black life in America. I was
relieved
that the author dealt with real issues that we, as individuals sometimes take for granted, or ignore
all
together. Dancing With My Shadow is a breath of fresh air for young adult readers with its
inspirational and insightful messages.
Gods in Alabama
Joshilyn Jackson
Time Warner Book Group
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN: 0446524190, $19.95, 275 pp.
Coletta Ollerer
Reviewer
Arlene Fleet is a little girl who, at the age of seven, loses her father to cancer. Her mother, only
borderline stable, goes over the edge after that. She is unable to care for Arlene sending her to
school hungry and wearing unwashed clothing. Mother's sister, Florence, comes to save them
when
she discovers their phone has been disconnected. She brings mother and daughter back to
Alabama
to live with her.
Arlene and her cousin, Clarice, share a room and became good friends. This is a story of high
school
relationships which confuse and alienate a sensitive, loving child and turn her down a dark path.
"There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also
Jesus." (p1) The god featured here is a high school quarterback, Jim Beverly, whose interest in
Clarice pushes Arlene to an act of aggression which surprises her.
Arlene decides she has to get out of Alabama and with a scholarship to a college in Chicago she
makes her getaway and remains for nine years. She teaches at a college there while pursuing her
Ph.D. That is where Rose Mae Lolly finds her. Rose Mae is Jim Beverly's true love and she is on a
mission to find him. She hasn't seen him since high school and believes Arlene knows his
whereabouts.
Rose Mae's abrupt appearance into her life frightens Arlene. She is worried Rose will uncover her
participation in the evil deed that occurred in her high school past. The motivation for that act is
revealed in a flashback during which we see Arlene watch Clarice being treated badly by Jim. "I
noticed then that Clarice's face was filthy, and she'd cried silver tracks through the dirt on her
face. .
. . . A dull red anger began to spread slowly through me." (p248)
In a flashback to the event itself, Arlene is amazed at herself for having gone through with it. "I
shook my head, hard, and it made the world spin just enough to drive that thought sideways and
out.
I couldn't think about that now. I couldn't think about it at all. 'Okay, then,' said my brain, 'what
about this: Someone is going to find out.'" (p164)
When Arlene runs off to Chicago she vows never to return to Alabama. Aunt Florence
persistently
attempts to pull her back for visits, this time to participate in a retirement party for Uncle Bruster.
She confides to Aunt Florence that she is in love with a black man, Burr, hoping that will give
Florence pause with respect to her campaign to get Arlene to return to southern soil. It does.
Florence asks her not to bring Burr. Burr insists on meeting her family. They go to Alabama.
Joshilyn Jackson takes us on an insightful trip into southern society. We meet a family bursting
with
love for each other but whose emotions are so tangled they find it hard to connect. Arlene has
always considered her Aunt Florence to be a controlling, bossy and dominating presence but
somehow this trip shows her aunt in a different light. The reader is as surprised as Arlene at what
she finds.
A Stone for Every Journey: Traveling the Life of Elinor Gregg, R.N.
Edna McConnell and Teddy Jones
Sunstone Press
PO Box 2321, Santa Fe, NM
www.sunstonepress.com 505 988-4418
ISBN: 086534454X $22.95 309 pages
Connie Gotsch
Reviewer
"When I said I would go, the die was cast, and I've never been sorry. I wired them on October 18,
1922, that I would go, and I left Boston on the 26 in my open Ford runabout. Today, November
15,
I'm at the Winner Hotel in Winner, South Dakota. I have just finished my breakfast and am
waiting
for the stage to Rosebud."
That entry from nurse Elinor Gregg's diary opens Edna McConnell and Teddy Jones' "A Stone for
Every Journey Traveling the Life of Elinor Gregg, R.N.," a book that chronicles the adventures of
a
woman working for the Indian Health Service in its early years. Eventually, Elinor Gregg would
became the first Supervisor of Nurses for The Indian Service. But right now, wet weather, winds
and muddy roads have forced her to abandon her car.
She laughs about the inconvenience, despite the expense of having to house the vehicle until
spring.
"...It has been worth it in seeing the country and riding with the native. This the life..."
The extraordinary life of an extraordinary woman. After Gregg arrives at the Rosebud
Reservation
for the Sioux, the reader bounces with her over muddy roads into hospitals containing a minimum
of
equipment for health care, into Indian homes so remote that hospital visits are almost impossible,
and through the touchy political process of working with field matrons. Not trained nurses, these
women have learned basic First Aid but little more. Now Elinor Gregg must teach them proper
care
for patients with diseases such as T.B. and trachoma.
A nurse herself, Edna McConnell spent her entire career, from the mid 1960s to her death in
2002,
researching and writing about Elinor Gregg. Gregg's place in nursing history, and her lively
personality motivated the study.
Born to a Boston clergyman, Elinor Gregg grew up in an educated family. Her brothers were
doctors. One sister married a business man. The other sister became a teacher. Gregg served as a
field nurse during World War I, and as a hospital nurse in Boston before going west. Gregg could
also write. Her lively journal entries bring her adventures, feelings, and attitudes to life.
However, "A Stone for Every Journey" is more than just a diary. In 2002, Edna McConnell
discovered she had a terminal illness. She turned her research and part of the book's first draft
over
to colleague and friend Teddy Jones, to finish. To get her own sense of Elinor Gregg, Ms. Jones
talked to her family, and visited libraries and archives from Boston to Santa Fe, where Elinor
Gregg
died in 1970 at nearly 84. Jones discovered that Elinor Gregg had a profound effect--for the
good--on almost everyone she met. Her memoirs do not reveal this impact because, like most
people, she had no idea how much influence she carried.
Jones elected to show this side of Ms. Gregg, as well as her spunky personality and place in
nursing
history. So, Teddy Jones invented to fictional student nurses, Alice and Melody. For an
assignment
in a Geriatrics class, they must interview an older person about his or her life. The year is 1966,
and
the two choose Elinor Gregg. They set off with a tape recorder from the University of New
Mexico
in Albuquerque, to Santa Fe to visit her.
Very quickly, Ms. Gregg becomes "Aunt El," to them, as she did to to everybody she knew,
according to Jones' research. Her memoirs become transcriptions of the tapes Alice and Melody
record. Gregg's thoughts and actions begin to influence the choices the young women make for
their
own lives. "A Stone for Every Journey" becomes a story within a story.
This mix takes the book beyond the level of autobiographical journal. Jones gives the reader a
sense
of how Gregg saw herself, and how other people might have seen her.
"A Stone for Every Journey Traveling the Life of Elinor Gregg, R.N." leaves the reader with fresh
admiration for America's pioneering professional women. It gives a good picture of life in one part
of this country between the World Wars I and II. It catches the personality of a very vital lady,
who
would have been a pleasure to know, and reminds everyone how much powerful people can shape
another person's life.
Nonfiction Readers' Advisory
Robert Burgin (editor)
Libraries Unlimited
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
ISBN: 159158115X; $39.95 264 pages
Jennifer Downey
Reviewer
Readers' advisory resources are plentiful in the area of genre fiction, but have been noticeably
lacking in the nonfiction arena. Robert Burgin, a faculty member at North Carolina Central
University's School of Library and Information Sciences, with extensive experience and
publications
in readers' advisory, attempts to bring greater attention to nonfiction readers' advisory with this
useful and eye-opening collection of writings by practicing librarians and academics.
While nonfiction readers' advisory is often relegated to the backburner today, this was not always
the case, as Bill Crowley asserts in his chapter "A History of Readers' Advisory Service in the
Public
Library." Throughout the 1800s, the reading of novels was considered frivolous and even
dangerous
to one's mental health. Public librarians bemoaned the popularity of fiction books and, in fitting
with
their role as educators of the public, encouraged patrons to bulk up on biographies, historical
accounts, and other nonfiction works. Throughout the past century, however, novels have lost
their
trashy image and public libraries have come to embrace and encourage the reading of fiction. As
this
trend progressed, fiction readers' advisory became more common and nonfiction readers' advisory
fell by the wayside.
Despite the apparent dichotomy separating fiction and nonfiction works, Burgin and his
contributors
assert that the distinction between the two is not so vast. Fiction and nonfiction books can
compliment one another, as evidenced by the popularity of recent nonfiction books such as Laura
Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit: An American Legend (New York: Random House, 2003) and Sebastian
Junger's The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea (New York: HarperTorch,
2000),
which appealed as much to regular fiction readers as nonfiction fans. Nonfiction works present the
reader with a new experience, seen through the eyes of another party, as do novels. The
observational component is a constant throughout the two categories. In his chapter "Many Kinds
of
Crafted Truths: An Introduction to Nonfiction," David Carr astutely points out that "our lives are
nonfiction" (p. 64). People read nonfiction for the same reason they read novels - to get to the
truth
behind a mystery, to experience a retelling of history, to fill in blanks and construct their own
realities.
So, how does a public librarian make the leap to nonfiction readers' advisory? By using the tools
necessary for fiction readers' advisory while adding a new dimension to the mix. Of course, this is
easier said than done, but luckily Nonfiction Readers' Advisory offers a wealth of practical advice.
Getting to the heart of a reader's motivation is key in the process. Does a reader enjoy Civil War
novels such As Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain (New York: Vintage Books, 1998)? Perhaps
historical accounts of the war or works by other Civil War buffs like Tony Horwitz' Confederates
in
the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War (New York: Pantheon Books, 1998) would
appeal as well. In nonfiction readers' advisory, it is the librarian's responsibility to find
commonalities
and have resources on hand from which to make recommendations. In Vicki Novak's chapter
"The
Story's the Thing: Narrative Nonfiction for Recreational Reading," invaluable lists of nonfiction
titles
are presented relating to readers' preferences in humor, overcoming adversity, history,
travelogues,
biographies, true crime, and a host of other common themes. It is practical advice like this that
makes Nonfiction Readers' Advisory such a valuable and useful tool. As a bonus, special attention
is
given to young adult readers' titles and books from a multicultural perspective.
Anyone who regularly spends time behind a public library reference desk would do well to read
this
book and take to heart its message. Just as Joyce G. Saricks' Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre
Fiction (Chicago: American Library Association, 2001) and the Thompson Gale company's What
Do
I Read Next? (Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1991) have become standard resources for fiction
readers' advisory, Burgin's excellent book will certainly find its place as a well-used resource for
years to come.
High Performance Marketing
Naras Eechambadi
Dearborn Trade Publishing
30 South Wacker Dr., Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60606-4781
www.high-performance-marketing.com
ISBN: 1419508237, $27.00 288 pp.
As businesses fail and the economy shrinks, many organizations are keeping a watchful eye on
their
marketing departments. Since many marketing departments are responsible for customer
satisfaction, advertising, sales, and above all, results, marketers often become the victims of
downsizing as a result of the company's overall performance. In Naras Eechambadi's new book
"High Performance Marketing," the author gives sound advice on how marketers can perform at a
higher level to achieve success.
"High Performance Marketing" explains the reasons and methods for metrics in detail, the
importance of aligning the marketing department with the company's strategic goals, the
importance
of aligning the marketing department with the IT department, and much more. For instance on the
subject of financial metrics, the author observes:
"Financial metrics offer a retrospective view of results; they do not indicate what actions we must
take to drive results. However, these are the results most often reported to the financial
marketplace
and the investors who have the last word on shareholder value."
Not only is the book filled with sound advice from a strategic level but it also gives important
tactical level advice on how to perform marketing tactics better. Eechambadi, the founder and
CEO
of Quaero, also provides real-world case studies from well-known companies over various
industries
to bring the message home. All in all, "High Performance Marketing" will please many marketing
professionals who are looking for new and exciting ways to be effective in sales, marketing, and
customer satisfaction. Highly Recommended.
The Singing Life of Birds: The Art and Science of Listening to Birdsong
Donald Kroodsma
Houghton Mifflin
ISBN: 0618405682 $28.00; xii + 482 pp.
Thomas Fortenberry
Reviewer
"How do I hear with my eyes?" Donald Kroodsma asks, and yes he has an answer. The answer is
the
heart of The Singing Life of Birds. This amazing book documents in text, sonographs, and an
accompanying CD collection, a vast range of birdsongs. Kroodsma, a professor emeritus at the
University of Massachusetts, has studies birdsong for over 30 years and is recognized by all as a
master in this field, or, in the words of the American Ornithologists' Union, as "the reigning
authority on the biology of avian vocal behavior." Kroodsma has done it so long he professes, "As
a
bird sings, I see the rudiments of a sonogram form in my mind."
The wonder of this book is its shared passion. Make no mistake, this man is a lover. A very
thorough, serious scientist, Kroodsma could easily have buried his readers in the hundreds of
pages
of explorations, experiments, explanations, charts, graphs, and tables that make up this book. But
he
does not mar the mystery or attraction of his subject with a numbing rubble heap of facts. He has
the
rare gift of not just listening, but communicating. He shares his passion with us in such a way that
we long to join him, long to stand beneath the trees and immerse our selves in the ebb and flow of
birdsongs. In this way, Kroodsma has accomplished a very unique thing: interspecial translation.
He
transcends not just language barriers, but the boundaries between species. It's not a literal
translation, but it is intimate and accomplishes empathy, a shared emotional translation. This is an
engaging and beautiful study, a work that, mirroring its subject in Mother Nature, becomes a
work
of art itself. This is why it is subtitled "The Art and Science of Listening to Birdsong."
It has been said of Kroodsma that he has the mind of a scientist and the soul of a poet. I have to
agree, though perhaps his poetry is birdsong rather than human speech. Nevertheless this is a
joyous
hymn to birds that touches on the sublime. "There's this wonderful Zen parable," Kroodsma says.
"If
you listen to the thrush and hear a thrush, you've not really heard the thrush. But if you listen to a
thrush and hear a miracle, then you've heard the thrush." He's recorded these miracles and shared
them with us all.
The Singing Life of Birds is a wonderful book. It is as in-depth a study of the subject as can be
found, but it is also easy to read, easy to comprehend, and accesible to all, novice and expert
alike. It
tells us how to become an expert. It requires nothing more than opening our ears. Shakespeare
sums
it up, "The earth has music for those who listen."
In the preface Kroodsma states "Somewhere, always, the sun is rising, and somewhere, always,
the
birds are singing." This fact is also a clear philosophy and the best summation of Kroodsma's
outlook on life. In his world the sun is always shining and the birds are always singing. Thank God
he's invited us to join him on his journey.
The First Thirty: A Lesson In Humanity
as told to Jillip Naysinthe Paxson by Greg Forbes Siegman.
IdeaList Enterprises Inc.
PO Box 101187, Chicago, IL 60610
ISBN: 0975879405 $10.00 96 pages.
Frances Hartmann
Reviewer
The First Thirty is the story of Greg Forbes Siegman, a seemingly normal guy like you and me
that
learned the importance of community service at a young age and remains resolutely dedicated to
the
cause. The story represents not only the first thirty years of his life, but also the thirty lessons he
learned while living them. It illustrates the ups and downs and eventual success of a life filled with
both tribulations and blessings. Ultimately The First Thirty delivers a strong, positive message that
is
particularly relevant to high school students but is valuable to everyone.
The book is set in the Tempo Cafe where Greg Forbes Siegman sits down one night to tell an old
friend, Jillip Naysinthe Paxson, the story of his life. As the book progresses, the role of the
narrator
becomes ambiguous as his voice and Greg's voice become one. The story begins with the birth of
Greg and he spends his early years consumed by his best friends (some playground equipment)
that
later gain significance in his work in the community. He is a strange, preoccupied child with few
friends and even the cover of the book proclaims: "The story of a boy so distracted by his dreams
that he had to wear a helmet." From this rocky beginning, however, Greg begins to devote his life
to
a good cause at the age of six, and he goes on to be successful in school academically, socially,
and
athletically.
This seeming fairytale story is brought back to reality by a number of factors - first one of Greg's
friends dies and then he is rejected by all of the Ivy League Universities he applies to. Feeling he
has
been wronged, Greg takes on the world little by little by excelling in school, substitute teaching,
and
trying to break down stereotypes and barriers through his 'Brunch Bunch.' These achievements
culminate in the creation of a non-profit, the 11-10-02 Foundation, named after Greg's thirtieth
birthday. But the real story is not about Greg's achievements; it's about the path that he took to
accomplish them, and about all of the roadblocks that he ran into on the way. The tale is
refreshing
in its honesty - Greg is not afraid to take cheap shots at himself or to genuinely illustrate his faults.
He is truly a character - a 29 year old man that walks into a formal event with pajamas,
mismatching
socks, a lunchbox, and is always drinking a milkshake. Perhaps most importantly Greg shows that
he
could never be where he is today without help - whether it is from his close friends, from high
school
student volunteers, or from his grandma.
The First Thirty is an uplifting true story that reminds us that the all the movie-caliber underdog
stories we see don't always have to be make-believe. And students of any age can learn the most
important lesson of all - that with hard work and determination, anything can be achieved.
No Country For Old Men
Cormac McCarthy
Alfred A. Knopf
New York
ISBN: 0375406778 $24.95 309 pages
Jennifer Litts
Reviewer
Dark Deeds Committed in a Blue World
Any reader of Flannery O'Connor recognizes the tenuous link between violence and redemption.
Who could read the short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and not ponder The Misfit's
reflection on the chatty grandmother he just killed? Is there justice in a corrupt world? If so, who
is
to judge it? These are the types of questions that Cormac McCarthy addresses in his latest novel
No
Country For Old Men. Like O'Connor, he presents us with his evidence, and then he leaves it up
to
the reader to decide.
The plot races along at a fair clip that would engage any reader who desires action. It begins with
an
otherwise ordinary man, Llewelyn Moss, who stumbles upon an extraordinary massacre in the
desert
while hunting antelope. As Moss climbs up the ridge to escape the bloody scene, he understands
what he has witnessed: a drug sale gone terribly wrong. His immediate thoughts are about his
safety,
and he is comforted that he had the foresight to wipe his fingerprints off of everything he touched.
It
isn't until he reaches the top of the ridge that his destiny changes; he encounters a dead man with a
great sum of money stowed at his side. Moss must choose the path of the righteous or the
damned.
The central question, poised by the villain Chigurgh, describes not only Moss's dilemma, but
everyman's: "How does a man decide in what order to abandon his life?" Sheriff Bell believes that
"every step you take is forever" which establishes man's responsibility for every decision he
makes.
Moss, however, supports the more passive belief: "Things happen to you they happen . They don't
require your permission." It is at this crossroad that the plot begins to take shape and the
philosophies of the hunter and the hunted begin to merge.
McCarthy uses a colorful palette to contrast the black and white morality in his harrowing
narrative.
During the day, the dessert carries the promise of warmth with the presence of terracotta, yellow
and orange tones; at night it becomes a "blue world" with "visible shadows". On an artists' color
wheel, blue is a primary, cool color. Hence, in the world of painting, blue is a receding color that
helps create a sense of distance between the foreground and background. In McCarthy's world,
black - the traditional representation of evil - becomes blue. Hence, the novel becomes blue, and
the
reader is cast into the landscape of evil, the world of the night. The color white remains, but white
reflects all colors; hence its purity is questionable. When the villain, Chigurgh, enters a hotel
room,
he is illuminated by the "dead white light from the parking lot lamp". In addition, he also has eyes
that are "blue as lapis" and opaque like the stone itself. To further complicate matters, when Moss
first hears Chigurgh's name pronounced, he mistakes it for the word "sugar." This begs the
question:
In a world with so many hues, tints, tones, and shades, how does one recognize another's true
colors?
In the blue world, the shadow world, everyone has fears. Ed Tom Bell, the lackluster County
sheriff,
punctuates the novel with philosophical reflections about the decline of human nature and the
waning of American values. His thoughts, which are divided into distinct chapters, offer a reprieve
from the escalating violence that occurs in the darkness. What they do not provide is consolation.
When he meets a lady who is wary that her granddaughter might grow up in a conservative world
where women's rights are denied, Bell retorts, "The way I see it goin' I dont have much doubt but
what she'll be able to have an abortion. I'm goin to say that not only will she be able to have an
abortion, she'll be able to have you put to sleep." Bell, the proverbial old man in the countryside,
lives in a past where there are clear delineations between good and evil. However, one's past isn't
always without blemish, and even law-abiding citizens live with the ghosts of past regrets. One
can't
help but wonder if Bell was reared in a time of such simple purity, or if he is just an older man
reflecting on whitewashed memories.
McCarthy is a novelist who likes to challenge his readers. The questions are complicated, and the
resolutions even more so. The act of reading the text requires diligence. McCarthy eliminates
most
necessary punctuation, especially quotation marks, which make it difficult, at times, to identify the
speaker. The syntax is direct; one won't need to reach for the dictionary or reread unwieldy
sentences. Instead, the reader is submerged into the vernacular of simple, ordinary Americans
living
in the Texan countryside. McCarthy is an astute enough observer of human nature to know that
the
simpler the language, the more complicated the message becomes.
Easier Said Than Done
Nikki Woods
Ebony Energy Publishing
P.O. Box 43476, Chicago, Illinois 60643-0476
ISBN: 0975509268 $14.95, 305 pages
"Easier Said Than Done", Nikki Woods' debut novel, is a deliciously written masterpiece that has
the
page turning elements of a "messy" soap opera.
Kingston Phillips is living the good life in Chicago as the lead executive for a newly established
hip-hop label and has just signed her first client. After an evening of celebrating her current
success
with her friends, Essence and Keela, an early morning phone call from a relative in Jamaica brings
her back to reality with the news of her grandmother's death. When she returns to the island, not
only is she informed of her grandmother's last wish that she acts as the executor of the estate but
learns that Dr. Damon Whitfield, the man who broke her heart ten years ago, is the one who cared
for her grandmother.
Told in first person point of view, "Easier Said Than Done" is a good, slow read with characters
so
believable they jump off the page and act out the storyline for you. There are themes of betrayal,
forgiveness, family, and friendship intricately woven into a beautifully written love story with
tastefully erotic sex scenes. The settings were so descriptive I could feel the brisk chill of Chicago
and the hot sun of Jamaica.
This is a definite weekend read that will make you re-evaluate the things that make you say:
"Easier
Said Than Done". Freshman novelist, Nikki Woods proved with this literary escape that making
the
decision to do anything is all about getting it done.
Writing Children's Books for Dummies
Lisa Rojany Buccieri and Peter Economy
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
ISBN: 0764537288 $19.99
For almost 5 years, I've doled out advice in my monthly column for children's writers, Advice
from a
Caterpillar at Writing-World.com. I must confess I cringe a little as I hit the send button whenever
I
am advising a reader to read a book with "dummies" in the title. But then, that's the whole point.
"Writing Children's Books for Dummies" has only been out a few months and I'm already
recommending it to my readers! Of course it is never my intention to insult anyone, but the truth
is,
over the years, I've been asked some pretty dumb questions. The great thing is this book has the
answers.
Much more than a how-to manual, "Writing Children's Books for Dummies" is comprehensive;
covering everything from what motivates you to write for children to genres to the children's book
market. Yet readers will find plenty of advice such as, how to craft your story, write nonfiction,
find
a publisher, and market your book. With the help of the thorough table of contents and index,
information on a specific topic is easy to find.
As a columnist for children's writers I am particularly impressed with Chapter 2: Children's Book
Formats and Genres, and Chapter 3: Understanding the Children's Book Market. The biggest
mistake prospective children's writers make is that they simply do not know enough about the age
group or market they're writing for. Until now, I lacked a single resource to refer my readers to --
but this is definitely it. Lisa Buccieri is a publishing executive with over 15 years' experience in the
business, so readers can take her word for it.
But wait -- there's more! Experienced authors will find plenty to sink their teeth into. Authors
Buccieri and Economy dish up the real meat of children's writing by including chapters on plot,
dialogue, point of view, and the awesome task of editing your own work. Authors will love the
chapters on agents, contracts, and Ten Best Ways to Promote Your Story.
A reader once wrote to me: "I'd like to write for children but I can't think of any story ideas.
Where
can I find story ideas?" Well, guess what -- Chapter 20 offers More than Ten Great Sources for
Storylines, which is more like 12 full pages of story ideas. Rich Tennant's "The 5th Wave"
cartoons,
plus interviews with authors, editors, and agents generously sprinkled throughout contribute to
the
excellence of this book and catapults it to the top of my list of recommended reading for children's
writers.
Insight
Valerie C J McGee
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Rd, Ste 100, Lincoln NE, 68512
ISBN: 0595308872 $15.95 228 pages
Regina Paul, Reviewer
http://reginapaul.bravehost.com
Insight is a thrill-a-minute, ride by the seat of your pants story, and one I couldn't put down until
I'd
read the last page and knew the final conclusion! The portrayal of Samantha, a blind woman and
her
psychic connection with Rachael whom she has never met was at times terrifying, and others
heartwarming.
I especially loved the way the connection was brought out through the use of dreams, and how
they
each were able to experience the other's life in this fashion. It was believable in a way that helped
the
reader understand that such things might be possible in real life.
All the characters in this novel were real and down-to-earth, and all had a voice, even Dex,
Samantha's seeing eye dog. I really liked this as many authors are not able to juggle multiple
characters and personalities with the kind of finesse that Ms. McGee does. In addition to being
believable, another characteristic of Ms. McGee's characters are that they are very human, as the
reader you are able to see both the good and the bad in all the characters even the ones we might
see
as being really "bad."
I would classify this novel as a Romantic Suspense with a dash of mystery thrown in. All in all it
was
an extremely enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes unusual stories that
have
a paranormal twist. Ms. McGee made me believe this story was possible in real life!
iCon: Steve Jobs, the Greatest Second Act in the History of Business
Jeffrey S. Young and William L. Simon
John Wiley & Sons
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ, 07030
ISBN 0471720836; $24.95 USA, $31.99 CAN, 15.99 Brit. pounds 344 pages + index
Richard S. Russell
Reviewer
His Iconic Nature
Steve Jobs is an icon. No, not one of those little images on your computer screen that hints at the
delights to be found within - tho you can probably thank Steve Jobs if that's the 1st meaning of the
word that sprang to mind.
Rather he's an icon in the traditional sense of the word:
(1) a portrait or image usually in a religious context. Specifically, a panel painting of a sacred
figure
who is the object of worship. The term more broadly applies to any building, painting, or
sculpture
regarded as a symbol or an object of reverence.
(2) an object representing something to be worshipped; when the icon itself is worshipped it
becomes an idol, hence the objection to it by many sects.
(3) things or persons that are considered the most admirable or recognizable examples of
something.
Steve Jobs is the cofounder of Apple Computer, Inc., the company that showed us why 1984
wasn't
like 1984. As this unauthorized biography makes clear, he's achieved his business-icon status by
triumphing not only in that initial world of computing but also, subsequently, in the worlds of
movies
(with Pixar animation studios) and music (with the equally iconic iPod and its supporting iTunes
and
Apple Music Store).
It also makes clear that he's a prime-cut, Grade A, world-class, blue-ribbon dick.
The authors, both with long experience covering the world of personal computing (Young being a
cofounder of MacWorld), use a brisk, reportorial style that largely sticks to documentable facts
(based on a hundred interviews) in chronological order. They seem scrupulous about not
interjecting
their own opinions. Toward the end of the book, I found myself wishing that they'd let go just a
bit.
They are, after all, highly knowledgeable about their subject, and it would have been interesting to
see whether they believed that Apple and Pixar succeeded because of Steve Jobs or despite
him.
I also found myself wishing that Jobs himself would have consented to being interviewed for the
book. It's both a strength and a weakness that his personal take on things is absent. On the one
hand,
it would be fascinating to hear him respond to questions like "Of all the thousand things you've
done
in your career that any reasonable person would regret, do you actually feel regret about any of
them?". On the other hand, if you pick up your Funk & Wagnall's, you'll see a little icon of Steve
Jobs next to the entry for "self-serving", so there's some advantage in favoring the objective over
the
subjective.
Indeed, one of the recurring themes of iCon is the idea that Jobs himself is surrounded by a
"reality
distortion field" that makes people in his vicinity see things his way. With his insistence on doing
things to perfection (which, by definition, is the way he wants them done), he pushed a great
many
highly talented and creative people into achievements they would have sworn were unattainable,
in a
time frame they would have sworn was impossible.
At that point, Jobs would step in to take all the glory and most of the money. The people who did
the actual work would be shunted back to the salt mines to slave away on The Master's next
inspiration. Steve Jobs was totally committed to the concept of loyalty. Unfortunately, for him the
traffic on Loyalty Street ran one way only. His wake is scattered with embittered former
associates
whom he used up and discarded like Kleenex, apparently with no more compunction than
remorse.
The reason the book refers to Jobs's "2nd act" is, of course, the decade he spent in the wilderness
after being (deservedly) canned by Apple, the company he founded. During this time, he frittered
away the millions his Apple stock had earned him on a series of high-minded but impractical new
schemes for computers. He was saved from bankruptcy, ignominy, irrelevance, and ultimate
obscurity by sheer accident, when a chance combination of circumstances led him to buy the
computer-animation facility that George Lucas (creator of Star Wars) was looking to sell.
After his return to Apple, it was another walk-in opportunity that led to the development of the
iPod
(which makes Apple as much profit as its top-of-the-line G5 Macintosh computers) and iTunes.
And, of course, it was the technical genius of the other Apple founder, Steve Wozniak, that got
the
ball rolling in the 1st place.
So, in many respects, it could be said that Steve Jobs was just lucky - that he was the right person
in
the right place at the right time, that all the real innovation, genius, and hard work should properly
have been credited to others. And there's a strong element of truth to that, especially with regard
to
the brilliant John Lasseter, the creative head of Pixar.
But it's also true that not just anybody knows what to do when opportunity comes a-knockin'.
Here
we cite the "Columbus Mid-Atlantic" analogy. Suppose you're sailing west to try to discover the
Indies, and you've brought along 40 days' worth of food and water. 20 days out, you've got a
decision to make. You haven't yet found the Indies, but you can turn around now and make it
back
to your home port disappointed but alive. Or you can press on, knowing that in another 3 weeks
you'll be either successful or dead. That kind of "full speed ahead" optimism - the willingness to
gamble everything on little more than a gut feeling - is why, today, we remember people like
Columbus and Jobs, when many more prudent people have been long forgotten.
The authors, considerably more self-effacing than their subject would ever be, leave it to the
jacket-blurb writers to point out that Jobs is the counter-example to F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous
observation that there are no 2nd acts in American lives. Young and Simon are also silent about
how
appropriate the book's title is. In addition to the 2 meanings of "icon" noted above, the title
evokes:
- a jolly Jamaican rendering of "I can!"
- resonance, via the intercap spelling, with Jobs's internet-facing names for Apple products like
iMac, iPod, iTunes, iDVD, etc.
- the pirate theme of "I con.", as in "I am the greatest confidence man of all time."
The authors regularly refer to their cast of characters by their first names, which you might think
would produce some confusion when dealing with the Steves Jobs and Wozniak or the Michaels
Eisner and Ovitz (in a lengthy but relevant side excursion into the internal workings of Walt
Disney
Pictures), but they manage to keep everything straight as well as flowing.
Speaking of Disney, the book dramatizes that its upper reaches are even more dysfunctional than
Apple's, rife with personality struggles and bloated egos. Tho the authors never explicitly say so,
their ostensible biography is a double case study in corporate mismanagement in America today,
with vast amounts of power, money, and glory going to willful CEOs who make staggeringly bad
decisions without visible regret or repercussion. It's astonishing how many of those bad decisions
are
based on petty personal annoyances and "who you know" wheeling and dealing, rather than
fact-based analyses. As one bemused former Apple employee remarked about the company's early
days, "Our market research consists of Steve looking in the mirror every morning and asking what
he wants."
Technically, the book is well edited - except for references to "LaserPrinter" when clearly
"LaserWriter" was intended, or the redundancy of "$300 million dollars" - but these quibbles are
more than offset by the presence of a 15-page index, something that, in this reviewer's humble
opinion, should be standard equipment on all non-fiction books but which appears in far too few
of
them these days.
Best of all, it's up to date, concluding with Chapter 13: Showtime (highlighting another of Steve
Jobs's masterful, unrehearsed keynote performances - so inadequate to call them speeches - at
MacWorld Expo in 2005 January) and an epilog in which the authors speculate that Jobs still has
a
score to settle with Bill Gates ... and not to bet against him.
Zipporah, Wife of Moses
Marek Halter
Three Rivers Press (Crown Publishers)
New York, NY
ISBN: 1400052793 $23.00, 278 pages
Shayla Hawkins
Reviewer
You know you're reading an awful book when you can't even get through the sex scenes without
rolling your eyes and yawning. Marek Halter's latest novel, Zipporah, Wife of Moses, is one such
example. For a novice author, such a miserable failure of storytelling, with its crepe-paper thin
plot,
half-developed characters, corny dialogue, unnatural and unnecessary emphasis on race and skin
color, jarring switches to and from the first person and third person narrative voice, and ridiculous
ending, would have been almost comical in its stupidity and quickly forgotten. But for Marek
Halter,
a richly gifted and bestselling novelist who's been writing for well over 30 years, such missteps are
shameful, inexcusable, a waste of any intelligent reader's time, and a slap in the face to Halter's
God-given literary talents.
Based on the very brief information in Numbers 12:1 of the Ethiopian woman whom Moses,
Judaism's great prophet and law-giver, married (and who may or may not have been Zipporah --
there is not one Biblical passage that confirms that Zipporah and Moses' Ethiopian wife were one
and the same woman; and a careful reading of Exodus and Numbers or a good Biblical
concordance
shows that the words "Zipporah," and "Ethiopian" or "Cushite" never appear in the same Bible
verse
or Bible chapter at the same time), this sham of a novel quickly falls apart at the seams because,
from its vague, tepid beginning to its utterly unbelievable conclusion, Marek Halter makes the
same
mistake about race that, unfortunately, most human beings do: He makes much more of a issue
and
a fuss about skin color and ethnicity than God ever intended it to be.
It's hard to believe this book came from the same man whose last nove was Sarah, a brilliant and
beautifully rendered fictional account of the woman who became Abraham's wife. Whether or not
she was indeed Ethiopian, Zipporah deserves to have an interesting fictional account of her life
created by a capable and talented writer. But she did not get it from Marek Halter. Zipporah has
got
to be spinning in her grave if her spirit has any knowledge of what good fiction is and just how far
Halter deviated from it in writing so poorly about her. My wish after reading Zipporah: Wife of
Moses is that she will get the literary honor that Halter's words have stripped from her.
I broke the speed limit driving back to the store to get my refund for this book. I can only hope
that
you avoid the same mistake by not buying Zipporah, Wife of Moses at all. But if you do, be very
careful to read this schlock with a fine grain of salt and by reading the Biblical account for
yourself.
And, above everything, keep your receipt!!!
The One Minute Millionaire
Mark Victor Hansen & Robert Allen
Harmony Books
New York
ISBN 0609609491 $15.00
Oyvind Hennum (Shiva)
Reviewer
In "The One Minute Millionaire" Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen gives a practical and
simple
explanation on how to use the "millionaire minute". They define the "millionaire minute" as a
discipline the rich are using to gain and grow their wealth. It involves simple, practical everyday
money skills, and they define 7 important skills that wealthy people are good at. The good thing is
that you do not have to be wealthy already; you can start to practice and develop these skills just
where you are right now. There are many good points in the book and one of them is the
possibility
to earn an extra million in a lifetime on saving a dollar a day.
If you have read my review of "Cracking the Millionaire Code" by the same authors, and you are
wondering if the books contain the same information, I can assure you that they are different.
"The
One Minute Millionaire" is not as spiritually oriented and is "safe" for the ones who do not like to
mix the idea of spirituality and business. "The One Minute Millionaire" was published in 2002, and
"Cracking the Millionaire Code" was published this year (2005). Any how I recommend both the
books, I like them very much.
So, a bit more of the "good stuff" from "The One Minute Millionaire": The book is split in two:
The
right-side pages tell the (fictional) story of a woman who loses everything and has to earn 1
million
dollars in 90 days. Even if it is fiction, the story is intense and dramatic, and of course, full of
learning.
The left-side pages contain the facts and figures, but are still very easy to read. The first chapter is
called "The Millionaire Aha's" and teaches about the principles of wealth, which Hansen and Allen
call Aha's. According to them there are at least 24 universal principles of wealth.
The other chapters of the book are on these subjects: Leverage, Mentors, Teams, Networks,
Skills,
Tools and Systems. The book contains great information and Mark Victor Hansen and Robert
Allen
manages to write in a very catching way. They make it an experience in it self to read the book. It
certainly lights the fire in me and I know that is what it is supposed to do. It is clearly in the "Self
Help" and "Motivational" categories.
I know many people are sceptic to this kind of literature, but what these books are giving to
people
is hope and inspiration. And many practical techniques to gain wealth, used by others with
success.
Many mistakenly think the books in them self are going to change their financial situation, and
gets
frustrated when they don't. The books are never giving you any guarantee that their system will
make you a millionaire. That guarantee can only come from your desire and effort. Read the
book,
and get inspired!
La Charrette: Village Gateway to the American West
Lowell M. Schake
iUniverse, Inc.
ISBN: 0595275389 $19.95
Stephen E. Smith
Reviewer
Today the site is visible only as weeds and rushes along the Missouri River near Marthasville in
Warren County about 45 miles west of St. Louis. There are no ruins, nothing to see. However,
two
centuries ago, this plot of land contained a community of seven cabins that was the genuine
gateway
to the West.
La Charrette was a remote Creole village that provided a site for a river landing on the
Missouriand
the farthest city of people of European derivation west of the Atlantic.
It is probably most significant for being a haven for fur traders and the final stop for Lewis and
Clark in May 1804 before they headed upriver to the Dakotas, the Columbia River and on to the
Pacific.
La Charrette: Village Gateway to the American West, by Lowell M. Schake tells the story of this
long-gone community. Schake, a retired college professor, hunted, trapped and farmed on
Charrette
Creek as a boy.
His book, the result of exhaustive research, tells the story of that small community of French
settlers
on the Missouri River. La Charrette--also the name of a small creek and later a township--existed
from the late 1700s to the early to mid 1820s.
Schake's book is most interesting when he uses the development of La Charrette as an historical
microcosm. La Charrette helps explain the slow, but steady, progress of carving out the
wilderness
and the sacrifices made by those who were caught up in the dynamic of a rapidly-changing North
America.
From about 1550 until the middle of the 1800s, felt hats were the rage in most of Europe. The felt
hat industry was the force behind the fur trade. By the late 1500's, the beaver was extinct in
Europe
and was nearing extinction in both Russia and the Scandinavian countries. North America,
however,
was rich in furs. The land was there for the taking--at least in the eyes of the French and English
eyeing it from the eastern side of the Mississippi.
As Shake's book shows, the impact of whites encroachment on native American territory began
very
early in the nation's history. As early as 1800, tribes several tribes began moving west across the
Mississippi River. With the advent of European Americans came guns, liquor and unfamiliar
strains
of smallpox, influenza and other diseases These and other stresses came to a head in La Charrette
Village in 1815 when a pregnant mother was mortally wounded and several children were
scalped.
La Charrette says a great deal about cultural assimilation and the efforts of the white man to
relocate
and assume Native American lands. Native Americans served as guides, helped the white men
grow
crops and survive in the wilderness. La Charrette makes it clear that whites in the regions freely
intermarried with Indian women. In fact, French settlers in the 1700s held Indian slaves just as
they
held black slaves. Schake says most Indian slaves were bought with liquor from other Indians who
had taken them prisoner. Yet, no less than Daniel Boone, who spent his last few years in the La
Charrette area, is quoted as saying the Indians treated him "far better than others of his own
kind".
One section of the book tells the story of an Indian man who was accused of killing his wife.
Pennsylvania lawyer/scholar H.M. Brackenridge offered his legal services basing his defense on
the
provision in English common law for extradition of aliens to their home jurisdictions for trial. The
lawyer said it was not the arrested Indian but the Americans who were the aliens. He won the
case.
The Indian--having become a man without a country--was freed.
Some 75 Indian tribes met to establish a peace treaty that was ratified by Congress and signed by
President James Madison in December 1815.
But, as La Charrette points out, the westward expansion was the death knell for the traditional life
of the Native Americans. By 1822, Congress abolished all trade with Indian tribes, putting the
lucrative fur trade in the hands of licensed private traders. The red men were moved into present
day
Oklahoma, many along the infamous "Trail of Tears."
La Charrette is rich with detail. Schake writes of America's first "Mountain Man" John Coulter,
and
of the flamboyant Zebulon Pike who traveled all over the American west and narrowly escaped
death on the Mexican border. He describes Daniel and Rebecca Boone's sugar camp, the process
of
soap making, the construction of a French river cabin, the development of pioneer medicine,
hunting
and fishing expeditions and the growing of wheat and corn and other staples.
La Charrette's demise remains something of a mystery. Schake says it may have been displaced by
floodwaters, and the constant movement of the Missouri River that was "too thick to drink, to
thin
to plow," although no one knows for sure. Certainly by the 1820s, it was well on the way to
destruction. Eventually it was replaced by the city of Marthasville, now located on Highway 47
west
of St. Louis.
The French Creoles were caught in a legal morass over land holdings in the administrations of
three
governments. Some were unable to obtain proper titles as U.S. laws replaced those of France and
Spain.
Today, travelers to Marthasville, Missouri can come close to the original site of the frontier
settlement. The people are said to be just as friendly as they were two hundred years ago. There
are
several monuments and historic sites to visit.
But the best monument to the tiny long-gone community on the Missouri River could well be the
book La Charrette: Village Gateway to the American West. Lowell Schake has written a fine
book
that would make a valuable addition to anyone's personal library of American history.
Xibalba's Gate: A Novel of the Ancient Maya
Rob Swigart
AltaMira Press
A Division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
(301) 459-3366 (301) 429-5748 fax
075910879X $26.95 320 pp.
0759108781 $72.00 320pp
Steve Glassman
Reviewer
The ancient Maya are a great distance away from us, not so much in time (just a thousand years
or
so), but in sensibility. Their Creation Myth illustrates this point.
Two young men challenge some gods to a match of the ball game, a rough and tumble sport in
which body armor was worn by the players. The young men, of course, lose the game and forfeit
their lives as the price of their foolishness. The tears of one of them hanging from the gibbet falls
into the hand of a daughter of one of the gods. She conceives and bears a pair of twins, known as
the Hero Twins. The hero twins, bent on vengeance, attract the Lords's attention by talking loudly
and rudely. A ball game ensues from all this. One of the youngsters loses his head and replaces it
with a gourd and at another time another dies and is brought back to life by his brother. The
Lords -
falling into the trap set for them--say, "Wow, that's a nice trick. Can you do that to us?" One by
one
all nine of the gods are killed and condemned to becoming the Lords of the Underworld in
Xibalba,
the Maya hell. The Hero Twins were rewarded by being transformed into the two most important
bodies in the night sky, the sun and the moon.
Ten of thousands, perhaps hundred of thousands of people from other lands, set off every year to
view Maya ruins. At some point many of those travelers are confronted by the great enigma that
the
ancient Maya represent. Yes, nowadays, much of the Maya's ancient hieroglyphic writing can be
deciphered in the sense that the words are known. What is not known is what they mean, exactly.
Who were the Maya in the sense of what motivated them to act as they did? The culture erected
some incredibly beautiful cities but practiced one of the most exotic and, yes, grotesque religions
imaginable. (For instance to the Maya suffering actually made the world go round; it was thanks
to
human pain - hopefully endured by one's enemies but by oneself at times - that propitiated the
universe and kept the sun coming up and the rains falling.) In other ways too, the culture seems
extremely hard to understand. Many of us have pulled out our hair wondering, regarding their
creation myth, for instance, how it can be regarded as an account of the genesis of the world?
There
is no creation there, unlike in Genesis where Adam and Eve fool around and all of humankind is
conceived.
Professional Mayanists, professors and graduate students and a few independent scholars, can
provide answers, more or less, to these and other questions regarding the Maya, but it is
practically
impossible to find an account written by any of them that answers the questions in a way that a lay
person - no matter how interested she is - can understand without a great deal of supplemental
reading. The best and most lucid of Maya scholars, Michael Coe, for instance, has produced some
remarkably interesting books. Anyone with a hankering for things Maya could read Coe's
Breaking
the Maya Code to profit, but it and most other of his books deal with only a small aspect of the
larger Maya experience. On the other hand, Coe's textbook The Maya which first came out in the
sixties, and though much updated, is a book of little use for the lay person. The writings of the
great
Mayanist Linda Schele are so dense that she finally in later works engaged a writer to help get her
points across, but unhappily with little effect.
Fortunately, for anyone who wants to gain an understanding of what the Maya were about
AltiMira
Press has given us Rob Swigart's Xibalba's Gate. It's a novel. It goes about the business of letting
us
know who the Maya were by indirection. Like Elizabeth Peters and many other popular writers
who
provide a glimpse of life in ancient times, the narrative line develops along parallel lines, one
contemporary, the other historical. At the outset we get a teasing glimpse of a Maya city called
Xultunich, which seems to have characteristics of Xunantunich and Caracol in Belize, Copan in
Honduras, Yaxchilan in Chiapas Mexico and seems to be located rather equidistant between all
these
polities on a river which appears to have characteristics of the Usamacinta. It is the ninth century
and the ruler of this many pyramided kingdom, Knot Eye, is burdened with the fact that many of
great Maya cities, Tikal and Palenque, for instance, have collapsed. The malaise that got them is
knocking at his door. The skies which foretell all these things have produced an omen, the
so-called
God With No Name, that ordinary mortals must be careful not to look at and which we in a more
prosaic age call Halley's Comet. A politically crafty ruler, Knot Eye knows where his demise is
most
likely to hail from, a neighboring enemy kingdom. In order to cut them off at the pass and enhance
his personal prestige, he determines to forge an alliance with a powerful intermediate state by
marrying that ruler's daughter. Luckily for his political ambitions, his wife of long years has not
produced an heir and a marriage to Evening Star is perfectly acceptable.
Cut to contemporary northern California. Dirt archeologist Van Weathers has lost funding for his
long term project at Xultunich, Knot Eye's now long defunct kingdom. This fact is particularly
appalling because Weather's feels he is close to solving the riddle of Xultunich's collapse, which
may
explain why the Maya at large collapsed, which may in fact shed light on our own tenuous hold on
the planet. Weathers would be vastly annoyed by this circumstance if it didn't happen that the
same
private funding group, or an arm thereof, has provided money for an interactive on-line simulation
which allows an individuals to log on to a website and become an actual Maya character in a great
computer charade.
Now come the complications: an admiring female graduate student, Anne Opple, and an
embodiment of a Cartesian evil genius in the way of Elliot Blackman, Weather's office building's
new
janitor. Blackman is out to do Weathers in - and Anne is just out to do him. Weathers is
completely
oblivious to the former, but like any politically correct albeit middle-aging professor, he is pleased
by
Anne's attention but dead set on avoiding her intentions. Anne logs onto the simulation website as
the character Evening Star, Knot Eyes fiance by arrangement. She intuits that her professor is
playing Knot Eye in the sim. She cleverly has her way with him in cyberspace. However, while
Weathers/Knot Eye is fooling with Anne/ Evening Star the evil genius, Blackman, adopts the
persona of One Death and sets out to harvest Knot Eye into the underworld of Xibalba. The plot
twists, turns, mutates and permutates in many of the expected ways of the contemporary thriller.
As
usual, not all of those turns are wholly satisfactory, but Weather's/Knot Eyes re- enactment of the
hero twins besting of the Lords of the Underworld in a ball game match is a brilliant stroke. Even
better are the vignettes of Maya life. If while wandering through, say, the Nunnery at Uxmal you
ever wondered what happened when the west wing was dedicated, a scene from this book will
answer this and other such question better than any text I can point to. Here's what happens in the
text. Knot Eye takes a stingray spine, perforates his penis and catches the blood on strips of paper
that are then ignited. Knot Eye watches the smoke roll heavenward, glaze eyed and hallucinating
from the pain, yearning for a prophetic clue for his conduct as head of state. Or say, you get
behind
some of the reconstructed temples at say Copan and are see workman squatting among the
carefully
stacked and marked facade stones. They are eating tortillas and listening to a transistor radio, and
you wonder what the original Maya workers ate and heard. Xibalba's Gate will provide an
answer.
There are puzzling lapses of fact in the text. For instance, the glossary lists Calakmul as a site in
southern Belize - it actually is located in southern Campeche, Mexico on the border of the Peten,
Guatemala, and Temple One at Tikal is said to be the highest pyramid in the Maya world; it's not
even the highest at Tikal. Hopefully, these and other similar gaffes will be edited out in subsequent
editions, but the important thing is the glimpse of the Maya world the reader can get nowhere else
that I know of. Even if some of those reconstructions are a bit skewed - and every thing is a bit
skewed - there is no better way for an interested amateur (and perhaps even professional)
Mayanist
to get a look at the Maya at the height of their glory just before the lights winked out in the
central
lowlands in the 9th century of the present era.
The Third Son
T.L. Vance
iUniverse, Inc
2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68512
ISBN: 0595346049, $24.95, 468 pages
Tami Brady
Reviewer
Kellson Berkley (Kells) is completely stressed out. His job is hectic and his migraines are
becoming
his closest companion. Even a month long vacation in Costa Rica doesn't seem to help Kells
outlook
on life. Upon his return, he realizes that things are about to get much worse.
While Kells was away, his friend Bryant invited his latest fianc‚e Cydney Nash to move into Kells'
apartment. Bryant then suddenly made a quick retreat to Italy to spend time with another woman
leaving Cydney with a bunch of broken promises and lame excuses. At first, Kells believes the
situation is going to be a huge hassle. Unfortunately, Cydney isn't half the irritation that Kells
expected. In fact, she's quickly turning into his best friend and maybe even a little more as the two
are drawn together by common interests, a love of adventure, and a feeling of easiness. This could
get really complicated.
The Third Son has a good deal of drama and romance but is based upon a firm foundation of
friendship, common interests, and respect. Unlike a lot of the whirlwind romances in other
romance
novels, the romance in this book is much more realistic, more complex, and more likely to create
a
lasting true love affair. This is a true love affair that we can all dream of and attain, even if we
aren't
the rich boy or the beauty pageant winner.
In 2003, True West Magazine named Lucia St. Clair Robson the year's Best Living Western
Historical Novelist, "combining a historian's knowledge of facts with a novelist's understanding of
the human condition. As a result," the article continues, "she's able to transport her readers to a
world that is so real, they can smell the sweat."
This aptly sums up her latest effort, Shadow Patriots, where Robson has left the West behind to
explore the terrain of colonial America during the Revolutionary War. The story revolves around
one of George Washington's key spy operations, called The Culper Ring, and the crucial
participation of "355" (code word for "lady"), a female spy whose true identity has remained a
mystery.
The Darby family lives in Philadelphia. They are Quakers, and as per the precepts of their religion,
do not fight or take sides in armed conflicts. This is a period of tumult, however, in which one is
branded either a patriot or a loyalist. Siblings Kate and Seth Darby, both young adults, realize
they
can't continue to stand at the sidelines. Seth slips away by night to go serve his fledgling country
in
the army. Kate, at seventeen, is more rational and pragmatic than her hotheaded younger brother.
But soon circumstances force her to confront the temptations and intrigue lurking outside her
door.
In addition to the lure of the patriot cause, there's the winsome British Major, John Andre - a
hugely
appealing character brought to vivid life by Robson's pen - who is temporarily posted in her family
home. And then there's the more mysterious but frustratingly shy Rob Townsend who catches her
eye, and she his. Through Rob and her brother Seth, Kate grows more deeply involved in the
country's struggle for independence. Espionage, secret codes and invisible ink messages lead to
ever
greater danger and drama during this decisive period in American history.
Robson, whose work includes the 1982 bestseller Ride the Wind, now in its 17th printing, has
made
a name for herself in writing authentic historical fiction. Her background - a Master's degree in
Library Science - supports her extensive research efforts (up to 300 sources per project). While
only
a quarter of that research may show up on the finalized page, the other three-quarters lends
authority to the author's voice. Occasionally a gesture or statement would cause me to wonder,
would that really happen then? Did Quakers treat their black servants with such warm familiarity
and
affection? Were the women of that era really so bawdy and earthy, often wearing nothing at all
beneath their hoop skirts? Did mice truly find a home in some of the powdered wigs? Robson's
clear
command of her subject tells me, yes, these are all accurate, and she put them in precisely because
they were quirky, true and noteworthy.
Reading Shadow Patriots is like paging through a fascinating history book, with characters such
as
George Washington, Benedict Arnold and Alexander Hamilton springing to life in a visceral
fashion
unparalleled by any nonfiction on the same subject. The reader learns how people dressed, spoke,
and what colonial Philadelphia and New York looked and smelled like (the answer: dirty and
stinky).
Each description both moves the story forward and offers us a whimsical history lesson. The
American encampment at Valley Forge, for example, is brilliantly depicted.
"The engineers had marked out the arrangement of huts by companies, battalions, and brigades,
but
their efforts looked more like wreckage than construction. The temporary quarters of dugouts,
leantos, and tents were hard to distinguish from the heaps of rubbish. No one had completed the
first
log hut, and the soldiers dragged the timbers across the survey lines, churning the ground into icy
mud."
Robson shines particularly in her descriptions of people, be it the maccaronis - trendy men with
foot-high wigs, lace and face powder, or the general population with their dirty homespun
smocks,
manure-caked boots and missing teeth.
"Mary Ludwig Hayes looked as if someone had thrown her clothes on with a pitchfork. Her
pinned-up skirt revealed a man's boots and stout ankles in wool stockings that she described as
more
holey than righteous. Her hair rioted around the ruffled bottom of the dirty linen mob cap. In
Mary's
case, mob was an apt name for it."
Few words are wasted in this novel - it's a veritable treasure trove of interesting, pertinent history.
This, however, leads to my one complaint. So much information in a short space proved
overwhelming. In the first thirty-six pages, characters from history are fired at the reader like
cannonballs: George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Rob Townsend, New York mayor David
Matthews, Hercules Mulligan, William Cunningham, Benjamin Tallmadge, Nathan Hale, General
William Howe, Elizabeth Loring. They were all well-drawn, but I felt myself flailing, unsure of
who
was to become a key character. By chapter four, when the reader meets Kate and Seth Darby, the
story begins to settle into place. Had I known my Revolutionary War history, I might have better
appreciated the historical characters' presence in the story.
The book's flaws, however, are minor compared to its virtues. As accurate, lively, historical
fiction,
this book succeeds wildly, and as such, I would highly recommend it to fans of that genre. To
others, I'd still recommend it. But you might want to dust off your history book first.
This review first appeared in Peace Corps Writers (July 2005 issue)
Lance Armstrong's War
Daniel Coyle
Harper Collins
ISBN: 0060734973 $25.95 336 pages
Terry Mathews
Reviewer
Recommendation: *****
I am an avid fan, but not a rider with any inside information about the workings of a cycling team,
be
it a weekend recreational group or one as sharply honed as Team Discovery.
So, it was with great interest that I picked up LANCE ARMSTRONG'S WAR. Had read IT'S
NOT
ABOUT THE BIKE and EVERY SECOND COUNTS...even read RAISING LANCE,
RAISING
ME by Lance's mom. Still wasn't expecting to get such a schooling as Daniel Coyle provides in his
up close and personal look at the life and times of Lance Armstrong.
Armstrong and his team granted Coyle almost unlimited access to every aspect of Lance's life -- a
feat in and of itself -- during the months leading up to last year's TdF. While Coyle sometime
seems
to be a little over impressed with LA's main squeeze Sheryl Crow, his focus on the energy it takes
to
BE Lance Armstrong pretty much stays on course.
Like I said, I was schooled in the art of being a professional bike rider.
(1) I knew Lance and his tightly knit team were into control, but I had no idea how seriously they
need to be in control. Being a newbie to the strategies of the peleton, I was not aware how
carefully
they selected just who got to "stay in the breakaways" each day.
(2) Coyle taught me about Lance's relationship and reliance upon Dr. Michele Ferrari, convicted
on
doping charges.
(3) I learned about the motivation of author David Walsh (LA CONFIDENTIAL) who truly
believes
Lance is a doper. It's not all about the dope.
(4) Don't think for even an instant that you can put one over on Lance...like, for example, Filippo
Simeoni, a whiner who has branded Lance a doper and who tried to break away during a stage in
2004.
Lance went on the attack and hunted Simeoni down...then Lance flew on up to the front eight
riders
on the breakaway and said, "If he stays, I'm staying," meaning my team will be up here in just a
minute and we'll ride your legs off. The eight leaders yelled at Simeoni to get the heck outta
there...and he did. When Lance got back to the peleton, several members cheered him...and jeered
Simeoni, whose humiliation was complete.
and
(5) I learned that once burnt, Lance does not looks back. He seems to be devoid of sentimentality.
Screw with him, his team, his family or his reputation, and you're not only gone, you're
forgotten.
The only surprise of the book was Coyle's near disdain for Linda Armstrong Kelly. To me, his
portrait of her was one-dimensional and really comes close to cartoonish. I can't believe he spent
much time with her. My bet is Coyle wasn't raised by a southern belle like Linda Armstrong Kelly.
Nobody gets between a southern boy and his mama. Wonder how that chapter sat with
Lance.
Other than his handling of "the mom," Coyle's easy-going style is light, lively and
entertaining.
If you've ever ridden a bike around your neighborhood or even watched a stage or two of the
wonder they call the Tour de France, you might do well to spend a few hours reading LANCE
ARMSTRONG'S WAR. It's a whole other universe. Enjoy!
Atwood's Bookshelf
Charlie's Notes: A Memoir
Cherie Kerr
ExecuProv Press
809 N. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701
ISBN: 0964888270 $14.95
Cherie Kerr's memoir of her father Carluchi (Charlie) DePietro is "a true American story" in every
sense of the phrase. It is a book about the aspirations of turn-of-the-century European
immigrants, it
is a book about the hopes and dreams of their children, and it is a book about the American love
affair with popular music and the silver screen.
Charlie was born in upstate New York to Italian immigrants Francesca and Eugene DePietro.
When
it becomes apparent to Francesca that Eugene will never provide her with the lavish lifestyle she
craves, she emerges as the story's monster, forcing her five-year-old daughter into virtual slavery
(to
make up for the servants they couldn't afford) and taking every opportunity to make her husband
and family miserable.
Eugene, a hardworking tailor, endured his miserable marriage by losing himself in his work, his
music and his children. He instilled a love for music into his children, especially in his two eldest
boys, Charlie and Joe, providing them with violin lessons, encouraging them to practice for hours
a
day, and proudly tailoring little suits for them to wear at their radio debut.
When the story isn't overdosing on the horrors inflicted by Francesca, it focusses on Charlie's
growing passion for music, which, during his adolescence, begins to take a decidedly jazzy turn.
He
and his brother Joe play in a local band where Marge, Charlie's future wife, joins them. The
couple
eventually migrates to California where Charlie, now playing guitar and string bass, pursues his
musical dreams in earnest.
He attains a certain amount of success in Tinseltown, landing background musician roles in
dozens
of films and playing at private parties, rubbing elbows with such luminaries as Bob Hope, Jack
Benny, George Burns, and John Wayne. In a scene that is arguably the book's most dramatic,
Charlie gets a insider's glimpse of Judy Garland's powerful artistry when the singer, obviously
drugged out and inebriated at one of her own parties, is miraculously able to belt out a powerful
rendition of the then-new song,"The Man That Got Away" before wobbling back to her table. The
song's lyricist, Ira Gershwin, could be seen nearby, silently weeping.
Although Charlie never pursued his dreams at the expense of his family, Hollywood's glitter seems
to
have gotten into the eyes of his memorist daughter, who occasionally seems to exaggerate the star
qualities of her parents. When her "sultry and sexy and stunning" mother, Marge, was first
observed
dancing by her father, she "appeared as spunky as Claudette Collberte, as sumptuous as Marlene
Dietrich and as stylish as Mary Pickford." Charlie, while desperately maneuvering through a
crowded room to meet this combination of female stars, ostensibly "looked like Fred Astaire,
zigzagging his way on his toes." Charlie's own good looks which apparently "reeked of sexuality,"
once made Elizabeth Taylor do a double-take which "indicated she obviously found him dazzling."
It's hard to know just what Ms. Taylor was thinking, but it's obvious that Kerr has stars in her
eyes;
at times some of her inferences seem a bit over the top.
Kerr is a tremendously detailed writer and she occasionally gives more detail than necessary (I
didn't
really want to read an entire paragraph describing Francesca's huge, middle-aged, misshapen
breasts)
but when she focuses on Charlie's passion for and pursuit of music, this attention to detail
provides
for a tremendous sense of time and place and makes her writing almost cinematic, quite
appropriate
for a book largely set in Hollywood. Her wonderful storytelling ability pulls the reader in until
we're
so involved with Charlie's "notes" that we are whole-heartedly rooting for him to achieve his
dreams.
Did he achieve them? He didn't become a household name, but if he wanted to live a life dedicated
to music, he most definitely achieved his goal. His story, just like a beautifully written song, will
linger long in the mind of the reader.
Writing Home
Cindy La Ferle
Hearth Stone Books
Self-Reliance Press
1525 Vinsetta Blvd., Royal Oak, MI 48067
ISBN: 0923568638 $16.95
(a portion of all proceeds will be donated to homeless shelters in Oakland County, MI)
One of author Cindy La Ferle's prized possessions is a card which reads, "The sacred is in the
ordinary. It is found in one's daily life - in friends, family, and neighbors; in one's own backyard."
These words summate the theme of her enchanting collection of essays, "Writing Home." Culled
from previously published essays and newspaper columns, the diverse subjects covered in her
book
share a common thread: the joy and wonder that can be discovered in the every day.
Divided into topical chapters, the book's broad range of topics includes a neighborhood squirrel
who
found his way into La Ferle's heart ("Willie"), a humorous discussion of household labor ("A
Woman's Place?), and musical memories that centers on an ungainly, presently unwanted piano
("The Family Piano"). La Ferle is a working mother, so the chapter entitled "Child Care" contain
especially poignant and insightful essays. Because she's a baby boomer, her essays included in the
chapter entitled "Older and Wiser" also ring humorously true.
She is clearly domestic and yet modern enough to be slightly embarrassed by the fact: in the essay
entitled "Domestic Diva Comes Clean" she lets us know (blushingly) that she's into hearth and
home.
But her love for domesticity goes deeper than making soup, banana bread, and keeping her house
clean (things she's quite good at); she is able to articulate a clear philosophy on the subject. In her
essay entitled "Puttering," she defines this homey activity as "a way of clarifying life's myriad
details,
especially when it's done with reverence for the objects at hand. It's an opportunity to reconsider
what we most enjoy in our homes, and to make a mental list of what we like to edit later."
At times, I wished some of the essays were longer; the subjects she covers are so interesting and
valuable, it seems a shame that they were hindered by a seemingly arbitrary word count. But there
it
is: little gems of wisdom from a modern working woman who has a valuable and interesting
philosophy on life.
My Father's War
Paul West
McPherson & Company
P.O. Box 1126, Kingston, NY 12402
ISBN: 0929701755 $24.00 187 pages
For writer Paul West, the connections between the two world wars of the last century transcend
the
likes of a train car at Compiegne and a Bavarian private named Adolph Hitler. West's connections
are personal, powerful memories of a one-eyed father, maimed in the "Great War," playing war
games with his son while Nazi planes regularly bombed a nearby English town. West's father,
forever transformed by "his war," was an enigma and mystery to West; My Father's War is his
attempt to work out that mystery.
As West seeks to assemble the puzzle pieces at his disposal, a beautiful and moving portrait of his
father emerges: a teenager issuing from the mud and blood of WWI trenches who became a
respected veteran never quite comfortable with peacetime. His discomfort with post-war life far
surpassed his frequent unemployment due to his war-damaged eye. When other Englishmen were
hiding in their homes with their curtains drawn during Nazi air raids, West's father would go
outside
to watch the planes, partly because he had come to admire the Germans while gunning them down
on European battlefields and partly because, as West relates, he was "going after some sullen
undesirable beauty he must first have seen from the trenches." Beauty in the trenches? Yes. It was
there that "he had found men at their noblest." He never stopped longing for that beauty but it
almost completely evaded him during his civilian life. That is, until the outbreak of the second
world
war: then, for a few years, he embraced the beauty of his old war with a salute to the new. He
began
to teach his pre-adolescent son soldering through war games.
Is it possible that the senior West played war with his son in order to prepare him for real
warfare?
Possibly. No one knew how long World War II would last. But perhaps the more likely reason
was
that "the only busyness he regarded as genuine toil was soldering. All the rest, which is to say
life's
work, he regarded as frippery, trivia." He was first and last, a soldier.
The book is comprised of a series of essays, some previously published, written in novelist West's
inimitable prose which is so lyrical at times, it occasionally threatens to leave earth (and some
readers) behind. In the chapter entitled "An Extraordinary Mildness," West describes his father's
later years in terms of a certain lightness of existence: "almost all the woes of the human condition
[were] floating away from him, although ascending with him toward the nullity that, compared
with
his post-mortem paradises, was the merest tincture of slightness." Excellent prose? Well, yes.
Slightly incomprehensible? Definitely.
If West's writing sometimes aviates into clouds of rarified incomprehensibility, it also (and
usually)
soars into prose of pure gold. Ruminating on Hitler's reticence to invade England, West opines:
"If
only Hitler the knowitall had followed through, brushing aside the popguns and Robin Hood pikes
along with the remnants of the British army, we would all have been goners; but by then he was
lusting eastward toward Mother Russia and "Uncle Joe," and my father and I had joined the
survivors in the street, crisp with our sense of reprieve." West exhibits his formidable descriptive
skills while watching his father watch American bombers returning from the mainland: "Not a
bomber left its place on this return trip as the crews, with the correct bustle and protocol of
bombing
left behind, tuned in to swing music on the American Forces Network, chewed fresh gum, and
over
the sea slung out their machine guns and other gubbins to lighten the load."
Was West was able, at last, to completely understand his father? The emotive center of his book
focuses not on the mystery solved but the journey through it. Whether writing in convoluted or
golden prose, West has succeeded in piecing together a very moving account of his father, an
eternal
soldier, discovered by his son between two wars.
Kathryn J. Atwood
Reviewer
Bethany's Bookshelf
A Fresh Vision of Jesus
Cheri Fuller
Revell
c/o Baker Book House
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
0800758536 $12.99 www.revellbooks.com
Award-winning author Cheri Fuller presents A Fresh Vision of Jesus: Timeless Ways to
Experience
Christ, a simple reminder of the importance of forging a closer relationship with God and Jesus
despite the hectic bustle of daily life that pulls one's thoughts away from the sacred. Revealing the
many ways in which God demonstrates his presence, A Fresh Vision of Jesus stresses that one
should search for a personal vision or encounter with Jesus, in order to transform one's life. A
deeply
inspirational and spiritual book, written especially as an antidote to the increasingly rushed and
worldly demands of the changing times.
The Last Word And The Word After That
Brian McLaren
Jossey-Bass, Inc.
DeChant Huges Associates (publicity)
989 Market Street, 5th floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
0787975923 $21.95 1-800-225-5945 www.josseybass.com www.anewkindofchristian.com
The Last Word And The Word After That: A Tale of Faith, Doubt, And A New Kind Of
Christianity
by Brian McLaren (Founding Pastor of nondenominational Cedar Ridge Community Church)
challenges Christians to rethink their assumptions about hell while offering a new understanding
of
God's justice and mercy. The sequel to "A New Kind of Christian" and "The Story We Find
Ourselves In", The Last Word And The Word After That is written in the style of a narrative
novel
but focuses on a discourse about what hell really is and how Christians conceive of it.
Conventional
doctrine is all too quick to portray God as a sociopath, loving one minute and vicious the next.
Through soul-searching dialogues, the characters of The Last Word And The Word After That
debunk common misperceptions of the depiction of hell in Scripture - many of its fiery notions
actually come from the poets Dante and John Milton, and hell is not revealed in the Old
Testament;
it is first mentioned by Jesus. A challenging, emotional, and faithfully resonant examination of
belief,
what it means, and new ways of understanding divine justice, punishment, and the problem of
evil.
Bless The Lord: The 103rd Psalm
Jonathan Bluedorn
Trivium Pursuit
PMB 168, 429 Lake Park Boulevard, Muscatine, Iowa 52761
1933228024 $14.00 1-309-537-3641 www.triviumpursuit.com
Creating thirty original illustrations, artist Johannah Bluedorn offers a compelling vision of family
life
and the joy of being a child as exemplified through the words of the 103rd Psalm that begins with
"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name." A self-taught,
homeschooled artist who won her first art prize at age 14 and published her first book at age 17,
Johannah Bluedorn has a unique and detailed style that perfectly showcases each individual verse
of
the Psalm with portraits of "sumptuous simplicity" that includes farm and wild animals celebrating
the bounty of nature, the beauty of family, the blessedness of God's provision, and the benefits of
His
protecting hand. The result is an acclaimed and highly recommended children's picture book
making
the King James Version of Psalm 103 wonderfully accessible and understandable to a new
generation of children. Also very highly recommended is Johannah Bluedorn's children's Psalm
based
picture book, The Lord Builds The House: The 127th Psalm (0974361615, $12.00).
Celebrating the Rest of Your Life
David Yount
Augsburg Publishers
100 Fifth Street, Suite 700, Minneapolis, MN 55402-1210
0806651717 $12.99 1-800-328-4648 www.augsburgbooks.com
Theologist and syndicated columnist David Yount presents Celebrating the Rest of Your Life: A
Baby Boomer's Guide To Spirituality, a matter-of-fact guide to opening one's eyes to the future,
considering both practical matters such as making financial safeguards, and matters of the soul,
including the intimidating task of making peace with one's mortality and eventual death.
Encouraging the reader to accept God's grace in order to more fully experience the richness of
life,
Celebrating the Rest of Your Life is a profound yet plain-spoken testimonial sure to resonate with
readers regardless of individual faith. Highly recommended.
God Thought Of You
Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones & Jennifer Johnson Haywood
Morehouse Publishing
4775 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112
0819219878 $16.95 1-800-877-0012 www.morehousepublishing.com
An Episcopal priest, Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones has collaborated with artist/illustrator Jennifer
Johnson Haywood in God Thought Of You, a picturebook introduction for your children into
their
relationship with God. "Before God created the world / you were in God's mind / God thought of
you and loved you / from the beginning / Before God created the world / God knew that / you
would be a child of God". God Thought Of You is not denomination-specific, and embraces a
positive, uplifting, and loving view of God. The beautiful, watercolor-style illustrations show
young
African-American children among the many other creations of God - moon, sun, stars, and
animals.
A deeply heartwarming and spiritually uplifting picturebook written especially to show young
people
that we are all children of the living God.
What God Really Said
Betty Gannon-Bar
Noble House
c/o American Literary Press
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
1561678805 $14.95 1-800-873-2003 www.americanliterarypress.com
What God Really Said is a thoughtful analysis of the Bible, as revealed to legal assistant and
grandmother Betty Gannon- Bar. The chapters consist of scriptural verses and their meaning
spelled
out in plain terms and modern language. For example, 11 Thess: 1:11 "Wherefore also we pray
always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling" is interpreted as "Wherefore
we also pray always for you, that our God would find you suitable, deem you fit and count you
worthy." Many of the chapters are quite brief, perhaps only a few pages, paragraphs or verses
long.
A simple guide deeply infused with the author's vision, passion, and faith.
Earth Trek: Celebrating and Sustaining God's Creation is a deeply spiritual, week-by-week guide
to
simple ways in which ordinary people can meditate, reflect upon, and take individual action
concerning major environmental issues, for moral, spiritual, and ecological benefit. Divided into
seven sections reflecting the seven days in which God created all there is, Earth Trek includes
such
recommendations as removing shoes before entering one's apartment to reduce dust, lead, and
pesticide imprints; writing letters to elected representatives about serious environmental issues;
organize a carpooling program; consider population issues when planning one's family; and much
more. Prayers for meditation, brief discussions of a wide variety of environmental issues,
questions
for discussion and reflection, and more round out this deeply spiritual guide that balances
reflection
upon the divine with immediate beneficial actions to take in the material world.
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Betsy's Bookshelf
The 1st American Cookie Lady
Barbara Swell
Native Ground Books & Music
109 Bell Road, Asheville, NC 28805-1521
1883206499 $12.95 1-800-752-2656 www.nativeground.com
The 1st American Cookie Lady: Recipes from a 1917 Cookie Diary offers all 208 recipes of Anna
"Cookie" Covington, first recorded between 1917 and 1920. Classic and tasty cookie recipes
range
from Sand Tarts to Snickerdoodles, Fig Bars, Coconut Jumples, Maple Brandy Snaps and more.
In
addition , The 1st American Cookie Lady offers a host of fascinating cookie trivia tidbits,
including
vintage art and photographs, baking superstitions, the story of women's suffrage and cookies,
cookie
poems, WW I food shortage recipes, and much more. An excellent dessert cookbook filled with
recipes that survive the test of time with flying colors.
Come Around If You Want
Jillian Brasch, OTR
Seven Locks Press
3100 West Warner Avenue, Suite 8, Santa Ana, CA 92704
1931643636 $17.95 1-800-354-5348 www.sevenlockspublishing.com
Occupational therapist Jillian Brach, whose experience includes teaching art to AIDS patients and
leading bereavement groups, presents Come Around If You Want, a collection of true stories of
seventeen dying patients with whom she worked. Written give caregivers insights, strength,
emotional tools, and advice to meet the emotional, psychological, and spiritual challenges the
dying
must face, Come Around If You Want presents its tails with honesty, and the will to transcend the
overwhelming fear of death with an expectant understanding of the importance of human
relationships at all stages of life. The power of trust and intimacy are paramount in Come Around
If
You Want, a very highly recommended guide to prepare oneself for sharing the journey of a
terminally ill or dying person.
Antinomy
Lucian M. Whyte
Florida Academic Press, Inc.
PO Box 540, Gainesville, FL 32602-0540
189035712X $29.95 www.amazon.com
Antinomy: A Union of Mind is an extraordinary blend of fiction and philosophy. Antinomy
revolves
around two characters without names: the Other, who experiences difference, rejection, and
learning
through suffering; and the One, who experiences understanding, bliss, and cultivates a firm and
holistic character. Act Two observes the descent of One and experience with human needs. The
final
act reveals the Divine Mind through a conversation between the One and the Other, who both
understand their mutual dependence. An impressive and thought-provoking debut novel of
complementary states of mind and being from a philosophy and literature student of eighteen
years'
experience.
Journey Through Japan
Hans H. Kruger
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
0804836396 $29.95 www.tuttlepublishing.com
Hans Kruger's engagingly informative text is massively illustrated with more than 180 full color
photographs illustrating diverse facets of the Japanese urban and rural landscapes, people, and
artifacts in Journey Through Japan, a superbly written and presented travelogue of the diverse
islands of the eastern coast of Asia that comprise the modern nation of Japan. Here presented for
the
armchair traveler is a survey of high technology and urban development, side-by-side with
primitive
folk festivals and ancient landscapes. Entertaining, informative, and thoroughly "reader friendly",
Journey Through Japan truly lives up to its title and is especially recommended for community
library collections.
Religions of the World: Shinto
George Williams
Chelsea House Publishers
2080 Cabot Boulevard West, Suite 201, Langhorne, PA 19047-1813
www.chelseahouse.com
0791083551 $11.95 1-800-848-2665
Part of the scholarly and educational Religions of the World series, Religions of the World: Shinto
offers an introduction and close examination of Japan's indigenous religion. Shinto defies simple
categorization; it involves the worship of kami, which can be translated as gods, nature spirits, or
spiritual presences. Yet kami are not seen as fully transcendent deities, but rather as that which is
called down into our world. There is no place or person deemed the most holy, nor is there a set
dogma, and the rituals and festivals connected to Shinto simply preach harmony with nature and
people. Unlike Buddhism, Shinto focuses upon creating happiness within life, not the hereafter.
Author George Williams, Emeritus Professor of Religion at California State University, Chico, is
well-versed upon Japanese religion as his numerous published articles attest. Religions of the
World:
Shinto discusses sacred depths perceived in sound, story, action, space, time, and the ruler, and
reflects upon the Shinto's presence and role in modern-day Japan and the world. Black-and-white
illustrations enhance this plain terms resource accessible to lay readers and scholars alike, which
gives an excellent grounding in the complexity and worldview perceptions of Shinto.
The Harder They Fall
Gary Stromberg & Jane Merrill
Hazeldon Press
PO Box 176, Center City, MN 55012-0176
1592851568 $21.95 1-800-328-0094 www.hazeldon.org
The collaborative work of Gary Stromberg & Jane Merrill, The Harder They Fall: Celebrities Tell
Their Real-Life Stories Of Addiction And Recovery is a compendium of autobiographical
accounts
of self-help and recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction told by a range of readily recognized
men and women who range from singer and songwriter Paul Williams, to comedian Richard
Pryor,
to actor Malcom McDowell, to musician Alice Cooper, to U.S. Congressman Jim Ramstad, and
sixteen others. All of these stories are revealed with candor, insight, humor, humility, and hope.
The
Harder They Fall is a unique anthology and should be available to everyone (especially those
struggling with their own addictions) in the community through their local public library.
Full-Body Flexibility
Jay Blahnik
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
0736041508 $17.95 1-800-747-4457 www.HumanKinetics.com
Athletes stretch before and after exercise sessions in order to warm up their muscles, prevent
injuries, and cool down after their exertions. Personal trainer and fitness educator Jay Blahnik
blends
the best of yoga, Pilates, martial arts, and sports training in Full-Body Flexibility to create "user
friendly" stretching sequences that anyone can safely use for warm-ups and cool-downs, as well as
during the course of performing challenging workouts on their own. Blahnik operates with three
key
stretching principles in mind: Variety (challenging muscles with multiple techniques to attain
maximum flexibility); Strength (ensuring that muscles can support the body throughout the entire
range of motion); and Balance (developing equal strength and flexibility in opposing muscle
groups
on both sides of the human body). Offering 10, 20, and 40 minute fitness routines; sport-specific
sequences; and specialty stretch sequences, Full-Body Flexibility is an ideal and recommended
introduction for even the most novice of beginners, while also holding much of value for even the
more experienced athlete and fitness enthusiast.
Betsy L. Hogan
Reviewer
Bob's Bookshelf
Lullaby and Goodnight
Wendy Corsi Staub
Pinnacle
0786016426 $6.99 383 pp.
Peyton Somerset is eagerly awaiting her first child. As the 39 year old moves into the final term of
her pregnancy, she is convinced something isn't quite right. It's not a physical problem but
something
far more sinister. Someone has broken into her apartment and Peyton is convinced she's being
stalked. It appears that someone is set upon making sure, one way or another, the expectant
mother
either doesn't give birth or doesn't keep her infant. Either way, it's a frightening situation.
Suspense writer Wendy Corsi Staub is skilled at taking her reader to the edge of his seat and
keeping
him there for most of the novel. Hang-on, for once again she's going to keep you flipping pages
into
the wee hours of the morning with this latest thriller.
O'Rourke's Revenge
L.J. Martin
Pinnacle
0786017007 $5.99 285 pages
The western novel is alive and well as the debut of this new series illustrates. The O'Rourke clan
from the Emerald Isle have made their mark in the southwest. Ryan O'Rourk has just survived a
stay
in Arizona's infamous Territorial Penitentiary and he's bent on seeking vengeance on those who
sent
him there.
When his Irish temper and flashing six shooter get him sent back to prison before he can met out
his
brand of frontier "justice", the fiery gunslinger needs some family assistance. Now his people have
to
break him out of jail so he can complete the job and make it clear no one crosses an
O'Rourke.
Although it may not exactly be "your father's (or grandfather's) cowboy yarn", Martin's version of
the classic western has all the essential components for a riveting read. If you hanker for a little
action that involves a quick draw, comely women, and action on horseback grab a copy pf
"O'Rourke's Revenge" and take it for a test ride!
Code Name: Kill Zone
William Johnstone
Pinnacle
0786016892 $5.99 256 pages
When a Colombian drug lord pays off enough politicians so that he can transform a section of the
country into a new nation called Pangea there's good reason for concern in the U.S. As the ruler
of
Pangea , Luis Mendoza will be beholding to no one and cocaine will be his nation's main
export.
Enter John Barrone and his clandestine strike force. Their mission is as simple as it is dangerous
and
deadly. Go in and take out "El Presidente" and the rest of his cartel.
Johnstone's "Code Name" series has struck a positive cord with readers of fast paced, violent
espionage novels. He has the formula down pat and delivers an action filled story. It won't win
any
literary awards but "Kill Zone" will provide a couple of hours of mindless entertainment.
Bob Walch
Reviewer
Buhle's Bookshelf
100 Great Things About Texas
Glenn Dromgoole
State House Press
McMurray Station, Box 637, Abilene, TX 79697-0637
1880510960 $6.95 1-800-421-3378
100 Great Things About Texas is an enjoyable, pocket-sized trivia book filled with 100 "did you
know?" tidbits about what makes the great state of Texas different. Some of the great things are
based solidly on fact ("Texas still has the right to divide into five states. But if we did that we
wouldn't be Texas"); some are historical lore ("The Texas Rangers trace their history back to
1823.
Stephen F. Austin called them 'Rangers' because they ranged over such a wide territory protecting
colonists"); and still others are a more subjective matter of opinion ("No matter what state you're
traveling to, you're practically there once you cross the Texas state line"). A lighthearted,
gung-ho,
unabashedly pro-Texas little book, ideal as a welcome gift for Texas visitors or a souvenir for
tourists.
Building Sustainable Peace
Tom Keating and W. Andy Knight, editors
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
0888644140 $30.00 www.uap.ualberta.ca
Building Sustainable Peace is an anthology of essays by learned contributors focusing on the
complex problem of reconstructing and building a sustainable peace, particularly in Afghanistan
and
Iraq but also with an eye for other nations such as West Africa's Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Individual
selections include "Rethinking Humanitarian Intervention", "Praxis versus Policy", "From a
Culture
of Violence to a Culture of Peace", and many more. A serious-minded compilation that blends
philosophy with a coldly practical eye for twentieth and twenty-first century conflicts and acts of
terrorism and genocide. Numerous specific peace-building strategies are exhaustively discussed in
this heavily researched compendium particularly recommended for college libraries, activist
organizations, and political science shelves.
The Science of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Michael Hanlon
Publicity Department
Macmillan
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
1403945772 $24.95 1-888-330-8477 www.macmillanscience.com
Michael Hanlon, one of Britain's most successful and respected science writers, presents The
Science of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a fascinating and completely serious overview of
the real science nestled between the witty humor Douglas Adams' classic science fiction novel,
now
a major motion picture. From discussions about alien life to the possibility of time travel,
teleportation, theories behind parallel worlds, contemplations concerning the existence of God,
The
Science of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy reviews some of the most popular knowledge
conundrums with a lighthearted wit and snappy satire worthy of its title. Written to be accessible
to
readers of all backgrounds - even those who have yet to page through The Hitchhiker's Guide to
the
Galaxy - The Science of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a most entertaining and
thought-provoking companion to Adams' immortal sci-fi comedy.
Cleanroom Microbiology For The Non-Microbiologist
David M. Carlberg
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway, Boca Raton, FL 33487
084931996X $39.95 1-800-272-7737 www.crcpress.com
Now in an expanded and updated second edition that acknowledges key international cleanroom
standards, greater understanding of the role of biofilms in pure water systems, and other
improvements in scientific understanding, Cleanroom Microbiology For The Non-Microbiologist
by
David M. Carlberg (Professor Emeritus, California State University - Long Beach) is specifically
designed and written for the professional who has a pressing interest on the subject, but little or
no
previous training in the area. Chapters discuss basic microbiology and microorganisms, how to
control their growth and activities, cleanroom facilities and personnel controls, and the detection
and
enumeration of microorganisms in the cleanroom. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this
serious-minded guide that presents basic information as thoroughly as possible without straying
into
an excess of technical jargon.
Contagious Success
Susan Lucia Annunzio
Portfolio/Penguin Group
Jane Wesman Public Relations (publicity)
375 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
1591840600 $24.95 1-800-847-5515 www.us.penguingroup.com
Contagious Success: Spreading High Performance Throughout Your Organization by Susan
Lucia
Annunzio (Chairman and CEO of the Hudson Highland Center for High Performance) is based
upon
the first global study conducted on the factors that accelerate high performance in a work
environment. The lessons and invaluable insights learned from this research, some of which defy
conventional wisdom, spell out not only how to create high performance but how to effectively
destroy it. A straightforward do's and don'ts recommendation list, with key tips enumerated in
bullet
points, covering everything from the effects of workgroup size to the extent to which secrets
should
be shared to the nuts and bolts of the study itself and how it was conducted. An excellent resource
for business and task managers looking to create the optimum work environment and flow.
Government in the Future
Noam Chomsky
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
1583226850 $7.95 1-800-596-7437 www.sevenstories.com
Based on a talk Noam Chomsky originally gave at the Poetry Center of New York City in 1970,
Government in the Future is a fierce political manifesto discussing how society should best be
structured to maintain democratic control. Urging fellow intellectuals to rethink the balance of
societal, political, governmental, and corporate power, Government in the Future clearly foresaw
issues that are as critically important today as they were when they loomed over thirty years ago.
Notes point out references to the main speech and indirectly suggest supplementary texts for
readers
interested in learning more. A brief yet motivational and persuasive call to heed the problems of
modern society and take action.
The Little Guide To Your Well-Read Life
Steven Leveen
Levenger Press
420 South Congress Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33445-4696
1929154194 $24.50 1-561-276-2436 www.levengerpress.com
In The Little Guide To Your Well-Read Life: How To Get More Books In Your Life And More
Life Form Your Books, author Steven Leveen shares some of the most effective and personally
rewarding methods he's found for expanding his ability to read into a life-long passion for books
that
are worth his time. Listeners will discover how they can read twelve more books a year -- even if
they think their current schedule won't permit such a luxury. Additionally, The Little Guide To
Your
Well-Read Life addresses such issues as how a personal library should be adapted, adopted, and
organized to accommodate the books the reader wants to read according to his or her choices,
desires, preferences, interests, and favorites. Aspiring bibliophiles will learn how to get a reading
on
a book even before its read, as well as when to give up on a book -- even if it's a classic. Practical,
inspiring, thoughtful and thought-provoking, The Little Guide To Your Well-Read Life is
enthusiastically recommended. Especially for anyone who has felt that there were more books
they
wanted to read than they had time to -- which is every book collector, librarian, and avid reader I
have ever known! 3 discs, 225 minutes, unabridged.
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
Burroughs' Bookshelf
American Cancer Society's Complete Guide To Prostate Cancer
David G. Bostwock, MD, et al.
American Cancer Society
c/o Health Promotions Publishing
1599 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30329
#9652.00 $19.95 1-800-227-2345 www.cancer.org
Collaborative compiled, organized and edited by the team of Doctors David G. Bostwick (Clinical
Professor of Pathology, University of Virginia); E. David Crawford (Associate Director,
University
of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer City, Aurora, Colorado); Celestia S. Higano (Oncology
Specialist, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and Associate Professor, University of Washington
School
of Medicine, Seattle); and Mack Roach III (Professor of Radiation Oncology and Urology,
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco), the American
Cancer
Society's Complete Guide To Prostate Cancer is a single volume compendium providing the
non-specialist general reader with all of the up-to-date information available on prostate cancer.
Included are the latest advances in prevention, early detection, and treatment of prostate cancer;
varied prostate cancer treatments and the decision making process to determine the best one for
the
reader; coping with emotional stresses and potential physical side effects (including incontinence
and
erectile dysfunction); practical issues related to work, finance, and medical care; as well as the
fundamental quality of life issues after treatment, including sexuality and relationships. With
prostate
cancer affecting one in six of American men, with more than a quarter of a million American men
diagnosed with prostate cancer, the American Cancer Society's Complete Guide To Prostate
Cancer
is a vitally important addition to every community library Health/Medicine reference collection in
the
country.
Snakes Of The Americas
Bob L. Tipton
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
157524215X $94.50 1-800-724-0025 www.krieger-publishing.com
Snakes Of The Americas: Checklist And Lexicon is a book/CD combination compiled and written
by
herpetologist Bob L. Tipton that provides a single volume comprehensive checklist of all known
snakes found in North American, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. This
seminal
work also serves as a lexicon listing all the common names (in several languages) of these snakes.
The information covers the subspecies level, as well as citations and distribution information. The
lexicon (on an easy-to-use, searchable, compact disk) includes common names in English,
Spanish,
Portuguese, Guarani, and other languages of the Americas, along with references. An extensive
bibliography is included. A superb work of impeccable research, expertise, and scholarship,
Snakes
Of The Americas will serve as an indispensable, standard, "user friendly" reference for
professional
herpetologists and is especially recommended as a core addition to all academic library reference
collections.
Jannaway's Mutiny
Charles Gidley Wheeler
iUniverse, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
Avalon Marketing & Communications (publicity)
1193 - 392nd Road, Utica, NE 68456
0595339565 $18.95 www.iuniverse.com
Jannaway's Mutiny is an historical novel based on the September 1931 mass mutiny at
Invergordon,
Scotland, by sailors of the Royal Navy's Atlantic Fleet. Frank Jannaway is a British sailor who
finds
himself at the center of the mutiny where the stakes are high -- and the penalties are higher still.
Author Charles Gidley Wheeler is a former Royal Navy Pilot and brings a special expertise to
creating a vivid and totally engaging story that grips the readers attention from first page to last.
Highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to a community library's fiction shelf,
Jannaway's Mutiny is a deftly written action/adventure historical novel that will linger in the
reader's
mind long after the book is placed back upon the shelf.
Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome
Nick Constable
Mercury Books
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
1904668402 $25.00 1-800-758-3756 www.internationalpubmarket.com
Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome is an eye-catching summary of ancient Roman geography,
history,
and visual splendor. Illustrated with full-color photographs of Roman artifacts, architecture, and
maps - including reconstructed maps of the city as it must have once stood - grace this amazing
reference cover to cover. Since it is a historical atlas, the main focus is on geography and maps,
but
references to all aspects of Roman culture and its impact on subsequent civilizations abound. The
text is accessible for lay readers and spells out the course of Roman history from its rise to its
increasingly inevitable fall due to incompetent emperors, a self-serving bureaucracy, and a border
far
larger than its armies could protect. Highly recommended for library and personal history
collections.
U.S. Naval Officers: Their Swords and Dirks
Peter Tuite
Andrew Mowbray Inc., Publishers
PO Box 460, Lincoln, RI 02865
1931464162 $75.00 1-800-999-4697
U.S. Naval Officers: Their Swords and Dirks is a lavish guide especially for weapon collectors.
Full-color photographs present a vast assortment of historical swords, especially featuring the
collection of the United States Naval Academy Museum, and the text narrates the amazing stories
behind these weapons and the brave naval officers who wielded them. Astonishing in its close
scrutiny of every last engraving upon vintage weapons, U.S. Naval Officers: Their Swords and
Dirks
is as appealing to lay readers who enjoy rousing true adventures as it is for weapon
aficionados.
Eyewitness D-Day
D. M. Giangreco with Kathryn Moore
Union Square Press
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
0760750459 $19.95 1-800-805-5489
Eyewitness D-Day: Firsthand Accounts from the Landing at Normandy to the Liberation of Paris
is
a coffee-table book filled cover to cover with testimonies of those who participated in the most
ambitious amphibious military operation in history, and the subsequent crusade to break the Nazi
hold on Europe. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white and a few color photographs, and
packaged with an audio CD of selected eyewitness interviews, Eyewitness D-Day captures the
tumultuous shifts of history from those who miraculously survived. In-depth explanatory sidebars
for
details within the photographs and other nuances that may be unfamiliar to lay readers,
Eyewitness
D-Day is enthusiastically recommended for military historians and casual readers alike.
SEPECAT Jaguar In Action
Glenn Ashley, et al.
Squadron/Signal Publications
1115 Crowley Drive, Carrollton, TX 75011-5010
#1197 $8.02 www.squadron.com
With an informed and informative text by Glen Ashley, and enhanced with illustrations by David
Gebhardt and Darren Glenn, as well as coloring by Don Greer, SEPECAT Jaguar In Action is one
of
the latest additions to the outstanding Squadron/Signal "In Action" series showcasing all aspects
of
fighter aircraft. In this case, its the SEPECAT Jaguar, a fighter jet that gave superb front-line
service
to several national airforces around the world. The plane's origins stem from when England and
France worked closely to produce sever significant Anglo-French aircraft back in the 1960s. As
with
all "In Action" series titles, this 49-page book is replete with historic photography, museum class
artwork, and covers all elements of the plane's design and function. Other recent and highly
recommended "In Action" titles include Bone: B-1 Lancer In Action (#1179); F-15 Eagle In
Action
(#1183); B-2 Spi
