 |
Book Reviews,
Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers |
| Home / Reviewer's
Bookwatch |
Reviewer's Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
The Wounded Spirit
Frank Peretti
Word Publishing
ISBN 0849916739 $9.99
Jean Carroll
Reviewer
Frank Peretti has made a name for himself in the field of Christian fiction ("The Oath," "The
Visitation"). "Time Magazine" called him "The king of the (Christian faith) genre." According to
"Newsweek" ". . .the hottest novels are those by Frank Peretti."
"The Wounded Spirit" is not fiction. The subject of this nonfiction book-- that of being bullied
and teased is one Peretti knows well.
Peretti was born with a medical condition that left him disfigured. Although surgeries "and the
slow miracle of answered prayers" remedied the deformity on his neck and tongue, he suffered the
taunts and physical abuse of classmates throughout school.
In this book Peretti lets the reader inside the mind of a youngster bearing the ceaseless torment of
one who is different.
Barely able to talk as a child, Peretti is now a public speaker. Shortly after the incident at
Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado a tragedy that affected him greatly Peretti
found the courage at an engagement at a "Life on the Edge" conference for youth and their
parents, to speak out about the torments he suffered as a child.
"I was pushed, shoved, thrown, hit, insulted, badgered, manhandled, teased and harassed. . ."
Teachers did little or nothing to ease the constant pain he suffered, the pain he calls that of "the
wounded spirit."
"I believe what happened at Columbine was the result of a wounded spirit," he says. "We now
have in our society myriad young people and adults who have been deeply wounded by the
demeaning word or actions of authority figures." Peretti says the killers were also victims, the
wounded become wounders.
Peretti seems to veer off on a related subject at one point in the book. Referring again to
Columbine, he launches into a discussion about people living by the "misguided notion that truth
is relative, that there are no moral absolutes, that everyone should decide for him-or-herself what
is right and wrong."
He gives an interesting rebuttal to that type of thinking. To the statement, It's wrong to impose
your morals on others!" he response is, Uh. . .pardon me, but when you tell me it's wrong to do
something, aren't you imposing your morals on me?
"There are no absolutes."
His response: That in itself is an absolute statement.
"No one's moral opinion is valid because we all speak from how we've been indoctrinated."
Well, I guess that would apply to you as well, which means what you've just said isn't valid
either.
Peretti's final chapters get back to the problem of bullying, and what can and should be done to
prevent wounded spirits. It is a book worth reading by both parents and educators.
Shepherds Abiding
Jan Karon
Viking Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
ISBN 0670031208 $24.95 288 pages
Colleen Spiro
Reviewer
I was pleasantly surprised. "Shepherds Abiding" is not just another sugary holiday book. The
author, Jan Karon, tells a simple, but beautiful story. It is warm and funny; moving and prayerful.
The characters are real and likable, like next door neighbors. I enjoyed this book so much, I
dreaded reaching the last page.
The story takes place during Advent, in the small town of Mitford in North Carolina. The main
character, Father Tim, a retired Episcopal pastor, comes upon an old neglected nativity set. He
decides to restore it so he can give it to his wife, Cynthia, for Christmas. Not accustomed to
working with his hands, he finds himself enjoying the project and along the way, makes
discoveries about himself, his past and the people he loves.
As we follow Father Tim's progress, we meet other characters struggling with their own hopes
and plans. There is Hope, anxiously waiting for her dreams to come true. Lew, a lonely man with
a secret. And Cynthia, who is working on a surprise of her own.
As the townspeople plan their celebrations and surprises, there are little gifts for the reader as
well. Many times I was so moved by the words or the moment that I had to close the book and
reflect on them.
One of my favorite parts was when Father Tim included in a note to Cynthia something he had
found on the Internet about children defining love: "When someone loves you, the way they say
your name is different. You know your name is safe in their mouth." He ends the note with his
own words: "P.S. He calls His sheep by name, and our names are safe in His mouth."
"Shepherds Abiding" is the eighth installment of the Mitford Years series written by Jan Karon.
The book jacket states that she writes "to give readers an extended family and to applaud the
extraordinary beauty of ordinary lives." Truly a wonderful story for the holidays, this book
accomplishes that and more. The dedication says it best: "To the honor and glory of the Child
Emmanuel, God with Us."
Past: Perfect! Present: Tense!
Julie Donner Andersen
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Rd.,Ste.100, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595274803 $14.95 U.S. 2003 130 pp. www.iuniverse.com
Joyce P. Hale
Reviewer
Past: Perfect! Present: Tense! by Julie Donner Andersen, although written for wives of widowers,
may be enjoyed by women universally. Much of the wisdom and many of the solutions may be
applied to other life situations, though it is invaluable to wives of widowers. It flowed well and
kept one's interest throughout. Her summaries toward the end are lessons in life for everyone.
"Loving and marrying a widow/er is no easy task, especially when you must accept that the man
or woman you have vowed to love and support forever shares his/her heart with someone else.
That, in and of itself, makes all second spouses of the bereaved very brave souls."
Real World Guide To Happiness
Mary Jesse
Hexagon Blue
www.hexagonblue.com
ISBN: 0972995811, $9.95
Judine Slaughter
Reviewer
Description: Advice from a dear friend
How many people can you go to with your troubles, and they always seem to have the right
answers? These people have a bright attitude about life, and their thoughts are a ray of light on
your overcast day. It's not like they got a degree in psychology, but they have earned wisdom
from their life experiences. Now what happens during the times, when you really need their
advice, but you are not able to reach them. If only they could publish the basic points of their
wisdom, then you could pick a piece of their sunshine at your leisure.
"Real World Guide to Happiness" is like that printed piece of wisdom from a dear friend.
Consider the text as "small nuggets collected over time"(pg 9) from someone who has probably
experienced a few troubles, and learned how to find the ray of happiness in spite of them. The
chapters Behavior, Ancillary Factors, Tidbits, and Happy Habits briefly cover many of the trials
that everyone faces once in awhile, with give real world solutions. There's "Having a positive
outlook can definitely improve even the most difficult situation." (pg 41) And, "Charity is an
essential element of happiness." (pg 58) Someone has probably shed these beams of thought on
you before, but oftentimes we need a gentle reminder.
Mary Jesse is a wife and mother of three sons, and has a degree in Electrical Engineering. "Real
World Guide to Happiness" is her labor of love from her passionate belief in everyone's ability to
live a happy, fulfilled, and successful life. I like how she writes about generic problems, such as
giving yourself a break, family, and travel. She touches a wide variety people, because we all have
more of the same experiences, than differences. Although we don't learn about her personal life
events, which gave her this wisdom, I still enjoyed her thoughts on happiness. I recommend "Real
World Guide to Happiness" for those who don't have a shoulder to cry on, and need some
immediate TLC.
Dude Where's My Country
Michael Moore
Warner books, Inc.
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.twbookmark.com
ISBN: 0446532231 $24.95 FPT ($36.95 in Canada)
Kevin Courtney
Reviewer
After an easy 217 pages, Michael Moore's new book "Dude, Where's My Country" manages to
convey a clear message. George Bush is a threat to the world community. The conveniently
planned release has come at a point where most readers are looking for answers and alternatives
to the current political trends. The Rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and
dissention is growing in the international community.
With the success of his last book, the New York Times #1 best seller of 2002 "Stupid White
Men", Michael Moore is filled with confidence and a touch of arrogance with his almost
guaranteed literary success. There is no doubt in the minds of his publishers, AOL TimeWarner,
that money can be made from the millions of hopeful Bush subversives.
Unfortunately, the book reads like a "Liberal Politics for Dummies" but lacks substance and
objectivity. He writes based on personal opinion and frequent tangential ignorance, while using
humor to cover up his ineffective attempt at clearly understanding the issues. Moore knows what
he likes and dislikes, but makes no solid arguments as to why anyone should consider what he is
suggesting.
The overall subject matter is refreshing, and is a positive sign to see that so many people are
interested in his cause, yet it would surely have done the reading public a greater service if Mr.
Moore would have researched his opinions before sending the book to the printing press. The
book resonates as a sloppy, ill-informed, and quickly thrown together attempt at removing
George Bush from the White House; more thought and preparation would be appreciated for next
potential volume, "Pull the Bush from the Roots in 2008".
Mozart's Wife
Juliet Waldron
Infinity Publishing.com
0741406616 $TBA
Jennifer Macaire
Reviewer
There are books that stay with me long after I read them, and Mozart's Wife is one of them.
Written from the viewpoint of Konstanze, Mozart's much maligned wife, the story starts when
she, only a child, first gets a glimpse of the man who will some day be her husband. Then in love
with Aloysia, her older sister, Wolfgang hardly notices Konstanze. But she catches his eye when
she turns fifteen and he seduces and marries her.
I had scant knowledge of Konstanze before reading this book, except for what historians have
written. Juliet uses personal letters and meticulous research to paint a vibrant portrait of a woman
living in the late eighteenth century. The book captures Konstanze's day to day life, her struggles
with everything from cooking to heating her house, to loving a man who is brilliant but fickle,
unstable, and spendthrift.
Erotic, romantic, and moving, Mozart's Wife is a loving tribute to a woman who lived in the
shadow of her husband. Capturing the love the couple shared, their tragedies as well, and bringing
Mozart down to human level is this book's strong suit. Instead of reading about Mozart the genius
composer, Juliet Waldron, using Konstanze as our guide, helps us fall in love and understand the
man behind the music. For Konstanze, her husband's work was for paying the rent and the real
passion and heartbreak in their life came from day to day living, their family and friends, and the
births and deaths of their children. From her eyes, we see the love she has for her husband and
their life as it unfolds in a succession of houses and cities.
Mozart's Wife is the story of a tragedy, but in it is all the ardor and brilliance of an exceptional
man as told by his loving wife. I cannot recommend this book enough and look forward to passing
it on to friends and family.
Very highly recommended.
Loot and Other Stories
Nadine Gordimer
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
New York
ISBN 0374190909, $23.00 US (hardcover).
Marcia Deihl
Reviewer
As new readers discover the Nobel-prize-winning expatriate South African writer J. M. Coetzee,
another South African writer may catch some of this reflected light. Nadine Gordimer's new book
of ten short stories, "Loot," deserves it.
Although she is known as a "political" writer, Gordimer delights in more metaphysical matters
here. Reincarnation and myth address human powerlessness (over death) just as stories about
injustice address our ultimate limitations (in life). In Part 1 of the last story, "Karma," bad things
happen to good families, black and white, when they buy a cunning little Dutch gabled house.
This five-part story follows several "returns" of one spirit in different bodies and different lives. In
one section the narrator is an unborn twin; in another, a white child is found in a toilet in a black
township, brought up by black parents, and moves to the city. When she falls in love with a white
man, all the questions of identity, home, race, and law are thrown into conflict. At first, deep in
love, she sees no problem as she prepared to meet his nice middle class parents: " . . love is in the
present, it's her hand slipping beneath his shirt to his chest, it's reading together descriptions of the
places in the world maybe they'll save up to see. She did not say: they know I'm white. As if he
heard the thought:--I know . . But that you grew up there, school and home, people who are
like--your parents, to you--" Their advocate, a Jewish lawyer (stand in for Gordimer herself?), has
a fine appreciation for racial injustice, and she battles to prove that this white woman is indeed
white. But in a country where blacks often try to pass for white, a hastily drawn up birth
certificate ("Race: Colored"--no white parents known) dooms the couple. A few years later, post-
apartheid, there would have been no problem, and the formless narrator wonders how an arbitrary
law could shift a couple's world so completely. Everyone loses when the literal color of one's skin
calls forth decades of complex cultural histories. And South Africa is more complex than the
United States, since it has a majority black culture and eleven separate languages are spoken,
besides the colonizer's Afrikaans.
The first story, which some have called a naive fable, is the most challenging. Double reversals,
mirror images, and the giant toggle switch of fate all enter into play. A giant wave floods away a
town, leaving the ocean floor full of a former regime's riches. The poor forage for treasure, amidst
the bodies of their murdered compatriots, but a rich man wants only one thing, a mirror. When he
finds it, he looks in, and suddenly a second wave washes him away, along with all the others.
Before his demise, he had slept with a print of "The Great Wave" by Hokusai, behind his bed. But
he never gazed on it, since it was behind him. Did he not see the overthrow of apartheid coming?
And when he looked in the mirror, did he see himself? With remorse or revulsion? Did he see the
print, or the real wave? And was that second wave a metaphor for his own inner demons, or the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission, finally catching up with him? Gordimer leaves these crystal
facets of interpretation up to the reader. This first story intrigued me more than convention stories
like the aging parent/younger woman plot in "Generation Gap," the interracial love affair in
"Mission," or the loss of sexual innocence in "The Diamond Mine." It offered a different sort of
"return"a constant revisiting of its possible meaning.
Gordimer has often claimed that she will never write autobiography. But he themes of her inner
world are clear in her work: the senseless damnation of whole races of people by outdated law
and custom, the triumph of sensuality and love across racial barriers, and the painfully slow
changes in power in post-apartheid South Africa.
Dereliction of Duty: The Eyewitness Account of How Bill Clinton Endangered America's
Long-Term National Security
Robert Patterson, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF, (Ret.)
Regency Publishing, Inc.
Washington, DC
ISBN: 0895261405 $27.95, 256 pages
Maurice A. Williams
Reviewer
Bill Clinton is controversial man. Libraries are filled with books praising or condemning both Bill
and Hillary Clinton. It is hard for the general reader to get facts. How can one form one's own
opinion? Here is a book written by a military aide to Bill Clinton, who was close to President
Clinton for two years. This book "Dereliction of Duty" is critical of President Clinton. Its author,
Robert Patterson feels Bill Clinton endangered our national security by failing to act decisively
when action was required.
Robert "Buzz" Paterson, is an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, now retired. During his early career,
he flew combat troops from North Carolina to Grenada and served in other conflicts. In early
1996, he was accepted by Bill Clinton to serve as military aide entrusted with the "football," a
suitcase containing the mechanism that launches a response to a nuclear attack. Clinton is
entrusted with the nuclear code cards. If a nuclear response is warranted, Clinton gives Patterson
the cards to be inserted into the device so that a nuclear response can be launched. Naturally,
Patterson has to be near Clinton at all times. An added precaution is that the code cards are
regularly changed to prevent accidental disclosure of the codes.
Patterson's proximity to Clinton has made him an eyewitness to situations he felt were carelessly
mishandled by Clinton. Three months into his new position, September 13, 1996, Patterson was
on a golf course where Clinton was playing golf. A military situation occurred that required
Clinton's decision. Because Iraq captured the Kurdish city of Irbill in violation of the cease fire
agreement that ended the Gulf War, the military was put on alert for an appropriate response
against part of Iraq's military arsenal. They found a suitable target, scrambled planes, and
contacted Sandy Berger, Clinton's National Security Advisor, for a decision to strike or not strike.
Sandy phoned Clinton on the golf course. Clinton refused to take the call. While the planes were
in the air, the military phoned Berger two more times. Clinton refused to take the other two calls.
Finally, the planes had to return to their bases. Patterson felt Clinton's refusal to take the calls
resulted in no response to this violation of the treaty. He felt, as a military man himself, this
inaction served to embolden the Iraqis to test American resolve by further violations.
Patterson was aware that Clinton was given intelligence reports that Al Qaeda terrorists were
planning to use commercial airplanes as bombing missiles in 1996. Sudan captured Osama bin
Laden and offered him to Saudi Arabia. The Saudis didn't want him. Clinton could have requested
bin Laden from Sudan, but didn't. Bin Laden was eventually released. Patterson felt that, by failing
to act, Clinton put our nation in peril allowing bin Laden and Iraq both to feel that the United
States is not going to take action to halt their aggressions. Patterson cites another surprising
failure of duty: Clinton's frequent careless misplacing of the nuclear code cards. One set of lost
cards were never found.
Patterson noticed what he thought was a lack of sound procedures in the white house and an
overemphasis on public image. He observed that most event scheduling was for Democratic Party
fund raisers rather than for matters of state. Patterson watched Clinton make massive reductions
in military personnel and armaments. Clinton reduced military pay. Eighty percent of the military
now make less than $30,000.00. More than twenty thousand military now make so little that they
qualify for food stamps. Simultaneously, Clinton increased the oversees deployment of the
military. This reduction of personnel and armaments and the increase of deployments stretched the
military dangerously thin. All of the above convinced Patterson that Clinton neglected his duty as
Commander-in-chief and, by so doing, endangered our national security.
Patterson wasn't the only military aid that felt that way. In May 1998, all five of Clinton's military
aides considered an "en masse" resignation in disgust. Patterson was transferred to teach in the
Air Force Academy. Patterson's book has a forward by Al Santoli, author of "Everything We
Had," which outlines, in detail, how Clinton weakened our military. Patterson's book ends with an
appendix consisting of a long quote from Casper Weinberger's 2001 book "In The Arena: A
Memoir of The Twentieth Century." If everything Patterson relates is factual, Clinton, really did,
at times, fail in his duty as Commander-in-chief.
Ella Enchanted
Gail Carson Levine
Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN 0060275103 $16.99
Robyn Gioia
Reviewer
This captivating retake on the Cinderella story weaves its own spell of delight. The masterful
storytelling and vivid imagery compelled this reader to turn page after page. When the fairy
Lucinda blesses baby Ella with an obedience spell, it was meant to be a magnificent gift. However,
it turns out to be a curse of the worst kind, and Ella is obliged to obey the tiniest of commands.
She does not readily conform and tries delaying her obedience but in the end, she remains a slave
to others' whims.
Later, when Pamela and I retreated to the garden to devour the candy, she asked why I hadn't
done what Mandy wanted straight off.
"I hate when she's bossy," I answered.
Pamela said smugly, "I always obey my elders."
"That's because you don't have to."
"I do have to, or Father will slap me."
"It's not the same as for me. I'm under a spell." I enjoyed the importance of the words. Spells were
rare. Lucinda was the only fairy rash enough to cast them on people.
"Like Sleeping Beauty?"
"Except I won't have to sleep for a hundred years."
"What's your spell?"
I told her.
"If anybody gives you an order, you have to obey? Including me?"
I nodded.
"Can I try it?"
"No." I hadn't anticipated this. I changed the subject. "I'll race you to the gate."
"All right, but I command you to lose the race."
"Then I don't want to race."
"I command you to race, and I command you to lose."
We raced. I lost.
We picked berries. I had to give Pamela the sweetest, ripest ones. We played princesses and
ogres. I had to be the ogre.
An hour after my admission, I punched her. She screamed, and blood poured from her nose.
Our friendship ended that day.
Ella's life is further compounded when her mother forbids her from telling anyone about the curse.
A command she is fated to obey.
Ella's struggle to become independent takes her on an enchanted journey where she encounters a
bossy but loving fairy godmother, the kindest of princes, Prince Charmont, a distant father
preoccupied with the making of money, a group of sweet-talking ogres intent on eating human
flesh, and two conniving step-sisters backed by a self-serving step mother. In the end, Ella learns
the true reach of the curse and whether she can overcome its powerful magic.
As a reviewer, I enjoyed this author's ability to entertain us with a new rendering of a classic fairy
tale. Any lover of fairytales will delight in the telling of the story from Ella's childhood, the place
where the real saga begins. We can now truly understand Ella and the hardships of her injustice.
Moreover, we realize it wasn't Prince Charmont who saved her, but Ella discovering what was
truly inside her.
Archangels & Ascended Masters: A Guide to Working and Healing with Divinities and
Deities
Doreen Virtue, Ph.D
Hay House, Inc.
P.O. Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.hayhouse.com
ISBN: 1401900186, $23.95, 1-800-654-5126
Shannon McKelden Cave
Reviewer
Have you ever wished you had some divine help with problems in your life? If you have, then
Archangels & Ascended Masters is just the right place to begin to find that help. Author Doreen
Virtue, Ph.D., has shared her expertise on Oprah, Good Morning America and The View, as well
as many more. Here, she shares her extensive research on working and healing with those beings
in the non-physical plane who have been turned to for centuries by various religions and spiritual
teachers.
The intro reveals the history of communicating with angels and ascended masters, the reasons one
might wish to do so and the basics of how. The rest of the book includes 1-2 pages for each deity,
a list of alternate names, his or her country, religion or affiliation, and the history and background
followed by Virtue's story of her own experiences with that deity and suggestions for the reader
as to how they may wish to communicate with them.
Part II includes invocations and prayers for individual needs. Part III is essentially an index of
problems or concerns and which master to call on for help.
Easy to read, with great information, you'll find this book fascinating and loving and spiritual all at
the same time.
Waxwings
Jonathan Raban
Picador
ISBN: 0330419617 A$30.00 311 pages
Ann Skea
Reviewer
I should say from the start that I am a great fan of Jonathan Raban's writing. I have collected his
books over the years, have just re-read Badlands for its insight into American history and life, and
I found Passage to Juneau fascinating. But all these books are travel books, closely based on fact.
Perhaps this is why I was disappointed with Waxwings, which is a novel.
Admittedly, Tom Janeway, the main character in the book, has more than a passing resemblance
to Jonathan Raban. But this is fiction and, although it is well-written and I enjoyed it in a mild
way, I was never as engaged by it as I have been with Raban's earlier books. It's just a slice of life.
And, as the car-sticker says, "shit happens". For Tom, it is like a visitation of Waxwings. They
appear out of the blue, you grab your binoculars to get a good look at them, your kid is
unimpressed and just gets on with his life, and the next time you look they have gone. And all the
berries have been stripped from your tree.
One of Tom's 'waxwings' is an illegal immigrant, 'Chick', who turns up on his doorstep and offers
to renovate his house for him. It's an offer Tom can't refuse, but Chick and his team of Mexican
contractors (also illegal immigrants) vanish halfway through the project.
Meanwhile, Tom's wife, Beth, decides to buy herself a condo' and move out. Tom comes under
suspicion in a missing child case. And Finn, his son, is expelled from pre-school for
non-conformist and unruly behavior. Tom's eight-year idyll as a British immigrant (legal) to
Seattle unravels almost as quickly as Chick's (illegal) fortunes begin to flourish.
Tom is an amiable, self-absorbed, unworldly writer, author of two best-selling books and teacher
of Victorian Literature and The Writing Programme at a Seattle university. His house is a
reflection of his own muddled background and his unambitious complacency and, as renovations
begin then falter, leaving it half dismantled, it comes to reflect his life ever more closely. Beth,
who chooses to move into a light, bright, modern condo, is as modern and bright as her new
home. She is ambitious and innovative, too, determined to make her mark in a new,
computer-based, real-estate marketing business. Their separation is quite civil and they each deal
with it in their own civilized ways. Finn, too, seems to take it all in his stride.
All in all, this is a realistic picture of a fragment of life but there is little drama. At times, Tom
lectures us on Victorian literature and draws some amusing parallels, but his life is rather like
those books - a bit old-fashioned, a bit slow, and not compatible with the fast-moving,
commercial world of modern Seattle. Raban has written a pleasant and amiable book, and he has
written it well. No doubt it says something about values in our world and in literature. But I was
left at the end thinking - "OK, that's life. So what?".
The Prosecution
D. W. Buffa
Ballentine Books
ISBN: 0449006905 $6.99 326 pages
Terry Mathews
Reviewer
Recommendation: *****
This Attorney Delivers on Paper
D W Buffa is not just another attorney-turned-author. He's the real deal. His characters are not
perfect and his courtroom scenes aren't drawn from the pages of Perry Mason. His heroes have
flaws and his villains have good points.
In THE PROSECUTION, Portland attorney Joseph Antonelli leaves his self-imposed exile and
signs on as a special prosecutor involving two Deputy District Attorneys. He leaves his home on
the hill and comes back as a favor to his old friend, Judge Horace Woolner.
This book is really three stories wrapped, as only Buffa can do, in a nice, tidy package. Story one:
the murder of a Deputy District Attorney's wife. Story two: the murder of a prominent member of
Portland's old-line society. Story three: the coming back to life of Joseph Antonelli.
Buffa's stories aren't nice and tidy -- they're about real life. The way he constructs them, however,
is as close to precision as an author can get.
So far, he's been able to avoid the trap of other successful authors. He's stayed sharp, crisp and
real.
Enjoy!
Susie and Herman, A Story of Love and Caregiving
L.B. Smith
Health Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1558749578, $14.95, 168 pp.
Viveka Neveln
Reviewer
In this slim, large-font volume, the author states that "all of us face the prospect of someday
becoming dependent on another person for our safety and well-being." This story has the potential
to capture anyone's attention because none of us are immune to time. In this no-nonsense account,
L.B. Smith describes his experience of dealing with his geriatric mother and stepfather during
their last years of life. Far from a sugar-coated how-to manual or advice book, this memoir takes
an honest look at the difficulties as well as the rewards of caring for aging parents.
The story begins with a brief summary of Smith's childhood and the death of his father at the age
of 56. The author's mother, Susie, moves into a retirement facility in her eighties where she soon
meets Herman. Second marriages for both of them, the octogenarians find comfort in each other's
company in spite of increasing dementia and other problems. The chapters describe a few
incidents, such as the elderly couple's insistence on purchasing and operating a car, to illustrate
how they become less and less able to function independently in the world.
As their caregiver, Smith experiences everything from minor inconvenience to extreme
aggravation, but his sense of humor and empathy for his parents help him through it all. By wisely
recognizing feelings of frustration, sadness, and anger, Smith keeps these emotions from
hardening into resentment and pessimism. As a result, he is able to care for Susie and Herman
with respect, dignity, and patience.
Though the author could have incorporated more dialogue and detail to bring the characters to
life, Smith clearly communicates the challenges of his experience. He supplements each chapter
with a "postscript" that sometimes flashes back to his childhood or some other memory that
brings further understanding to an issue or helps Smith cope with a situation.
Aging isn't an easy subject, but it is something most of us will have to deal with. If you have
already gone through a similar experience of caring for elderly parents or relatives, this memoir
will help you realize that you are not alone. For those who have yet to be in this situation, this
book is good preparation for what is to come.
A Saving Solace
DS Bauden
Dare2Dream Publishing, A Division of Limitless Corporation
100 Pin Oak Court, Lexington, South Carolina, 29073
http://www.limitlessd2d.net
ISBN: 0974403733 $18.00 1-803-356-8231
Ann Wesley
Reviewer
DS Bauden is known for writing intensely emotional stories about friendship, family and love. Her
third and newest novel, A Saving Solace, cements that reputation with an extremely personal,
heart-wrenching tale of two women who struggle to overcome loss and open themselves to
love.
The book tells the story of Kelly Cavanaugh and Susan McGovern. Kelly is a wealthy manager of
a posh retail store who is devastated by her mother's death. Susan is also alone in life, left
homeless when her parents discover she is a lesbian and disown her. The two meet in the winter in
Chicago when Susan is ringing a bell, collecting donations for charity outside Kelly's store. Soon
they embark on a journey that allows them to share their pain and start to look for the silver lining
in the clouds of their lives.
Classified as lesbian fiction, A Saving Solace, breaks this genre's mold by featuring characters
with depth and a plot that moves beyond getting the women into bed. On the surface, the story is
about two broken-hearted people who find love again. But it also is a story about
mother-daughter relationships; about family values, about pride, and about how children are
affected when they lose their parents.
Bauden's strength is her ability to make her characters' emotions real. Because the story reflects
her own experience in losing her mother to ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and the struggle she felt
to go on, she is able to make the scenes truly believable. Bauden takes readers through the pain
Kelly feels so that their hearts ache and their eyes water along with Kelly.
After her mother's diagnosis, Kelly helps care for the woman, cherishing their days together but
also feeling tormented by watching her mother deteriorate before her eyes. Bauden writes:
Kelly began to cry in earnest and had to try to calm herself to finish what she needed to say. "I
hate with all that I am to see you like this. You were such an independent woman. You've never
asked for anything in your whole life. Now you can't. What kind of divine love is that? Why did
God do this to you? You've gone to church almost daily since I was born. Is this the gratitude He
shows you? I will never understand the justice in all of this . I just don't understand that kind of
love." Kelly stopped to sob against her mother's side. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, Mom.
I'm so sorry."
Her mother uttered a sound, and Kelly got closer to her mouth so she could listen better. "What
Ma? I didn't hear you."
"Laaa you," her mother's voice stretched.
"I love you too, Mom," Kelly sobbed.
In the story, Susan's sense of loss over family is equally devastating. Flashbacks bring to life the
awful moment when Susan's father discovers her lesbianism and hurls vile insults at her,
demanding she leave his home immediately and permanently. The reader feels the anger and fear
that race through Susan as her father rejects her.
"Get out of my house!" Susan's father screamed.
"You're kicking me out?" Susan asked incredulously. "I'm your daughter!"
"You are no daughter of mine! My daughter isn't queer! My daughter isn't a freak! My daughter
isn't an abomination to God!" he spat, within inches of Susan's face.
"You're right. Your daughter isn't any of those things. I am a human being who happens to love
another woman." When Susan's father turned a deaf ear to her, she began to show her anger. "I'm
sorry, Daddy! You can't change who I am!"
"No, I can't but I don't have to look at you either. You disgust me!"
Though the scenes of emotional turmoil linger with the reader long after finishing Bauden's book,
so too does the comfort and compassion Kelly and Susan share. Their partnership does not
develop without struggle, but that may be because the story shows the building of a relationship
rather than just the climax of orgasm.
In the end, Bauden pulls the reader off the emotional roller coaster and brings love and hope to
the characters. A Saving Solace is a story based on real-life emotions. It shows how we can rise
from the depths of despair to feel joy again. Most importantly, it is a story that illustrates how
fragile family relationships can be and how they should never be taken for granted.
Ballam's Bookshelf
Moonbathing
Valerie Laws.
Peterloo Poets
The Old Chapel, Sand Lane, Calstock, Cornwall PL18 9QX, England
www.peterloopoets.co.uk
ISBN 1904324029 7.95 Brit. pounds 64 pp.
Valerie Laws has written and performed in a number of media in the UK radio, theatre, fiction,
as a reviewer and an editor, and as a co-editor of modern language books. She is also a
prize-winning poet, whose work has appeared widely in magazines and anthologies, and in a joint
collection with Kitty Fitzgerald in 1994. So while Moonbathing is her first solo volume of poems,
it is not surprising to find that the voice of the book is confident, mature and very alluring.
A key characteristic of the book is its orientation within the wider spectrum of the written word.
'Realia', as language instructors like Laws know, are important aids to learning, and their use here
(as road-signs, newspaper articles, titles of books, even a brass plaque) is simultaneously
instructive and unsettling. In an amusing riposte to Shakespeare's Sonnet 130, the graceful and
controlled formality of her writing is appropriate both to the assigned context (pastiche of The
Bard) as well as to the underlying mockery of tradition akin to Shakespeare's own:
My computer's screen is nothing like the sun
and yet it lights my way when all is dark.
It cannot walk, but I can make it run:
one touch, and it ignites as with a spark.
Elsewhere it is speculation about what the printed word conceals that lends the verse power, as in
the last few lines of a poem entitled, 'Balloon Suicide (from a small paragraph in Bild)':
Up there,
floating above his life, if he saw
the beauty of the sky, the trees,
it was not enough
to make up for it all in the end
maybe he was more afraid to rise
than he was to fall.
Throughout Moonbathing it is Laws' fascination with the queerness of the ordinary, merged with
a train of thought that simply refuses to stay on the rails, which makes for striking effects. In a
sensitive and touching piece, called 'Bones from a medic's dustbin' her explorations of the
abandoned and, it would seem, ultimately disenfranchised remains, takes her, as so many of these
poems do, towards the conclusion that there is nothing present in the evidence of life around us
which sheds any light on the questions we most want answered. As she says, although she holds
an arm 'closer to me now/ than ever lovers were' the mystery of its owner's identity is lost, a
disintegration mirrored in her imagery:
I hold this human spine like a rosary of bone,
fingering the winged vertebrae.
I stack them to nest snugly
in totem poles of little trolls;
The body, in this way, becomes the sum of all the things it represents to the imagination, without
ever becoming any of these things wholly or knowingly.
In keeping with this view of the essential unknowableness of her fellow beings, and with the
introspection that a tendency to bookishness has fostered, Laws undertakes to speak for and
about printed lives, or at least those who inhabit the margins of the printed space. Her first-person
narratives of historical, or imagined-historical women, speak a language of dissatisfaction with
their roles, or their fates, much as do the women of Tennyson's or Browning's dramatic
monologues. On occasion, elements of these protagonists show a fusion of the highly specific,
concrete or local detail, with a generalized or mythologized characterization. A good example of
this is the imagined world of 'Nantucket, 1810', which combines classical myth, pained eroticism
and a universalized predicament:
Laudanum strokes me throat to womb, warm
as a lover, my lover, who's cold at the sea
and wet, wild wind.
With nothing but the 'six inches of cold hard plaster' that sailors' wives call a ' "he's-at-home"' and
'the memory of his face' to console her, she lives achingly through her young womanhood (and,
one feels, too-early motherhood), fighting the dream that 'thick water closes over him'. It is a
powerful and provocative poem, and symptomatic of the condition Laws imagines her
foremothers to have known almost universally.
Undoubtedly the most complete exposition of all of these themes is in what I regard as the most
successful poem in the collection, 'Ann More: Mrs. John Donne'. Just as the colon separates the
two selves of the historic person, so too Laws' embodiment of the character's views makes for a
perfect dialectic of the joy and bitterness of her situation. As she begins her tale, the formalities of
the verse serve to underwrite the message of competing ideals of fulfillment and expectation by
enforcing rhymes over a syntactical network of delays and accelerations.
I thought myself a lucky woman then
to capture such a poet, such a lover,
so skillful with his hands, his tongue, his pen
I, his America, he, eager to discover.
But broken down by the inevitable cycle that their (increasingly his) erotic demands
bring 'twelve times I waxed and waned' she would in 'one black year' see two of her children
die, before herself dying at thirty-three, to find rest, like the souls of Spoon River, in telling her
story to any passing auditor. But what is remarkable, perhaps, is the poignancy of the poem's
conclusion. There is no complete apportionment of blame the 'easy pleasure' remains pleasure,
hers 'is a woman's common story'. The loss is perceived more in terms of the gross personal
injustice that allows a woman of ordinary means, and evidently extraordinary sensibility, to have
no stake in the future joys of those she invested her life in namely her husband, and their
children. It is this anonymity and its attendant loneliness, which makes Ann More's voice speak for
Laws' lost generations:
But, he gave to poems, I to babies, breath:
his labour brought him fame, mine brought me death.
As a first collection, Moonbathing achieves its unity through developing a perspective on past and
present that loosens fixed markers like print, biography and other framed artifacts. That it is
undertaken in a series of forms that are persistently challenging to the familiar gives it an authority
that is at once ironic and an engaging read.
J. D. Ballam
Reviewer
Brenda's Bookshelf
All I Ever Needed
Jo Goodman
Zebra
Kensington Publishing
850 Third Ave, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 407-1500
FAX: (212) 935-0699
ISBN 0821774166 $6.50
Lady Sophie Colley unsettled him. Proper ladies were not direct. Additionally most would be
appalled about the rumors surrounding their improper engagement. It seemed - at least to the
Marquess of Eastlyn - that the lady knew much more about the source of the rumor than she let
on. Of course, when it's all said and done, Sophie is dead wrong but she knew that her cousins
had not denied the claim and in fact, encouraged the lie to continue. On the other hand, it was not
the thing of Gabriel Whitney to allow a woman to be disgraced no matter how little he wished to
be wed. So he did the gentlemanly thing and proposed. And as unsettling as it may be, Sophie
promptly refused.
Gabriel was not about to let the matter rest. The entire affair was nothing of his making although
his friends from the Compass Club certainly had a laugh at his expense. And even though he had
no wish to marry, Gabriel was intrigued by Sophie's demeanor. He was fascinated and frustrated
at the same time. Gabriel was also quite angry when he realized that Sophie had been punished for
her not accepting his proposal.
So he set out to win her hand.
With little effort on his part, Gabriel found the key to Sophie's heart while he visited Tremont
Park. But then found himself angry at her uncle when she is punished yet again. So Gabriel takes
matters into his own hands and whisks Sophie off to his sister's home. Gabriel proposes once
again the night he finds them at the inn. Yet Sophie knows something Gabriel does not and
refuses his offer without explanation.
Up until this point, the story sags and it's difficult to keep the pages turning. Another problem is
the quick point of view shifts. Readers will require wit and perseverance to stay in sync and keep
up with the plot and thoughts offered. Some readers will not notice nor care. However, it is true
many will notice and find it distracting.
And then the story shifts into high gear. First, Sophie learns she is pregnant with Gabriel's child so
she flees his sister's home. Second, Gabriel is in the midst of a huge case that is ready to explode if
not handled carefully. But Gabriel cannot concentrate because he is worried about Sophie so he
sets out to find her. He does not have to go far. However, convincing Sophie to marry him right
away will be much easier said than done. And he needs to get it done before the Society of
Bishops wreck more havoc as their trade agreements and political aspirations spiral out of control.
Fortunately, the only ones who can stop them are the Compass Club.
Combine an unusual meeting with an out-of-the-ordinary engagement and you get an awesome
story. Goodman does an excellent job of keeping in tune with previous books in this series and
whets the appetite to read the last book in this quartet.
Brenda Ramsbacher
Reviewer
Brittingham's Bookshelf
Ethical Ambition, Living a Life of Meaning and Worth
Derrick Bell
Bloomsbury
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
ISBN 1582342059 $19.95 183 pages
"Why do lawyers carry their certifications on their car dashboards? So they can park in
handicapped spaces --- it's proof of moral disability."
Sounds like lawyer slamming doesn't it? But that line was picked up from a legal website where
such jokes are collected, either to say, "yes, we've heard them all" or perhaps as a form of dark
humor designed to remind members of the bar that their principles are under constant
scrutiny.
Unfortunately, many of those designated to interpret the law, are the first and most proficient
manipulators of it. As Lord Acton famously put it, "Power tends to corrupt " And it does not
require a despot to accomplish this, only a well-trained intellect seduced by scheme or greed. We
want --- no, demand --- that attorneys, doctors, clergymen, and scientists be above all those rather
pedestrian pursuits involving materialism, i.e. to function beyond the pale of human
shortcoming.
We elevate them to temporary dietyhood only to discover that they are like ourselves, somewhat
special but ultimately flawed. Even Olympus was populated by a motley lot.
In "Ethical Ambition" respected legal scholar and civil rights activist Derrick Bell attempts to
identify for members of his profession as well as for the rest of us, what is involved in personal
and professional ethics. This is no easy task because a) ethics can be a good deal like art, highly
subjective, and b) it is an intangible force similar to gravity. The definitions turn into descriptions
of what it is not.
Professor Bell constructs his argument by breaking the matter down into six manageable portions.
In Part 1 he examines whether the passion for both integrity and success can coexist within the
individual. In Part 2 he discusses courage, " a daily decision to wake up and try to do the right
thing, no matter how big the reward or how great the fear." Such choices must, he warns, be
tempered with the ability to evaluate the risks involved against what may, or may not be
accomplished. Confrontation for its own thrill is ludicrous.
In a society strangled by consumerism, me-ism and torqued definitions of personal achievement, it
is comforting to learn (Chapter 3) that we do not have to depend totally on traditional religion to
nudge us down the ethical highway; that, indeed, ethics is a measure of both a true, highly evolved
individual, as well as, the civilization from which he/she springs. Morality may be at least a little
"easier" for those like Bell who are proud, professed Christians. But, as he notes there are "many
ethical people who want nothing to do with organized religion, but (who) view life as a gift with
an obligation to uplift the lives of those around them . . ." Certainly, this provides us with a
broader base from which altruism can spring.
In the fourth section, Dr. Bell takes on the dynamics of personal relationship. "Just as the price of
liberty is eternal vigilance, shared intimacy demands constant effort." And, "it is no exaggeration
to say that an intimate committed relationship is the crucible of ethical action . . . " Even when
money is not the foremost goal in one's life, there remains the need for balance because there is a
point where virtue can become just as overpowering and obsessive as the search for success.
Part 5 focuses on the kind of people who can inspire future generations, even when it costs them
everything for which they have worked. His personal favorites run the gamut from the famous
(Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois and the poignant Paul Robeson) to the lesser known,
Dr. Jeffrey Wingard, the former tobacco executive whose testimony undermined the industry's
claim that smoking did not cause fatal illnesses, and University of Tennessee Professor Linda
Bensel-Myers, who has incurred threats from ribald sports fans for exposing a college system that
permits good athletes who are bad scholars to coast through exams and courses.
Lastly, the author deals with what may be the most difficult virtue of all: humility. Learning to
accept that even the purest of intentions may not bestow the innate ability to make appropriate
choices in every instance, can take the better part of a lifetime.
Do not expect this to be an "entertaining" book --- at least not in the way we regard novels or
movies as entertainment. Neither is it light reading to be done with only 50% attention. It requires
focus and mindfulness to derive its intended message and perhaps, effect a shift in personal
perspective.
That is not to suggest that it is dry, statistical reading. Bell sprinkles it with delightful anecdotes
from his own experiences and from the lives of well-known friends --- Bill Cosby, Thurgood
Marshall, Alice Walker and the like.
He also provides a simple, carry-it-with-you-at-all-times definition of ethics: the choosing of
"right" over "easy." Following through will be the demanding part.
B. A. Brittingham
Reviewer
Christina's Bookshelf
Carnival of Horror
L. Marie Wood
Cyber Pulp Publishing
Houston, Texas
ISBN: TBA, $TBA 226 pages
This book is available in hard copy, ebook, and CD forms.
Ray Bradbury popularized the use of the carnival as a setting for horror with Something Wicked
This Way Comes and now L. Marie Wood has found 18 writers to assist her in telling relentless
horror stories all with a carnival backdrop. Keep in mind, however, these tales are not for
children.
A Bat Out of Hell, Wood's own tale, rests about halfway through this anthology. Surrounded by a
group of gory story-tellers who are relatively fresh with the tales they tell, Wood's yarn is about a
young woman riding a roller coaster with a male friend who has a special question for her. It
seems like it is with ease that Wood sets the mood for her story.
"The phantom coaster was off in the distance, the stairwell leading to the top visible over the
trees. The frame, unpainted metal with a winding staircase, reminded Carly of a ride she and her
father used to love. Every year they would drive to the amusement park up the turnpike, talking
about the drop the ride possessed for the three hours it took to get there. They would walk
around the park, sampling the other rides until dark. Then they would get in line for the ride they
had been waiting for, a monster coaster with dueling cars."
--A Bat Out of Hell, L. Marie Wood
Some other tales here are Carnival Came to Town, Carousel, The Regard of Oddities, The
Suicide Machine and Mmm,Mmm, Good. Other authors here include Richard Dysinger, Melanie
Billings, Trey R. Barker, and Holly Wade Matter. Each story and author adds a new perspective
to a not so new subject.
Perhaps my favorite is the lead story. This little tale, entitled Pyro, was written by Jason Brannon.
It's about a carney who is a "fire-eater." As the story progresses, readers see the dark side of the
ability to swallow fire. Pyro is a lonely kind of guy with few friends. Though readers may berate
themselves because the end of this yarn fits almost predictably well, the tale is told in a strong,
descriptive, story telling voice.
What makes a collection like this extremely enjoyable is the different voice of each writer. With
each story, there is another point of view. Like it's name sake, Carnival of Horror has a variety of
scares with a little bit of something for everyone.
So, for a horrifically good time: Come to the carnival. Carnival of Horror, that is.
Fantastic Discounts & Deals for Anyone Over 50!
Janet Groene
Simon & Shuster
Cold Spring Press Publishers
Cold Spring Harbor, NY
ISBN 1593600038, $9.95 127 pages
"Your hometown is swarming with discounts," Janet Groene tells her readers in the introduction
of this book. "Many of them never advertised nor offered unless you ask for them. What stands in
your way?" The author then goes on to help her readers get over the embarrassment of seeking a
discount for consumers over 50. Instructing readers to simply phone ahead," or "ask quietly for
the discount," Groene tells that the savings are there for the asking. So, ask.
In DISCOUNTS FROM A-Z, the author gives readers an alphabetical breakdown on the kinds of
discounts she is referring to.
"Note that discounts can vary greatly even within the same chain," she tells readers. "Use the
following as a guideline, but always verify in advance and make sure you understand all of the
rules, blackout dates, age limits and limitations. If you don't, you might be disappointed at best or,
at worst, embarrassed by a loud and deliberate turndown."-Page 11
In eleven chapters, Groene discusses gaining discounts with shopping and banking, dining, travel
by flight, cruises, hotels & lodging, and several other categories.
The chapter entitled "Never Too Old to Learn" discusses continuing education and advanced
degrees for less, if not free, tuition once a person is over a certain age. I remember my father
telling me about some real estate and psychology courses he was taking at the local college in the
early 1990s. Being a student myself, I knew that this had to be running Dad lots of money.
"No," he told me. "Your college lets people over 55 take courses at no cost."
Now you can slap your forehead and realize that this is the reason so many seniors are going
back to college. If you are of retirement age, you may want to check out the educational benefits
available. Not only does Groene name some resources here, she also gives the web site addresses
and other contact information readers may need.
A staunch supporter of AARP, Groene shares " this is the most powerful lobby group in the
United States . Whether or not you agree with the political agenda, AARP membership can be a
plus. For those aged 60 and over, many advantages apply but if you are aged 50-59, membership
is almost a necessity because many of the best discounts for that age group are available only to
AARP members."
"Fantastic Discounts " Is a must read for that part of the population over 50. The $9.95 price is
probably regained with the first few purchases with ideas from this book (if not the first
purchase)! What about those people under 50? Well, I plan to give my copy to my over 50
mother. I know that she will love having all of these savings tips!
It Ends With You, Grow Up and Out of Dysfunction
Tina Tessina, PH. D.
New Page Books, a division of Career Press, Inc.
Franklin Lakes, NJ
ISBN 1564146499 $21.99 224 pages
Tina Tessina, Ph.D. says that people who grew up in dysfunctional families can end what we now
know is a cycle of abuse and in It Ends With You she is going to tell readers exactly what they
can do to end the cycle.
"To grow up and out of a painful, dysfunctional past and all its leftovers-feelings, memories, pain,
confusion, anger, fear, and persistent dysfunctional relationship patterns-may seem like a miracle,
too wonderful to be possible. But it can be done, if you have the right tools and support. The
purpose of this book is to lead you from the problems of the past into a satisfying, joyful, and
successful future."
--It Ends With You Pg. 11
The beginning of the Introduction in this book reveals a conversational yet instructive tone that is
used thru the entire read. Caring and concerned for those who are stuck in dysfunction, Tessina
has been helping people for at least 25 years in her Marriage and Family Therapy practice. She is
determined to help people by guiding them out of .dysfunction through her writing as well as her
therapy.
One of the most important factors in healing, Tessina tells in chapter 1, Dysfunctional Families
and How They Grow, is facing the truth. In order to help the reader find the truth, a variety of
writing and thinking exercises are provided along with coaching from the writer. Tessina
especially warns about discouragement due to realization of past events that may have been
repressed.
" you may need to get some help from a counselor or therapist." She tells readers. "Don't let it
(the anger and sadness) discourage you. You have just begun a discovery process that will allow
you to grow out of the dysfunction and create the life you want."
Other chapters here include; What You Might Have Learned in Childhood, Grown-Up Problems
From Family Patterns, Why Do I Do That? The Child Running the Adult, and Changing Old
Patterns: Re-Creating Yourself.
This isn't the therapist's first endeavor at conquering dysfunction through writing. Tessina has
written as many as ten other books. The Real 13th Step; Discovering Confidence, Self-Reliance,
and Independence Beyond the Twelve-Step Programs, and How to Be a Couple and Still Be Free
are two titles she published with New Page Books.
Can this author help change your life in eight chapters? Ask me in a few months. By then I will
have completed these exercises and will be better able to discuss whether reading this book helps
or not. With Tessina's breezy, confident writing voice, reading this book and doing the exercises is
bound to be a pleasurable experience all by itself!
Christina Kiplinger-Johns
Reviewer
Christy's Bookshelf
Joint Task Force Liberia
David E. Meadows
Berkley Books
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
1-212-366-2153
ISBN 0425192067 $6.99 311 pages
Lieutenant General Daniel Thomaston, U.S. Army Retired, and his good friend Retired Sergeant
Major Craig Gentle head up a group of American expatriates who have relocated to Liberia,
where they have built their own small city, called Kingsville. When they learn that a group of
Muslim extremists, with the aid of Liberian rebels, have taken over the close city of Monrovia and
are moving their way, they begin to prepare for the battle they know they will eventually
face.
Rear Admiral Dick Holman, commander of Amphibious group two, a special joint task force of
Naval and Marine components, receives word from the Pentagon that he is to head toward the
African coast to evacuate the Americans from Liberia. Onboard are Unmanned Fighter Aerial
Vehicles (UFAVs) which will eventually play an important part in the rescue of the American
citizens. Close to the African coast, Holman's force is intercepted by a French naval force, whose
objective seems to be to keep them from liberating the Americans.
David Meadows delivers one heck of a fast-paced, roller-coaster ride with this exhilarating
military thriller. The battle scenes, both in the air and on the ground, are galvanizing - the best I
have read yet - suspense-filled and invigorating. Meadows' sense of characterization is
well-defined, and he has the unique ability to clarify for civilian readers the military mindset, along
with the complicated machinery, technical terms, and acronyms within the military lingo. One
does hope, however, that Meadows does not prove to be prophetic. The events depicted within
the book could easily become fact in today's world, which makes the read even more powerful. A
dynamic writer with a fresh voice in this somewhat complicated, technical-ridden, yet intriguing
genre. Highly recommended.
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Book Three
Evelyn Horan
PublishAmerica
P.O. Box 151, Frederick, MD 21769
240-529-1031
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN 1413704034 $14.95 154 pages
Book Three in the Jeannie, a Texas Frontier Girl series by author Evelyn Horan finds Jeannie and
her best friend Helga growing up and facing changes in their lives, which happen almost too quick
to breathe. Jeannie's brother, Henry, marries Linda Mae, and before long, Jeannie finds she is to
become an aunt. Billy Joe begins to work for the new bank in their small town, and he and Helga
agree to become engaged. Jeannie works out an arrangement with Helga's father to buy land from
him for the horse ranch she has long dreamed about. She begins to make plans to build her ranch
and asks Slim to be her ranch foreman, unaware of the interest Billy Joe's brother, Jack, has begun
to show toward her. Along the way, Jeannie learns a poignant lesson when she is forced to deal
with prejudice against the Comanche family in their community, from whom she learns how to
weave baskets and to utilize plants for medicinal purposes.
America's present-day Laura Ingalls Wilder, Ms. Horan is an author who possesses the unique
ability to weave an entertaining, inspirational story with factual history. As with the first two
books in the series, the reader is left eagerly anticipating what will happen next to Jeannie, her
family, and friends. This is one series I would like to see continue on - reading each book feels
like spending time with an old friend - and would love to see in classrooms across America. A
delightful read for the child in all of us.
The Old Neighborhood
Tom Gorman
PublishAmerica
P.O. Box 151, Frederick, MD 21769
240-529-1031
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN 1592865143 $14.95 77 pages
The Old Neighborhood by Tom Gorman is a collection of six stories revolving around a group of
boys growing up during the 1950's. Each chapter shares a different lesson the seven boys, ages 8
to 12 years, learn together. The leader of the group of boys, Oliver, called Big O by the others, is
large and brash, and although the other boys are somewhat intimidated by the Big O, they know
he is mostly all talk. Throughout the stories is another, mysterious boy, John Allen, who is not a
member of the group yet seems to convey wisdom beyond his years as well as mystical powers.
John Allen always shows up when the boys need him most and is not only their voice of reason
but healer of hurts, as well.
Mr. Gorman's writing reminds the reader of a simpler, more na‹ve America, and offers a nostalgic
look at a time when doors did not need to be locked and drugs did not abound in neighborhoods,
a time when summers were spent riding bikes and playing baseball or basketball. The interactions
between the boys are fun to read and reminiscent of the innocence of childhood. Wonderfully
written and warmly delivered, The Old Neighborhood is a book all readers, adult and child, will
enjoy.
Christy Tillery French
Reviewer
Cindy Lynn's Bookshelf
Blankets
Craig Thompson
Top Shelf Productions
www.topshelfcomix.com
ISBN: 1891830430 $29.95 582 pages
In this gorgeous, evocative and constantly moving offering from the author of the marvelous
Goodbye Chunky Rice, Craig Thompson stretches his wings further, proving indisputably that
words and pictures, together, can not only move you, but transform and challenge you.
Craig has always held to his parents belief in a terrible and fearful Christian God. He struggles
constantly, even as a child, with the desires of the flesh and the world and the desire of being
worthy of Heaven. When he meets his first love at a church camp, he finds himself infatuated,
comparing her to the sacred, to the divine...
No, that's over simplifying it. But then to say that this book follows the memories of a young man
from childhood, contrasting the terrible things that happen...hinted at sexual abuse, school bullies,
against religious teachings and how these all effect an over imaginative and creative child's mind.
This is also true, but it is also over simplifying.
Craig, raw and completely honest, relates the whole arc of his love from the trembly first
beginnings of letters, to the innocently sexual explorations, to the inevitable last chapter. No
matter what he talks about, even when we see a few brief, tasteful scenes of sexuality, there is a
veneer of innocence. This innocence covers everything, even shadows the more horrific scenes,
because it is often the hero's innocence that keeps him from truly understanding the situation. This
innocence is what makes the work so moving, because when we contrast this sweetness with the
reality of the world, that we often find our hearts being touched the most.
I don't know if this book is supposed to be autobiographical. The character and the author
certainly do share a same first name...and they look bit a like, I suppose, when you look at the
author picture. They both have a brother (with different names), and both grew up in the same
sort of area. It doesn't matter, really...the similarities make it more real, more grounded, more
immediate...and aside from the fact that we know all authors draw from their lives in some way it
doesn't really matter if its real or not. The intimacy between author and reader is well established
by his use of these similarities, and therefore the message, the strange mixture of hope and
loneliness and loss, is all the more accessible.
His discussions on Christianity are really, for me, some of the most heart wrenching parts. This is
because I'd often read things and say, "Oh, honey, is that really what they told you?" I've never
been to church on Sunday, so I've never had any true interaction with my fellow Christians, and
therefore this awoke a lot of thoughts in my head. Who is mislead, the mainstream as shown in
this book, or me?
Which also leads us to the art itself. It is fabulous...beautifully realized and well planned. He
understands how to balance the real with the surreal, the miraculous and the worldly. He jumps in
his narrative, often going back into the past to tell a story of his childhood, or to tell a bit of story
he heard from the bible...the narrative jumps always serve a purpose, and the art goes a long way
in making these loops of story run smoothly. It also brings the contrast I've spoke of into sharp
focus...you could never have accomplished half the things he does in this book with mere words,
for it is the illustrations that really guide us, that show us the emotions of the situation.
We also see that art and religion are not easy housemates...it is hard to decide if you have the
right to follow your gifts, or if you have to apply your gifts to God. His art is amazing...it evokes
as the prose evokes, capturing nuances beyond words.
Very few things grip my emotions as keenly as Thompson's work. When I first received this book,
I thought I'd sit down and flip through it for a moment or two, then go back to work. I couldn't,
of course, and ended up reading it in one sitting. It is a large work, impressive in scope as it is
emotionally stunning.
Scaredy Cat
Mark Billingham
Harper Collins
ISBN 0066213002 $23.95
"She was nothing to me, the woman from the station. She was nothing to me and I squeezed the
life out of her. I'm so very sorry, and I deserve what is surely coming. I hate to ask a favor, Karen,
but if you see her, the woman I killed, will you tell her that for me?"
There were two of them, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne knew that. He knew it from the
victims, how some of them would be killed slowly, to prolong the pleasure as much as possible,
and some would be quick, as if a particularly nasty chore to be done with. But why? It goes
against everything they know, or think they know, about serial killers...the first rule being that
they almost always, always work alone.
The journey to discover why is a mysterious one...it begins with a formal letter of expulsion from
a Middlesex Grammar school. In between chapters we go back to the past and watch the
relationship between a pair of boys, Nicklin and Martin. Nicklin is the one, despite his slight build,
that no one wants to mess with, not because he's tough, but because he's so scary. Martin Palmer
is the nerdish unpopular type so often seen, always neat, brainy but envious. Each of these
chapters moves this strange relationship forward as we see the slow building up, the
manipulations that Nicklin carefully orchestrates to make Palmer into his own perfect weapon.
True, Palmer isn't a good person...we are disgusted by him despite any pity we may feel for him,
but Nicklin...Nicklin's scary. It makes it entirely believable that a killer can be created...and it
makes it even a more fascinating challenge for Thorne to solve this crime, because Nicklin is so
cunning...and uttlerly without any human feeling. Adding to the excitement is that Nicklin has
changed his name...so who is he now, and which of the witnesses, the leads, the people that
Thorne passes on the street...is the killer?
The idea of how serial killers are made is one that has long fascinated psychiatrists as well as
readers...Billingham plays with the idea of nature versus nurture...are killer born or made? Nicklin
was born one...his nature is as harsh and ungiving as black ice, but the jury is out on Palmer,
whose original crime was the desire to have a friend, along with a nature more malleable than
putty. Was it in his nature to finally begin to kill, or was it slowly built in?
The other reason why this book is so well put together is that the police have real lives that they
have to struggle through...complicated relationships and problems that sometimes impact their
work for the worst. It gives this novel a hard edged feel.
This is the second book featuring the infinitely admirable Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, the
first being Sleepyhead. Intensely written, this dark, intelligent novel is a definite read.
Bows of the World
David Gray
The Lyons Press
The Globe Pequot Press
P.O Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
ISBN: 1585744786 $24.95
Bows of the World is an interesting book...despite the name, it doesn't cover all bows...to quote
from the introduction, "this book is limited to an exploration of traditional archery. Traditional
archery, however, does not include bows with pulleys and multiple cables that magnify the arrow's
thrust, or with balances that dampen torque or other errors in form...so when I use the word
"traditional," it should include the category of bow commonly referred to as 'Primitive.' The latter
tends to refer to bows made of one piece of wood that has had a minimal amount of power
machining." This book, then, is a travelogue and history of traditional archery, and its chapters
cover the globe, discussing prehistoric bows then beginning the journey in the Americas. Europe,
Asia and Africa are also visited before the final chapter, where it explores the future of this
sport.
This book is a homage as well as a history. To look at the pictures is to see a huge range of
shapes and sizes, the beautiful curves and angles, the lovely decorations, show the bow as an
object of art. The Turkish siyah, with its black and gold enamel work is undeniably fetching, while
the brilliant colors and bold patterns of the West Coast Native Americans are extremely eye
catching. When you see the fine quivers and the beauty of the bows, you can not help but
appreciate the esthetic value, and what these values meant, symbolically, to the bearer of these
weapons.
I was also surprised by the shapes and how they developed to suit the needs or cultural tastes of
the people who made them. When you imagine a bow, or at least when I do, I see the usual Robin
Hood style long bow...but there are so many more shapes and sizes, a fact that really impacts the
reader when they look through this book, especially when they hit upon the picture of the bows
taken from King Tut'ankhamun's tomb.
Each chapter is divided by the group who made the particular bow. Reasons behind the design,
materials and draw are discussed, providing the expert as well as the casual reader with a lot of
information.
A beautiful book that is a wonderful esthetic experience as well as a practical reference. A must
for anyone with an interest in weaponry.
The Barefoot Serpent
Scott Morse
Top Shelf
Graphic Novel
ISBN: 1891830376 $14.95 124 pages
On the surface this seems to be two entirely unrelated stories. The full color pages are a narrative
on the life of Akira Kurosawa, the black and white are about a family on a Hawaiian vacation,
trying to learn to live with a tragic loss.
At first it's a little hard to get into...you expect that the narrator of the Kurosawa sections will
turn out to be the little girl, or that there will be a connection that really leaps out at you and
makes everything fall in line. There isn't...Morse expects more from us than that. When you read
both stories, you can soon see the parallels between the two, though they are subtle things...the
young girl of the story's loss parallel's a loss that Akira himself suffered, and the archetypes of the
characters recall the characters in Kurasawa's movies...for example, I recognized the boy who
eventually befriends her as the sort of common character we see in a couple of Kurasawa's films
(and, indeed, can be found in the westerns that mirror them) of the self centered person who is
looking out for number one, but who finds a type of salvation, even an epiphany, in helping
someone else, usually by giving up the very thing he thought would help him gain his desires.
The way the book is set up is very clever. The art...excellent, and expressive, helps divide the
book into two very different feels. The full color biography is rendered into a series of shots...the
narrative takes the quality of a voice over. The black and white part is three panels per page, like
scenes from a black and white wide screen movie. There are no voice balloons and no captions
what so ever, so the dialogue is rendered under each panel, much like subtitles. The sparing
dialogue and the lack of narrative captions creates a great depth of silence. It's like watching a
movie with no music track. This really makes it more of a cinematic experience...and a very
touching one. We don't know what the little girl's going through...in fact, we don't really know
anything at first, we can make assumptions based on the fact that the second panel of the black
and white sequence shows the girl at a funeral, but this early in the story the significance of that
can be more symbolic than plot. The silence helps force an intimacy between you and the prose,
making it much more visual, and you invest more in it as you study the pictures to see what's
going on.
Morse manages some real magic here...with little dialogue and some nifty art, he manages to
convey the whole of the healing process...from heart break and denial to the final letting go and
breathing again. It is incredibly moving, and, in the end, incredibly hopeful.
Cindy Lynn Speer
Reviewer
David's Bookshelf
Monturiol's Dream
Matthew Stewart
Profile Books
distributed in Australia by Allen and Unwin
ISBN: 1861474701 A$39.95 404 pages
The extraordinary story of the submarine inventor who wanted to save the world.
In Barcelona, if you go to the end of Las Ramblas, cross the road by the statue of Christopher
Columbus and walk along to the new harbour, you will come to a strange wooden structure. And
if you are curious enough to stop to read the nearby commentary you discover that you are
looking at a full sized model of Ictineo II, the first real submarine to be built. Sure, others had
built and trialled submersible vessels but here is a replica of the first real submarine that dived,
surfaced and proceeded underwater, on its own, at depths of up to 20 metres; an event in 1867 as
astounding as the landing of men on the moon some 100 years later. And it was invented and built
by an idealist with no formal engineering training who had spent the first 37 years of his life
publishing left wing journals (always banned by the authorities) or organising a radical political
party, most of whose members were jailed or exiled. He was himself wanted by the police. His
name was Narcis Monturiol i Estarriol.
This book is his biography. Born in 1819, he was the second son of an artisan family, and was
destined from childhood for the priesthood. At the age of eleven he was sent to university in
Cervera to study Latin, Greek and other subjects that would qualify him for the church. However,
he found science more to his liking and studied medicine instead. Not that he ever practiced as a
doctor, for at that time the first Spanish civil war broke out and Monturiol had no difficulty in
deciding which side to support. In a burst of revolutionary fervour he switched from medicine to
law and moved to Barcelona. Not that he ever practiced law either. In Barcelona he put aside his
law books and fell in with student demonstrators, revolutionary journalists and communists all of
whom coming his close friends for the rest of his life. He was sixteen and for the next 20 years he
was part of the left wing movement seeking a better life for the workers.
Suddenly at the age of 37, Monturiol, ignoring his day-to-day involvement with the left wing,
concentrated all of his energies into designing and building a submarine. And it was not to be any
old submarine. Monturiol made it clear in his first writings on the subject that he imagined a craft
that would take humankind to the very bottom of the ocean (at least eventually) and would propel
itself in all directions, without any link to the land or surface and remain underwater
indefinitely.
Why did he design and build such a vessel? Not for the usual reasons, such as a delivery system of
weapons of war. No, he had been motivated to find an easier way for the coral divers who
worked off the coast of Spain to harvest the coral after he had helped to save the life of one such
diver who had apparently drowned. Also he reasoned that by making a better life for the workers
a new civil (ideal) society would naturally develop.
He overcame many problems, raised finance and found a dockyard to build the vessel. He became
a master in the sciences such as they existed at the time. He conducted his own experiments to
test his hypotheses about hydrodynamics, respiration, and so forth, that would underpin the
submarine's construction. In three years he designed, had built and then, in 1859, launched his first
submarine. Ictineo I performed admirably as a prototype and was shown off to all until it was
crushed in dockside encounter with a freighter.
The story now takes on a familiar theme known to many inventors. Few in the establishment were
keen to adopt the submarine concept or to provide funding for the next, larger, version. However,
new funding did materialize and in 1867 a new larger submarine, Ictineo II, was built and
launched. It even had a steam engine (fired by a revolutionary concept) that ran underwater. In
the end the project ran out of money and ran up huge debts. Ictineo II was seized by the major
creditor, parts sold off, and the rest broken up for scrap.
The rest of Monturiol's life was a struggle for existence. He had no official position and no
income. He scraped together a living by taking odd jobs as a writer and editor. He lectured,
translated works from French and copy edited manuscripts. At the age of 59 he took a job in a
brokerage house and a year later worked his way up to cashier a trade for which he had also
trained 35 years previously as a student.
In his lifetime, Monturiol invented many things. A cigarette rolling machine, a method of
preserving meat for export, a cheap food for rabbits being raised for meat and a mechanism for
copying letters as they were written, are just a few mentioned in the book. None, though, enriched
the inventor. As Monturiol wrote about himself: 'I do not know how to market anything. I do not
know how to conquer the hearts and minds of men so that they come to my aid '
Had he had this ability who knows what other inventions he would have developed. He had flying
machines in mind once he had solved the submarine problem.
The book is illustrated. However, as the illustrations are all printed in black and white on the same
paper as the text, the quality of the reproductions is less than satisfactory, which is a pity. I found
the book well worth reading and would have liked to examine the drawings of the submarine
more closely.
David Skea
Reviewer
Diana's Bookshelf
Single White Psychopath Seeks Same
Jeff Strand
Mundania Press LLC
6470A Glenway Avenue #109, Cincinnati, Ohio 45211-5222.
www.mundania.com
ISBN #: 1594260133 $24.99
Ever have one of those days? One of those days has become known as a catch phrase for a
generally bad day. No one has 'one of those days' like Andrew Mayhem.
Single White Psychopath Seeks Same sees the return of my favorite accidental hero, Andrew
Mayhem, who apparently hasn't learned that he should just say no when a woman asks for a
seemly strange favor, and is willing to pay him. Still bumbling, irresponsible, and hilariously
sarcastic, Mayhem agrees to accompany Patricia Nesboyle to a party, because she is afraid that
someone may make an attempt to kill her. It would be bad enough if the outcome of that party
was all that Mayhem had to deal with, however, it was only a small glimpse of what was to come.
Through a few bizarre turns he and his best friend, Roger, find themselves taking a retreat with a
house full of killers. Well actually, Mayhem gets the retreat, as he is posing as the serial killer The
Headhunter in an effort to stop the murderous party, while Roger is stuck in a cell, posing as
Mayhem's/Headhunter's soon to be victim.
Author Jeff Strand again provides his readers with a story that no one but he could have written.
There are horrible occurrences filling the pages, yet the humor allows, and at times, forces you to
chuckle and laugh out loud. I still have never read anyone who blends horror and humor so
seamlessly as Strand does. He has made his own genre and is the unchallenged master at what he
does.
If you have never read Jeff Strand's work you are surely missing out on a phenomenal talent. Pick
up your copy of the first in the Mayhem series; Grave Robbers Wanted No Experience Necessary
when you pick up Single White Psychopath Seeks Same, because I can guarantee one will not be
enough. His works are of the highest caliber and are sure to entertain even the most discerning
reader.
I very highly recommend Single White Psychopath Seeks Same to all adult readers. Be prepared
to give your entire day to the novel as once you start reading you will find it a compulsively
engaging page turner, filled with horror, humor, and everything else you could want in a
novel.
Mandibles
Jeff Strand
Mundania Press LLC
6470A Glenway Avenue #109, Cincinnati, Ohio 45211-5222.
www.mundania.com
ISBN #: 1594260060 $15.99
Fire ants can be a real pain. Anyone who lives in an area they have to share with the little bugs, is
certainly aware of that. Their bites are slightly uncomfortable and make a nice little red bump that
fills with the venom. Of course, unless you are allergic, an ant bite is nothing more than a small
nuisance. Well, unless you happen to live in Tampa and star in the brilliant new novel, Mandibles
by Jeff Strand.
As the infestation begins, the people in the city of Tampa notice something different about the fire
ants that seem to be growing in number at an alarming rate. They are bigger. Not huge, but for an
ant, definitely bigger than anything they had seen before. One, two, some even six inches long.
Another huge difference in these 'big' ants is that they seem to be much more aggressive than their
smaller cousins. However the main difference, and the one that seems most troublesome, the bite
is deadly.
A small group of people armed with Dustin 'the bug man' Abbott. A specialist in solenopsis
invicta, fire ants, who just happens to be in town, regarding the very ants that are chasing them,
set out to stop the ants before the entire city falls victim. Not only do they have killer ants, which
seem to be pack hunting to contend with, but they also have two deranged killers, Hack and
Slash, hot on their tails.
Jeff Stand continues to amaze me with his talent. As with his other novels, this story is compelling
and highly readable. The characters are three-dimensional and pull you directly into their plight.
The reader will laugh, and cry with them as they are faced with the horror of being nothing more
than ant food. Mandibles is another masterpiece by a man who has proven that his work is
consistently at the top of the game.
The humor ever present in his work allows for the over the top, big bug thriller to appeal to all
readers. Each time I read a piece of work by Jeff Strand, I am floored by the ability he has to tell a
story in a way that can both amuse and horrify me.
Mandibles by Jeff Strand comes with my high praise and recommendation.
TSOG: The Thing That Ate The Constitution
Robert Anton Wilson
New Falcon Publications
1739 East Broadway Road #1-277, Tempe, AZ 85282
www.newfalcon.com
ISBN# 1561841692 $16.95
Being a logical and rational freethinking person, I often find myself on the outside of popular
opinion, and I am sure the author of TSOG: The Thing That Ate The Constitution, Robert Anton
Wilson, is a kindred spirit.
This is my first experience seeing such logic in book form and it delights me that it hasn't been
pulled off the shelves. What will you find in this eye-opening piece of nonfiction? Information
regarding the running and structure of our government that is not generally spoken of. He
presents hard facts and opinions of structured religions and their belief systems and some very
interesting information on the FDA and DEA. An honest look at the war on 'some' drugs, as well
as the war on 'some' terrorists, and a plethora of various thoughts covering a huge range of
topics.
What I think I like most, is the style in which Wilson presents this information. It is not at all in a
staunch doctoral way; instead filling the book with humor and amazement that such things not
only go on, but also are widely accepted.
Do I agree with everything? I can't really say at this point, because I always thoroughly research
anything presented to me before I make a judgment. I do however have a deep respect for Wilson
and his expression of ideas. Despite being a 'free' country, thoughts like these can still have
repercussions, especially when laid out in a book for anyone to see.
I highly recommend TSOG: The Thing That Ate The Constitution to anyone who has ever looked
at the world around them and just shook their head, smiling to themselves at the absurdities. It is
not suited for addle minded zombies, who believe everything they hear or see. If you can take in
information and make decisions for yourself, this work will provide you with some eye opening
moments.
Robert Anton Wilson is an author for today's freethinking population. It is nice to know we are
not alone.
Enchantment of the Faerie Realm
Ted Andrews
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 0875420028 $12.95
To have the heart of a child, is to see with openness all the magic that is around us everyday. In
Enchantment of the Faerie Realm by Ted Andrews, readers are shown how to recognize and
appreciate that magic.
There is nothing that says magic like faeries and other nature spirits. Yet as we grow into
adulthood, we easily forget our love for the complexity of the gifts we receive from these
spectacular beings. How long has it been since we gazed at a field and thought of the magic
involved in the creation of all the living things that grow there?
I remember as a child, my favorite place to read was in the orange tree, in my back yard. There
was a comfort being there, so close with nature and all of its' inhabitants. Now I read in the cold,
hard comfort of the indoor. I also remember that my imaginary friend was most predominating
outdoors. Of course, now that I think back, it was my mother who called her imaginary.
Something special has been lost in the transition from child to adult. Was there something special
in your life that revolved around nature? Some place that the peace you felt was overwhelming?
You can have that again.
Author Ted Andrews is a man who is still blessed with the frequent gifts of natures children and
he, with great passion, shows his readers how they can reconnect with wonderful beings that
inhabit our world. There is a lot more covered than just faeries and elves. The reader will also
learn how to connect with elementals and all manner of other realm inhabitants. They will be given
guidelines to help open the doors to numerous encounters, as well as the ability to take notice of
the subtle ways in which we are already being contacted.
Read. Be inspired. Feel the wonder of the faerie realm. Most important, when you feel moved by
the beauty of nature's creations, say thank you, something very special has blessed you with that
moment.
I wish all my readers would pick up a copy of Enchantment of the Faerie Realm. Do yourself a
favor, and once again be blessed and aware of the life that goes on around us, which is capable of
enriching and adding so much joy to our own life.
How To: Meet & Work With Spirit Guides
Ted Andrews
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN # 0875420087 $5.99
Have you ever read a manual from cover to cover in one sitting? This was a first for me. The
information found in How To: Meet & Work With Spirit Guides was so fascinating that I
devoured it like a good piece of fiction. The writing is so reader friendly and chock full of
interesting items that I had a hard time stopping. Of course, there is way too much information to
absorb in one sitting, so I did go back and reread the guide, pausing to try out and absorb the
lessons being shared with me.
What exactly did I learn?
The planes of existence and the types of beings working in each, the different types of spirit
guides, what habits weaken your aura, and the ability to communicate with these guides.
Techniques to help expand your consciousness, allowing you to better work with and perceive
your guides. Things to do in preparation, as well as during, to help you have a better
communication session. Several approaches and exercises to heighten your successful
communications, the truth about mediums and channels, as well as some insight into what it
means to be one, and the responsibilities of that role. What spirit mediatorship is, the different
guardian angels and how best to work with them, and how to work with nature spirits. This part
was so fascinating that I read it three times now, and will no doubt read it again. You will also
find information on finding and working with your totem, ghost/haunting, and the guide closes
with some helpful precautionary advice.
Now listed like that, I am sure it looks like a daunting task to read. However, it is anything but.
When the reader hits on the plethora of information about the different and fascinating beings that
surround us everyday, the experience is like no other. It is truly comforting to think that we are
never alone, and with practice, we can actually communicate with these special beings.
Ted Andrews has a vast amount of knowledge in this particular field and presents it in a manner
that makes it seem as natural as any other part of our daily life. I would think that after a person
has read this guide, they would approach their guides with the love and respect due them. Or at
the very least, take comfort that they are there.
This guide has my highest recommendation. And as you read How To: Meet & Work With Spirit
Guides by Ted Andrews be prepared to feel something very special.
How To: See And Read The Aura
Eric Ted Andrews
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 0875420133 $5.99
Have you ever, upon meeting someone, immediately formed an opinion of him or her; or felt an
instant bond, or a strong dislike of someone? Perhaps you have sensed someone's presence before
actually seeing him or her. These examples are just a few of the ways you may already be sensitive
to changes in your aura.
Science has proven that all living things give off an energy field. This energy field tells us a lot
about its' owner: such as health and well-being. Most logical, rational people will agree with those
statements. Why is it then, when you attach the word 'aura' to that energy, people automatically
stop listening. The answer is actually quite simple; people are quick to brush off what they don't
understand.
This is the third guide written by Ted Andrews, which I have had the pleasure of reading. As my
experience with the prior works, How to: See and Read the Aura, is written in a manner, which
makes the material easy to absorb. It is not work to learn from Andrews, reminding me more of a
conversational exchange of ideas.
Not only will the guide teach you how to view the aura, it will also explain how to interpret what
you are seeing, arming the reader with information regarding what the colors found in the aura
mean, as well as fluctuations and possible causes. The exercises throughout the book are easy to
follow and can be performed most anywhere, with very little preparation.
Of course knowing human nature, I assume some readers may be thinking, 'this is great but what
is in it for me.' To that, I respond with, if having the blessing of seeing the aura isn't enough,
Andrews also offers instructions on how to strengthen and protect your own aura. On those days
when you come home exhausted, one cause could be the assault your aura is subjected to in daily
interactions with others, and often balancing your aura will help alleviate the weariness-and he
tells you how.
It's not often that a writer comes along that is as gifted as Ted Andrews is, and I think anyone on
a path to any kind of enlightenment, should check out his books-and How to: See and Read the
Aura would be an excellent place to start.
Teen Witch
Silver RavenWolf
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 1567187250 $12.95
Raising a teenager is not an easy task. It is especially trying as they spread their wings and try new
things, things you may not know about, or not approve of. Perhaps your child may come home
and declare that they want to be, or are already, a witch. This particular area of study and craft are
no longer shrouded in mystery, but may still carry with it a stigma. In Teen Witch author Silver
RavenWolf takes away the mystery and eloquently expresses just what it means to be a
witch.
There are a lot of misconceptions regarding the practice of Wicca, and they are all addressed in
such a clear and forthright manner that makes the manual perfect for teenagers or their parents.
As well as anyone who is just curious as to what witchcraft consists of.
The book starts with a letter to parents, to help quell any fears that may arise from the totally off
base beliefs that Wicca is somehow related to black magic, human sacrifices, or any other such
silliness. Following that letter, is one just for the teenagers. Throughout the book you will find
chapters covering valuable information, as well as, giving instruction in the areas of: What the
craft is and is not, the basics of witchcraft, ritual, magick, spells designed especially for teenagers,
healing, prosperity and abundance, psychic power and wisdom, protection, fun spell, and a section
on where to go from here.
I am most impressed with the manner in which the book has been written. It is in a format and in a
language that teenagers can easily grasp, yet never once are the readers spoken down to, or
regarded as any less than smart, free thinking spirits that they are. This is not a book that pushes
any beliefs upon readers, it simply states what it is, what it is not, how to do it, and what you can
expect. Of course, there is a plethora of information and I don't think a review can do justice to
the product that RavenWolf has produced.
Although this manual is intended to teenagers, I also think that it would make a great beginners
guide for readers who are just getting started in the craft or have found other manuals hard to
follow. Would I recommend this for a teenager, yes, absolutely. If your child has shown an
interest in alternative religion, this is the route to go. A caring and talented Wiccan Priestess will
guide them to a set of beliefs that is kind and loving. Open the book and your mind as you allow
Silver RavenWolf to show you the true face of modern Wicca, and how it can help your teenager
face today's hard decisions in an admirable way.
Reflexology for Beginners
David F. Vennells
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 0738700983 $9.95
There are few things that compare to a good foot massage - very few. Did you also know that
with some instruction, not only will it feel great, but can also be used to increase your general
health or ease specific ailments?
In Reflexology for Beginners, author David Vennells guides his readers on the path to making the
most of the art of reflexology. As has been my experience with all of Llewellyn Worldwide's
manuals, the instructions present complex material in a way that is accessible to all readers.
What exactly will you find in this manual?
A definition of reflexology, what it is and is not. Where the reflexes are located, this is written and
illustrated, the combination making it easier to commit to memory. Basic techniques that will help
in using and practicing effective reflexology. Steps taken to begin treatment, including
preparations, how to read the patients feet for clues as to their health, and the actual steps to
warming up the feet. Instructions for the main treatment. In addition to these instructional
chapters, the reader will also find sections with, advice, case studies, disease and the mind,
meditations, and the future of reflexology. Even though this book could have stopped there, it did
not. The reader also has four appendixes at their disposal; history of reflexology, meditation
groups, books on Buddhism, and hypothyroidism.
At this point, you may be thinking, 'wow that is a lot to take in.' My response to you is, 'yes it is.'
There is a wealth of knowledge in this guide. However, the author has crafted the guide in a way
that the information is never daunting or jumbled. It doesn't read like a textbook. It reads more
like an experienced friend sharing their knowledge with you as you sit sipping coffee.
No matter a reader's belief in the ability of reflexology to heal, I still recommend the guide to all
readers with feet. Not only can you learn a technique to quickly ease the tension in your feet, but
also you might just improve your over all health. There is nothing to lose and your feet will thank
you. Don't take my word for it, pick up your own copy of Reflexology for Beginners by David F.
Vennells, and see for yourself.
100 Days to Better Health, Good Sex & Long Life
Eric Steven Yudelove
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 1567188338 $17.95
What would you be willing to do for better health? Read a book? How about spend fifteen
minutes a day practicing some simple exercises? Without good health, everything else you may
have doesn't seem quite as important. If you are willing to spend the small amount of time and
truly give it the effort that your health deserves, author Eric Steven Yudelove can show you the
path to better health and well being.
Taoist Yoga and Chi Kung are presented in a way that it is easy to understand, and for the first
time, that I have seen, it is written in a manner that makes it accessible to the western world.
What you have in 100 Days to Better Health, Good Sex & Long Life is a fourteen-week guide to
the lessons and secrets of Taoism, brought to the western world by a westerner who studied
under an authentic Tao Master. The lessons start out very easy and build on each other from week
to week. By the end of the fourteen weeks, the reader, if they have devoted fifteen minutes a day
and put effort into trying to understand not only the exercises, but also the reason they are
performed, will feel the changes in their body and mind. As well as having a strong foundation for
future study in the Tao practices.
I strongly recommend this book to everyone. There is so much to be gained here that will improve
the quality of ones life, on many different levels. The author presents it in such a readable manner
that no longer will the concepts be lost on anyone. Just a few of the benefits that a reader will
experience, if they follow the fourteen-week program are: prolonged sexual pleasure, improved
vision, digestion, hearing, memory, immunity flexibility, and organ detoxification.
No matter your religious or philosophical beliefs, I think it is a universal concept that your biggest
gift is your life. Pick up your copy, take the time to allow the philosophy to be absorbed, and then
spend fifteen minutes a day nurturing the greatest gift you were ever given. Author Eric Steven
Yudelove has given us all the tools we need to feel better and improve the quality of our lives.
Kudos to Yudelove, for taking complex years of study and laying it before the masses, in a way
that is great in its simplicity.
Magickal Mystical Creatures
D. J. Conway
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 156718149X $14.95
Most books accomplish one thing, be it entertainment or granting of knowledge. Magickal
Mystical Creatures by D. J. Conway accomplishes both.
Conway provides what is essentially an encyclopedias worth of knowledge on long forgotten
mystical beings, as well as the more commonly known ones. It is apparent that she has gone to
great pains to accurately give the history, as well as all the other facts available for each
creature.
Aside from having a plethora of background information, the book also tells how the creatures are
best worked with for magickal purposes. As someone who delves deeply into all things magickal,
I was amazed that I never considered working with any of these creatures before now. I was
especially ashamed when I realized that yes, since magick began, people have been working with
these wonderful creatures and somehow 'we' have forgotten them and their powers, with the
passing of time.
I mentioned this book being multipurpose, and I wanted to mention the ways in which I have used
the material, and give my recommendation to anyone who reads that they include this wonderfully
fascinating piece of work, in their library.
First, it was unavoidable to be entertained while reading about such fanciful creatures. Even if a
reader has no background in magick and no interest to start, it will not take away from the utter
fascination these beings produce.
Second, anyone looking to enhance their magickal practices will find it invaluable in approaching
these little used beings. There are also special sections on candle burning, amulets, talismans, and
rituals, and how best to use them in relation with the creatures.
The third use, I found is personal to me, but I wanted to share it with my fellow writers. I write
horror and dark fantasy fiction and the inspiration found in this book is invaluable.
It is clear to see that this book has something for everyone and D. J. Conway has written it in a
way that it is accessible to everyone.
Magickal Mystical Creatures by D. J. Conway is a book that I will be pulling down from my shelf
repeatedly, and that is one of the highest recommendations I can give any book.
LogOut
J.L. Hansen
Mundania Press LLC
6470A Glenway Avenue #109, Cincinnati, Ohio 45211-5222.
www.mundania.com
ISBN #: 159426046X $33.95
All too often, when I worked a day job, I would hear my coworkers' jest that they felt sick as
soon as they walked in the office, and felt better as soon as they left. My associates were just
kidding. However, I am well aware that there are some buildings that can make people sick. That
seems to be what Julie Wynn and her coworkers seem to be up against in J.L. Hansen's cooperate
thriller LogOut.
Julie begins a quest to find out just what is happening when her friends begin to go from 'sick', to
in the hospital. To do this, she begins a relationship with Cam Clay, a staff member of IAQ Inc.,
the company sent in to test the air. Cam has his own doubts about what is really happening as he
finds his superiors behaving in an odd manner: keeping records private, performing tests
themselves etcetera.
Trying to figure out what is in the air before she and all of her friends end up dead is not the only
crisis that Julie faces. Hindering her progress, she has to deal with an audit, and a sick father and
overbearing mother, someone trying to frame her for corporate conspiracy, a dangerous
blackmailer, and a hurricane.
The plots intertwine bringing more and more suspense as the reason behind the problems at Julie's
office are revealed. J.L. Hansen, in LogOut, has written a multi-level thriller filled with every
element one would expect to find in a great tale of suspense, and then she takes it a step further,
and adds a few of her own. The characters come to life on the pages and the reader can't help but
hold their breath, and pray that everything turns out good in the end.
I recommend LogOut to anyone looking for a great suspense-type thriller. Be forewarned; when
author J.L. Hansen pulls you into the hearts and minds of her characters, you won't want to leave
until you discover their fates. Set aside some time, find a comfy chair and your favorite feel good
drink, then open your copy of LogOut and immerse yourself into the world of corporate evil that
is spiraling out of control around the heroine Julie Wynn.
Sevenacide
Robert Shuster
Sevenacide
www.sevenacide.com
ISBN# 0970698909 $7.00
I've never played or watched Rugby, but I have heard that it is quite a violent little game that I
might enjoy. Robert Shuster has played and in Sevenacide he has gathered a collection of seven
short tales that have two things in common. They all have Rugby in them somewhere and they are
all dark little tales in one way or another.
A Woman For All Occasions is a charming tale that explores just what a man is willing to
overlook when faced with having the woman or women of his dreams. Rick is just dying to know
how his far from studly friend Doug, manages to have a different knockout woman with him at all
of their games. Perhaps some things are better when left to the imagination.
Jack's Kit Bag is a snappy tale that proves just how hard it is to get rid of what you may view as
trash, when it is one man's treasure. When Felicia tries to rid herself of her husband Jack and his
nasty hobby of Rugby, she finds out that when passion runs deep, habits die-hard.
Road Trips Don't Bite (They Suck!) the tile sums this delectable piece up. Poor Brad is stuck
'babysitting' his fellow Rugby players, Ray, Alex and Jason as they drive home from an out of area
game. To bad babysitting his irresponsible friend, Ray isn't the least of his worries.
Simon's Second Chance asks a question that we have all wondered. 'What if I could just do that
again?' I can't count the moments in my life that I wish I could do over. Simon just wants to know
what would happen if he made that conversion. That's all, simple really.
The Leprechaun's Pit gives a glimpse at a rude, obnoxious, Rugby player appropriately nicknamed
Piggy. Piggy loves to pull pranks and always takes a souvenir from the places he visits. It really
isn't very nice to take something that isn't yours. Maybe Piggy will figure that out.
The Referee in this piece knew his business. Steve, a professional at arguing with calls and
breaking rules was in for a hard game. His teammates didn't have it any easier, as they tried to
keep him from getting kicked off the pitch, while also trying to win the game. It is just not a good
idea to get on the referee's bad side.
You Can Never Be Too Young has a few lessons to be gleamed from the story, but I think the
most important is to always follow instructions. Andy wasn't very happy when he was moved
from the 'A' team to the third string, and it was especially hard to take since it related to his age.
But you know, sooner or later, old age gets us all.
The tales in Sevenacide are in a style that I just adore. Dark and moody. They remind me of Tales
From The Darkside, which I used to watch as a child. They are not gory or graphic and they don't
need to be. They are quite a bit unsettling in a very subtle way.
I give Sevenacide my stamp of approval and thank Shuster for realizing that horror doesn't need
blood and guts to send chills down a reader's spine. This is truly creepy--Kudos.
Street Rats
Tim Curran
Publish America
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN# 1592864724 $19.95
Life isn't easy. All too often, we forget, as we sit in our posh neighborhoods that the streets are
home to all manner of people. It is easy to forget. There really are no murders, street thugs, drug
dealers and tough guys. Well, none that we know of personally, making it easy for us to write
them off as Hollywood creations.
In Street Rats author Tim Curran provides a hard look into that lifestyle. Jimmy 'Blades' Circurro
is the type of guy who has his hands in everything. Generally, he is the type of guy you just don't
want on the bad side of, a thief, murder, and all around self-centered thug who has connections
with crime boss, outlaw bikers, and criminals themselves. He makes a bit on 'side jobs' but like
anyone would, he wants more. Or as they say, is looking for the 'big score'.
Milwaukee crime boss, Tony 'Black' Zira, is lining up just such a score and wants Jimmy and a
crew of his choice, in on it. Although one has to wonder why. Yes, Jimmy will do the jobs no one
else wants to and does them well, but he has an attitude of utter disrespect.
The job is a robbery, of an armored car worth at least $15,000,000, and it seems to go as planned.
This is just where the story gets going. When that much money is involved, even the most
trustworthy person would get ideas. So ideas are born, money is missing and now death is
surrounding all involved. It becomes a fast paced race to find out what happened before they all
end up dead.
Street Rats is written in a style that I have yet to see. There are no chapters, heavy use of
character names, and the dialect is carried into the narrative. This made it a little slow at first for
me as I tried to turn off my inner editor and adjust to the style, but I feel that in the end the story
was worth the effort.
This novel is, however, perfectly suited for today's reader. In a face-paced world where we expect
everything now, Tim Curran will not fail to give you the thrill ride you came looking for.
Caliginy
L. Marie Wood
Cyber-Pulp Publishing
www.lmariewood.com
ISBN #1897013310 $14.00
Caliginy, by L. Marie Wood, is chock full of the most delightfully dark shorts I have seen
gathered in one place. This is an author who has fully grasped what it means to disturb her
readers. She knows the fine balance of detail versus story making her pacing superb.
The Visitor, is a truly sad and chilling opener, setting a great pace for which the rest of the stories
easily maintain.
What the Mirror Sees, is a deeply psychological thriller with wonderfully dark implications, the
type of story that fills your mind with wonder and makes you want to call the author and beg
them to expand it to novel length. As it sits here, now in the collection, it is totally and completely
chilling and will make the hairs on your arm raise.
Moonlighting, could be considered disturbing I suppose to most but I found it terribly humorous.
I am not sure if L. Marie Wood intended humor here but I must congratulate her on a story that
could go either way, dark and/or humorous.
Last Request, puts the 'd' in dysfunctional family. Absolutely superb work that had me chuckling
as it unraveled and I figured out where we were heading. This is delicious dark fun and possibly
my favorite in the entire collection.
My House, oh boy, talk about coming home to find a mess. Add this to the list of perfectly
detailed chilling tales in this collection. It is written so well you can feel the tension rise as the
story continues relentless in its ability to cause dread.
Room 3708, cherry pie is one of my favorite deserts, which made this tale even creepier to me.
Sometimes the things we love the most can be the most harmful and, I use harmful loosely, they
can be downright deadly.
The Properties of Blood, wow, that was intense. This is a story to disturb even the most
unflinching readers. Perfectly written to be extreme enough to tickle the gag reflex and tantalizing
enough to be enjoyable.
The Interview, is a griping tale that will have you holding your breath until the unexpected
conclusion. One line and clarity sinks in as you can picture the terrible smile clearly that was
mentioned in the opening.
Baie Rouge, blends haunting and erotic emotions in a seamless manner, providing a tantalizing
emptiness. The detailed surroundings add greatly to the depth of sadness felt when taking in this
tale.
The Inn by the Cemetery, is creepy times one hundred. The attention to detail and story here is
astounding and breaths life into a haunting tale. This is the kind of story where you have to stop
reading and look around just to make sure you are alone. It provides a stunning amount of goose
flesh.
Dead and Gone, moved me in opposite directions at the same time. I was sad and restricted,
happy and free, and utterly amazed that the author so easily gave me a connection to a nameless
character.
The House on the Corner, not a word was wasted in the telling of this story. I felt the fear
emanating from Charlie the main character or was it something else emanating from what he
feared? Did I already pick a favorite? Loved it, bravo.
Ole Hallows Eve, is a great combination of my two favorite things, Halloween and Zombie tales.
Crisp good fun.
Flowers, is short sweet and to the point. Eerie in a most delightful way.
The Black Hole, is perhaps the most disturbing story of hate I have read to date. It is a
pulse-pounding journey into a real life nightmare. Pride gives way to impending doom, which
leads to hope, and then things get nasty. This is a true trip into the darkest depths of what
mankind is capable of at its worse.
Dear Monique, has it all, a deep friendship, great love stories and all the nasty stuff I love in a
story as well, lust, betrayal and revenge. Each word of this tale is griping and enticing. The
impending darkness wraps delightfully around each sentence.
Q & A, was another tale that had me chuckling though I think most readers won't see it as a
humorous tale. Great thing is, it works well either way, deeply depraved or darkly humorous.
Island Girls, three paragraphs that will leave the reader smiling a devilish grin as the next
paragraph forms in their mind sprung to life from the stage set carefully by the author.
The Awakening, a story in a paragraph is quite a daring feat. But this author greets and meets the
challenge.
The Message, nicely done, I never saw the end coming until it hit and then I was dowsed with
chills. Sometimes there is so much revealed in a message if we only pay closer attention.
The Woman in the Sepia Picture, allows a brief glimpse at a character and the reader is released to
take it from there.
The Dance, is highly erotic. The accuracy of thoughts that one would have as certain things take
place around them is wonderful in this story. And did I say erotic? Yes very erotic.
To Die A Fool, will most definitely give you something to think about as it tests the faith of one
man and poses an often asked question, just what does happen when we pass.
A Bat Out of Hell, is creepy good fun. And was made even more so because I, just as the main
character, am always in search of the ultimate haunted ride. I could feel the mixed anticipation and
dread.
Section F, is a moving tale of goodbyes with a perfect degree of darkness. L. Marie masters in this
story the art of giving chills through subtle suggestion.
A Nice, Sunny Day, yuck my worst fear is spiders. Just reading this caused me to be jumpy for
quite sometime. It was definitely a unique perspective and very well done.
Love Nest, nothing is worse than a woman scorned except maybe an insane woman scorned. This
story is dark, good fun.
The Keeper of Souls, is as dark as it gets. A life of torment and a really neat new concept of an
old theme. I just love when an author can take a story and totally make it their own. Very nice
work.
The Salacity of Death, is a very dark, disturbing and yet somehow tantalizing tale. There are a few
different paths your mind travels down while reading this tale, but rest assured none are pleasant,
wicked good perhaps.
Carrion, talk about a handyman special. There are a few lessons to be learned here that I will leave
for L. Marie to taunt her readers with in a delicious way.
One, to err is human though an err in judgment can lead to some nasty things. This tale is a very
spooky look into a dark human psyche.
Betrayal, proves once again that L. Marie has mastered the art of flash fiction. It is no easy task to
elicit an emotion in so few words. My compliments go to the author on this one.
Of Body and Blood, is another tale in the collection that effortlessly blends the erotic and the dark
aspects of writing.
Reflection, provides a creepy image with a little twist, all wrapped neatly in one short
paragraph.
The Last Port, is the grand finally in this collection and deserving of such a spot being filled with
impending doom and a really cool conclusion.
Writing a short story that is both, full and entertaining is quite an art and one that L. Marie Wood
has totally mastered. This collection is filled with story after story of dark delightful prose
dredging up emotions that toggle between fright, disgust, humor and even erotic tension. The
author has shown here that she can stretch her writing vocal chords to many different ranges with
ease.
This is a collection sure to have something for lovers of all types of horror, dark and highly
entertaining.
Fart Proudly
Writings of Benjamin Franklin
Carl Japikse, editor
Frog, Ltd.
P.O. Box 12327 Berkeley, CA 94712
www.northatlanticbooks.com
ISBN# 1583940790 $12.95
Certain things come to mind when you think of Benjamin Franklin, none of which would contain
the word 'fart'. However, it appears this great man had a side to him that would not only say such
a word, but also do so in a manner as to most assuredly be heard. I don't remember ever hearing
about this side in school, but then again, all of my teachers were the typical stuffy teachers one
thinks of when they remember school.
Fart Proudly contains writings of Benjamin Franklin that are both hilarious, as well as dripping
with sarcasm. This shows a man very down to earth; not at all the stuffy politician one may think.
There is definitely something here for everyone, well, everyone with a sense of humor. As funny
and 'offensive' as those who are lacking humorous fortitude may view them, just imagine what a
scandal they must have caused when they were wrote.
I am still chuckling to myself, as I think back to the sections that most amused me. My favorite
happens to be Rules of Making Oneself Disagreeable, which is exactly what it sounds like. I had
to carry the book around my home and read this to everyone. I swear my child must have read
and memorized each and every rule.
In addition to being very entertaining, Fart Proudly carries a message. The reader may be too busy
laughing to catch it as they read this wonderful tome, but it is laid out very clearly in the last
section, The Dream.
Laugh and enjoy the entire work: read and reread the parts that make you laugh out loud, for that
is priceless. Once you are finished, read The Dream, and pay close attention, give deep thought to
the message, and be moved by the profoundness.
If you like satire, then Fart Proudly. If you like laugh out loud, then Fart Proudly. Most of all if
you want to see Benjamin Franklin as more George Carlin than just the portrait of a dead guy on a
C-note-then believe me you must Fart Proudly. I know that the next time I let one rip; I will be
wearing the action, as a medal of honor-so should you.
The Snowman's Children
Glen Hirshberg
Carroll & Graf
161 William Street 16th floor, New York, NY 10038
ISBN# 0786712538 $13.00
We generally like to think of childhood as happy carefree times, and often that is correct. Even
when the assumption of happiness cannot be safely made, it can be said without a doubt,
childhood shapes the adults we later become, in many ways. Sometimes, the only way to move on
from disturbing experiences is to address the ghosts of our past head on. That is where Matt
'Mattie' Rhodes, our narrator, finds himself in Glen Hirshberg's debut novel, The Snowman's
Children.
A serial killer, 'the snowman' stalked the suburban streets of Detroit in the gray winter of 1977.
Due to not having any particular rhyme or reason to his choice of victims, it was not known right
away what the city was facing. Although Mattie and his friends survived, they would all be
forever scarred.
Mattie, now a grown man of twenty-eight, feels that it is time he faced a few things from his
childhood, reasoning that it is those very things that are keeping him from experiencing happiness
now. He returns to his hometown with no idea of how to put things to rest, but knows that he
must, if he is ever going give any of his current relationships, wife, parents, career, a chance to
flourish.
This story is gripping from page one. Hirshberg reveals the story to his readers as if they were
Mattie. The narrative gracefully takes us from present to past as Mattie and the reader retrace his
childhood, exploring what he is feeling now as well as his memories.
The reader is sure to be moved as the troubled children from Detroit show us just how deep the
traumas of growing up can wound. The characters are so real; one can actually think back and put
a real name to each of the personalities created. I was most impressed that as Mattie took part in
the games he played with his friends, or sat in his desk in school, I felt like a child watching from
the corner. Yet, as Matt, sought out his peace I watch as an adult. Being that connected to a
character reflects highly on the prose and I think Glen Hirshberg is deserving of high praise.
I haven't said much about the plot and that is intentional. This book is a journey. It is a journey
that starts from page one, and continues right through to the last page. I don't want to be a guide,
not even for a small trek, because Glenn has perfectly crafted each, word, sentence, and passage
for his readers.
I recommend The Snowman's Children to readers of all genres; it will most assuredly touch on
every emotion a reader can feel. I found it haunting, yet somehow comfortable.
The Two Sams
Glen Hirshberg
Carroll & Graf
161 William Street 16th floor, New York, NY 10038
ISBN# 0786712554 $23.00
I have been on a quest to find you, the reader, ghost stories of an exceptional literary quality and
have seceded in finding The Two Sams, a collection of five such tales.
Struwwelpeter takes a look into the darkness of a young boy, Peter, his friends, and family. This
is a truly unsettling story, leaving the reader wondering about the validity of what could be easily
written off as a legend that grew in the fertile imagination of a troubled young man.
Shipwreck Beach follows two cousins as they attempt to make reconciliation's with their pasts. It
takes a deep disturbing look at what can happen when one faces their inner demons. Although this
tale is disturbing, it is also charming, and has a sort of comfort in the tone and style.
Mr. Dark's Carnival takes readers through the creepiest literary haunted house I have read, it
traverses into the darkness in hopes of separating what is real, and what is myth. This is my
personal favorite of the collection and I am sure it will haunt even the most jaded reader.
Dancing Men sheds a whole new light, or perhaps darkness is the better term, on coming of age.
The reader is so engrossed in the tale, that despite the sense that something is off, they are totally
caught unaware when hit with the unnerving climax.
The Two Sams is a unique twist on parental loss. It has often been debated as to what happens to
the souls of a child that dies before birth. Read along and find out!
You can see that individually the stories are very strong and imagine when you put them together
the reading experience is like no other. The most interesting thing about Glen Hirshberg's style is
that it is literary. Despite the fact that this is perfectly suited for readers of horror, the literary
quality makes it perfect for all mainstream readers as well. It is by no means a light read, as you
can tell by the words I use to describe the stories: Unsettling, disturbing, creepy and
unnerving.
When you are looking for a great truly haunting ghost story, you will find nothing comparable to
the chills provided by The Two Sams by Glen Hirshberg.
Midnight Harvest
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Warner Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.twbookmark.com
ISBN # 0446532401 $24.95
I have often heard that one cannot flee from their problems, as they will simply follow you no
matter where you go. That is what happens to Saint-Germain, in Midnight Harvest by Chelsea
Quinn Yarbro.
It is mid-1930's when, due to Spain being plagued by a civil war, causes the vampire
Saint-Germain and his loyal servant, friend, confidant and fellow vampire, Rogerio, to flee for
America, after settling some affairs. Once in America he reunites with an old flame/friend Rowena
Saxon.
Flying into New York, he then drives cross-country to California. However California does not
simply provide him with the company of his lover. Despite his refusal to admit that an assassin has
followed him from Spain, his friends, and even those who know him in any manner, no matter
how insignificant, become the victims of the assassin's tormenting. With time running short and
Rowena inching her way up the list of the assassins targets, Saint-Germain must do something or
both him and his lover, will suffer the consequences-death.
Author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro weaves an intriguing historical, supernatural thriller/romance that is
so genre blended it will effortlessly entertain lovers of all genres. The world she creates is realistic
and painted in a refreshing voice. I found it a unique change that the vampire, Saint-Germain, was
able to walk about during the day. Although he did have to have a layer of his homeland soil in his
shoes, which I thought added great credibility to the change from traditionally nighttime limited
vampires, making it that much more believable. Her characters come to life on the pages as they
dance a deadly dance in the readers mind.
I would recommend this book to lovers of varied genres not limited to horror or romance but
all-inclusive of the two, and anything in between. The style it is written in makes it highly
readable, the characters become so real to the reader that they will wonder what happens to their
new friends, after they have stepped out of the fascinating world created by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
in Midnight Harvest.
The Forgotten
Tamara Thorne
Pinnacle Horror
www.kensingtonbooks.com
ISBN# 078601475X $5.99
Do you ever have the feeling something nasty is heading your way? Will Banning doesn't need any
such feeling, since in The Forgotten by Tamara Thorne, everyone and everything around him
seems to be acting odd.
Will is a psychologist, and recently his patients all seem to be experiencing disturbing setbacks.
They display symptoms never shown before, such as the hearing of voices and seeing
hallucinations. If that is not bad enough, whatever is affecting his patients is also affecting animals.
A flock of birds crashes into his office window; schools of fish and groups of seals somehow
beach themselves, and his cats all seem to be very afraid of something. His friend Maggie
Maewood, a local veterinarian, has also seen similar strange behavior in her patients-recently
animals have been brought to her displaying nervous behavior, but all the tests she runs shows
there's nothing wrong.
Maggie and Will both know that animals can sense things. Unfortunately, what has the animals in
a panic is much more than some impending act of nature.
Will is sure there is an explanation for all of the odd occurrences, but even he starts to see things,
as a murder takes place before his eyes; reenacted by the ghosts of those involved. If that wasn't
enough to make him realize there is something supernatural at work, perhaps hearing the voice of
his long dead brother will be.
With The Forgotten, Tamara Thorne takes a chilling ghost story and lays it neatly over a
conspiracy, that is equally as haunting, making nothing safe, real or unreal. As with her other
works I have read, in The Forgotten, she creates a world filled with characters as real as anyone
you pass on the street, with her words coming to life and reaching from the pages, haunting
readers as only she can. She is the master of the ghost story, bringing to each of her novels a
realism that will cause even the most skeptical to turn on a light, while they read.
The Forgotten is a must read novel, by a must read author, and I highly recommend it to all
readers of horror and thrillers. If you love a good ghost yarn, you are in for a treat.
It has been said that each of us needs to face the ghosts of their past. In The Forgotten, the past
has teeth that are about to bite-hard.
Moonfall
Tamara Thorne
Pinnacle Horror
www.kensingtonbooks.com
ISBN# 0786016000 $6.99
All small towns seem to have a secret. Moonfall, a small town in the California mountains, is no
different. Not only does Moonfall have a secret, they have a legend shrouded in unexplained
deaths and other bizarre events.
The towns' Sheriff, John Lawson, came face to face with that legend twenty-four years ago. It
was on Halloween night, while looking for more action than the yearly Halloween Haunt at
Parker's Cider Mill, he and his friends decided to take a look for themselves at St. Gertrude's
Home for Girls. Despite it changing his life, he can't recall exactly what did happen.
Mark, John's son, has been hanging out with, Minerva Payne, an old woman who the townsfolk
refer to as a witch. She is also someone that he remembers having seen as a child the night he and
his friends went out snooping around St. Gertrude's. Somehow John senses that Mark isn't in any
danger, in fact she may just be able to help John figure out just what has been going on.
Sara Hawthorne, a new teacher at St. Gertrude's, has returned to do a little more than some
teaching. She is doing some investigating of her own. Her roommate from twelve years ago killed
herself, but Sara thinks it was not a case of suicide.
The initial questions raised by John and Sara only scratch the surface of the questions that are
unanswered regarding St. Gertrude's. Of course the answers found may be more than any person
can handle.
Tamara Thorne continues to be one of my favorite authors in the horror field. Her stories are well
plotted and utterly fascinating in their detail. The scenery and history she creates in her stories is
so lifelike you would almost expect to read about the events in your local paper. With the expert
attention she pays to making a story come to life, she continues to raise the bar, for new and old
writers, and never fails to meet or surpass that bar in her own works
As with all of the Tamara Thorne novels I have had the pleasure of reading, I must also place my
must read stamp on Moonfall.
Diana Bennett
Reviewer
Duncan's Bookshelf
The Great Sioux Uprising
Jerry Keenan
DaCapo Press
Perseus Books Group, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
ISBN: 0306811952 $12.50 99 pages
"I am ashamed to call myself a Dakota," [said Little Crow] "Seven hundred of our best warriors
were whipped yesterday by the whites." Little Crow was the war chief/leader of the
Mdewakanton Dakota. The 1862 uprising of the Dakota ended when the Army of the Northwest
(under a former governor, Sibley) defeated Little Crow's men at the Battle of Wood Lake in
western Minnesota.
What caused the uprising that killed 600 white settlers and destroyed numerous farms? Many
historians point at bureaucratic stupidity and white indifference to hungry children. When I saw
this new book was to be published, I thought, well, heck! Perhaps the writer will have a broader
insight into the causes of the uprising. In Keenan's defense please know that his book is a
'Battlefield America' guidebook. The book describes the battles and the bare historical
descriptions of the people.
A far better source is C.M. Oehler's book of the same name, written in 1959 and reprinted in 1997
by DaCapo Press.
As for me, I am not ashamed to call myself a Mick. I am, however, ashamed that this author
referred to my Native American neighbors by that derogatory term used in the title of the book.
This is, after all, the 21st Century.
Chasing Shakespeares
Sarah Smith
Atria Books Div; of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020
ISBN#: 0743464826 $24.95 337 pages.
Back in the dawn of the Dark Ages of 'Conspiracy' theory, there was a book that proposed that
poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe wrote the plays attributed to an actor, William
Shakespeare. The Murder of the Man who was Shakespeare (by Calvin Hoffman) proposed that
Marlowe lived in exile in Italy while writing the last 16 of his plays. He lived in exile to protect his
mentor, the head of the Queen's Secret Service, to whom the sonnets were dedicated, 'Mr. W.H.'
(Sir Thomas WallsingHam).
Conspiracy theorists loved this book. We were reading Hoffman's book during the height of the
Cold War when the CIA and FBI were hiding details about Jack Kennedy's assassination. What
could be better than to find the head of a 'Secret Service' who perpetuated a conspiracy in
Elizabethan England (1593-1604)?
Imagine my excitement when I heard a researcher had written a novel about the Shakespeare
Authorship question and she was going to talk to writers? Chasing Shakespeares describes an
academic researcher (Joe Roper) who finds a letter (is it true or a forgery?) supposedly written by
Shakespeare in which he says he did not write the plays. An attractive female convinces him to
give the letter to a chemist for testing. Was it a forgery? Or was it real and was it stolen by the
female's wealthy father?
"But that's the one thing no one will ever know, what Shakespeare was There's no one map,
one story, one way to get to one truth; there is no single London and no single Shakespeare, no
fact as sure as a story," says the lead character, Joe Roper. Some of us, however, still believe that
an answer exists, somewhere.
Chasing Shakespeares is an intriguing, fun, compulsive page-turner. It does not matter who wrote
the plays that established England's cultural hegemony. Or does it?
Master and Commander
Patrick O'Brian
WW Norton & Co
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
ISBN# 0393325172 $13.95 459 pages
A hero who loses? A hero who is captured by the French, paroled back to the British and who
stands and watches the British fleet go out to battle? Captain Jack Aubrey is not your
'grandfather's Errol Flynn' by a long shot. He is a 'new' captain of a British sloop, a little
over-weight and a lover of grog and women.
Grog, for your landlubbers, is two parts rum to one part hot water, served in large quantities.
Grog was served with the morning meal of salt pork and hardtack. In the British Navy of 1805, if
the captain lost his ship, as Captain Jack Aubrey did, he would be tried by senior officers before
he could take command of another ship. If they found him guilty of dereliction of duty, he would
be hung. In the British Navy, many 'losers' were hung.
Not so, Captain Jack. In his little sloop (three-masted man'o'war) Sophie, on his first three cruises
his men captured valuable prizes. Jack Aubrey raised the ire and jealousy of his fellow captains by
making a name for himself. When he loses his ship to a French fleet of four 36-gun frigates, he
and his men are paroled back to the British. He stands trial and is acquitted.
Near the end of Master and Commander our hero watches the British fleet sail out of Gibraltar to
do battle with the French and Spanish. Word comes back that the British scored a great victory.
Our hero, however, was ashore.
Patrick O'Brian wrote twenty novels in the Jack Aubrey series, all of which take place during the
Napoleonic wars. According to the movie director Peter Weir, O'Brian's novels are like a 5000
page novel. The movie was based on Master and Commander and the tenth in the series, The Far
Side of the World.
My recommendation: Read the book. Jack Aubrey is an unusual officer; a man of no aristocratic
standing that has risen through the ranks despite the venom of his fellow officers. Just don't
expect to see Captain Jack standing at the railing with his arm around a girl sailing off into the
sunset. He is not that kind of man.
Marty Duncan, Reviewer
www.omagadh.com
Gorden's Bookshelf
'Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure'
John Cleland
Renaissance E Books
P.O. Box 1432, Northampton, MA 01060
www.renebooks.com
ISBN: 1588731685 $4.00 electronic download 212 pages
'Fanny Hill' was banned for two hundred years. But the ban has less to do about the erotic content
and more about its commentary on society. The narration is very dated. Two hundred year old
writing style and word use makes the story difficult to read. The erotica, although graphic, is
couched with phrases and ideas that would be at home in a Dickens novel.
'Fanny Hill' is a story about a young girl with no money in a society where money is everything.
Fanny is tricked into a brothel and learns that sex is a currency even in a society that pretends that
morals are important. Although she was born poor, Fanny is rich in beauty and she is lucky and
clever enough to become both beautiful and rich.
'Fanny Hill' is a simple story whose strength is its open look at the sexual underbelly of a 'proper'
culture. You may start the novel for its titillation but you will finish it for its social commentary.
'Fanny Hill' is not for most readers but the few who finish the story will appreciate its look at life
two hundred years ago. 'Fanny' is in its own terms a myth about a woman of pleasure. As with all
myths, the meaning underneath the narration is what is important.
'Angels & Demons'
Dan Brown
Published by Pocket Books
A division of Simon & Schuster, Inc
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN: 0671027360 $7.99 569 pages
'Angels & Demons' is smoother reading than Brown's more famous 'The Da Vinci Code.' It is the
same type of thriller/mystery with historical oddities that blend into a murderous conspiracy. Part
of the plot is based on near future science fiction. Brown doesn't have the same feel for science
that he has with the past and it shows in the beginning of the novel.
Robert Langdon is awakened from a dream by a phone call from Maximilian Kohler, the director
of the research center CERN. At first, Langdon refuses to listen to Kohler, thinking it is a crank
call but then he receives a fax picture of a dead scientist branded with the name Illuminati. Before
Langdon knows what is happening, he is on a plane to Switzerland. He meets Vittoria Verta, the
dead scientist's daughter, at CERN and soon is on the trail of a stolen antimatter bomb that has
been placed somewhere in Vatican City. Langdon has to follow the ancient clues left by the
Illuminati to find the terrorist who planted the bomb and is killing catholic cardinals across
Rome.
'Angels & Demons' is a good action/mystery/thriller. The story hook isn't as powerful as the one
in 'The Da Vinci Code,' but the story is smoother. 'Angels' is a thriller everyone will enjoy.
S.A. Gorden
Reviewer
Harold's Bookshelf
Garden Party: Applique Quilts that Bloom
Cynthia Tomaszewski
Martingale & Company, Inc.
20205 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
ISBN: 1564774473 $27.95 Pages: 128
"Garden Party: Applique Quilts that Bloom" contains everything you need to know to make
absolutely beautiful applique quilts. Every aspect of applique quilting is covered including
quiltmaking basics, equipment, stitching techniques, applique techniques, and even the patterns
for the quilts in the book. These quilt examples consist mostly of either pastel or bright colorful
flowers, hence the title "Garden Party".
"Garden Party: Applique Quilts that Bloom" is a highly recommended purchase for anyone
interested in quilting and especially so if you are interested in applique techniques in quilting or
flower based patterns. You will not be disappointed.
Europe and the Wars of Religion (1500-1700)
Govind Sreenivasan
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
$TBA Format: Cassette, CD, DVD, and VHS Number of Lectures: 24
The period covered in this course (1500-1700) was a very turbulent time. There was a great deal
of political instability combined with power struggles between political leaders within a country,
various countries, and religious institutions. Throughout the time the various political leaders tried
to consolidate their power and expand their territories and influence. At the same time the church
was trying to consolidate its authority and power.
With everyone trying to consolidate and centralize their power there came times when their goals
were in direct opposition to each other. When a political authority and a church authority
considered themselves both to be the ultimate authority in a matter or over an area there was sure
to be conflict. When a persecuted minority saw opportunity to become recognized and fit into
society they had to take those opportunities.
This course focuses on five primary conflicts that came out of these clashes between different
political and religious interests. The five conflicts are the French Wars of Religion, the Revolt of
the Netherlands, the Thirty Years War, the English Civil War, and the Glorious Revolution. An
example of how these conflicts were tied to politics and power struggles is a situation where the
"official" religion of the country is whatever religion the king practiced and any other religion was
persecuted or at most barely tolerated. This was a very common situation of the time period.
Sometimes a king would die and a child would be placed on the throne. This situation presented
the opportunity for the minority religion to influence the child and so find a place of acceptance in
society. Of course, the established religion had an interest in maintaining its position.
To understand the internal strife and wars of the time period without looking at the religious
factors is to understand a single element that does not present a complete picture. This was a time
period when the church was often more powerful than the ruler in many matters and so to
understand the period requires an understanding of the effect of religion and the religious wars on
society. This is a highly recommended course and Professor Sreenivasan does an excellent job of
bringing a complex political quagmire into clear focus so all sides of the situation become
understandable.
Dancing Naked... in Fuzzy Red Slippers
Carmen Richardson Rutlen
Cypress House
155 Cypress Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
ISBN: 1879384531 $21.95 Pages: 128
The title of this book is a lighthearted relation of the various stages of life to various dances. The
Fandango is family and friends, a dance of lively rhythms. Modern Dance represents today's
world, fast, hectic, and changing. The Tango represents the dance of love, a dance where the
partners move as one. The Flamenco is the miscellaneous stuff that makes up the bulk of our life,
at times slow and pensive, at other times fast and furious. Tripping the light fantastic is the search
for and relationship with God. And finally the Charleston, the dance of aging, adjusting,
accepting, and changing.
In each of these sections author Carmen Rutlen shares vignettes of her life and about life in
general. At times humorous, at times wise and deep, at times very general, at times very personal.
Although each one is very short lasting from just a couple of lines to a couple of pages it is hard
to put it down and you find yourself involved in the dance of life with Carmen. "Dancing Naked...
in Fuzzy Red Slippers" is a delight to the read.
A Journey in Time: Mendocino County Wildflowers
Peter W. Stearns
Cypress House
155 Cypress Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
ISBN: 1879384523 $45.93 Pages: 187 plus glossary and index
In "A Journey in Time: Mendocino County Wildflowers" author and photographer Peter W.
Stearns treats the reader to an absolutely beautiful photographic collection of Mendocino County,
California wildflowers. Instead of the usual organization of flowers by color, Mr. Stearns has
chosen to organize them by month in which they appear. This makes it an exceptional book for
the hiker or explorer who wants to take a trip into the natural areas of the county and wants to
know what flowers to look for and expect. Besides the detailed photographs of each of the
flowers discussed, each new month is started with a landscape photograph or two representative
of that month. The landscape pictures are absolutely stunning and really showcase Mr. Stearns'
talent as a photographer. If you live in the Mendocino County area or plan a trip there and you
enjoy nature you will enjoy the information in this book. Even if you don't plan to visit the area
but enjoy flowers you will still like this book. It is a beautiful and recommended purchase.
Zondervan Bible Study Library, Version 5.0
Zondervan Publishing
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
ISBN: 0310230543 $349.99
This is quite simply the most complete and exciting Bible study program on the market today.
With over 70 different books in the Scholar's edition it is a tremendous resource for anyone
engaged in serious Bible Study. The various Bible translations can be linked to each other creating
the ultimate parallel translation covering up to 10 versions (New International, King James, New
American Standard, Amplified, New Revised Standard, American Standard, Darby, New Living,
Hebrew, and Greek ).
Because this library is based on the New International Version there are additional Study Bibles
such as the New International Reader's, NIV Study Bible, New Student Bible, and New
International Thematic Reference. In addition there are several commentaries, seminary-level
textbooks, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference books. It includes the ability to do
complete research on word meanings and etymologies, archaeological and historical information.
Print, search, save study, add notes, make bookmarks, you can do it all easily with this system.
With its ease of navigate and ease of use this is one of the most powerful tools available for
serious Bible students.
There are currently four versions available (Family, Leader's, Professional, and Scholar's). As you
move up the version list each one included the prior level plus additional books. To give you an
idea of what you are getting, the Family Version includes all of the following books: NIVBible,
NirV Bible, KJV Bible, KJV Apocrypha, NAS Bible, Amplified Bible, NIV Study Bible, NIV
New Student Bible, Comparative Study Bible, NIV Nave's Topical Bible, Zondervan Study Bible
Cross Reference System, Study Bible Maps, Charts, Full-Color Photographs, Streams in the
Desert, Inspirational Readings, Zondervan Quick Reference Series, and The NIV Compact
Dictionary of the Bible. Plus you effectively have the best concordance and parallel Bible system
around since you can word search any word and can choose any translation or number of
translations to view in parallel.
The Leader's Version contains all of the Family version plus these additional books: NRS Bible,
American Standard Bible, Darby Bible, All the Men of the Bible, All the Women of the Bible,
Fruit of the Spirit Bible Studies, Discipleship Bible Studies, Hebrew Old Testament BHS, Hebrew
Text behind the NIV, Greek New Testament UBS4, Greek Text behind the NIV, Zondervan NIV
Bible Commentary (2 volumes),
Matthew Henry's Commentary (6 volumes), New International Bible Commentary, Asbury Bible
Commentary, Zondervan Quick Reference Series, Understanding the Bible, New International
Bible Dictionary, New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words, and the New International
Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties
The Professional Version has everything in the Leader's Version plus these additional books: New
Living Bible, NIV Thematic Reference Bible, Hebrew-English Reader's Lexicon of the Old
Testament, Greek-English Reader's Lexicon of the New Testament, Basics of Biblical Greek
Grammar, Eadie's commentaries on Colossians, Galatians, and Philippians, Godet's commentaries
on 1 Corinithians, John (2 volumes), Luke (2 volumes), and Romans, Lightfoot's commentaries
on Paul's Epistles to the Colossians & Philemon, St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, Notes on the
Epistles, and Philippians, Wescott's Gospel According to St. John, St. Paul's Epistle to the
Ephesians, Epistle to the Hebrews, and Epistle of St. John, Calvin's Institutes of the Christian
Religion, the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Nicene Creed, the Apostles Creed, the
Athanasian Creed, the Ninety-Five Thesis, the Augsburg Confession, the Belgic Confession, the
Heidelberg Confession, the Thirty-Nine Articles, the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechisms,
An Introduction to the Old Testament, Introduction to the New Testament, and the Dictionary of
Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult.
The largest and most complete collection is the Scholar's Version which contains all of the books
of the Professional Version plus the following: Complete Vocabulary for Biblical Hebrew &
Aramaic, Analytical Lexicon to the Hebrew Old Testament, Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New
Testament, New Testament Greek Morpheme Lexicon, Groves-Wheeler Westminster
Morphology, Morphology of Biblical Greek, Complete Vocabulary Guide for Biblical Greek,
Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, Biblical Greek Exegesis, New Linguistic & Exegetical Key to
the Greek New Testament, Hort: The Apocalypse of St. John 1-3, The Epistle of St. James, The
First Epistle of St. Peter 1, Prolegomenon to St. Paul's Epistle, Eadie's commentary on Ephesians,
A General Introduction to the Bible, Is There Meaning in this Text, New International Dictionary
of the Christian Church, New International Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology, Zondervan
Pictorial Encyclopedia (5 volumes).
The "Zondervan Bible Study Library" is the most comprehensive, easy to use Study Library
available today. It gives the serious Bible student the ability to research with a complete study
library anywhere they can plug in a laptop computer. This is the most exciting product available
from any publisher of Christian products today and is a very highly recommended product.
Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices
J. Gordon Melton and Martin Baumann, editors
ABC-CLIO, Inc.
130 Cremona Drive, PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
ISBN: 1576072231 $385.00 Volumes: 4 Total Pages: 1,467
From the "Aboriginal Cult of Maria Lionza" to "Zoroastrianism" the four volume set "Religions of
the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices" has information on every
significant religion in the world. When it is a small local group with peculiar beliefs it is typically
classified under "ethnoreligions". This is definitely appropriate as it would be impossible to
chronicle every minor cult and sect of each religion. However, it covers the largest number of
religions of any similarly titled book that I have seen.
One of the things that make this series unique is the entry for each country. Besides having an
entry for each religion it has each country listed along with a short religious history of the country
and statistical information about the number of adherents of the various religions. For each
religious group if there is a central address, web site, or other contact information it is listed.
Associations are also listed as well as the history of the association and membership.
The books are hard bound, contain copious photographs, and are of very high quality material and
workmanship. All contributors are highly regarded professors, lecturers, and officers of the
various religious groups or countries. This is another one of the items that make this set unusual,
you are not getting one person's opinion of another person's beliefs but generally are getting the
information directly from respected authorities within the religion or authorities on the religion.
This is a very pleasant break from the all to common books today where, for example, a Christian
is trying to explain Islam and doing so from an obviously slanted perspective. I would trust the
information in this set of books to accurately portray the beliefs of the various religions in an
unbiased manner more than just about any other book I have seen that professes to be a survey of
various religions.
The final point that makes this four book set unusual is the sheer number of religions examined.
Most other books list twenty or thirty religions. In this set there are 135 entries just for the letter
A.
Professional, unbiased, informative, and thorough, it is the perfect set to own if you are interested
in a basic understanding of the various religions of the world. "Religions of the World: A
Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices" is a very highly recommended read.
The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Businesses
Jay B. Lipe
Chammerson Press.
4315 Aldrich Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55409
ISBN: 0972034501 $19.95 Pages: 254
The first thing that came to my mind as I read this book was that it is one of the most practical,
down-to-earth, hands-on approaches to marketing that I have come across. Jay Lipe manages to
distill some vary advanced marketing concepts into small easy to understand and easy to apply
pieces that anyone can follow. Some of the areas he covers include common mistakes and how to
correct them (or avoid them entirely), how to use active language to get people to act, how to use
metrics to determine what works and what does not in your marketing plan, search engine
positioning, budgeting, and even how to market during a recession.
Mr. Lipe asks some very directed questions at strategic points in the book. These questions are
designed to make you think and help clearly define your goals as well as how you will be able to
achieve them. In addition he includes lots of forms that can be used to clearly define your target
market, how you will get your marketing plan to them, exactly what your marketing plan should,
and should not include, and exactly how to go about implementing the plan. This is a complete
marketing plan that can be used for any business no matter what type of services or products they
provide. If you want a marketing education that concentrates on the practical side of marketing
without a lot of discussion of theory then this is a book that you will want to consider. I've taken
college level marketing courses that did not provide as much practical knowledge as this book.
"The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Business" is a very highly recommended purchase if you
plan to take charge of your own marketing or want to know what your marketing firm should be
doing.
The Marketing Manager's Handbook
Eric Gagnon
Internet Media.
200 Winchester Street, Warrenton, VA 20186
ISBN: 1884640044 $39.95 Pages: 472 plus appendix and index
If you are looking for a book on marketing that covers every aspect of marketing including direct
mail, advertising, trade shows, planning, metrics to measure success, writing copy, internet
marketing, special problems of startups, and marketing turnarounds this is a book that you will
want to put at the top of your list of possibilities. "The Marketing Manager's Handbook" is filled
with knowledge distilled down to an understandable level and replete with illustrations and
example that clearly show exactly what the author is discussing. Mr. Gagnon has a great knack
for describing each concept in sufficient detail that the reader can follow along and comprehend,
and yet knowing when to stop and move on to the next topic. This ability keeps the entire book
tight, concise, and informative even though it is almost 500 pages. Examining in detail both the
practical and theoretical sides of marketing "The Marketing Manager's Handbook" is a complete
marketing education and a very highly recommended read.
Life's Little Apple Cookbook: 101 Apple Recipes
Joan Bestwick
Avery Color Studios, Inc.
511 D Avenue, Gwinn, MI 49841
ISBN: 1892384221 $TBA Pages: 122 plus index
There are many wonderful recipes that involve apples as the primary ingredient. Joan Bestwick
has gathered many of them together in the delightful "Life's Little Apple Cookbook". Recipes
include Apple Cider, Apple Punch, Old Fashioned Apple Butter, Applesauce, Apple Pie Filling,
Apple Carrot Salad, Waldorf Salad (a particularly good recipe for this classic), Apple Wild Rice
Pilaf, Apple Stuffed Game Hens (another really good recipe), Apple Black Walnut Pie, Apple Pie,
Apple Crisp, Apple Cake, and Carmel Apples among many, many others. The only apple recipe
that I was surprised not to find was one for Apple Streudel, one of my personal favorites. Still, if
you like apples you are sure to find several recipes that will delight you. For apple lovers it is a
must read book.
Great World Religions: Christianity
Professor: Luke Timothy Johnson
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
Format: Cassette, CD, DVD, and VHS Number of Lectures: 12
Part of The Teaching Company's courses on Great World Religions, "Christianity" provides a
practical overview of Christianity from its inception to the current period. Through the series of
lectures Professor Luke Timothy Johnson of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University
provides a comprehensive historic view of Christianity as it grows from a handful of people to a
major world religion. Professor Johnson covers how the moral teachings, various branches, and
practices of Christianity were affected by politics and culture as well as how Christianity also
changed politics and culture.
Starting from a small sect within Judaism, proceeding through the early period of persecution, to
acceptance (or at toleration), and on to becoming a major world religion it is a fascinating
journey. Of particular interest is his excellent treatment of the history of the early church and the
problems it faced. Several significant movements and individuals are discussed as he clearly shows
how they changed the face and doctrine of Christianity. Among those discussed are Gnosticism,
Marcion, Tatian, Tertullian and Irenaeus. In another section he discusses the problems of the early
church and how their lack of unity caused various problems and divisions. From this beginning he
then moves forward to the second century that saw them coming together with a common
doctrine and attempting to become a more consistent and cohesive group.
Another particularly interesting area Professor Johnson discusses is the sacraments and how they
have changed from simple celebrations to elaborate ceremonies. What factors were involved in the
gradual changing of these ceremonies? What did they mean then, what do they mean now, how
and why have they changed? This is a fascinating area and a view into the psychological factors of
Christianity as it continued to grow
As part of the history he also discusses the three primary branches of Christianity - Catholic,
Orthodox, and Protestant- how they came to be and how they have changed to become the
doctrines held by most Christians. If you want a good understanding of Christianity from a
historical perspective - where it came from, where it is going, how its doctrines have come about
and how they have changed, this is one of the best places to acquire that knowledge. "Great
World Religions: Christianity" is a very highly recommended course for anyone wishing to
understand the roots of Christianity.
Winning the Hepatitis C Battle
Shekhar Challa, M.D.
Kansas Medical Publishing
2200 SW 6th Street, Topeka, KS 66606
ISBN: 0974388300 $29.99 Pages: 81 including glossary
Tired of finding a piece of information on Hepatitis C here and a piece there but unable to put it
all together into a complete picture? In his book "Winning the Hepatitis C Battle" author Shekhar
Challa, M.D. provides a comprehensive, authoritative overview of the disease. Dr. Challa
discusses the diagnosis of the disease, treatment options, potential complications, and even herbs
and other alternative treatments.
One of the things that make this book unique is the inclusion of the emotional aspects of being
diagnosed with Hepatitis C and going through treatment. Dr. Challa includes many of the personal
thoughts and comments of Denise Hudman from the point where she was diagnosed with
Hepatitis C through some of her feelings as she went through treatment. This is invaluable insight
if you are dealing with a friend who has been diagnosed with the disease.
"Winning the Hepatitis C Battle" also includes a frequently asked questions section and a
glossary. With the comprehensive coverage and easy to understand writing style this is a highly
recommended read for anyone wanting to gain a broad understanding of Hepatitis C.
Greek Generations: A Medley of Ethnic Recipes, Folklore, and Village Traditions
Susie Atsaides
Noble House
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
ISBN: 1561677183 $39.95 Pages: 583 plus index
This is the most extensive ethnic cookbook that I have ever seen. "Greek Generations" has over
480 pages of recipes, preparation tips and tricks, and meal suggestions. An exhaustive collection
of Greek recipes it includes many recipes for lamb, pork, and beef as well as vegetable dishes,
sauces, marinates, desserts and any other food category. It also includes traditional Greek recipes
that would be pretty hard to find in any other cookbooks. For example, it includes traditional
recipes for fish roe, grilled eel, fried brains, and squid rings. If you have a favorite Greek dish and
would like a recipe for it I would be greatly surprised if you could not find it here. Pilafs, pastas,
meats, breads (some wonderful bread recipes), appetizers, soups, desserts, drinks, it is all here
including my favorites - gyros, souvlaki, and baklava.
At the end of the book Susie Atsaides includes a section on Greek superstitions, traditions and
legends. She has done a great job of sharing this fascinating aspect of Greek social customs and
history and it is great reading for anyone who has Greek friends or is interested in their traditions.
She also has sections on holiday celebrations, different men and women in the village, and
common ceremonies. By the time I had finished the book I had a new appreciation for the Greek
people and a greater understanding of their history, society, and traditions. Susie Atsaides has
opened up her life and family for all to understand and appreciate. This is a very highly
recommended read for anyone interested in Greek recipes or Greek society in general, Susie
Atasaides effectively welcomes you into her life and makes you feel like a friend of the
family.
The Old Testament
Amy-Jill Levine
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
Format: Cassette, CD, DVD, and VHS Number of Lectures: 24
"The Old Testament" by Professor Amy-Jill Levine of Vanderbilt University Divinity School is
another winning course for The Teaching Company. In a series of 24 lectures she gives a survey
of Old Testament history, religious belief and practices, and literature. Professor Levine delves
quickly into controversial issues over interpretation, symbology, and translation. Although she
delves down into such subjects as type studies and symbology the reader needs only a cursory
knowledge of the more common Biblical stories to follow along easily.
The first twelve lectures deal primarily with the first five books of the Bible (lecture 12 also deals
with the book of Joshua). These "Books of Moses" or the "Pentatuch" are the basis of the Jewish
and Christian understanding of the history of the creation of the world, mankind, the calling of the
Jewish nation through Abraham, and the history of the Jewish nation through the conquest of
Cannan. In this section are some of the most familiar and important stories of the Bible - Adam
and Eve, Cain and Abel, Joseph, Noah and the Ark, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Isaac, Moses,
the Exodus, the Ten Commandments, and Jericho. Professor Levine examines all of these in
detail, as types, as related to other literature of the time, as symbolical stories, and as related to
archaeological and other scientific work. She examines the importance of the stories and what
they meant to the people of the time. The stories come alive and many hidden twists and turns are
brought to life through her insightful observations.
The second twelve lectures cover most of the remaining books of the Bible, including the stories
of Samuel and Saul, King David, Solomon, the dividing of the kingdom, the prophecies against
the kingdoms, the fall of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, the effect of the exile on the
tribes, additional prophecy, the restoration, wisdom literature, and apocalyptic literature. In these
lectures she again takes us on a grand journey into the interpretation, literary types, and other
aspects of the stories that help the listener to more fully understand the nuances within the words
that are chosen and how the history unfolds.
More than you would get from just a historical reading, but less than you would get from a full
in-depth study it strikes a nice medium between a cursory examination of the Old Testament and a
deep technical evaluation of the same books. Professor Levine realizes this situation and points
out that she could easily fill the entire 24 lectures just on the book of Genesis. However, her
purpose is to prevent an overview of the most important pieces of the literature and history of the
Bible and she does a good job of doing just that. This is a highly recommended course on the Old
Testament.
Mix 'n Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes
Linda Gassenheimer
American Diabetes Association
16 Hamilton Street, Flemington, NJ 08822
ISBN: 1580401716 $16.95 Pages: 176 and index
While there are many cookbooks today that feature meals that are quick and easy to prepare there
are very few that concentrate on the special problems of the diabetic. In "Mix 'n Match Meals in
Minutes for People with Diabetes" the reader will find many breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes
with complete serving and nutritional information. Each recipe has exchanges information for
those who have to watch their diet closely along with information on calories, saturated fat,
cholesterol, sodium, fiber, sugars, and protein content.
Along with "One Pot Meals for People with Diabetes" this is a welcome cookbook of delicious
recipes and a recommended read for anyone with diabetes or just looking for recipes with
nutritional information.
Mason Moves Away
Amy Crane Johnson
Raven Tree Press, LLC
200 S. Washington St., Ste. 306, Green Bay, WI 54301
ISBN: 0972019235 $16.95 Pages: 32
"Mason Moves Away" is the story of Mason the beaver who is suddenly put in the situation of
having to find a new home. First he finds that his dam and lodge has been damaged and his friend
Solomon Raven tries to figure out why it happened. After discussing it with various creatures he
finds that the problem is people moving into the area. So Mason moves to another part of the
forest and finds that moving is not necessarily a bad thing. A bi-lingual book written in English
and Spanish for children about four to eight years old it is well illustrated and a joy to read.
"Mason Moves Away" is a recommended children's book.
The Giant King
Kathleen T. Pelley
Child & Family Press
440 First Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20001-2085
ISBN: 0878688803 $14.95 Pages: 32
An enchanting children's story, "The Giant King" teaches two very important life lessons. The first
is that you have to look beyond the outward appearances of a person to see their true value as a
person. The second lesson is that people often act the way we expect them to act. If we change
the way we treat them they generally change the way they treat us. The story itself is set in
Scotland where the young boy Rabbie has a special skill carving wood. As he travels he finds a
village with a problem giant that terrorizes the village and steals their food. Rabbie teaches the
villagers to see beyond the outward appearances of the giant and find the good giant inside. The
book opens up a wealth of opportunities to discuss how our actions affect others, looking beyond
the obvious, and cultural differences. The illustrations are colorful and hold a child's attention
well. "The Giant King" is a highly recommended read for all children.
Even More
Liz McGrath
Raven Tree Press, LLC
200 S. Washington St., Ste. 306, Green Bay, WI 54301
ISBN: 0972019286 $16.95 Pages: 34
"Even More" celebrates the special relationship between a mother and a daughter. Author Liz
McGrath takes the reader on a trip along the cycle of life from the birth of a child to the birth of a
grandchild. Along the way the mother finds ways to express how much she loves her daughter and
the daughter also expresses her love for her mother. This is a wonderful book to show the young
reader the strong bonds of love that exist (or at least should exist) between a daughter and a
mother. This is a very well done bilingual book written in English and Spanish for children about
four to eight years old. Sure to help the young reader understand how important they are to their
parents, "Even More" is a highly recommended children's book.
One Pot Meals for People with Diabetes
Ruth Glick, Nancy Baggett
American Diabetes Association
16 Hamilton Street, Flemington, NJ 08822
ISBN: 1580400663 $14.95 Pages: 297 and index
For people with diabetes who also like to cook this is an excellent cookbook. Not only does it
have some delicious recipes and the usual full ingredients and preparations instructions but also
has detailed nutritional analysis information. Each recipe has exchange information for those who
are watching their diets closely as well as information on calories, saturated fat, cholesterol,
sodium, fiber, sugars, and proteins. Each of the recipes in this cookbook is a soup, stew,
casserole, curry, or other similar meal that can be prepared in one pot, skillet, or slow-cooker.
This is a welcome resource to diabetics and others looking to eat healthier. "One Pot Meals for
People with Diabetes" is a highly recommended read.
Cooking Up Fun for Kids with Diabetes: Recipes, Crafts, Games & More
Patti B. Geil, Tami A. Ross
American Diabetes Association
16 Hamilton Street, Flemington, NJ 08822
ISBN: 1580401341 $14.95 Pages: 189 and index
In "Cooking Up Fun for Kids with Diabetes" the authors dedicate the first two chapters to
providing a basic understanding of diabetes. The first chapter discusses diabetes with a slant
toward helping a child understand it. The second one is from the perspective of what the adult
parent needs to know.
The book contains simple recipes rated on a one, two, or three hand system with one being the
easiest and three being the hardest. Each recipe provides information on serving size, exchanges,
calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, fiber, protein, and carbohydrates. Some are just easy
recipes that a child can do; others have been adapted to make it more fun for children. For
example, an ordinary grilled cheese sandwich becomes a toasted cheese person.
"Cooking Up Fun for Kids with Diabetes" is a fun book of recipes and food related crafts for any
child and a recommended read.
A Celebration of Herbs: Recipes from the Huntington Herb Garden
Jean Patterson
Huntington Library Press
1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108
ISBN: 0873281993 $29.95 Pages: 199 and index
Anyone interested in herbs and their uses for cooking will find "A Celebration of Herbs" a
welcome addition to their personal library. The book opens with a short history of the Huntington
Herb Garden. A section follows this on learning how to use herbs when cooking and includes a
specific eight-step program. In addition to specific recipes, part of the point of the book is to
teach the reader how to use herbs to enhance their own recipes.
Some of the divisions in the book include herb butters, sauces, pestos, salsas, marinades,
appetizers, salads, salad dressings, soups, breads, pasta, pizza, vegetables, side dishes, main
courses, desserts, jams, jellies, and beverages. Near the end is a table of herb names, descriptions,
cultivation notes, culinary uses and comments that is extremely helpful when looking for
something specific. The last piece of the book contains information on herb sources. For those
interested in using various herbs to spice up, add zest, or otherwise improve their recipes this is an
excellent book.
On The Banks of The Amazon
Nancy Kelly Allen
Raven Tree Press, LLC
200 S. Washington St., Ste. 306, Green Bay, WI 54301
ISBN: 0972019278 $16.95 Pages: 32
"On the Banks of the Amazon" takes the reader out for a day with two photographers as they
travel along the edge of the Amazon River. They encounter howler monkeys, poison dart frogs,
an anaconda, parrots, caiman and other animals. Detailed full-page illustrations keep a child's
interest well and support the reading material. It is a well-done bilingual book written in English
and Spanish for children about seven to ten years old. "On the Banks of the Amazon" is a
recommended children's book.
Tom's Wheels
Sara Burden
American Literary Press, Inc.
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
ISBN: 1561677558 $12.95 Pages: 10
"Tom's Wheels" is a simple story of the growth of a child from his first interest in a trike to skates
to bicycles to cars. Tom moves from the smaller wheels to larger and faster wheels as he grows. A
simple story with large print for early readers, it is a good book to open discussions of change and
growth with your child.
The Marketing Yellow Pages: A Guide to Online Marketing Resources
Chris M. Vogl
iUniverse, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, Ste. 100, Lincoln, NE 68512
ISBN: 059528132X $20.95 Pages: 241
"The Marketing Yellow Pages: A Guide to Online Marketing Resources" is exactly what the title
promises. Organized into sections on Marketing, Business Information, Promotional Materials,
Government Information, Direct Mail, Web Marketing Strategies, Website Promotions, Software,
and others, it contains website listings and some basic information on each site. There does not
appear to be anything in this book that you can't find yourself on the Internet by using one of the
common search engines. However, you could easily save yourself several hours of time by buying
the book and not sorting through pages and pages of hit results trying to find the ones that are
valuable.
Still The Target: Coping with Terror and Crime
Theodore G. Shackley, Richard A. Finney
Noble House
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
ISBN: 1561677868 $18.95 Pages: 131 plus appendices and index
One of the best books on the subject of terrorism and intelligence "Still the Target" is a very
interesting read. The authors are well-respected authorities in the intelligence arena and come
with impressive credentials. Theodore G. Shackley retired in 1979 from his position as the CIA's
Associate Deputy Director for Operations where he was responsible for worldwide foreign
intelligence collection, clandestine counter intelligence, and covert action. Richard A. Finney
retired in 1978 from his position as an operations and training officer for the CIA. Together they
have produced a book that examines the current world situation as it relates to terrorism and
crime. They examine the use of bombs and why they have become the weapon of choice for
terrorists, the use of guns, and other common weapons, ambush techniques and avoidance,
kidnapping and similar crimes, and a whole host of other topics of importance to international
travelers. Through the use of various real-life illustrations they bring to life the problems,
mistakes, and successes of terrorism prevention and offer various ways to keep yourself as safe as
possible. This is a recommended read for anyone interested in terrorism and personal
security.
Trellises and Arbors: Landscape and Design Ideas, Plus Projects
Bill Hylton
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
ISBN: 158011086X $16.95 Pages: 155 plus glossary and index
Filled with photographs and very detailed guidance, "Trellises and Arbors" is an excellent book
for both design ideas and actual production. This book has more design ideas than most similar
books and even has a section on vertical gardening for those of us who like to actually use our
trellises for various vines and flowering plants. The book is divided into four primary sections.
The first one is a design guide with photographs of various arbors and trellises being used in
different settings and for different purposes. Just realizing the possibilities from this section alone
makes you want to go out and build one. The second section covers plants and gardening
techniques for use with trellises - Virginia Creeper, various ivies, grapes, Wisteria, Passion
Flower, Morning Glory, etc. The third section details the various tools, techniques, and materials
for the actual construction of arbors and trellises. The fourth details the construction of specific
trellises and arbors. Included with each project is a detailed list of the wood needed (quantity,
thickness, length, width, and type) and even the number, type, and size of screws. Construction of
your project is very detailed and each step is well illustrated so you can't go wrong. It even has
lots of tips and tricks that you can use to make sure that the final result is very professional.
"Trellises and Arbors" is by far one of the best books on the subject available today. More design
ideas than most, illustrations and photographs to guide you every step of the way, comprehensive
instructions make this a highly recommended read.
The Food Journal of Lewis & Clark: Recipes for an Expedition
Mary Gunderson
History Cooks
215 Walnut Street, Yankton, SD 57078
ISBN: 0972039104 $19.95 Pages: 156 plus index
A very interesting historical book, "The Food Journal of Lewis & Clark" has a lot to offer. The
recipes are based on the way things were prepared during the early 1800s and include some very
good dishes like lemon meringue pie and pan-fried potatoes and some much less common recipes
that might include ingredients like a pound of buffalo meat.
Along with these recipes the book contains various pieces of information from the trip journals.
The additional information includes provisions lists such as the one from Philadelphia where they
purchased 176 lbs of gunpowder and 193 lbs of "P. Soup". A "P. Soup" follows and it takes only
a cursory reading to figure out that this is basically the precursor to bouillon cubes. Throughout
the book there are small quotes from the journals that indicate what they were doing at the time
and also several passages that give general information about the trip.
This is a book that will prove interesting to anyone interested in the Lewis & Clark Expedition or
recipes of the time. "The Food Journals of Lewis & Clark" is a recommended read for any
audience interested in American History and covers an area generally overlooked in other Lewis
& Clark works.
Easy Dessert Cooking With 5 Ingredients or Less
Lia Roessner Wilson
Cookbook Resources, LLC
541 Doubletree Drive, Highland Village, TX 75077
ISBN: 1931294437 $19.95 Pages: 266 plus index
What a wonderful book! I have to admit that I like desserts and this cookbook is a great
collection of the simple, but still delicious desserts. The book is organized into various categories
including Sauces and Toppings (with an excellent Hot Fudge Sauce recipe), Fruit Desserts,
Frozen Desserts, Puddings and Custards, CrŠmes, Mousses, Souffles, Parfaits, Pies, Cheesecakes,
Cobblers and Crisps, Pastries, Tart, Crepes, Flaming Desserts, Cookies, Candies, and Cakes. If
you have a sweet tooth you will want this book. When you need to whip up a dessert that is easy
to prepare this is the book you will find yourself turning to again and again. "Easy Dessert
Cooking With 5 Ingredients or Less" is a highly recommended cookbook.
Cookie Jar Magic: Magical Cookie Dough, Gifts in a Jar & Cookie Cutter Fun
Lia Roessner Wilson
Cookbook Resources, LLC
541 Doubletree Drive, Highland Village, TX 75077
ISBN: 1931294526 $19.95 Pages: 156
"Cookie Jar Magic" is actually a compilation of two of Lia Roessner Wilson's cookie cookbooks
and an additional section with cookie cutter recipes. Now you can get two of her best cookie
related books in one volume. The first section contains the book "Cookie Dough Secrets: 1 Basic
Dough for 70 Scrumptious Cookie Recipes", the second is "The Cookie Cutter Cookbook", and
the third is "Gifts for the Cookie Jar: Cookie Recipes for Ingredients in a Jar". The first and third
sections are books that have been reviewed before and those reviews are included below. This
cookie cookbook is a recommended read and a good source of just about anything you might
want to do with cookie recipes from creating gift jars to creating a wide variety of tasty
treats.
Part I - Cookie Dough Secrets: 1 Basic Dough for 70 Scrumptious Cookie Recipes. "Cookie
Dough Secrets" is exactly what the title promises. First is a recipe for basic cookie dough. Master
this dough and you can appear to be a cooking baking genius. Just add a few ingredients to the
already prepared dough and you have pfeffernuesse (one of my favorites), add a couple of
different ingredients and you have crispy pecan thins, different ingredients and you get spicy
cinnamon sugar twists, orange slices, nutty lemon rounds, pineapple pinwheels, or even chocolate
peanut butter sandwich cookies. Totally different flavors, totally different cookies, same basic
recipe; it's amazing the variety of cookies a good baker can create with simple additions from a
single recipe. Now with Lia Wilson's book you too can create almost any kind of cookie from this
same basic recipe.
Part II - The Cookie Cutter Cookbook.
This section contains fifteen pages of recipes that are designed to work well with traditional
cookie cutters. There are various recipes and decoration suggestions. The recipes include some
unusual chocolate cookie recipes as well as traditional sugar cookies, gingerbread man, and other
recipes.
Part III - Gifts for the Cookie Jar: Cookie Recipes for Ingredients in a Jar.
When you have an urge for cookies the easiest way to satisfy it is to grab a pack at the store. Of
course, they taste better if you get a roll of cookie dough and bake them. Then again they taste
even better if you get all the ingredients and actually make them from scratch, but who has time
for that? Wouldn't it be great if you could just grab a box or jar with all the dry ingredients already
measured so all you had to do is pour it into a bowl, add the egg and butter, mix and bake? "Gifts
for the Cookie Jar" is a collection of cookie recipes that are appropriate for just this sort of gift.
Each recipe has complete instructions for the correct measurement of the ingredients, the size of
the jar needed and an appropriate layering order so you end up with an attractive and unique gift.
After layering the ingredients into the jar, you add a decorative lid, and a small tag with the baking
instructions (tags with the instructions are included in the book). Decorative and yet practical, all
the gift recipient has to do is take the lid off, pour the ingredients into a mixing bowl, add the
appropriate egg, butter, vanilla, or other perishable ingredient, mix and bake. Quick, easy, no
searching for the recipe, no searching for ingredients, no quick trip to the store for a forgotten
ingredient, and delicious homemade cookies; it's the perfect gift to give or keep available for
yourself for that day when you want fresh cookies without the hassle.
Recipes include oatmeal-raisin cookies, orange sugar cookies, date and walnut cookies, malted
milk crunchies, butterscotch snaps, toffee chocolate chippers, and butter pecan delights. These are
really good recipes and an absolutely delightful idea.
With both of her best cookie books in a single volume plus the added section on cookie cutter
recipes this volume is very convenient to use. Each of the two books reviewed before had
received a "highly recommended" rating on their own. Now together in one book the only rating I
can possibly give it is very highly recommended for anyone who enjoys cookies as a treat or as a
gift.
Class Treats: Take-To-School Goodies For Every Occasion
Lia Roessner Wilson
Cookbook Resources, LLC
541 Doubletree Drive, Highland Village, TX 75077
ISBN: 1931294585 $16.95 Pages: 121 plus index
We all know the joy of a child who wants to take a special treat to school for the holidays. What
do you make? What are some ways of taking a traditional treat and dressing it up for the holiday
or themed snack? This cookbook provides creative answers to those questions. Some ideas
include rolling bread dough into long thin pieces and then shaping them into numbers or letters
before baking, how to cook pumpkin seeds from Halloween pumpkins, snowman cookies, and
Easter basket cupcakes. A useful resource for anyone who has to create special snacks for school
aged children it is a recommended resource.
Yelly Kelly
Nancy Rose Sweetland
Raven Tree Press, LLC
200 S. Washington St., Ste. 306, Green Bay, WI 54301
ISBN: 0972019200 $16.95 Pages: 32
All of us seem to know at least one child who is a "Yelly Kelly". He can't do anything quietly.
When he is frustrated he yells, when he is confused he yells, when he is angry he yells, when he
wants something he yells. Yelly Kelly just yells about pretty much anything. Finally the time
comes to teach him that he should not yell all the time about things that are unimportant. In a tale
reminiscent of the "boy who cried wolf" he soon learns that there is a price to be paid for yelling
all the time for no reason.
This is a well-done bilingual book written in English and Spanish for children about four to eight
years old. "Yelly Kelly" is a recommended children's book.
Everybody's Normal Till You Get To Know Them
John Ortberg
Zondervan Publishing
5300 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
ISBN: 0310228646 $16.99 Pages: 234 plus misc. supplemental information
"Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them" is one of the best books I've read this year.
The basic premise of the book is that as long as we define others by putting them into a
predefined mold based on their beliefs, age, education, or other traits, we will always find that
they don't fit. Why is that the case? It's because we determine what is "normal" for people of that
age, belief, lifestyle, or whatever and then find that nobody is "normal". As long as we define
unique individuals as non-unique beings we will always be disappointed and end up in
confrontations or disillusionment. This is a book about doing the opposite. It is about building
relationship and community by accepting people for who and what they are - complete with any
and all flaws.
Ortberg's writing style makes his works a delight to read. While creating an entertaining read he
still manages to make his point very effectively. You finish the book with a deep appreciation for
others and a strong commitment to building a positive community among your friends, family, and
others. And, of course, that includes building the same strong relationship with God, who does
accept us just the way we are with all of our faults. Just as God accepts us as we are, we need to
accept others as they are. This is the foundational premise for building a positive community
relationship with others. "Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them" should be required
reading for everyone and deserves the highest recommendation that I can offer.
Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew
Bart D. Ehrman
Oxford University Press, Inc.
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
ISBN: 0195141830 $30.00 Pages: 279 plus bibliography and index
Many Christians would be surprised to find that the early Christian church was not one with a
common theology with only very minor differences between them. In fact there were many major
differences between the early churches. Some believed that Christ was entirely human and not
divine at all. Others believed he was entirely divine and not human at all. And, of course, there
were a wide variety of beliefs between those extremes. This is just one of the examples of how
widely apart the early Christian church was in terms of theology, soteriology, and even the
purpose of the church in the world.
There were also many different "scriptures" supposedly written by the apostles or those who were
in direct contact with the apostles. Some of these are patently forgeries; others are hard to tell.
What were these writings? What was their significance? Did any of the early churches treat them
as part of their canon of sacred scriptures? If they did then why were they not included in the
current canon of the New Testament? How did these affect the beliefs of the early church or how
did the beliefs of the early church affect how these were written?
Bart D. Ehrman takes on all of these questions through his riveting account of the "Lost
Christianities", the beliefs and scriptures of the various early Christian churches. This is a very
readable and well-organized treatise that is sure to become a commonly referred book for anyone
interested in this historical aspect of the Christian Church. "Lost Christianities: The Battles for
Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew" is a highly recommended read.
Leadership Presence: Dramatic Techniques to Reach Out, Motivate, and Inspire
Belle Linda Halpern and Kathy Lubar
Penguin Group, Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
ISBN: 1592400175 $25.00 Pages: 264 plus index
Why is it when some actors take the stage they automatically command the attention of the
audience? It doesn't matter if they are not the most important part of the scene - they still
command the audience's attention even when in the background. These people have a sense of
presence; their very being and bearing demands respect. That ability to command respect is what
this book is about. How does a real leader create this sense of presence such that he or she
automatically has the attention and respect of those they lead?
The authors define presence as "the ability to connect authentically with the thoughts and feelings
of others". While business has generally ignored this sense of presence and assumed that people
will be led simply because they are employees, the acting profession lives or dies by this sense of
presence. Business is now struggling to create loyal employees who think for theirselves and have
a sense of being a part of a larger community. Business is looking for great leaders.
To help find or create these great leaders there has been a plethora of books about the attributes
of great leaders; they communicate well, they treat others as important, etc. The difference
between most management or leadership books and this one can best be illustrated by the art of
dance. A good dancer can be mechanically perfect. Every twist, every turn, every leap is exactly
as it should be, but still the dance is boring. On the other hand a dancer who truly feels and moves
to the music as it were a part of their self creates a thing of beauty to see. That is where this book
differentiates itself from the other books on leadership. The others are typically descriptions of
what makes good leaders - the mechanics of the perfect dance. This book helps the leader to
establish a sense of presence that in turn causes a sense of immediate respect in others - the
dancer who feels the music.
At the end of each chapter are exercises to help the reader to learn to apply the lessons. The
authors fill a deep chasm in management theory with this book. "Leadership Presence: Dramatic
Techniques to Reach Out, Motivate and Inspire" is a highly recommended read and required
reading for those in leadership positions of any kind.
Blood, Money & Power: How L.B.J. Killed J.F.K.
Barr McClellan
Hannover House
163 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023
ISBN: 0963784625 $24.95 Pages: 365 plus index
Ever since John F. Kennedy was assassinated there has been no shortage of conspiracy theories.
Most take one or two minor pieces of evidence and build it into a full-blown theory. Rarely has
someone with inside information come forward with a detailed theory. Barr McClellan has had
that access to inside information as a member of the legal firm of Edward A. Clark that
represented Lyndon B. Johnson's private as well as public needs. Being privy to this information
and having access to individuals who were charged with protecting the president as well as
promoting his agenda has lead him to the conclusion that when you follow all the details,
ultimately L.B.J. and his lust for power are what lead to the assassination of John F.
Kennedy.
Perhaps the most fascinating part of McClellan's book is his insight into the real Lyndon B.
Johnson and his associates. McClellan provides a thorough background and history of Johnson
from his early years through his presidency. The evidence presented is not conclusive, however it
does provide enough of a convincing argument to show that it is not only a possibility, but totally
consistent with the personalities, histories, and desires of the people involved. "Blood, Money &
Power" is a highly recommended read for anyone interested in the John F. Kennedy
assassination.
Harold McFarland
Reviewer
Harwood's Bookshelf
Biblical Religion: The Great Lie
Michael Kalopoulos
Xlibris
436 Walnut St, Philadelphia PA 19106
ISBN 1401099548, $24.95 (hc $34.95) 1-888-795-4274 ext. 276
Biblical Religion does not contain a bibliography. That is hardly surprising, since the whole book
seems to be the author's less-than-skillful interpretation of printed bibles that he apparently does
not realize contain deliberate falsifications designed to conceal the differences between the
religion of the bible authors and modern religion. Even Kalopoulos's own narrative consistently
refers to characters named "God" and "the Lord," even though both names originate in alleged
translations that are in fact nothing of the sort. "God" is the falsification found in all
church-sponsored bibles for the Hebrew word, "elohim," a dual-sex generic plural meaning "the
(male and female) gods." "The Lord" is a falsification of "Yahweh," the proper name of the chief
Jewish god, analogous to Zeus, Jupiter, or Prometheus. If Kalopoulos had considered the findings
of biblical historians of the past 150 years, he would have realized that his valid conclusions are
far from new, and his wildest speculations are what is politely described as bovine excrement.
For example, he quotes, "Let us make man according to our image and likeness," and asks (p.
40), "But why does the creator use the plural here?" If he had consulted The Judaeo-Christian
Bible Fully Translated, volume 1 (Booksurge.com), he would have seen that the correct
translation of Genesis 1:26 is, "The gods said, 'Let us make human in our own shape, like one of
us.'" Instead, he cites a gospel reference to "The Word" as an explanation for an inconsistency in
Genesis, as if a Hebrew author of c 615 BCE could have had any knowledge of the evolved
Christian mythology of a much later age. And he shows no awareness of the multiple authorship
of the Pentateuch. The names, "Yahwist," "Elohist," "Deuteronomist," "Priestly author," and
"Redactor" are missing from his index and from the whole book. He consequently puzzles over
inconsistencies that are fully explained by the reality that they are different authors' versions of the
same myth. Can someone completely ignorant of biblical scholarship write a competent analysis of
biblical myths? If so, Kalopoulos is not that someone.
The further I read into Kalopoulos's mushroom fantasies, the more the name "Velikovsky" kept
springing to mind. I do not mean that Kalopoulos started from predetermined conclusions and
distorted the evidence to make it fit, as Velikovsky did. But he does use the same technique of
transforming observable reality into a hallucinogenic fantasy, in conformity to a theory that has no
reality outside of his own imagination. His description of Abraham and his successors as "the
adventurous exploits of a Chaldean family of sorcerers," (defining "sorcerer" as basically an
alchemist skilled in poisoning), could have been written by the Brothers Grimm. Kalopoulos's
competence in biblical analysis is precisely equal to my own competence in Etruscan and in case
anyone misses the analogy, Etruscan has never been deciphered.
Fortunately, Kalopoulos's inadequacies do not invalidate his whole book. He compares biblical
passages with pre-biblical writings by placing parallel passages in adjacent columns to
demonstrate unmistakable borrowing, as I did in Mythology's Last Gods (Prometheus 1992). And
he cites more borrowings than I did. But that is where the validity ends.
Nonetheless, as an introduction to the Bible's status as plagiarized fiction, Biblical Religion is not
useless. Persons who think the Bible is nonfiction will find much to disabuse them. I certainly
cannot dispute his assertion that (p. 229), "It is certainly an exceptional tragedy, that, for
thousands of years, we have allowed by our attitude endless crowds of unsuspecting people to
continue to accept, without question, those entirely odious biblical stories as something
wonderful." And I endorse his assertion (p. 380) that, "We must accuse biblical religion of being
an artful colossal lie and the Bible as the most successful written fabrication of all times."
But the book's disinformation is a definitively disqualifying factor, and a long, slow reading of the
writings of Harwood, Ellis, Larue, Friedman, and authors cited in their bibliographies, should be
Kalopoulos's top priority. Biblical Religion is incompetent speculation by an author who does not
know what he is talking about.
The Meaning of It All: Thoughts of a Citizen Scientist
Richard P. Feynman
Perseus Books
387 Park Avenue S, NY 10016, 1998
ISBN 0201360802 $22.00
The Meaning of It All is the first published version of a series of lectures Richard Feynman gave in
1963. Not surprisingly, some of his observations were more useful then than now. For example, in
comparing science and religion, he leaned over backward to avoid suggesting that his nontheism
was "better" than the religious perspective of many of his listeners. He wrote (p. 37) "The
question that might have been before, 'Is there a God or isn't there a God?' changes to the
question, 'How sure am I that there is a God?'" He did not, however, go as far as Stephen Jay
Gould, who categorized religion and science as "Non-Overlapping Magisteria" that were not
incompatible because they pertained to unconnected areas of reality. Feynman did define science
and morality as independent fields, but did not make Gould's mistake of equating morality with
religion.
In 1963 Feynman wrote (p. 35), "I believe, although I have no direct statistics, that more than half
of the scientists do not believe in their father's God." By the book's publication date, the relevant
statistics had become available. Recent surveys have established that only forty percent of all
scientists and less than twenty percent of natural scientists believe in a god, only thirty percent of
the former believe in immortality, and a mere seven percent of members of the National Academy
of Science have any kind of religious belief. (A Humanist in the Bible Belt, p. 371)
Given that Feynman's lectures were designed for an audience of scientists, it is something of a
surprise that they read like an introduction to Reality 101. But since the same can be said for most
of the science essays of Isaac Asimov, that is not necessarily a negative quality. Feynman's
discourse on scientific methodology, and the need to consider alternative explanations before
accepting extraordinary claims, is as valid today as it was forty years ago.
His conclusions, in contrast, must be evaluated in the context of the date that they were written.
For example, his assertion (p. 74) that, "Fortunately for us, the phenomenon of hypnotism has
been extracted and demonstrated beyond a doubt even though it had weird beginnings," was
justifiable in 1963. It is now known that, "The phenomenon called 'hypnosis' does not exist, has
never existed in the past, and will not exist in the future." (Robert Baker, They Call it Hypnosis, p.
17.) Having toured for many years with stage hypnotists who also practised hypnotherapy, I can
affirm Baker's conclusion. (The Disinformation Cycle, pp. 29-40)
Feynman was ahead of his time in pointing out the flaws in Joseph Rhine's alleged statistical
demonstration of the reality of mind reading. He wrote (p. 74) that, "As the techniques were
improved, the phenomenon got weaker. In short, the later experiments disproved all the results of
the former experiments." C. E. M. Hansel and James Randi eventually debunked ESP and psychic
phenomena in spades, but Feynman was their forerunner.
On the multitude of believers in UFOs, he wrote (p. 76), "They do not appreciate that the problem
is not to demonstrate whether it's possible or not but whether it's going on or not. Whether it's
probably occurring or not, not whether it could occur." He did not, however, ignore the intrinsic
improbability of humanoid aliens. Rather, he argued (p. 75), "Just think a few minutes of the
variety of life that there is. And then you see that the thing that comes out of the saucer isn't going
to be anything like what anybody describes."
On the subject of the Vatican's methodology for determining whether an earlier-age Mother
Teresa (actually Mother Seaton) had qualified for sainthood by posthumously intervening in
human affairs in response to a prayer and curing a leukemia sufferer, Feynman wrote (p. 79), "The
question is not whether it was possible it was a miracle. It is only a question of whether it is
probable it was a miracle." Given the need to be politically correct, that was about as far as
Feynman could have reasonably been expected to go. Even today, the most brainwashed Catholics
(tautology?) are incapable of asking questions that might not produce the predetermined
answer.
On faithhealing (p. 93-94): "There is, in fact, an entire religion that's respectable, so called, that's
called Christian Science. If it were true, it could be established, not by the anecdotes of a few
people but by the careful checks, by the technically good clinical methods which are used on any
other way of curing diseases . It should be investigated whether there is more healing or
harming by such a thing . It shouldn't be left lying for people to believe in without an
investigation." Again, the research Feynman advocated has now been done. In a study of 172
child deaths where medical treatment was withheld on religious grounds, it was found that 140
would have had at least a 90 % likelihood of survival with medical care. (Pediatrics, 101, April
1998, pp. 625-629)
What should have been Feynman's most valuable contribution to the human race, more so than
even his Nobel Prize, was his attempt as a member of the California State Curriculum Committee
in the 1960s to protest the mediocrity of textbooks (p. 132). In fact the situation has since got
worse, not better, and today braindead religious fundamentalists (and that is definitely a
tautology) are succeeding in keeping any mention of evolution out of biology texts. What was
mere mediocrity in the 1960s is today an intolerable crime against humanity. If he was not as
totally and permanently dead as any of the Vatican's posthumously deified "saints," Feynman
would be turning in his grave.
William Harwood
Reviewer
Hodgins' Bookshelf
Dolce Agonia
Nancy Huston
McArthur & Company
ISBN 1552782441 Can. $29.95
We begin by tuning in to our universe's creating God as He ruminates upon His occasional chats
with the creators of other universes. He secretly holds forth His humans as a species of special
merit and interest in any league, although He somewhat patronisingly praises creations of His
fellows. To illustrate what He means, He decides to cite the doings of a few of His humans at a
randomly chosen dinner party.
God is quite in love with humans, in no small part for their absurd little pretensions - perhaps
especially that of possessing and exercising "free will".
Humans are so good at that pretence, in fact, that God Himself sometimes feels half convinced.
As if periodically to reaffirm His overall control, therefore, throughout His dinner-party tale He
will occasionally break in to state His ultimate plans for the various, puny human players he
introduces.
How God feels about having human Nancy Huston's words put into His mouth, and about her
suggestion that He is not in charge of the whole universe - Oxford defines it as, with emphasis
added, "ALL existing things, including the earth and its creatures and ALL the heavenly bodies" -
but only of a sectional unit, while His many imagined equals are in charge of other such units, we
cannot know in this world. In human terms, though, He may wish to sue Huston for defamation
or something.
At all events the treatment makes a good literary ploy to explain how the tale's Narrator can see
equally into all actors' minds, a stunt that, without God, can be the great weakness of third-person
narratives generally. Here the all too common saying, "God knows," fully applies.
On page 2 of the roughly 3-page "Prologue in Heaven" God says, "Take this gathering of men
and women, come together at the home of [ex-Irish writer and academic] Sean Farrell. Nothing
unusual about them, though all consider themselves (this is one hilarious specificity of the human
race) to be the center of the universe ..."
He means the dozen characters on whom a reader of "Dolce Agonia" will eavesdrop during, as it
turns out, the next dozen or so hours.
In the above divine quotation, "center" is spelled the American way although at the hands of a
Canadian publisher. For about 10% of her life the Canadian-born and -raised (to age 15) Nancy
Huston lived in New Hampshire, but she has lived in Paris for the past 30 years, writing in both
French and English. The more relevant point is that the tale is set in New England, U.S.A.; thus
"Dolce Agonia", being all about Americans, demands American spelling. In direct quotations, I
must follow suit.
Not a great deal of physical action occurs within this tale God purportedly tells us, a fact that
helps qualify the work as capital-L Literature, or "in the Literary genre".
Here's what happens: a group of people assembles for a shared Thanksgiving dinner - American
Thanksgiving is a month later than its Canadian counterpart, apparently creating a risk of
Thanksgiving snow in New England; some of the guests prepare various dishes in Sean Farrell's
kitchen, while others simply talk; Sean discovers he hasn't ordered firewood and tries ineffectually
to chop some, being rescued by a guest's bringing along some ready-chopped wood; they eat,
drink, and talk, while outside, snow begins to fall; they eventually discover they're snowed in, and
decide to sleep on the floor, or wherever else there's room; and in the morning, they look out and
marvel at the pure, white scene.
That's pretty much all the "action" there is. No work for Arnold S. here, then! - or for Cupid or
any of the other reindeer, as to that.
99% of the byplay involves thoughts, words, and generally calm emotions. In this respect, "Dolce
Agonia" - meaning, I believe, "sweet agony" - is as clear an example of the Literary genre as I can
recall ever having encountered ... if, of course, I at last have a grip on that term's meaning.
The premise and tenor of God's reflections seem to me quite new (although I wouldn't put it past
Shaw to have been there first), and they probably can't form a more specific genre than "Literary"
until they are copied a few times. Moreover, the absence of any basis for placing this work in the
genres of romance, science fiction, adventure, action, humour, and so forth leaves us in the
wilderness that capital-L Literature is.
It is remarkable, considering the limitations mentioned above, that this novel still has drawing
power. It has to have been well thought out and well written to fascinate the reader, when so little
happens.
I suspect, though, that, in part, I've been insidiously educated to an appreciation of the Literary
genre, even while constantly puzzling about it and reading every sort of book that comes to hand -
which is to say that some other readers may find there's not enough meat on Huston's book's
bones to suit them at first. Still, they too may learn its appreciation through diligence, etc.,
etc.
"Literary" literature needn't necessarily be ABOUT Literature and writers; the basic requirement
is that it, in itself, BE Literature. Making this work's host (Farrell) a writer, and having much of
the group's conversation turn on writing (even some perfume translates as "Secrets of an Old
Book") verges on becoming too inbred for my taste. I once again urge writers to find subjects
other than their own craft to discuss.
In contrast, I applaud this book's woodchopping episode. It shows there are, after all, activities in
the world beyond reading and writing.
Of its sort, this novel may be as entertaining as is possible. It seems a good chance, if needed, to
cut your Literature-reading teeth. Add the volume's low cost at the remainder table or bin, and I
consider the investment very sound ... if you're able to find a copy at all, that is.
Note that this story makes no reference to current events, and will not soon grow dated. Certainly
it remains as current today as it was in the year of its publication, 2001.
Today's tendency to buy only works that are hot off the press is deplorable, suggesting that being
"with it" is the only thing that matters - never mind such irrelevancies as lasting values! This is one
of the many instances in which great literary "bang for the buck" is to be found in a (very slightly)
elderly, probably remaindered volume.
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
Jung Chang
Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, Inc. (c) by Globalflair Ltd.
ISBN 0743254392 price in Thailand 352 baht, U.S. $7.99 670 pages
"Wild Swans" is principally a serial biography of a Chinese grandmother, mother, and one of
offspring, author Jung Chang herself, but much is also said about Chang's father, and about
dictator-Chairman Mao Zedong (alternatively spelled Tse-tung, etc., elsewhere).
Because of the supreme place held in the Chinese Communist state by "Chairman Mao", alias The
Great Helmsman and other extravagant accolades, this book provides many insights into Chinese
politics in the latter half of the 20th century, especially. They tend however to be rather personal
insights, falling short of showing "the big picture".
Otherwise stated, by generally limiting itself to personal reminiscences of the tale's three "swans",
particularly those of the book's author, the work lacks the sweeping overview of a real historical
treatment. Certain prominent people of their era, such as "Dragon Lady" Mme. Chiang Kai-shek,
nee Soong May-ling, may be altogether omitted from Chang's record when none of the three
"swans" was directly affected.
(By coincidence, the 106-year-old Dragon Lady's death on 23 October 2003 was reported just a
day after I'd finished reading Chang's long work, and while its contents remained freshly in
mind.)
In case you already have a copy of the 1991 first edition of "Wild Swans", but wonder whether
the 2003 17-page added Introduction makes it worthwhile to buy the new edition also, the
decision is of course yours - but I would tend to say "No." The new Introduction assumes we are
strongly interested in Jung Chang herself, to the point of wanting to know about her life since
leaving China for Britain in 1978, two years after Mao had died and his iron control of the
country had drastically ebbed under new masters. To me at least, this book is chiefly a vehicle to
understand the ferment brewing in China at the time of Mao, not to understand an immigrant's life
in Britain.
Assuming the 2003 Introduction deserves a place, it should have been added to update the
existing Epilogue now occupying pages 667-670. In my opinion both sections tell "what happened
to me after Mao", and could better have been integrated to form a continuum.
Although, admittedly, most of the following facts are represented in skeletal form in this book's
Chronology (pages xxxv - xli), a more valuable Introduction could have been fleshed out
concerning the ancient Chinese civilization and its many "Middle Kingdom" dynasties ending with
the Manchu (Manchurian) empire of 1644-1911; followed by Sun Yat-sen's republic; by chaos
under assorted warlords; by China's substantial reunification by Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang
forces; and so to the beginning of the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communists,
leading to the ruthless Japanese invasions beginning in 1931.
Now, THAT would truly have introduced this book's subject matter!
It may be useful to remind the reader that Far Eastern personal names seem turned backward,
relative to the Western convention of citing one's given name first and family name last. Thus the
fascinating revolutionary Dr. Sun Yat-sen (also known as Sun Wen) was of the Sun family;
likewise, the family name of "the Chairman" was Mao.
However, author Jung Chang seems to have changed her name to the Western style, given that
she now seems a permanent British resident, or perhaps citizen. Moreover, she indicates that her
"Jung" is pronounced "Yung".
There is something to say for the simplifications created almost accidentally in writing chiefly
personal reminiscences. The alphabetical index at the end of "Wild Swans" notes only three,
conveniently brief references to Sun Yat-sen; whereas an Encyclopaedia Britannica (1957 ed.)
article on Sun covers about 70% of a large page and contains, at a rough guess, a thousand
words. However, Sun deserves to be better understood than Jung Chang's minuscule mentions
permit. "Wild Swans" makes a jumping-off point in that regard, but supplementary reading is
suggested.
The following quotation from Britannica indicates a failing of almost all Chinese governments:
"He [Sun] used and permitted violent methods, more particularly in the attack upon the
Merchants Volunteer corps and the looting and burning of a considerable part of the city of
Canton in March 1924. In this way he lost much of the support which had been given to him and
to the Kuomintang [the republican party he had founded, which later was led by Chiang Kai-shek]
by the Chinese overseas."
Cruelty and corruption, two hallmarks of Chinese leaderships unfettered by any proper legal
system, have been almost constant failings throughout history, and played a large part in the
defeat in 1949 of the Kuomintang by the Communists. The latter at first seized the moral high
ground - although once Mao's true colours were shown during the ensuing peace, his virtual
one-man reign proved no better than those of his antecedents; roughly as Chang puts it, Mao the
Emperor always took precedence over Mao the Communist, and of course such an absolutist
system as his provided ample opportunity for him to have everything his way.
This is where Jung Chang's book comes in, putting on display the papered-over brutalities and
crookednesses of both the Kuomintang and the Communist regimes. Those failings may be little
known but were very real, as Chang demonstrates.
Had the Kuomintang leaders opted to win their countrymen's hearts and minds instead of
primarily consulting their own interests, they could have both won and kept majority support
amongst the Chinese populace. Then, given the American backing they received, they would
almost certainly have won their civil war, pre-empting any access of Communist government to
power in China. Instead, the Kuomintang left those hearts and minds of the populace to be swept
up by the Communists, almost handing their huge country to Mao & Co. on a platter.
The foregoing lesson has gone unheeded time and again - e.g. in Cuba, where a higher class of
government under Fulgencio Batista might well have had majority support, and would have
provided a good chance of success in battle against Fidel Castro. Indeed, a good, democratic,
popular Havana government would never have created the conditions that called Castro's
leadership into being. When will they ever learn, though?
Coming back now to "Wild Swans" ...
Although Mao was fanatically followed in even the worst of times he created, with his absolute
power he proved the "Great Satan" of his day. He pretended to be egalitarian while actually
creating class distinctions and privilege differentials - with himself at the pinnacle, of course. He
created the ultimate police state, in which every last person was expected to spy on, and to report
to the authorities concerning, colleagues, neighbours, friends, and relatives. Especially in his Great
Leap Forward (actually backward), he created economic folly that starved millions of mostly
innocent and mostly peasant Chinese to death.
In fact, Mao's career offers a perfect substantiation of the famed dictum that all power corrupts,
and absolute power corrupts absolutely. He makes us see the faults (e.g., Watergate) of our
less-than-absolute rulers as mere petty foibles, in comparison. Most likely, comparative statistics
would show Mao to have been a killer right up there on the same scale as Hitler, Stalin, and
Genghis Khan, although he used methods of his own.
All this must be said because Maoism was the distemper of the times in which this book's three
"wild swans" struggled for life and fulfillment. The theme of Maoism dominates this book as
capitalism might dominate a book about, let's say, right-winger Stephen(?) Forbes.
Mao's treacherous policies may also be compared to those espoused by Machiavelli. As Chang
tells one sorry episode, "In the spring of 1956 Mao announced a policy known as the Hundred
Flowers, from the phrase, `let a hundred flowers bloom' [and also, `let a hundred schools of
thought contend,' according to my memory of the full quotation] ... which in theory meant greater
freedom for the arts, Literature, and scientific research. The Party wanted to enlist the support of
China's educated citizens ... In spring 1957, the Party urged intellectuals to criticize all the way to
the top ..."
Mao had however been badly rattled by Khruschev's denunciation of Stalin, with whom he
identified, and by the Hungarian uprising against its Communist regime; "... later, he effectively
told the Hungarian leaders that his solicitation of criticism had been a trap, which he had
prolonged ... to make sure he had smoked out every single potential dissident ... Mao had always
distrusted intellectuals. They had played a big role in Hungary, and they were more likely than
others to think for themselves," - whereas what Mao wanted was to lead a nation of unthinking
automatons.
He thus abused the "Hundred Flowers" campaign to induce future troublemakers to reveal
themselves, so that he might suppress them all before they could cause harm, most specifically to
his own machinations.
(George Orwell had died in 1950, but his 1934 predictions of a totalitarian state like Mao's were
startlingly accurate in many ways.)
That is however only one example of Mao's peacetime campaigning.
Mao's outstanding, if unacknowledged, flop/disaster was surely his Great Leap Forward, in which
he set everyone to work at smelting iron, even melting down such essential items as the woks
used daily in Chinese cookery - reassigning the apportionment of labour to the point where
agricultural production fell drastically and hence, millions starved.
His most destructive campaign was the so-called Cultural Revolution in which everything old
and/or cultural was attacked and, if possible, destroyed. He didn't even spare the Communist
Party itself.
There were other campaigns, too, but these important examples say much about the "swans'"
times. Naturally, they were among the sufferers.
Despite monumental hardships, through it all shine especially Jung Chang's grandmother, her
mother and father, and herself. This personal side is an aspect I may not cover well here, though.
You may in fact wish to read this book for its biographical content, even more than for its
historical and cultural enlightenment. Its characters are well drawn.
In either respect or both, "Wild Swans" makes an engrossing if very long read. It proved ideal, in
fact, to fill the empty hours of flights and passenger-terminal waiting dictated by recent travel
from Chiangmai in Northern Thailand, to Bangkok, Tokyo, Chicago, and at last to Ottawa, fully
12 time zones from the point of origin.
A Wolf to Remember
Kali Brazier-Tompkins
Dreamcatcher Publishing Inc.
Suite 306, Dockside, 1 Market Square, Saint John, NB, Canada, E2L 4Z6
ISBN 1894372158 Can.$18.95, U.S.$14.00
My first duty toward this book is to note its beautiful cover, with wolves in profile howling at the
night sky. Their voices live in memory even half a century after their reality, I find.
The key word "fable" (suggested by my wife) is helpful in formulating this work's genre. I'd
thought of "fantasy", but fables are more associated with talking animals - such as we have
here.
An Author's Note begins, "This novel is set in the future. The events ... are entirely fictitious". The
latter statement is far truer than the former; I find the work not at all futuristic.
Ms. Brazier-Tompkins's works may someday be classed as capital-L Literature for such
inscrutable passages as Chapter Five's first few pages, printed in italics. Having written "A Wolf
to Remember" at age 12 - according to information I've been given - she had some maturing still
to do. For the present, then, let me paraphrase someone's remark: "The wonder is not that she
was a fair novelist, but that she wrote a novel at all."
"Disneyesque" and "anthropolingual" I'd coined, sort of, to help further to describe this tale. Its
characters (wild animals) in reality have mouthparts that are unworkable for speech as we know
it. To them is nonetheless attributed a most convenient ability to speak English.
These highly imaginary wolves also have the power to "time-bind", in S.I. Hayakawa's parlance,
whilst retaining most other lupine characteristics. By my understanding, "time-binding" is what we
do in bundling and passing on to new generations the wisdom and experience of bygone
times.
Actually, a real wolf may time-bind to a degree if, say, it nips the hindquarters of an erring cub in
place of our admonitory "No!" Educating the young on the scale of human child-rearing and
schooling is, however, unknown among non-human species.
If your kids are young enough to believe in Harry Potter, they're probably young enough to
believe in talking, time-binding wolves. I, though, being nearer the far end of the age scale, have
felt hard pressed to continue reading after my discovery of this book's character.
In fact I soon wished I'd been more discreet in proposing to review what I'd naively expected to
be something of a biological study a` la Farley Mowat, or a realistic drama comparable to "Dances
with Wolves".
One must apply particularly heavily Samuel Taylor Coleridge's observation on "that willing
suspension of disbelief"; what he said is true, in varying degrees, of all works ascribing
anthropomorphic abilities and characteristics to non-human species.
The ancient Latin saying, "De gustibus non est disputandum," means, "There is no
disputing/accounting for tastes." "A Wolf to Remember", which may well be good in its genre - as
a realist I'm a poor judge of that question - will certainly appeal to some tastes, whether or not
yours and mine are included. Conceivably, teens may LOVE this work.
Actually, for a while the book's charms may grow on even an adult reader. Upon first
encountering "talking wolves" one may groan, but one's perseverence can pay off. Eventually I
found myself really enjoying the work as my acceptance grew - until, that is ...
Author Kali Brazier-Tompkins must be warmly congratulated as a child, now a teenager, glorying
in a phenomenally early first publication. What a felicitous entry into the writing life! Now, if she
can just keep her creative juices flowing ... No problem there, though, if we may credit "About the
Author" notes on page 213. I quote in part: "She is currently at work on her 6th and 7th novels in
the series." Wow! - but in that case, talking wolves may, alas, be with us for many years to
come.
In building a novel, solid months of hard, patient work at writing and self-editing are needed. A
full year seems about par for the course, even for adult authors, while some may take several
years for the task. Thus a well written, full length novel's demands must create an unimaginable
burden for a young person who, simultaneously, is also loaded with schoolwork. It seems a fact of
life that either the book or the schoolwork, if not both, must almost certainly suffer. It's true that
some of the editorial workload can and should be borne by a really attentive, active line or copy
editor, but this reviewer sees all too many failings of that breed.
Putting a book together at all during one's school years, then, must take a small miracle; making it
perfect could require a great one.
Despite some glitches, Dreamcatcher Publishing deserves kudos for placing its faith in a young,
unknown author in this way.
Extreme youth may prove a great marketing asset, though, if it's well promoted while it's still a
fact. Consider the instant renown of the Dionne Quintuplets; they were famed at birth, merely for
staying alive!
The manufacture of author celebrity, such as nearly all publishers nowadays crave, is possible
through energetic publication itself, although few publishers beyond Dreamcatcher seem to
recognize that fact. For too many, an acceptable new author must have a lurid past in high
political office, in movies/TV, in major crime, in sexual scandal, and/or in bigtime pro sports.
Those other publishers seem to say, "Writing? Who cares?"
This book's wolves walk on all four legs and are far more like real animals than is, say, Wile E.
Coyote in the Roadrunner series of animated cartoons. Nor do these wolves have opposable
thumbs like Wile E.'s. Yet they can count up into the thousands, on page 9 saying, "I mean, that
was last year, right? Year three thousand...thirty?"
Regarding their system of dates, note that wolf years also are sometimes called "springs".
Many wolves figure in this complex tale. Because multiple births are the norm, even a restrained
story about wolves may be heavily populated. In case readers require aid to keep the array of
characters sorted out, a table of animals on pages 209-210 lists 29 wolves, two cougars, and a
lynx; while pages 211-212 list 13 "Wolf Gods", however improbable it may seem that wolves
have religion.
In fact, not all the gods are lupine; there is, for instance, "Felis - she is the cat god. Her bird
[most, perhaps all gods created by Brazier-Tompkins have them] is unknown to wolfkind." I also
notice a god of dogs, one of coyotes, and one specifically for red wolves (which seems more of a
subspecies than a colour, in wolves.)
On page 1 the Prologue begins, "He was Athwart the Seer." That statement may plunge some
readers into immediate confusion. To a sailor it may say something like, "He was straddling or
lying across the Seer." Here, though, "Athwart" is simply a lupine name - not the sailor's word for
"being on a horizontal line transverse to a vessel's length," or for "a configuration such as a
canoe's or a boat's thwart may take."
This sailorly/wolfish name problem could have been rectified easily, had it been caught in the
editing process. Using just a few keystrokes, a word-processing "find & replace" command could
have changed "Athwart" to (say) "Ashbert", a name of the same length.
The wolf version might be pronounced either ATHwart or athWART; we aren't told. Further, two
wolves are named Athwart, the first being not a seer but the leader of pack 3, sector 9 (see p.
209), who figures very largely in the book's first half.
At its outset the novel looks at life from the point of view of young wolves - whelps - still
dependent on their parents, much as human teens are. In Chapter One a juvenile sibling trio
ventures from its home den and blunders into the lair of a far more powerful, dangerous cougar.
When this top predator magnanimously lets the whelps go, they slink home in awful fear of what
Dad will say, just like human teens caught smoking and sent home with a teacher's note. How
very lupine!
It slowly becomes evident that the territory where all these wolves live or have lived corresponds
to Western Canada (plus a sliver of Alaska where an arctic white wolf began her life,) and
eventually Central Canada. We also read references to Ontario, Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta,
and Manitoba, roughly in that order.
These wolves sometimes measure land in "sectors". Sector Nine seems to be in Northwestern
Ontario, while Sector Twenty represents, I think, coastal B.C.
Athwart, the Seer, is grandson to the pack leader of the same name, connected through
Chihuahuan - apparently the three-year old wolf in the table on page 209. On page 1 she is
"Chihuahuan the Knowledgeable". It is she who turns out the be the title's "Wolf to
Remember".
The wolves' names - obviously chosen by the book's author, not by any wolf the world has ever
seen - are of eclectic origin. "Chihuahuan", for instance, could signify an animal from Chihuahua -
a state or city of northwestern Mexico - although the story's character has evidently never been
that far south. "Athwart" may or may not be from sailors' jargon. "Fohen", "Tonth", and others
might have been created by the wolves themselves. "Garth" is in use as a human forename.
Here's another fault needing editorial regulation. Three-year-old (in the table on page 209)
Chihuahuan is described on page 3 as "just over two years old." Is it really necessary to specify
numbers of years, though? "A youngish wolf" would furnish the flexibility to allow aging as the
story progresses. Anyhow, the age clash doesn't seem the best choice.
A further flaw concerns the place occupied by mankind in this tale. The Author's Note warns us,
"You are about to enter a land with earth that has not yet felt the tread of human feet, or the
touch of human hands." However, well established humans with guns appear on page 15 and
bedevil much of the rest of the book; for instance, quite early on two men shoot and kill two
wolves, skinning and beheading them for trophies. Thus the most practical rectification would be
to alter or remove the Author's Note, evocative though readers may find it.
Occasional beautiful phrases are not enough, by themselves, in a novel; consistency and meaning
are essential. Phrases, statements, and descriptions must not trip each other up - unless, perhaps,
the author is attempting a special effect, e.g., a daze attributable to substance abuse.
Although such peculiarities as are noted above are difficult to overlook, I prefer to forgive and
forget them as long as possible. Let us, then, get on with examining more of the story's
character.
The two-page mystical passage beginning Chapter Five seems a paradigm or exemplar of
"belles-lettres", although I find its meaning confusing. Both the first and last paragraphs read as
follows: "This is the Land of Mists, the Second World, a web of creation and destruction, and
the place beyond where Death's albino shadow holds sway." (Mmm - wish I'd written it,
understand it or not!)
The table tells us capital-D "Death" is the wolves' albino god of death, to help explain the above
quotation to some extent.
The same pair of lines also both begin and end like italicized passages in Chapters Ten and
Fifteen. Noting the Chapters 5-10-15 pattern, I checked for its continuation but there is no
Chapter Twenty.
That "Second World" appears to hover, perhaps like Limbo (not the dance, but rather the Roman
Catholic place conception), between the First World, where one is at first definitely living, and a
Third World, where one finishes as definitely dead. Anyhow, "mystical" seems to describe
whatever it is that the passage is intended to convey.
Next time humans intervene, although they again shoot wolves they do it with tranquilizer darts,
taking the drugged animals into captivity.
It's here, in some sort of an enclosure, that the surviving southern wolf pack meets an Arctic
cousin named Aurora Borealis, almost totally the colour of snow. Her presence is fleeting,
though, and seems almost irrelevant.
These hunters have been hired by a comparatively humane "wolf expert", possibly a research
scientist, a park official, or a zookeeper; unsurprisingly, the wolves, held at first in small cages,
haven't a clue what his intention may be - and we're not much the wiser, either.
The wolves are however fascinated by their keeper's innocently blue eyes. Did someone say
wolves are colourblind? Not these!
It appears that the wolves' "prison" could be a zoo (a zoological garden), for throngs of humans
stand outside the fence, idly gaping - or so, anyway, the wolves interpret the humans' seeming
inactivity.
On the other hand, pens holding other animal species aren't mentioned. What sort of zoo has only
one exhibit? No explanation is provided, though.
One day, a frustrated Chihuahuan throws herself at the fence where humans gather - and by
chance she cracks a dry wooden post. The others having been informed of the opportunity so
presented, the wolves conspire to break out.
They do it pretty well too, but their leader, Athwart the alpha male and Chihuahuan's father, is
shot. In Canada, though? Here, pistols are closely regulated and people very seldom carry rifles or
shotguns except during hunting season. How could Athwart's shooting happen, even before the
wolf could escape? Who had a gun on the spot, at the ready?
The surviving wolves split up to flee in all directions, Aurora heading northwest and seemingly
out of the tale after our only brief acquaintance; while the others run generally southeasterly.
A wolf-hunt is impossibly soon put into full cry, with all trappings. Hounds arrive from noplace,
as do men (who in real life would have to be assembled by a series of phonecalls), horses (which
must have been fetched from more or less distant paddocks, saddled, and ridden to the zoo's
gates), and more guns.
Would the presumed zookeeper really have turned bloodthirstily against his own livestock? So we
may have to assume, but his part, if any, in the hunt isn't clarified; he simply fades from our
view.
During her solo flight Chihuahuan kills the lead hound sent after her, then eludes the others.
Forget any hints of futurism; the guns mentioned seem quite ordinary 20th century
"thundersticks".
With his dying breaths (page 64) Athwart, a particularly active time-binder in Hayakawa's term,
instructs his survivors, calling both Tapheen "leader now" and Chihuahuan "leadern [female
leader] now". Perhaps this is the origin of the discord that develops later between those two
nominees, although it is touchy, domineering Chihuahuan who will make it a festering
problem.
Thereafter, Athwart reappears several times in Chihuahuan's dreams to encourage and counsel her
further, steering her toward (probably Central) Ontario for a better life. Tapheen doesn't share the
seances.
At last a sort of peace returns to the remainders of the pack as the human threat recedes. A pitiful
few wolves reassemble. Yet a sort of power struggle develops.
Chihuahuan - she is now the alpha female for lack of any competition, and she is sometimes called
"leadren" (female pack leader) in accordance with the dictates of her father, Athwart - begins
playing what amount to bitter mind games against Tapheen, an older and seemingly beaten-down
male who had been beta (second) to Athwart's alpha, and who had been a drifter of mysterious
origins before joining Athwart's pack.
Chihuahuan asserts herself by needling and nagging, chipping away at Tapheen's self-esteem. She
grows all the nastier when he declines to fight back, and she snarls more disagreeably than ever
when the hapless Tapheen mildly asks where she's going. (What a wretch Chihuahuan turns out to
be! Having had enough of that stuff to last a lifetime, this part of the book I could very well do
without ... but again, it may perhaps be to someone else's liking.)
Chapter Eleven begins, "Chihuahuan had made her transfer [might not `transition' have been
better?] from mischief-making cub to the dominant wolf in record time." She accepts her elevation
grudgingly and as a martyrdom, though, not as an honour to gladden her heart, or as a kindly
bequest from her honoured father. Tapheen she simply dismisses.
"Not a month had passed and Chihuahuan was every inch the leadren." Why? "Her father had
decreed it, and so it must be." This, then, is your "Wolf to Remember", and don't you forget
it!
Another apparent mixup that careful editing might have cured occurs on page 89. In a nocturnal
seance, Chihuahuan's dead father poetically instructs her to await sunrise on the morrow, and then
"Follow the sun east." Yet a few lines later Chihuahuan tells her only two followers, "We are to
go east tonight, while the sun sleeps."
Moreover, she overstates Athwart's mild "Your brothers need you" - don't all social animals need
each other? - as "My brothers have run into trouble again." By page 91 the same message will
become, "Her brothers were in danger."
Anyway, away they go at night on her say-so, with no mention of even moonlight as their guide.
They're off to Ontario and Sector Nine, which Athwart has revealed as Chihuahuan's
birthplace.
Chihuahuan and Tapheen squabble, when they need food. She wants to fish in a nearby lake,
whereas Tapheen says it will be too cold; that he wants to hunt on land. In an all too human,
certainly unlupine fashion, they use all the verbal arguments they can think of. When Tapheen hits
upon a most practical point, though, he doesn't know how to defend it. He says the fish will be in
deep water, whereat Chihuahuan says he can't possibly know that (true only if he's never studied a
fish.)
In fact fish are slippery, highly mobile, and very timid. They'll head for safety in a flash, if
attacked. It might be very different in a linear, shallow stream, where one wolf could stand
upstream and a partner downstream, trapping fish between them. An open lake, though, is a very
tough environment for mammalian fishing, other than by otters or seals born to the challenge, or
by humans using nets and/or baited hooks.
Neither wolf seems to consider catching frogs, turtles, or non-venemous garter snakes resting
along the shore or on nearby land. These would have made much more feasible prey.
Near the halfway point of this tale, I come at last to my parting of the ways. The divisive issue is,
once again - but now in final fashion - the old one of lupine speech.
I've gone along thus far with the notion of talking wolves because I realize they do have a set of
stances/movements/gestures and sounds, probably even smells, with which they communicate
certain pretty basic ideas. For instance, they can convey hatred and threats by raising the hackles
of their necks, lowering their heads, growling, and snapping in the air; they can convey fear by
cowering, and submission by lying down and lowering the head; they can convey love by licking
and nuzzling, happiness by wagging their tails and (I swear!) grinning, and so forth.
Now, up to this point I have succeeded in telling myself that the book has its wolves converse in
English only metaphorically - as an aid to both the writer and the reader - while actually they
communicate in real wolftalk.
However, on page 98 Chihuahuan, who probably has never followed even a rudimentary ESL
(English as a Second Language) course, begins eavesdropping upon a couple of English-speaking
deer hunters - AND SHE UNDERSTANDS THEIR EVERY WORD!
Thereafter, my metaphorical speech idea is no longer tenable. In this tale, wolves iterally both
speak and understand English - astounding though it is. (We have an intelligent, wolflike dog who
listens carefully and may try very hard to talk, but she manages only to says "ooo-owoo".)
Worse still, logic says that if both wolves and men are fluent in English, the obvious thing for
them to do is sit down and talk together, resolving all the differences that at present make them
deadly enemies!
That inevitable absurdity, beyond which I am unprepared to continue, is exactly where the book's
logic tends to lead.
Again, though, other readers may react quite differently to "A Wolf to Remember", possibly
enjoying every word and nuance. It's evident that folk at Dreamcatcher felt that sort of response
strongly enough to invest in it. Good for them, then! I hope their venture will pay off.
A Treasury of Great American Scandals: Tantalizing True Tales of Historical Misbehavior by the
Founding Fathers and Others Who Let Freedom Swing
Michael Farquhar
Penguin Books
ISBN 0142001929 U.S. $14.00, Can. $21.00 (by today's rates, should be Can. $18.50, +/-)
This book might better be reviewed by an American partially inured to its contents. The work
raises a broad array of often political issues, each conceived to be somehow scandalous or
shameful. Were I a U.S. citizen, then, I might feel embarrassed by a book that displays more
national dirty linen than the neighbours ought ideally to see.
There is however the principle of free speech, let us all remember.
I acquired Farquhar's expose' while killing time at Chicago O'Hare airport during a very long
series of flights from Chiangmai, Northern Thailand to Ottawa, Canada. At the newsstand I
assumed the work might prove lightly amusing, given its cartoon-style cover depicting a presumed
U.S. Founding Father gripping his hands together in evident embarrassment while a feminine arm
in pink satin appears as if from his own shoulder, to wipe copious sweat from his brow.
I'd read more than 110 pages, though, before striking a few things in Part III, "Hail to the Chaff",
that drew my actual laughter. Learning that President Zachary Taylor (1849-1850) disposed of a
personal image problem by hiding his slaves in the White House attic didn't really do it for me,
although an historic pun on the drinking habits of President Franklin Pierce (1853-1857) came a
little closer. At last in quick succession, though, three genuine laughs appeared.
Author Farquhar himself is responsible for many of the sometimes ineffective puns in this book,
such as "Smother-in-Law" as the title of a chapter concerning Eleanor Roosevelt and F.D.R.'s
mother.
He seems to have missed a laugh at the expense of Calvin Coolidge, whom he scarcely mentions
outside Appendix I, a list of all U.S. presidents to date. Let me take the gamble that not everyone
knows the famed wisecrack by the late, sharp-witted, acid-tongued Dorothy Parker of "The New
Yorker"; when told in early 1933 that the phlegmatic, former President (1923-1929) Coolidge had
just died, she snapped right back with, "How can they tell?" - or words to that effect.
Anecdotes about some others are merely pathetic. On page 125, though, in a brief profile of
William McKinley (1897-1901), I really did enjoy the news that, "The speaker of the House once
said of McKinley that he kept his ear so close to the ground `it was full of grasshoppers.'"
Additional good ones are told on William Howard Taft (1909-1913) and on Woodrow Wilson
(1913-1921); see pages 128-130.
Farquhar doesn't write ENTIRELY about U.S. presidents, their kin and their paramours; he goes
as far down the hierarchical ladder as a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, U.S. Cabinet
members, and state governors. In one case, even a prison supervisor receives attention. Still,
non-governmental folk are rarely if ever featured - with the consequence that the data bank being
tapped seems unduly limited.
If for example an industrial baron of even the rank of Andrew Carnegie or John D. Rockefeller
behaved scandalously, we might not hear of it from Farquhar, who comes across as a bit of a
"royalty"-watcher.
The book isn't organized sequentially to begin with (say) the Founding Fathers, or even with the
17th-century Salem witch hunts (now at pages 231-246), working up to recent times at the work's
end. Instead, the author has chosen various themes, grouping episodes from all eras to fit into
these. Thus he may talk about a given personage in separate chapters as differing themes dictate,
using footnotes to help the reader keep history at least somewhat comprehensible.
Unfortunately, that technique creates forks in the readers' road, obliging us either to branch off
the straight narrative to look up and read some or all of the referenced chapter; or else to stick
with that narrative, and miss out on the insights offered elsewhere.
Typical of the technique, the Teapot Dome scandal is first mentioned on page 88, but within a
two-line sentence about something else. Then there's a footnote, "See Part VI, Chapter 6." (Why
not "See pp. 203-206," to simplify the readers' lookup task?)
Teapot Dome may have been the Bre-X or Enron scandal of its day, but if we read the book as it's
written we remain long uninformed of the scandal's actual substance, for the affair isn't explicitly
outlined until page 206. The reader's alternative is to play it the other way, and risk losing track of
the straight narrative.
An exception to my observation that the book is about America's "royalty" is the chapter
beginning on page 191, concerning a Civil War prison-camp commandant on the Confederate
(Southern) side, Henry Wirz. Here it should be mentioned that prisoners on both sides were
treated atrociously, but Wirz seems on the face of it to have run the worst camp of all - certainly
the most notorious, deservedly or not: that in Andersonville, Georgia.
There was no Geneva Convention in those days, but even now, that humane restriction can be
sidestepped as it is at the Guantanamo, Cuba camp for "terrorists", simply by denying that one's
war prisoners are, in fact, prisoner-of-war. Yet common humanity and the "Do unto others ..."
principle should never have allowed Wirz to treat his prisoners as callously many said he did, even
when their more obvious exaggerations and lies are discounted.
That camp was a true scandal by today's comparatively humanitarian standards, but to some
extent it developed because of a failure of higher authorities to maintain adequate oversight; Wirz
did not, after all, operate in a total vacuum, and he should have been directed at least to organize
his charges to dig more latrines to improve sanitation (then only in its infancy, though, states
Farquhar) for the prisoners' own good.
Farquhar states on page 194, "The South in the last years of the Civil War could not adequately
supply its own troops - three of whom died of disease for every one killed in combat - let alone all
the prisoners of war it held. And as fearsome as the conditions at Andersonville were, they were
fairly standard for any prison, Northern or Southern. ... The horrors ... were manifold, and Henry
Wirz seemed to have been set up by the victors to pay for them all."
Where was the scandal, then? Not primarily, as it turns out, in Wirz's administration, but partly in
factors beyond his control and partly in the farcical "trial" proceedings that prefaced Wirz's
hanging.
Some of the other stories Farquhar considers scandalous are about duels fought between
prominent U.S. politicians. Actually, it wasn't the fighting of these specific duels that was so
scandalous under the reigning conventions, but the fact that duelling in general was not merely
countenanced but even considered essential, by some, to the "honourable" settlement of
disagreements; and that the practice's rules even were formally codified in The Code Duello of
1777, as if purposely to make extreme violence the rule.
The whole point of aiming one's pistol - the weapon of choice in the U.S. - at an opponent, and
then of pulling the trigger, was to commit a ritualized murder, or at least an intentional killing. If
duelling was not a criminal and thoroughly reprehensible act, therefore, it's difficult to say what
else might be.
Duels and their terrible consequences were not at all peculiar to Americans, but it does seem
scandalous that legislators in various countries, including the U.S., failed for many years to end
the entire practice.
Some other scandals in Farquhar's collection have to do with adultery, bad family relationships,
and the like - failings which have become practically routine and unremarkable in our own quite
scandalous (if you're inclined to view them so) times.
Madness, though, is not a scandal but an ailment, and the fact that Patrick Henry kept his insane
wife at home rather than sending her to some conventional, hideous madhouse is even less
scandalous. Yet that is the subject of Farquhar's Part VII, Ch. 3, presumably because the patient
was confined to the house's roomy, light, airy, partially above-ground cellar. What if the
alternative had been to have her chained to a wall in a cramped, dark, stinking dungeon among
caterwauling fellow sufferers?
A genuine scandal of ANY time or place was slavery, and its spiritual continuation, racial
prejudice. Responsibility for those evils was/is extremely widespread, but national and other
leaders to whom other men looked up tended to set examples in all matters - and many of those,
such as Washington and Jefferson, may be said to have furthered the scandal in this regard.
However, this fact would come as news to very few of the Americans who evidently are the prime
targets of this book.
At page 169, Part VI introduces a hypothetical "American Hall of Shame". Of course the first
person mentioned there is that hoary whipping-boy, Benedict Arnold, who tried to do to the
Americans (albeit for different apparent motives) approximately what Washington et al did to the
British - and who has been roundly hated for it ever since. Such is the conviction behind American
feelings toward Arnold, though, that we should pass swiftly on to less contentious cases.
Aaron Burr is next man up. Unlike B. Arnold, Burr is given the benefit of the doubt: "Because he
was never tried for the murder [of Alexander Hamilton, in a duel], he was legally innocent of
it."
Having resigned as Vice President, Burr took up plotting on a massive scale, hoping to take
control for himself of a large chunk of what is now "Lower 48" United States territory. In the end
he escaped the noose on a technicality, but he had by then ruined himself through notoriety.
These are only samples from Part VI, which cannot and should not even be summarized in its
entirety here, but the tale of Henry Wirz, the prison-camp commander, is also organized by
Farquhar as a chapter of Part VI.
Still, another type of scandal is noted beginning on page 196. Its like may potentially occur at any
time that a nation perceives itself to be under attack.
"A. Mitchell Palmer," Farquhar informs us, "Proved that giving the people what they want is not
always a good idea. In answering the call for drastic action during the Red Scare of 1919-1920,
Woodrow Wilson's attorney general temporarily soothed a sweeping hysteria by arresting
thousands of suspected alien agitators to great acclaim. But with his Gestapo tactics he spit on the
Bill of Rights and reduced the U.S. government to the status of a second-rate police state."
In extenuation, the Russian Revolution had just occurred, and in the wake of the Great War
(World War I) the USA had fallen into a turmoil of strikes and other troubles, capped by a
mail-bombing campaign that targeted, among other prominent Americans, Palmer himself. Indeed,
he and his wife narrowly escaped death or injury when, in a second wave of bombings, their
would-be assassin (But why not "murderer"?) blew himself to bits on their front porch amidst a
flurry of anarchist pamphlets.
That terrorist event set the cat among the pigeons for certain. J. Edgar Hoover, then aged 24, was
appointed to head a new investigative body and began immediately to assemble files on whatever
persons, newspapers, and organizations he considered dangerous. That wasn't enough, though;
popular hysteria gripping the nation created agitation to have Palmer take more effective action,
and the Senate actually censured him.
Palmer therefore began rather indiscriminate raids, unsanctioned by any warrant, on Russian aliens
such as innocents who had come together to take night classes. Such aliens were in one case
beaten by "a double line of officers armed with clubs." All that happened, of course, in "the land
of the free and the home of the brave" ...
Although about 30 years too early, Palmer seems to have been an apt soulmate for the infamous
Sen. Joe McCarthy, who also "merits" his own chapter in Farquhar's book. Palmer's story, though,
comes to no definite ending in this book. We take leave of him in the midst of defending his
actions before the Senate Judiciary Committee in January 1921. What then became of him? We
may never know. His story "lacks closure", as they say.
(By the bye, Canada experienced a moderately similar separatist agitation, complete with at least
one bomb death and two political assassinations, in Quebec some decades ago. Again, emergency
measures were invoked that temporarily breached civil rights. However, there was far less
hysteria, and it's all pretty much settled down now. Of course this is a different matter, but there is
this relevance: Canadians understand.)
In contrast, from Farquhar's book we learn (or are reminded, if our memories are long enough) of
exactly what eventually happened to McCarthy. With his sidekick Roy Cohn, he took on the U.S.
Army, but was bested and publicly discredited. The Senate then voted heavily to condemn
McCarthy's behaviour. "Less than three years later," Farquhar informs us, "He was dead of
alcohol-induced cirrhosis."
To editorialize a bit, the blight on American life that McCarthy had created could not make his
exit quickly enough to suit the needs of justice and freedom. Incidentally, a Canadian wag had
sent McCarthy, during his persecutional heyday, a basket of Northern Spy apples with a note,
"The woods are full of them up here!" Mentally outflanked for once, McCarthy's sole, lame
rejoinder was, "They're very good." (Quoted from a long-ago news story, by memory only.)
J. Edgar Hoover and Richard Nixon also receive their own chapters in Farquhar's Part VI re. the
"Hall of Shame", but let us assume those stalwarts lived recent enough for the reader to need little
reminding. In general there are, however, angles that we probably all will find novel. For instance,
episodes taped by Nixon of his own talk include many outbursts of anti-Semitism - a new side of
the man to me, at least. Of course there were other aspects, too ...
Let us come now to Part VII, "Murder, Madness, and Just Plain Strange Episodes". The first
story here is about the Salem Village witch hunts of the late 17th century, apparently (suggests
Farquhar) caused by the histrionics of a group of merely bored complainants, excited by occult
tales told by a slave named Tituba. (As already noted, the organization of this book is anything
but sequential; this tale of olden tymes follows even 20th-century episodes.)
Nor is Part VII the book's end. There also is a Part VIII, "Remains to Be Seen", followed by
Appendices I - a list of presidents; and App. II - a brief U.S. history; followed in turn by a
bibliography and acknowledgements. However, enough has been written here to provide guidance
concerning the nature and interest of the book in question.
Either Farquhar writes quite expertly, or he's had a good editor. He also seems nonpartisan, again
a vital attribute for a book of this sort. My only objections beyond his non-sequential organization
of the work is his occasional, uncritical mouthing of hackneyed sayings and attitudes - e.g. when
he calls the U.S. "this great nation", and when he tars Benedict Arnold black, given that the
hero-antihero may never have been convicted of anything and so, just like Aaron Burr, remains
legally innocent of any crime.
One is painfully aware that all too many folk these days are transfixed by celebrity - they are
celebrity-mad - whether of the fame or infamy kind, to the point where merely fine writing by
unknowns fails to attract them. That sort of misdirected reader, at least in the U.S. where this
book is entirely set, will surely find "A Treasury of Great American Scandals" just the document
to feed their brand of curiosity.
Life of Pi
Yann Martel
Vintage Canada div. of Random House of Canada Ltd., Toronto
[orig. pub. 2001 by Knopf div. of same]
ISBN 0676973779 U.S. $14.00, Can. $21.00
"Life of Pi" won the Man Booker Prize, says its front cover, and is also claimed to be "The
National Bestseller" - although of which nation is unclear. (Random House Canada appears to be
of American ownership and, as to that, the book is "Printed and bound in the United States of
America".)
On the back cover there also are these boasts: "Winner of the Hugh MacLennan Prize for
Fiction", MacLennan having been an important Canadian novelist; and "Finalist for the Governor
General's Award for Fiction and The Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book."
A problem of such claims can be, though, that we don't always know that this was the particular
work by the given writer that was honoured.
A basis of "Pi's" success could be the work's trick ending, a little more about which will emerge
hereunder.
(Speaking of this book's covers, on the front as well as the spine there are faces of a tiger with
vertical slit-type eye pupils such as small domestic pussycats have. Photos show that, in fact, the
great cats have round pupils. One can never be too careful with details!)
Just while this review was being written, the following facts came to light in the Endnotes section
of "The [Ottawa] Citizen's Weekly" broadsheet literary magazine for Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003:
"Since winning the Booker, `Life of Pi' has sold a million copies worldwide and has been optioned
for a film;" and, in a photo caption, "Martel is a writer-in-residence in a Saskatchewan library,"
whichever institution they meant by that.
There's no doubt of this recent work's quality. To the slight extent that I understand these things,
though, it likely can't be placed in the Literary genre because it contains a good deal of action,
especially after Pi's ship sinks - and action seems a Literary no-no.
In most ways Martel writes expertly, but he becomes didactic at times, producing passages that
resemble extended if very informative monologues or essays. He then tends simply to lecture us,
making no use of dialogue or of background activities to leaven what he finds to say. Didn't
Conrad develop a Marlow character just to avoid that effect? So I seem to recall, at any rate.
From the outset I assumed it was author Yann Martel himself who spoke to us first in the
all-italics "Author's Note", which occupies pages V to the top of XI; whereas, as my great-niece
Dana has usefully pointed out, all the passages throughout the book which are set in italics, not
excepting the aforementioned Note, are enunciated or interjected by an anonymous interviewer
who claims to be writing Pi's biography.
That means a second voice speaks up at widely separated intervals, without much participation in
the tale's telling. For instance, Chapter 2 is devoted entirely to the second voice, but it's only
slightly over five lines long and it merely tells about the first voice's owner: "He lives in
Scarborough ...", etc.
All this observed, the fiction seems to begin with the first words in the "Author's Note". I've read
authors' notes aplenty, but in general they appear at a story's end, not at its beginning. I'd have
called this a Preface or Introduction if it were factual, or a Prologue if it were fictional. This
"Author's Note" was a source of initial confusion for me.
All of Chapters 9 to 14 inclusive - Martel makes them brief, for this ordinary-sized book contains
an even hundred chapters (on page 316 he tells why) averaging 3 1/2 pages each - may be
described as an unleavened statement of most or all of what Martel (speaking nominally as Pi)
knows about the psychology of animals in the wild, in zoos, and in circuses.
Those insights fascinate one even if, perchance, they may not all be true, but such long streaks of
plain nonfiction tend to clash with the fictive form expected in a novel.
A Martel insight is that the most dangerous animals to be found in a zoo are humans, particularly
those in the grip of perversions making them wish to harm animals that can't strike back.
The name "Pi" has been adopted by the protagonist for defensive reasons. (Read the book, if you
wish to know them.) Although the moniker may make one think of an ancient Chinese
philosopher, it actually belongs to a modern but thoughtlessly named boy from Pondicherry, India,
whose father happens at the outset to be a zookeeper.
Pi is the Greek letter P, which looks like a deformed coffee table seen in profile view. In most
languages it's pronounced like our "pea", but in English it comes out as "pie" because we so often
pronounce "I" as "ay". Unfortunately, I'm unable to transmit the Greek P via the Internet.
In mathematics, pi represents the constant 3.141593... - the ratio of a circle's circumference to its
diameter. The boy Pi himself, or rather his creator Martel, rounds pi off to 3.14; this book is a
novel, after all, not a math treatise.
I reveal nothing new in quoting from the book's back-cover blurb as follows: "After the sinking of
a cargo ship, a single solitary [their redundancy, not mine] lifeboat remains bobbing on the surface
of the wild, blue Pacific. The crew of the surviving vessel consists of a hyena, an orang-utan, a
zebra with a broken leg, a 450-pound Bengal tiger, and Pi Patel, a 16-year-old Indian boy."
It continues, "The stage is set for one of the most extraordinary pieces of literary fiction ...". Note,
though, that the stage-setting process has by that point occupied all of Part One, containing 36
chapters and over 100 pages of text. It's not as if the shipwreck occurs at all early in this tale,
then.
The tiger's curious name is Richard Parker, for reasons I'll let the book reveal. In writing even this
much I have clarified a point Martel intentionally leaves obscure until page 110, but I do so
because the name is more peculiar than even Martel himself realizes.
Infamous in true history, you see, was a real Richard Parker (1767-1797), a midshipman in the
British Royal Navy who became the leader of the great Nore mutiny, and was hanged for it. Did
Martel know of that precedent use of the name? He doesn't mention it, anyway.
It's natural that Pi's initial knowledge of the sea is sketchy. Until his father's zoo's dissolution and
the sale of most of its animals to American institutions, he seems never to have been afloat. He
therefore begins by presenting matters from a landsman's perspective. For instance, Pi describes
all the sunken ship's safety apparatus as coloured orange, without actually designating it
"International orange".
Pi's nautical limitations are just as well, given that the story is not designed specifically for
seafarers or even for lake sailors. Yet at Chapter 38 the utter lack of direction by the ship's
officers, or even of sight or sound of them as the ship sank, and moreover the lack of alarm sirens
or bells - all while deckhands simply did as they pleased (Pi would later say they were drunk) -
just isn't credible to anyone who has been to sea, or perhaps even to those who haven't. The
sequence needs rewriting, noting that an orderly "abandon ship" drill should already have been
rehearsed.
At all events, Pi finds himself initially drifting uncontrollably in a 26-foot lifeboat, accompanied
(as stated by that back-cover blurb) by two ferocious predators and two herbivores. The beautiful
but most unfortunate zebra had been disabled from the outset by falling badly onto a hard thwart
seat; Pi himself has chanced to be saved, through no doing of his own, by falling onto the
trampoline-like tarpaulin stretched over a part of the lifeboat.
Seasickness plays a part in what happens next. Richard Parker, the tiger, frightens all the other
survivors witless but is for a time immobilized by seasickness.
Meantime it is the spotted hyena, ironically a less aquatic animal than an adeptly swimming tiger,
that horrifyingly finishes off the zebra, and that next also does in the female orang-utan; Martel (or
Pi) believes that the second outcome could have been otherwise had the primate been a male,
which would have been much larger and stronger.
When the tiger gains his sea legs, he kills and eats the hyena.
Eventually Pi and the tiger reach a guarded accommodation, on Pi's side because he realizes he
needs the company and also because he has no means of getting rid of the beast in any case. Pi,
hitherto a vegetarian, finds that he must overcome his aversion to catching, killing, and eating fish
and turtles as the days pass into weeks and then into months without a sight of rescuers, but most
of the seafood goes to the great cat.
At one point the lifeboat comes perilously near to being run down and destroyed by a huge and
heedless oil supertanker.
Perhaps the luckiest aspect is that Pi is the sole human occupant of a lifeboat outfitted for up to
32 persons. He has found aboard not only a fine supply of canned drinking water, but also a
number of solar stills for the purification of seawater, AND ample apparatus for catching rain.
Rations of survival biscuits, too, are plentiful for ordinary human needs, although not designed for
tigers.
The once neatly prepared lifeboat must have become a dreadful, stinking, charnel-house of a
place, with the rotting remains of dead mammals, perhaps some fish heads, dung, and plenty of
urine marking the lion's territory in one part of the boat, and Pi's in the remainder. The tiger must
have been obliged to lap what rainwater it could from the boat's no doubt indescribably filthy
bilges ... Lucky Pi, in comparison!
Nonetheless, to establish his ascendancy over the vastly more powerful but less intelligent brute
by making himself the alpha male, in Chapter 76 Pi takes to "cleaning up after" the tiger,
ostentatiously handling and sniffing the great animal's droppings as a means of showing just who
is boss and who isn't. Such tactics are in fact the key to Pi's survival despite the close proximity of
his potential killer.
Perhaps fortunately, the high-protein diet of fish and turtles so constipate the tiger that his
droppings are both scarce and hard.
It will help if the reader has a strong stomach or a very empty one indeed, while reading how Pi
learned to consume almost anything he could find. "By the end of my journey I was eating
everything a turtle had to offer. In the algae that covered the shells of some hawksbills I
sometimes found small crabs and barnacles. Whatever I found in a turtle's stomach became my
turn to eat," ... and there is worse!
Yet "After just a few weeks," he informs us on page 238, "My body began to deteriorate. My feet
and ankles started to swell and I was finding it very tiring to stand."
Remember Coleridge's 1834 "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"? At Chapter 78, "Life of Pi"
begins to remind me of that narrative poem's fevered tone ... although, of course, not of its metre
and rhyme. Here we have a first hint that Pi may at last be "losing it". Anyway, he tells feelingly
what it means to be a castaway.
He develops a temporary blindness that threatens him with death. How can he gaff fish that he can
no longer see? How can he keep feeding both Richard Parker and himself without such
catches?
During this period he has an encounter at sea that I can't describe without letting an important cat,
so to speak, out of the bag. Thereafter, his sight restored, his lifeboat carries him to an almost
magical floating island in which he at first is unable to believe, but which both feeds him and
assuages his thirst - yet where he cannot stay long, for reasons you yourself must discover.
Finally, 227 days after his ship's sinking, he reaches real land in Mexico. Richard Parker leaves Pi's
company for good, creating in the latter's heart a deep regret for an inadequate farewell, given
that the tiger had saved Pi's life. Pi's Mexican welcome, though, could not have been better.
So ends Part Two at page 318 and, nominally, Pi's life story, although he is still a youth - or, as he
calls himself, a boy.
There follows, however, a brief Part Three. In it two Japanese officials visit Pi in hospital to see
what light he may shed on the loss at sea of the ship that carried away all hands, the remainder of
Pi's family, and most of the zoo's animals. Pi tells them the story outlined here, but the officials
disbelieve that animals were in the lifeboat.
Given the investigators' skepticism, on the spot Pi offers an alternative tale involving only humans,
then challenges the officials, and indirectly us, to choose the preferred version, while noting that in
any case, neither has any real bearing on the ship's loss.
Which yarn is the truth, then? No-one can say, but anyone may have an opinion. Mine is that Pi
could tell the second story, without taking time for invention, only because it states the truth. No
doubt you can argue the contrary position, though, and the investigators finally choose the animal
version.
Although the title, "Life of Pi", implicitly exaggerates the length of time the book covers, it neatly
seizes potential readers' attention. That's a vital function of a title, and also of a cover's design. It
may actually be no bad thing from the marketing point of view, then, if slitty eye pupils give the
cover tiger's face a preternaturally diabolical look, despite being anatomically incorrect.
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford
English Dictionary
Simon Winchester
Harper Perennial Div. of HarperCollins
New York
ISBN: 006099486X $13.00 U.S. $19.95 Can.
Note: This edition's copyright data page begins, "A hardcover edition of this book was published
in 1998 by HarperCollins Publishers." Barring the pre-release of inside information, one suspects
that the 1999 paperback version is the more complete; for the OED Chief Editor's new call for
readers' contributions was not issued until the latter year.
Time Magazine has called the Oxford English Dictionary, that great work of 20 volumes and
22,000 pages which defines 500,000 words and cites 2.4 million illustrative quotations, as "A
scholarly Everest." It is THE English dictionary, even if comparatively few of us may be able both
to own and to house it. There is however a photographically reduced one-volume edition which
sells, with magnifying glass, for one-third the big version's cost ... if your eyesight is good, one
must presume.
The foregoing statistics result from the monumental efforts of a great many persons, particularly
since 1879 when chief editor James Murray first issued an open invitation for readers to
participate in the assembly of material for what was being provisionally called the "New English
Dictionary". Work on it was not completed until the end of 1927, since which time the great OED
has reigned supreme in its field, the very criterion of lexicographic excellence.
Now, though, the distant day is in sight when that vast effort may be put in the shade by a
complete overhaul, following a renewed Call for Readers issued in 1999 by the OED's current
Chief Editor, John Simpson.
A basic requirement for anyone to contribute to that future edition is close checking against the
existing one. However, even having access to "The Professor and the Madman", as well as to the
OED website, www.oed.com/readers/ , may help some OED non-owners to contribute. I myself
have reported information on three particular words, questions about which have been noticed in
the aforementioned limited resources.
It would be very fine for any of us to do more than this, however, even if by spending days or
weeks at a time in a public library that holds the current OED - most specifically, if we do the
work under the OED office's coordination.
The book under review here facilitates such very limited OED contributions by quoting passages
from the OED itself, particularly at the openings of new chapters and of the Preface, Postscript,
Author's Note, and Acknowledgements. For instance, the Preface begins with a partial quotation
from the OED's article on "Mysterious". (We know it to be incomplete because only a definition
no. 1 is included here. If the word had only one meaning, one presumes it would not be so
numbered at all.)
Based on any of those excerpts, or on any others embedded in the general flow of the text, if we
readers have additional information to impart we may conveniently do so, nowadays, via the
Internet. (I for one wish this insight had reached me years earlier, however.)
Here's how the process has worked for me, as a small but now established(?) contributor. In "The
Professor and the Madman" author Simon Winchester mentions that, at the OED's very start on
alphabetically arranged words, the article "a" is followed by "aa", an ancient English word
meaning a stream or watercourse.
Really? That statement made me sit up, let me tell you!
You see, my knowledge of modern Swedish (I worked in Stockholm in the 1960s) allowed me to
report a seemingly identical Swedish usage, albeit that its spelling system uses a Scandinavian
vowel looking like A/a surmounted by a small ring, and pronounced like our "o"; to which an
alternative spelling for non-Scandinavians' use is "aa" - making it also look identical to the OED's
ancient English word.
In Northern Sweden there are coastal towns with such names as, using our limited English
spelling system, Luleaa and Umeaa, names comparable in construction to, say, Powell River;
while, in the children's poem, "Lilans Kattresa" (meaning "The Child's Cat-Travels"), there occurs
the line, "Sedan kom de till en aa;" that is, "Then they came to an aa."
Such relationships reveal much about the histories, origins or etymologies of words, a well
established interest within the OED. They may not alter the contents of the planned future OED
edition, but (providing that our reports contain original information) they will at least help fully
inform those who make the decisions on just what shall be included.
In the case cited above, Norwegian and/or Danish Vikings likely introduced "aa" into Britain, or
else it was carried there by the still earlier invasions of Angles/Jutes/Saxons - all of these having
been Dark Ages Teutonic groups; for in that era, the Swedes busied themselves in exploring and
exploiting Eastern Europe, in the process founding Russia and penetrating south to trade with
Byzantium.
Winchester's book is a bit odd, in that it concentrates sometimes on personalities and their
circumstances, sometimes on the trials and tribulations of dictionary writing over the eons, and
especially on the OED's lengthy (70 years) gestation period and processes.
His two chief personages are Dr. James Murray, an unassuming Scot who became a towering
literary figure; and Dr. W. C. Minor, an American Civil War veteran and brutalized surgeon who
had been obliged to brand an Irish deserter from the Union army. Minor had since become quite
unhinged, developing a pathological fear of Irishmen whom he imagined to be out for revenge
against him. More briefly he suffered acute paranoia, if you wish.
Minor's neurosis would lead him to shoot and kill another man in a seedy district of Victorian or
even Dickensian London, England. He'd feared that his victim was an imaginary Irish persecutor;
instead, the dead man proved to be a harmless, hardworking, penurious English husband and
father, slaving at burdensome shiftwork to make ends meet, who on the night of his murder was
simply hurrying not to be late at work - a classic instance of being in the wrong place at the wrong
time, in fact.
Dr. Minor, who didn't conceal his crime, was tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity. He
was therefore committed to live out his days in the custody of the sort of institution once called a
madhouse, later an asylum, albeit that there he was accorded the kindliest attention then available
to the "criminally insane".
In due course Minor found a whole new niche in life, and his virtual redemption, by becoming one
of the most prolific and valuable contributors on record to the OED effort then being led by the
brilliant Dr. Murray. The two would meet and get on well together, in fact, even if not in the
famed but evidently only imagined way proposed by a seemingly clairvoyant journalist of their
era.
We don't learn in exact quantitative terms how important to the overall OED effort Dr. Minor
was, but the fact that he was an American national seems to have played a large part in his
selection by Winchester. (Within his Author's Note, on page 228 Winchester writes, inter alia,
"When I came to live in the United States in the mid-nineties ..." Before that he was evidently
British, but Americans seem to have quickly taken him to their hearts.)
In a total of over four pages of review excerpts at the front of this book and on its back cover, the
source words "New York" or "Wall Street" appear eight times, "USA" twice, "Boston" once -
and "London", where the essence of the combined stories actually happened, also only once.
Would that have been the case if Winchester had featured, instead of Dr. Minor, an eccentric and
even murderous Australian contributor, let us say? Highly unlikely! - but a writer must play to the
market.
Nonetheless, the book is of quite universal appeal and brims with both literary and other (e.g.,
U.S. Civil War) insights. It manages to combine impressive erudition with intense human interest,
all in one highly readable package - ideal for consumption during, say, a long, boring flight when
one's complete abstraction by a good book is a godsend.
Chronicle of a War Foretold: How Mideast Peace Became America's Fight
Norman Spector, Ph.D.
Douglas & McIntyre
Vancouver/Toronto/New York
ISBN 1550549758 Can. $24.95, U.S.A. $16.95
This review of yet another Canadian book comes about, as is often the case, by accident in the
following sense: that while looking for something interesting in our public library's New Books
shelves, I took notice of "Chronicle of a War Foretold" for its promising title, which implicitly
centres upon what surely must be today's hottest topic.
I had little idea what author Spector might say, but started my read in a positive state of mind.
Then disillusion began to set in and I ended by feeling disappointed by the book's limitations.
One such limitation is that the book went to press just too early to include the latest and perhaps
most significant saga in the Middle East story, viz. "Iraq War II"; for many American and other
lives have been lost, and vast material destruction has occurred, beyond this ending of Spector's
summary Chronology section on page 179: "2002 -- United States attacks Afghanistan and
overthrows Taliban regime of Mullah Omar; war drums beat in advance of much-anticipated
attack on Iraq."
How quickly events have advanced since Spector signed off his Acknowledgements section on
December 11, 2002!
Alas, normal books remain static in content once they are printed and bound. One might wish
instead for a looseleaf format capable of being updated. My hope, failing that, is for a 2nd Edition
of "Chronicle of a War Foretold".
The volume under review - published in 2003, yes, but early in the year - must be called a work of
"recent history", despite a 2003 copyright date. Only by following the news media may one be
adequately current.
Does that mean this book is already useless? Hardly, for putting matters into perspective is vital to
our truly understanding the Middle East. For this reason, no doubt, Spector's Chronology section
starts (p. 174) away back in the Canaanite period, circa 3,000 years B.C.
The emphasis of his recent story is mainly on Palestine including Israel, although Iraq has seen so
much more happen, later in the present year. Even Afghanistan doesn't occupy the space within
this book that one might expect.
Those may be consequences of the way Dr. Spector has assembled most of this book - like a
patchwork quilt, tacking together odds and ends of writings he'd composed in earlier years. In so
doing he assumes too much, as if all his readers have instant recall of, and familiarity with, the
leading personages, events, and issues of as much as eight years ago, and in a country, Israel,
which most of us have never visited; which we must at best try to imagine from televised snippets,
recalled by chance.
Spector spent a good deal of time there, with "hardship post" allowance on top of generous
ambassadorial pay in case his perks of a chauffeured limo and the like did not afford him mobility
enough. Do we share the familiarity arising from his advantages? Hardly! - unless, of course, we
are Middle East natives or specialists and know the background.
Spector is quite a celebrity. For starters, he's a scholar distinguished by four academic degrees
from McGill, Columbia, and Syracuse Universities. He speaks at least four languages: English,
French, Hebrew, and Arabic. He also has, or has had, much of a lifetime of top-drawer
governmental and other professional or political appointments.
One supposes the most relevant here of his career highlights would be as Canada's first
Hebrew-speaking Ambassador to Israel, responsible too for relations with the Palestinian
Authority, while also serving as High Commissioner to Cyprus; and his work as Publisher of the
'Jerusalem Post'. You might be wrong, though, to presume he has much to say outside the Israeli,
Palestinian, and (surprise!) Canadian spheres. Oh sure, U.S. Presidents George I and George II
Bush are fairly frequently mentioned, but likely not as often as some Israeli Prime Ministers. As
for Cyprus, I've noticed no mention of it whatsoever although I may have missed something.
Spector is now a syndicated columnist and a TV/radio commentator in both English and French.
It is by quoting his own newspaper columns, in fact, that he fills a major part of his book's pages.
That method is not really good news for the typical reader, but more on that point later.
He does seem as valid an analyst/advisor on Palestinian-Israeli affairs as you can imagine. I hate to
see a book published solely for a celebrity's fame or infamy - it means fewer opportunities for real
writers - but here we have an author who on one topic, anyway, really merits his publishability,
apart from a less fair boost provided by other factors.
Even a "celeb" should note, though, that one reads a serious book not for gratuitous
reminiscences (such as in Spector's Prologue re. his sex life), so much as to learn about the topic
stated on the book's cover. Here that topic is recent Middle Eastern politics, including
warfare.
Spector should either cover all of the Middle East implied in his book's title, or change the latter
to fit the real scope of his writings.
Where we comparative plebian Canadians will think that Dr. Spector has lived and worked in
almost unimaginably elevated levels of society, non-Canadians may find his Canadian
namedropping (again, luckily, confined almost entirely to the book's Prologue) merely a source of
puzzlement.
On page 4 alone, he drops the names of four (4!) former or present (for the time being) Canadian
Prime Ministers: Brian Mulroney, Joe Clark who is mentioned six times, Jean Chretien, and Pierre
Trudeau. Also appearing once there is Maureen McTeer, Joe Clark's wife.
So much for Spector's Prologue, though, which provides much personal background but little
Middle Eastern nitty-gritty. Thenceforth, happily, any Canadian name-dropping is scaled 'way
back.
Not that Spector's references to the high and mighty end with the Prologue, however; by Chapter
- or perhaps Section - II, around page 42 we find he also was well acquainted with the
assassinated Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, and with many other leaders of similar
prominence.
The following problem also seems to affect only the Prologue: abbreviations, etc. of Canadian
institutions may give non-Canadian readers trouble. I therefore devote my next paragraph to
selected explanations in no special order.
Thus, B.C. = British Columbia; NDP = New Democratic [left of centre, political] Party; CBC =
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and, more specifically, its English-language radio & TV
services inasmuch as the French services have a different abbreviation; 24 Sussex Drive = the
Prime Minister's official residence, in Ottawa; PMO = Prime Minister's Office, stacked with
advisors and other staff; Meech Lake Accord = a failed constitutional amendment attempt, named
for its negotiating venue in the Gatineau Hills, near Ottawa; Charlottetown Accord = (+/-)
"Meech Lake II". (Note that Canada has had one constitution or another since the Quebec Act of
1774, years before many another modern country had one.)
More than a few multilingual persons will empathize with Spector's experience described on page
7: "Speaking the language [Hebrew, after 20 years of disuse] turned out to be the greatest
challenge. At first - to the puzzlement of many, including myself - the words came out in French,
which over the years had become my second language."
(I somewhat likewise messed up my once workable French by becoming more fluent in Swedish,
although I got French back later on. When my wife, a Dutch citizen born and raised in the Far
East, first attempted English, her words insisted on coming out in Bahasa Indonesia.)
After Spector at last got his Hebrew to flow freely, it proved to be in the ancient religious
tradition, and thus two millennia out of date!
At last getting Hebrew under control, he next studied Arabic, a related tongue. Here his insight is
worth repeating, for it may tell why there is a shortage of capable Arabic translators today in Iraq:
"Spoken dialects vary significantly; only classical Arabic - the language of journalists, diplomats
and intellectuals - unites the Arab world."
The great majority of Iraqis, one infers, don't speak classical Arabic and so may not have any
workable language in common with the foreigners now encamped in their midst.
Here's another important insight, from page 8: "... the two peoples [Arabs and Israelis] live in
separate worlds - even within Israel, which has a sizable Arab minority. To most Israelis, peace
means being left alone by the Palestinians, not getting along with them. The few who study Arabic
in school learn the classical, not the conversational language."
The late Canadian author Hugh MacLennan's famed book title, "Two Solitudes", would thus seem
to have application also within Israel.
Of course Spector makes numerous other points, but few can be quoted here. The following lines,
though, this time from page 44 concerning the late Yitzhak Rabin's attempted peace process,
provide a significant further sampling:
"Much of the reasoning that led him to the historic agreement with the Palestinians - whose birth
rate vastly exceeds that of Jewish Israelis - was the need to separate the two peoples if Israel were
to survive as a democracy."
Long ago - and again it is I who note a Canadian similarity! - prominent elements in Quebec's
French Roman Catholic society lauded "la revanche des creches" (the revenge of the cradles) as a
numerical means eventually to overcome the English Protestant interloper. That dream died half a
century ago, though, in Quebec's "quiet revolution" when society began modernizing and,
amongst other things, embraced birth control. When last I heard of it, Quebec's birth rate had
actually fallen below those of other provinces.
Should the analogue hold good in the Middle East, one may perhaps infer that a like Palestinian
moderization might alleviate Israel's anxiety about Jews' becoming a minority. May this prospect
be among the reasons for Islamists to resist all things Western? It's worth a thought or two, and
it's also worth noting that Quebec's clergy did preach against birth control, but to little avail. Had
revenge finally lost its appeal?
Following this book's 13-page Prologue, regular chapters (or sections?) begin. They do not
however follow a typical non-fiction history book's format for, as already suggested, Spector uses
much space to quote his own newspaper columns reaching as far back as the mid-1990s. (Perhaps
the most ancient retread, on page 42, was dated 18 Nov. '95. That's a bit over eight years
ago).
I'd read through Chapter/Section I's five-page introduction and had started on the first such
ex-newspaper article without noting its dateline, when I noticed its somewhat antiquated content.
Seeking out its date, I found the piece credited, "The Globe and Mail, September 7, 1996" - more
than seven years ago.
Reading this book, then, can be like digging into a newspaper office's archives, but without the
comics, sports, and other light diversions. Things you knew years ago sometimes resurface; the
words the columns use may suggest there's something new, when in fact there isn't.
Re-using old texts like this seems a lazy way to put a new book together, and when based solely
on the author's writings, it suggests a streak of self-congratulation; otherwise, why aren't other
astute observers comparably quoted at least briefly, so avoiding plagiarism?
Still, the overall impact can be to teach (or remind) us usefully of how things once were. "Can
be", yes, but not always! Sometimes, as on page 36, Spector's articles may have had a clear
context right after events they mention but, two years after the fact in this given case, for me the
the context is definitely lost if it once existed.
A specific failing here is that, from the one-third mark on page 36 to the same point on page 38,
Spector apostrophizes an absent and thus silenced antagonist, Rick Salutin, to engage him in
one-sided debate; for Spector had recently faced Salutin on TV or radio, and had lost a shouting
match. What are we to make of it all? In my case anyway, very little. Numerous other readers of
"Chronicle of a War Foretold" who also didn't see/hear, or can't recall, that debacle will be at least
equally puzzled.
How else might Spector's book have been written to avoid or at least hide his self-quotation
technique? In his shoes I might simply have concatenated the relevant articles into a chapter-long
file, then edited the latter for smooth, continuous reading while deleting repetitions, irrelevancies,
and excessive "old news"; while also clarifying contexts; and while inserting informative updates
and explanations where needed.
Not affected by the Salutin-Spector uproar, we don't need to know their tactics. What we DO
need to know (if the hassle had any content worth knowing at all) is what the salient issues and
arguments were.
Still about newspaper columns, let me mention that Spector writes for and almost preaches to
Canadians, e.g., comparing our treatment of aboriginal folk with Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
Without a doubt his homilies are valid for us, but will other peoples benefit equally? This was not
a question while he wrote for the domestic papers, but a book may travel more widely, it will last
longer, and nowadays it even gets worldwide Internet coverage as exemplified in The Midwest
Book Review.
Summing up, Spector's "Chronicle" is insightful and informative about the Middle East's
comparatively recent past. It also states Middle Eastern lessons for Canada, and sometimes vice
versa. However, even though I began this reading in a very positive frame of mind, I now see the
work as not likely being wholly satisfactory to many readers in late 2003.
This core problem cannot now be helped: that the volume went to press perhaps ten months ago,
narrowly missing the start of the pivotal Iraq War II blitzkrieg and all the subsequent events.
Moreover, the work contains a quantity of obsolescent material which could better have been
updated at least to late 2002.
Preferably, publication should have waited to see where the war-drum beating "in advance of
much-anticipated attack on Iraq," (as Spector himself has written) would actually lead. It did
not.
Pete Hodgins
Reviewer
Linda's Bookshelf
The Power of Face Reading
Rose Rosetree
Women's Intuition Worldwide
P.O. Box 1605, Sterling, VA 20167
www.Rose-Rosetree.com
ISBN: 0965114511, $18.95, 382 pp.
The Power of Face Reading by Rose Rosetree will teach you how to view and interpret the
physical face itself in a bold, new light to discover insights, to shatter stereotypes, and to break
barriers using her trademarked adaptation of the 3000-year-old art of physiognomy. She even
outlines 10 important ways to use her book. The approaches range from taking a quick peek at
some famous faces and learning that physical features are full of meaning to improving
relationships and communication skills and enhancing self-esteem to beginning a face reader's
list.
If anyone has ever made fun of your nose or eyes or another of your facial features, and the
ridicule has left you feeling unattractive and unappreciated, then you will revel in learning the
deeper underlying truths about your face. Your self-esteem will be lifted, for "you'll discover that
every detail about your face means something wonderful" (p. 17). Rosetree devotes full chapters
to Eyebrows, Ears, Eyes, Noses, Cheeks, Mouths, and Jaws and Chins. She also dedicates full
chapters to Sex, Problem Solving in Relationships, Sales Strategies, Self-esteem, and How Face
Reading Can Help Your Career.
After studying her book, you will be empowered to see with a new vision beyond expressions and
the superficial facial outlines of others whom you know and new acquaintances whom you meet.
You will acquire an "opportunity to learn, not judge" (p. 33), for face reading has nothing to do
with judging others or oneself as good or bad. With Rosetree's gentle guidance, you, too, can
become a skilled face reader. When you do, not only will you have improved self-esteem, but also
you will have more power in relationships and in sales. You will be equipped with better
communication skills. You will learn not only that "there is a deep relationship between the inner
person and the outer face" (p. 32), but also you will enrich your understanding of practical
matters such as how a person "makes decisions, spends money, works most productively, [and]
handles details" (p.16). An important fact that cannot be overemphasized is that face reading is
holistic and respects fully what makes each person distinctive (p. 352). Think what a better world
this would be if every person studied and practiced face reading with the intention to be
"peacemakers" (p. 340). For all those who are interested in such a worthy goal, The Power of
Face Reading is must reading along your pathway to peace.
On My Altar: The Place of Soul Medicine
Jo Ellen Thompson
1st Books
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.1stbooks.com
ISBN 140730042 $13.95, 93 pp.
On My Altar: The Place of Soul Medicine by Jo Ellen Thompson shares exact details of how she
creates her sacred spaces to find a pathway to inspiration, insight, balance, and inner peace using
treasured symbolic images, relics, photos, and other memorabilia from beyond a traditional
Judeo-Christian background to include not only teachings and traditions from American Indians
but also those of Buddhism, Sufism, and Shamanism. Thompson dedicates herself daily to her soul
practice, for she believes that over time when exposed to traumatic and overwhelming
experiences, the soul can become fragmented. She trusts that soul practice can help to heal the
fragmentation and restore dignity, grace, and peace. The addition of a consumer readable price
near the bar code can be corrected easily in forthcoming revisions as can be an inadvertent
misspelling of the word "fluorescent" (p. 6) and a fragment (p. 2) that sneaked into the text. These
modest modifications can satisfy the language purist and prevent distraction from Thompson's
mission to awaken readers to recognize altars that they may have in progress all around them in
their own environments and to encourage them to create their own sacred spaces, for as she says,
"altar building and soul practice will starkly remind you [that you are enough and can enhance
your good health in both mind and body]" (p. 79) and "awaken [you] to the wonder, beauty, and
blessings of your [souls]" (p. 83).
Linda Davis Kyle, Reviewer
www.blueberrypress.com
Lori's Bookshelf
Normal: Transsexual CEOs, Crossdressing Cops, & Hermaphrodites with Attitude
Amy Bloom
Vintage Books
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 USA
ISBN: 140003244X (paper), 067945652X (hardbound) $12.00
After a popular novel and two stunning collections of short stories, psychotherapist and fiction
writer Amy Bloom turns an eye toward gender, and her new non-fiction book is a knockout.
Made up of three individual essays and an Afterword called "On Nature," Bloom examines issues
of gender that are outside what most of society calls "normal." In "The Body Lies:
Female-to-Male Transsexuals," we are introduced to a number of people born genetically male
who are living as women (with or without sex reassignment surgery); in the section on
"Heterosexual Crossdressers," we learn about manly men who, at times, enjoy dressing in
feminine garb; the last segment, "Hermaphrodites with Attitude," is about people born with
ambiguous "genital anomalies." The author interviewed numerous transsexuals, crossdressers, and
intersexed people as well as doctors, educators, sex researchers, and others to give readers an
engrossing glimpse at the confusion, prejudice, and misunderstanding that occurs when people are
not so easily boxed into categories of "male" or "female." With a deft touch and a wry sense of
humor, Bloom makes a cogent argument for acceptance and understanding. In a segment that will
no doubt be much quoted, she writes, "(O)ur mistake is in thinking that the wide range of
humanity represents aberration when in fact it represents just what it is: range. Nature is not two
little notes on a child's flute; Nature is more like Aretha Franklin: vast, magnificent,
capricious occasionally hilarious and infinitely varied" (p. 149)
Anyone interested in a combination of delightful writing style and keen insight about issues of
gender will find this book fascinating. I highly recommend it.
Literary Law Guide for Authors: Copyrights, Trademarks & Contracts in Plain Language
Tonya Marie Evans & Susan Borden Evans
Foreword by Dan Poynter
FYOS Ent., LLC
P.O. Box 2021, Philadelphia, PA. 19103
ISBN: 0967457963 $19.95 http://www.fyos.com
Finally, here's an all-inclusive, easy-to-understand book about issues of intellectual property,
copyright, trademarks, online works, the Fair Use doctrine, contracts, agreements, and more. By
using helpful symbols and clearly written descriptions, these legal experts provide, in one volume,
a wealth of information critical for authors to know. With a little patience, anyone can understand
the information the Evans attorneys provide.
They also cover issues such as privacy, domain names, a brief history of intellectual property law,
and information about pending legislation. I found the section on agreements for Publishing,
Collaboration, and Licensing especially helpful. I did not realize that each book also comes with a
CD-ROM containing sample forms and contracts an extra added bonus that makes this book an
invaluable resource all writers, new and experienced, should invest in. Highly recommended.
Beyond the Breakwater
Radclyffe
Bookends Press
PO Box 14513, Gainesville, FL 32604
ISBN: 0972492658 $18.50 http://www.bookendspress.com
The sequel to the bestselling Safe Harbor is an even more complex and hefty novel than its
predecessor. After two years, Reese Conlon and Tory King have cemented their relationship, and
they're ready to start a family. Meanwhile, Reese's prot‚g‚, Brianna Parker, has grown weary of
college in New York but is fearful of losing Caroline's love. While Reese and Tory are much more
mature and strong, Bri and Caroline are still less sophisticated, which lends a sizable amount of
angst to the story when they move apart so Bri can go through police academy and field training
in Provincetown with Reese.
With police work and the medical world as backgrounds, Radclyffe explores the lives of Reese,
Tory, and Bri in a leisurely manner, providing a novel full of ups and downs, accidents, illness,
misunderstandings, and life-threatening peril. The powerful relationships between family and
friends are a major emphasis, and those who enjoy fairly graphic and frequent erotic scenes will
not be disappointed. An entertaining read and yet another successful volume to add to the prolific
Radclyffe's expanding oeuvre.
Faith's Crossing
Carrie Carr
Yellow Rose Books
PMB 210, 8691 9th Avenue, Port Arthur, TX. 77642-8025
ISBN: 1932300155 $13.95
In Carr's first installment of this series (Destiny's Bridge), Texas rancher Lex Walters rescued
visiting Californian Amanda Cauble when her car was swept away by a raging flood. Despite
obstacles, the two women fell in love and committed to one another. In this sequel, Amanda
decides to move to Texas to live with Lex, but there's only one problem: her upper class family
doesn't approve. They are wealthy and manipulative, and her parents aren't shy about their
hostility. With such powerful adversaries, Lex is entirely unsure that Amanda will be able to
withstand either the scrutiny or the temptations that the Caubles toss the young woman's
way.
This story (which was originally coupled with Destiny's Bridge in one volume and entitled
Destiny's Crossing) has been re-edited and broken out into its own volume. The edited
improvements are notable and make this book a smooth, easy read which includes some funny
scenes as well as some high drama. A classic type of romance recommended for lesbian readers
who enjoy an occasional happy ending.
Silk and Feather
M. Jones
Wayward Books
www.waywardbooks.com
ISBN: 1903531071 $10.99 $5.99GBP
SILK and FEATHER are nicknames for the two gay novellas, A Shadow of Red Silk and A
Crimson Feather, included in this volume. The first is about a young man, Adrian, whose father
has committed suicide after bankruptcy, leaving his son penniless, alone, and struggling with a
dreadful respiratory disease similar to consumption. Adrian is brought to live with his aunt and her
son, a physically beautiful man who is cruel and heartless. With only a few books and the clothes
on his back, Adrian faces impending death, either from illness or at the hands of his ruthless
cousin or does he? An unlikely confederate rises up to give him hope and heart. It's a very
gothic novel not set in any particular period, but it feels appropriately swoony and Victorian, and
I was reminded of Sarah Water's AFFINITY because of its dark tone.
The second novella, A Crimson Feather, is so different in tone from the first that it is a surprise
that Jones wrote them both. American cop Rook Larson works his desolate police job in some
unnamed city, spending evenings drinking away his sorrow and longing for a boyfriend and a life.
His boring life is upended when he finds a strange man who has been attacked and left for dead in
an alleyway. The odd and puzzling victim, Azriel, is gorgeous to look at but loathe to trust Rook,
even if Rook is a cop. Soon the two men are forced to deal with a foe more deadly and dreadful
than either had imagined.
Both of these short novels are well-written, engaging, and contain an unexpected surprise or two.
What they have in common is an otherworldliness that isn't often seen outside horror but each
falls more into the drama/romance category rather than in horror. Both will entertain and
captivate and are recommended for gay romance readers of any age.
Thy Neighbor's Wife
Georgia Beers
Yellow Rose Books
PMB 210, 8691 9th Avenue, Port Arthur, TX 77642-8025
ISBN: 1932300155 $13.95
Young, attractive Jennifer Wainwright, married to her high school sweetheart, Eric, is a happy
woman. She and Eric have just purchased a summer retreat in upstate New York, and they are
doing so well financially that Jennifer doesn't even need to work. She's living every heterosexual
woman's dream. Perhaps the only fly in the ointment is her shrewish mother-in-law and all the
expectations of Eric's and her parents. But even they can be ignored when she considers the
wondrous layout of the new home and starts thinking of ways to decorate it. The day she and Eric
move in, Jennifer becomes acquainted with the next door neighbor, Alex Foster, who is a slightly
mysterious novelist with a not-so-mysteriously broken heart. Jennifer, too, has secret aches of her
own, and with Eric off at the law office in the city so much, she starts leaning on Alex for
companionship, joins her volleyball league, and gets to know Alex's friends. It's only a matter of
time before problems bloom for Eric and Jennifer, and the inevitable happens. When it does, the
lives of everyone involved threaten to blow apart.
There aren't any new twists on the straight-woman-falls-in-love-with-a-woman plot, but this story
is well-written and contains compelling and believable conflict and angst. This is a fine follow-up
to Beers' previous book, Turning The Page.
Lori L. Lake, Reviewer
www.lorillake.com
Magdalena's Bookshelf
Yellow Dog
Martin Amis
Jonathan Cape (Random House)
ISBN 0224050613, $A 45.00
Yellow Dog is not an easy book, either to read, or to review.
The polarisation of critics is indicative of the challenge which Martin Amis throws to his
readers.
There are competing narrative threads, competing genres, competing tenses, and above all,
competing moral systems.
The book opens with a kind of narrative poem that also works as a riddly encapsulation of the
entire novel: "But I go to Hollywood but I go to hospital, but you are first but you are last, but he
is tall but she is small, but you stay up but you go down, but we are rich but we are poor, but they
find peace but they find " (3)
At the same time it is just the kind of internal burble that a head trauma victim might have going
through their brain.
It is plausible.
Not all of the book is though.
In the often farcical rollercoaster ride that the book follows, the reader encounters a kind of
Quixote tilt at the Windmills of honesty, straining to work out what is real and what isn't, who is
really guilty, and if innocence is truly possible.
There are four distinct stories, each following a divergent path which bisects the others only
coincidentally.
The most persuasive is that of 47 year old Xan Meo's.
Xan is an actor, the author of his first book of short stories, a recovering alcoholic and
self-described SNAG.
After offering, perhaps tongue in cheek, to bathe, read to and put his two daughters to bed, make
dinner, load the dishwasher, and give his wife a long backrub, Xan goes out alone to celebrate his
anniversary of sobriety from alcohol, dope, smoking and cocaine with two cocktails and 4
cigarettes at a pub called Hollywood.
In a way, he never returns.
He is attacked by two men who are revenging J-o-s-e-p-h A-n-d-r-e-w-s, someone Xan has
supposedly named and is hit on the head hard enough to send him to hospital with a brain
injury.
The rest of his narrative forms the heart of the book, as Xan struggles to regain himself, while
coming to terms with the new man he has become - someone with anxious and often violent
physical urges, depression, and pain.
"You'll remember this in pain."
And so he does as his pain forms the forward motion of the book.
There is a mild whodunnit plot where we try to find out, along with Xan, who hurt him and why,
as we discover Xan's own strange family background.
Xan's story is compelling enough to carry the whole book.
He is a well drawn character, and the poetic stream of consciousness of the writing which takes us
within Xan's perceptions, along with Xan's intensely honest self-appraisal is moving.
There are the other stories though.
The second story begins on page 15, with the King in his counting house.
The King is Henry IX, King of England, and his story is almost pure farce.
Someone has taken a film of his 15 year old daughter, Princess Victoria, and is about to hand it
over to the gutter press.
There is a tiny morsel of pathos in this story as the King struggles with his daughter's pain at the
personal invasion and the loss of her already compromised innocence, as well as the suspense
around the perpetrator.
The king himself is pure comedy though, speaking in upper class tongues - "Why did - How could
It be so arranged that such creatures play a part in God's plen? (16)" and living in a kind of bubble
of naivety - "my mind's a blenk" with an assistant nicknamed Bugger, a servant nicknamed Love,
and a lover named He.
The whole thing is very light, and conjures up the Blackadder's Hugh Laurie Prince.
Although it is mildly amusing at times, the farce and low level drama dramatically reduces the
pathos of Xan's story, which isn't at all farcical.
The third story, possibly the funniest, and definitely the raunchiest, is that of Clint Smoker.
Clint is a journalist at the Morning Lark, the most outrageous of Daily Sport/National Enquirer
types tabloids. He writes columns full of puns: "Yes, Prince Alf wokked out with his on-again
off-again paramour, Lyn Noel, for a slap-up Chinese.
But sweet turned to sour when photographers had the sauce to storm their private room.
Wan tun a bit of privacy, the couple fled with the lads in hot pursuit - we'll cashew!
What happened, back at Ken Pal?
Did Alf lai chee?" (22)
Later Clint develops the Yellow Dog's Diary column, a politically incorrect backlash swipe at
well, it is so over the top that it is almost a swipe at political incorrectness:
"So some nun took a knock from a stolen car and was left bleeding on a zebra crossing - Thirty
years old and she's 'a bride of Christ'.
In other words she's crossed her legs forever to concentrate on her 'good works'.
Pass the sickbag someone.
Word from the hospital is on the grim side, so at least she'll be off the streets for a year or two."
(205).
Clint has a running e-mail romance with k8, a modern "girl" constructed from abbreviations and
keyboard symbols who consols him for being bad in bad and having an extraordinarily small penis
- another minor plot point.
The three strands of the story sort of come together in Lovetown, the Californian based home of
pornography, run by another farcical tragic character Karla White, who seems to hold a greater
power in this story than one can fully believe.
A forth strand which comes in occasionally concerns Flight CigAir 101 bound for Houston, Texas
with a vindictive corpse.
This final story doesn't really fit at all, and adds nothing to the narrative and best ignored
altogether.
Despite the patchwork quality of the storylines, the writing is, as one would expect from Martin
Amis, often astonishingly good.
His metaphors are striking, original, and convey meaning powerfully:
"During the last half-hour, in the Gallery, the ambient air had made steady gains in clarity, as if a
succession of blankets were being removed from an exalted skylight" (156)
Joseph Andrews is described as:
"Wearing a black tracksuit as refulgent as a perfect shoeshine, he stepped out into the
afternoon.
His storefresh white trainers his dark glasses, his bronzed countenance, his backswept silver hair"
(179)
Aside from Xan though, none of the characters really have enough depth to live up to the terrific
sentences surrounding them.
Neither the King, Clint, nor the well described but unbelievable meglomaniac Andrews has an air
of reality, and although they are all funny, they just don't seem to fit with Xan's philosophical
strivings.
Nor does Xan seem to fit his own gangster background.
The novel really seems to be struggling between two very different genres which don't work well
together.
The farce represented Clint Smoker, and to a lesser extent, the King, is fast paced ribald (to say
the least) London cockney humour redolent of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
It is light, and the characters are so much caricatures that it is possible to accept nearly any kind
of action, however bizarre.
On the other hand, there is Xan Meo, who is very well drawn, and whose fate is a serious
one.
While perhaps less wild and exuberant, Xan's story is a rich one, and the writing around Xan's
struggle to find meaning in his strange distorted world is the best in the book.
The reader remains firmly on his side, despite his shady background, and the desires that were
possibly always there beneath his "snaggy" surface.
Xan's struggles with his daughters, his wife, and the real love he feels for both are real struggles,
not farce, and make most of the rest of the book seem like a deus ex machina, constructed solely
to drive Xan's plot forward, while presenting a range of alternative moral systems.
There is only one morality that really matters though the rest is just a page out of a tabloid.
Looking up at the Shoemaker-Levy comet crashing into Jupiter, Xan is, in effect, reborn as he
recounts his daughter's birth, an important moment for him.
Does Xan find peace?
It is possible.
We still have only an ellipsis at the end of the story.
Perhaps the easiest way to read Yellow Dog is as two separate books simultaneously.
Don't look for the continuity.
Enjoy the black ribald humour, and go back, as Amis directs, to the much pithier story of Xan
Meo in the interludes.
Or perhaps the ribaldry makes up the interludes.
Swoon Foods: A review of How to Be A Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson
How to Be A Domestic Goddess
Nigella Lawson
Petrina Tinslay , photographer
Chatto & Windus (Random House)
ISBN 0701171081, $A 49.95
Who could resist the title?
Actually I did for some time, after all, I have 3 children and domestic is not a word I'd apply to
myself in a million years.
But Nigella Lawson is no literary lightweight, nor is she a kind of English Martha Graham,
wooden spoon in hand, stirring risotto all day.
She reads, and not only cookbooks.
Lawson has been a Booker judge, has 2 young children, and even as a professional cookery
writer, has a rich life outside of her kitchen.
Plus I really do care about food, and enjoy reading cookbooks as much as I enjoy putting a fresh
loaf of bread in front of my family, and Lawson's television shows present the kind of food you
just have to try, easy, nourishing, and beautiful without being at all fiddly.
As Lawson herself stresses, her notion of a domestic goddess is not a Stepford Wife styled
brainless woman, chained to the kitchen sink, but rather someone who provides her family with
the most intense kind of comfort.
It is about maternal warmth, about keeping your family nourished, about the moment when you
bring out a home made cake from the oven with its metaphor of "I'm here to care for you" in the
most fundamental way.
So it's ok for my oven to be pretty, uh, dirty (those oven cleaner fumes are so unhealthy).
It's also okay for my cooking to be quick, easy, and frill-less, and I can still "trail nutmeggy fumes
in my wake."
How to Be a Domestic Godess is full of baked goods, mainly desserts, the kind of sweet
comforting things which will make your family and friends swoon.
The recipes are also, almost without exception, really easy.
If you can read this book and not bookmark a large number of recipes to try out instantly, you're
less domestic than I am.
These are the kind of no fuss, delicious treats you want to add to your regular secret
repertoire.
They work even while holding a baby, breaking up sibling fights, and typing up a book
review.
I imagine that Lawson developed or tested them under similar circumstances.
The book is broken up into chapters on cakes, biscuits, pies (sweet and savoury), puddings,
chocolate, recipes for children, Christmas, Bread and Yeast, and stocking the larder.
Every recipe contains the relaxed and very readable prose for which Lawson has become
famous.
Some of the recipes are delightfully frivolous from the kitschy Easter Nests in the children's
section, the Gooey Chocolate Stack, the Gin and Tonic Jelly, or the Boston Cream Pie.
Others are the sort of perfectly practical type of baking you can do every day, from a simple
Madeira cake you can make for any guest or occasion to the very healthy Spinish, Ricotta and
Bulgar Wheat Pie, or loads of different ways to decorate and make use of cupcakes.
There are also gems which I haven't seen anywhere else like the wonderfully easy Processor Puff
Pastry, or the sourdough starter for which I will always be grateful, and again, it works, and you
can do the sourdough with much less yeast than Nigella suggests and it still works.
The starter is very active.
There are often variations suggested, and it is really enjoyable to read Lawson's information which
often verges on the humorous: "Ever since I read that brazil nuts are inordinately good for you,
containing essential selenium, and that you should probably have three a day, I have chosen to
regard these {Rocky Road] as health food." (224).
There is also a chapter on cooking for school fetes, with tips on what sells and what doesn't.
This is really the most perfect book for the would be maternal or paternal (despite the title)
baker.
There is a lot of information between the chapters, and Lawson is always a pleasure to read.
Perhaps neck in neck with Tamasin Day Lewis, she is one of the most literary of cookbook
authors, although Lawson's recipes tend towards the simpler, the more accessible, and the
homier.
She even leaves in her mistakes such as Flora's Famous Courgette Cake:
One warning: don't do what I did for the picture (p17), which was to colour the lime-curd filling
green.
I don't know whatgot into me, but I got out my colour paste and my probe - and proved in one
characteristically rash act that food is better left to its own devices.
I decided we could just about live with the menacing green: things do go wrong in cooking and,
generally, you can live with them. (18)
If you have any pretensions at all towards baking, for family, for friends, for the school, or just for
yourself, you couldn't find a more seductive, more appealing, and more inspiring book.
It is pure pleasure to read, and just as pleasurable to use as a guide in the kitchen.
My family is very grateful.
My chickens aren't.
Magdalena Ball, Reviewer
http://www.compulsivereader.com/html
Marya's Bookshelf
The Dragon Machine
Helen Ward
Wayne Anderson, illustrator
Penguin Putnam
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0525471146, $15.99, www.penguinputnam.com
In this wonderful world of ours there are those who watch and listen and look, and there are those
who talk and don't notice a thing that goes on around them. George was the kind of quiet person
who noticed the small things, and he was the one who noticed that there were dragons living
amongst us. In fact he very quickly realized that there were a lot of dragons living in our world
and we just don't notice that they were there, so busy were we going about our lives. We ignored
the dragons and we ignored George.
It wasn't long before the dragons began to follow George about and this became a problem. They
made messes and broke things and at the rate things were going people were going to start
noticing them and then what would happen? George decided that action was required and he went
to the library to find out a bit more about dragons. It became clear that George had to find a safe
haven for the large number of dragons that lived in the human world.
With the remarkable illustrations of the kind seen before in "The Tin Forest" this author and
illustrator team have created an extraordinary book where a small, quiet, and mostly forgotten
little boy finds a solution to a big problem, rescues the dragons that he cares about, and is finally
recognized for the hero he is.
The Pumpkin Blanket
Deborah Turney Zagwyn
Tricycle Press
P.O. Box 7123, Berkley, CA 94707
1883672597, $6.95, www.tenspeed.com
On the day that Clee was born a magical gift was delivered. It was a beautiful blanket and no one
in the family knew where it came from. For Clee the blanket gave her comfort and
companionship, and it was always there for her as she grew up from babyhood into a little girl
getting ready to go to school. Clee's father called the blanket "the pumpkin blanket" because Clee
had looked like a little pumpkin when she was a baby, "bundled up" in her mystery gift.
When Clee is five and it is fall, there are twelve pumpkins in her father's garden. These twelve
pumpkins are to be the family Halloween pumpkins but only if the frost does not nip them first.
Clee's father asks her to share her blanket with the pumpkins so the frost cannot hurt them. It is a
hard decision for Clee to make. Can she bear to cut out some of the squares that make up her
beloved blanket to cover up the pumpkins in the garden?
With great sensitivity, an obvious love of nature, and an appreciation for the rhythms of the
seasons, the author/illustrator of this book has created a charming tale about the passage of time,
sacrifice for others, and the changes that must come with growing up. There is also that special
touch of magic in the air and its universal appeal to readers of all ages.
The Lighthouse Family: The Storm
Cynthia Rylant
Illustrated by Preston McDaniels
10 Simon and Schuster
0689848803 $14.95
There are those in the world who choose solitary lives. There are also those who choose
vocations that are solitary. Seabold the dog is one of those who chooses to be solitary, a sailor.
Pandora the cat chooses to be a lighthouse keeper. For her, being someone who can save lives is
terribly important even if it means that she is has to be alone all the time, even if it means that she
has to feel lonely.
By chance a storm brings these two animals together and both their lives change forever. Now
they have each other for companionship as Seabold heals under Pandora's care and repairs his
ship. Underneath it all, as they go about their daily chores and enjoy one another's friendship,
neither one really knows what to do next for neither one wants to go back to they way things
were before.
Then Seabold and Pandora find some more survivors of a shipwreck. Just like Seabold, these
survivors are in need of care, but these ones are very different in one way. These survivors are just
children, mouse children.
In this extraordinary story about love and finding family, Cynthia Rylant once again shows us that
she can tell a powerful story in any format that she chooses. Warm and loving hearts seeking
others to share their lives with them, find solace in this delightful tale, which is made all the more
evocative by the beautiful illustrations rendered by illustrator Preston McDaniels.
Winnie and Ernst
Gina Freschet
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003
0374384525, $15.00, www.fsgkidsbooks.com
Winnie and Ernst are best friends who help one another out and who also share good times.
Winnie is a possum who can be a little scatterbrained at times. There is the occasion, for example,
when she loses the birthday present that she is going to take to Ms. Zora Beaver's birthday party.
Ernst, an otter, comes over and helps her look for the present and the two friends turn Winnie's
house upside down trying to find the gift. In the end the gift is found in the place where Winnie
put it "so I wouldn't lose it" and the party turns out to be a big success.
In the second story in this charming collection of short stories for young readers Winnie discovers
that humor can be found in even the most upsetting of situations and success can grow out of
failure. She bakes a nut loaf for a bake sale which turns out not to be quite what she
expected.
Winnie decides that she wants to have a garden party to celebrate the first day of spring, in the
third story. However, Mother Nature messes up her plans by delivering a snow storm. Undaunted,
the resourceful and creative possum brings the party indoors and gives her guests a party unlike
any other.
In the last story in this collection Winnie and Ernst discover that luck is not something that you
have so much as something that you make.
With simple and colorful illustrations, gentle humor and thoughtful words Gina Freschet has
created characters which one cannot help growing fond of. We can only hope that we will get to
see more of these two wonderful animals who make the same kind of mistakes that we do and
who also have such likeable personalities.
On My Way
Tomie DePaola
Penguin Putnam
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0698119487, $5.99, www.penguinputnam.com
When Tomie first became a big brother he was excited and happy. It was terrible for him to
discover that being a big brother also meant that you worried about your little sister, so much
sometimes that you couldn't even sleep. When his little sister Maureen was just a few weeks old
she got pneumonia and she was so sick she ended up in hospital. It was a dreadful time for the
whole family, but luckily Maureen was a strong baby and she came through the ordeal.
With his awful experience behind him Tomie throws himself into preparing for the recital that they
are giving at his dance school. This is no mean feat as Tomie has to play the part of the farmer in
"The Farmer in the Dell" complete with a beard, a dance part and a song to sing. He also has to
play the part of a soldier in another dance part. Actor, dancer, and singer, Tomie loves the whole
performance.
Soon kindergarten will be over and the summer vacation will begin. Tomie is very excited by the
prospect of the new school year in September. At long last he will be in what he calls "real
school" because he will be in first grade. Best of all he will get taught to read.
Once again Tomie DePaola has created a charming chapter book which takes us into the events
that took place in his life when he was a little boy. There are those milestones that are so
important to the young and that we sometimes forget to remember and to give due credit to.
Luckily Tomie is there to remind us about them. This is the third book in a series of chapter books
about Tomie DePaola's childhood.
Here We All Are
Tomie DePaola
Penguin Putnam
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0698119096, $5.99, www.penguinputnam.com
For little Tomie life is just about as exciting as it can get, or so he thinks. His family has just
moved into their new house. He has never lived in a house before and the whole experience
delights him. He loves being able to run up and down the stairs. He loves having all the space and
having so many new things to look at.
Then Tomie's mother gives him some news which adds to the excitement in the air. His mother is
going to have a baby and he, Tomie, is going to be a big brother! More than anything Tomie
hopes that he is going to have a little sister. He already has a brother and feels that one brother is
quite enough. A sister would balance things out very nicely. Of course getting a little brother or
sister is not easy and there are problems to overcome. Tomie discovers that he cannot always
have things his way and it is a hard lesson to learn for a small boy.
What is especially enjoyable about the stories in this little book is that they are personal and told
from Tomie's point of view. It is very much as if we were there, as if we were watching what was
happening through Tomie's eyes. We experience his days as school, and we get that first hint of
what is to become Tomie's vocation in later life, his art. The author's meticulous attention to
detail and remarkable memory for the 'small' events in his childhood makes this chapter book a
delight to read. We cannot help smiling when he tells us about the time when he licked his
bedroom furniture to see if it tasted like maple syrup after he heard his mother saying that the
wood was "genuine maple." These are the kinds of things we would have done as children though
we might not like to admit it. "Here We All Are" is the second book in a series of chapter books
about Tomie DePaola's childhood.
26 Fairmont Avenue
Tomie DePaola
Penguin and Putnam
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0698118642, $5.99, www.penguinputnum.com
1938 was a big year for young Tomie. He remembers that it was the year his town was hit by a
hurricane, something that didn't happen very often in Connecticut. His family watched in
amazement and fear as tree branches, lawn furniture, and garbage cans flew past their windows.
More importantly they heard that their new house, or rather the house they were having built on
Fairmont Avenue, had twisted around on its foundation. Luckily it was all right.
The new family home on Fairmont Avenue was very important to everyone in Tomie's family. It
was very hard for them when things kept happening to slow everything down; when the road was
messed up by the city; when the builders and Tomie's father had a huge argument, and so on.
Sometimes it seemed as if the house would never be finished and the family would live in
apartments for ever.
Around the various house crises Tomie had his own little adventures, and we get to meet some of
the wonderful and often amusing members of his extended family. We learn that Tomie himself
was not the most patient of little boys. When he discovered that he wouldn't learn to read in
kindergarten he decided to leave school, informing the teacher that he would return for first grade
when they would teach him to read. He also had decided opinions on how things should and
should not be done. For example, he was most put out with Walt Disney for getting the story of
"Snow White" hopelessly wrong. After all, the movie maker left out some very important bits of
the "true story."
With humor and close attention to detail the author takes us into his childhood homes and into his
family circle, sharing his delightful friends and relatives with us and showing us an interesting and
special part of American life as it was in the late 1930's and just before WWII broke out.
This book is the first in a series of chapter books about Tomie DePaola's childhood.
This book was a Newbery Honor Book
Angelina Ballerina's Invitation to the Ballet
Katherine Holabird
Illustrated by Helen Craig Pleasant and Company Publications
8400 Fairway Place, P.O. Box 620998 Middleton, WI 53562
1584857579, $17.95, www.americangirl.com
Angelina is very excited because she got a letter. In it were two tickets that she won to a
performance of Cindermouse. Now she has to find someone to go with her. Of course she asks
her best friend Alice first but Alice got a card inviting her to a birthday party and she already
accepted. Next Angelina she asks William but William got a letter inviting him to play football
with his friends. Finally Angelina goes to see her cousin Henry but poor Henry just got a card in
the mail reminding him that he has an appointment to see Dr. Tuttle. Angelina is feeling very glum
indeed when her dancing teacher comes rushing up with yet another letter. What is this letter
going to be about?
In this charming interactive picture book the reader gets to read cards, letters, and invitations that
all the various characters receive. One can even admire a lovely poster that Angelina gets. Once
again we get to share in the small events in this charming little mouse's life and enjoy the detailed
and colorful illustrations. This book will delight any budding little ballet dancer or any little girl
who has a fondness for little mice.
Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland A pop-up Adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Original Tale
Robert Sabuda
Simon and Schuster
1230 Ave of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
0689847432, $24.95, www.SimonSaysKids.com
Alice is quietly sitting on the riverbank with her sister. Her sister is reading a book which Alice is
sure must be a very dull book on account of the fact that the book has no picture or
conversations. Then Alice sees a white rabbit running past. This in itself is not all that odd. What
is odd it that the rabbit is talking to itself. Alice has never seen a talking rabbit. Without stopping
to think Alice sets off in hot pursuit and thus begins her extraordinary adventures. Alice soon
finds herself falling down a terribly long rabbit hole and from that time onwards, as Alice says,
"curiouser and curiouser" things keep happening to her. Alice finds herself in situations where she
keeps changes sizes; she goes for a swim in her own tears; she attends the most peculiar tea party;
and a queen threatens to cut off her head (among other things).
Though there are only six double page spreads in the book, each spread contains a considerable
amount of Alice's bizarre story. There is one very large and highly complicated pop-up in the
middle of the double page and to the side of this main pop-up there is a mini book describing
Alice's adventures. Within the book more pop-ups with moving parts, and foil papers can be
found.
To say that this is a glamorous and remarkable book is an understatement. Just when you think
that you have seen it all you discover some new surprise, some hidden piece or part.
Babar's Museum of Art
Laurent de Brunhoff
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
100 Fifth Ave. New York, NY 10011
0810945875, $16.95, www.abramsbooks.com
Queen Celeste and King Babar are taking a balloon ride over Celesteville one day when the queen
notices the old railroad station standing abandoned and unused by the lake. She then comes up
with the wonderful idea of turning the attractive building into a museum of art. Thus the
Celesteville Museum of Art (closed on Mondays) comes into being. Celeste and Babar have a big
collection of paintings and sculptures that they have collected on their travels, and now all the
elephants in the kingdom can come and look at the beautiful pieces themselves. At the opening
of the museum, Pom, Alexander, Flora, Arthur, Isabelle, and Zephir go to look at the art works.
They have never been to a museum before and don't know what to expect or what to do
there.
And this is where this wonderful book is such a great tool for children. It helps to show young
children what an art museum is like and how paintings can tell a story. It also shows them how the
elephant children in the book see different things than the grown-ups do. Cornelius, the old and
wise elephant, knows a great deal about the paintings and what they mean. He can tell the children
these meanings if they want to hear about them, but the elephant children learn that one doesn't
have to know the deeper meanings of a painting to appreciate it. Also they learn that a painting
doesn't have to be old or pretty to be considered art. As Babar says "There are no rules to tell us
what art is."
What this book does for children is to open up their horizons and give them a freedom in how
they look at art and also, one hopes, how they create their own art. The adult reader of this book
will delight in the author's interpretation of great art works. Laurent de Brunhoff turned many
familiar paintings and other pieces of art into elephant works of art. Vincent Van Gogh's "Self
Portrait" has an elephant head and the "Little Dancer" made by Degas acquires a trunk, large ears
and hefty legs. All is all this is a delightful book for readers of all ages.
Felicity Wishes Secret's and Surprises
Emma Thomson
Penguin Putnam
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0670036587, $14.99, www.penguinputnum.com
Felicity the fairy is very excited about her upcoming birthday and has many plans. She has decided
that she is going to have a party and sends out invitations to all her friends. The games and
decorations are chosen and next on her list of things to do is a visit to town to get a new party
dress.
When Felicity gets to Little Blossoming she sees her friends in some of the shops but they all seem
to be terribly busy and in such a hurry. They barely speak to her and each one flies off without so
much as a "goodbye" or a "see you later". In fact they all behave very strangely indeed.
Things become very glum for Felicity over the next few days when every single one of her friends,
except Polly, say that they cannot come to her party. How can Felicity have a party with just one
friend? There is only one thing to do; Felicity has to cancel the party. Is Felicity going to be able
to celebrate her birthday after all?
This charming little book full of lift-the-flap cards, doors, windows, and other secret places will
delight any little girl who is fond of fairies and surprises. Though we can guess that Felicity is
going to get her birthday after all, the surprise at the end of the story is so well planned that the
reader gets a surprise to match that of the little fairy who thought that all her friends had forsaken
her. An entertaining tale with soft pastel illustrations and large grand finale pop-up on the last two
pages.
By the Light of the Captured Moon
Julian Scheer
Ronald Himler
Holiday House
425 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10017
0823416240, $16.95, www.holidayhouse.com
The summer is starting to wind down and Billy Whee is feeling a little glum. Soon there will be no
more evenings out with his friends, hunting for lightning bugs in the orchard by the light of a
silvered moon. There was something particularly magical about the nights when the moon was
full, when he and his friends held mason jars of glowing lightning bugs and watched the moon
transform their world.
Now he lies in bed and watches the full moon, wishing he could capture that glowing ball so that
he could have it to put in the sky whenever he wanted to. Then he reaches out of his bedroom
window and though he knows that the moon is far away, miles and miles away in space, his arms
stretch until he finds that he is holding the moon. It is in his arms and he is pulling it into his
bedroom. Exhausted and triumphant Billy now has the moon on his bedroom. The question is,
what is he supposed to do with it now that he has it? How do you hide something that is so big
and round and bright?
In this delightful and often funny tale of dreams coming true, the joys of childhood, and accepting
that sometimes having what you want isn't quite what you thought it would be, the author has
created something magical and charming. The adult reader is left with a feeling of warmth,
understanding, and of "I remember when..." The child reader or listener begins to ask all sorts of
questions about dreams, moons, and secrets. Best of all though, the child will say how glad he or
she is that Billy did not keep the moon for himself. The soft and almost haunting watercolor and
pencil illustrations are a perfect match for the tale and carry us through moonlit countryside and
moonwashed rooms.
The Ravenmaster's Secret: Escape From the Tower of London
Elvira Woodruff
Scholastic Press
557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
0439281334, $15.95, www.scholastic.com
The Tower of London is a place that inspires fear, a place where people come to be imprisoned,
and a place where people come to die. And yet, there is another face to the imposing fortress. It is
also home to the families of the men who guard and care for the prisoners, and who manage the
tower itself. One of these men is the Ravenmaster, and it is he who cares for the ravens who are a
symbol of the might of the tower. To help him in his duties he has his son, a small and dreamy boy
who is bullied by the bigger boys who live within the walls of the tower. Forrest dreams of being
able to leave the confines of the walls, to get away to the wide world beyond, where he would be
able to prove his worth. He wishes more than anything to be able to be a hero in some way, and
to show the world that he is not just an undersized eleven-year-old boy who helps his father care
for the ravens and the mildest of prisoners in the Tower of London.
Forrest thinks his opportunity has arrived when he is told that he and his father are to care for
some Scottish rebel prisoners. At last he is going to show the bullies that he can watch over a
fierce traitor of the North, a big ferocious warrior. His hopes are dashed when he finds that his
prisoner is a girl, a defenseless and remarkably pretty little Scottish girl. Furthermore, over time
Forrest discovers that Maddy is not even guilty of the treason she is accused of. In fact she is
guilty of no more than of wanting to save her family and her home from destruction. Now Forrest
faces a terrible choice; is he going to help Maddy and risk his own life and the honor of his family,
or is he going to watch her lose her life for a crime that she did not commit?
With great delicacy and sensitivity the author has succeeded in getting into the heart and mind of
Forrest, understanding his world to an extraordinary degree. Not only does she see things through
a boy's eyes, but she sees things through the eyes of a boy living in the Tower of London in 1735.
Suspenseful and touching, this is a thrilling and wonderful read.
A Pirate's Life For Me: A Day Aboard a Pirate Ship
Julie Thompson and Brownie Macintosh
Illustrated by Patrick O Brien
Charlesbridge
85 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472
0881069310, $6.96, www.charlesbridge.com
This is the story of a pirate ship and the events that could take place on it on any given day. Of
one thing we can all be sure, and that is, that it was not a life of leisure. Someone had to always
be on watch day, or night, and so when the crew got up in the morning there was a group of
weary men who had been up all night making sure that the ship ran smoothly whilst the others
slept.
The authors of this book go on to describe all aspects of daily life on a pirate ship; from what had
to be done if there was a storm, to what the men did for entertainment; from what occurred when
a possible prize ship was spotted and attacked to how discipline was maintained on the ship and
amongst the men. All the events are put together as if they happened on a single day and we find
that we have been given a great deal of information in the process.
At the end of the pirate day the authors have included a short section about famous pirates in
history which includes a paragraph about the infamous Captain Blackbeard. There is also a section
about famous pirates in stories where readers will find that old favorite Captain Hook from "Peter
Pan". At the back of the book there is a glossary of piratical and nautical terms used in the
book.
Patrick O'Brien's bold and vivid oil paintings help to bring the lives of these extraordinary men
(and a few women) to life, and we are left with a clear sense of how hard, and yet how full, life
must have been for these travelers of the sea.
See-Through Pirates
Kelly Davis
Running Press Book Publishers
125 South Twenty-second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
0762415878, $15.95, www.runningpress.com
Pirates have sailed the world's seas from the very beginning, threatening ancient Greek, Roman,
and Phoenician commerce and giving even the great emperor Pompey a headache and cause for
worry. Even in this day and age of computers, spy satellites and super-tankers, pirates are a
problem, particularly in Asian waters. This colorful and fact packed book describes all aspects of
pirate history, explaining how piracy came to be a way of life for so many.
There were different 'levels' of piracy. One could be a privateer with official approval and support
given by a world government to raid the ships owned by another world government. Sir Frances
Drake was a privateer for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I, seizing Spanish ships that were bound
for Spain from the Spanish Main. On the other hand one could also be a pirate who acted outside
the law. Bartholomew "Bart" Roberts was such a man. He took ships that crossed his path that
were well loaded with goods and that he could sell for profit.
What is refreshing about this book is the fact that is does not glamorize the pirate life but
describes it as it was. At the same time it describes all sorts of interesting details that one does not
often hear about. For example we learn that pirates had a form of law, a set of rules that every
man on the ship lived by. If a pirate was injured in battle he was compensated out of the general
purse. If the captain did not do the job properly he was removed and replaced. Who would have
thought that there would be a form of democracy on a pirate ship?
The illustrations throughout the book are detailed and offer much to look at. In addition one can
look at certain scenes with, and without, plastic overlay sheets; the see-through elements in the
book. There are four see-through pages in all. Fully annotated and with "Pirate points" boxes this
is a book that offers a great deal for the reader to browse through.
The Memory Cupboard: A Thanksgiving Story
Charlotte Herman
Illustrated by Herman Stahl
Albert Whitman
6340 Oakton Street Morton Grove, IL 60053
0807550558, $15.95, www.albertwhitman.com
Katie is so excited to be going to see her grandmother for the Thanksgiving holiday. She loves the
traditional meal, seeing her uncle, aunt, great aunts and best of all her Grandma. The meal is
surrounded by family rituals and stories that she loves to hear. Even the gravy boat has a story to
tell. There is singing and Great-Aunt Laura leads the family in her favorite song.
Once the meal is over Katie wants to help clean up. She picks up the precious gravy boat to carry
it into the kitchen and although she does her best to be careful with it, somehow it slips out of her
hands and falls to the floor where it breaks. Katie is terribly upset until Grandma takes her upstairs
and shows her what she calls her "memory cupboard". It is a special cupboard full of treasures. At
first Katie doesn't understand why her grandmother values the things in the cupboard because
everything in it is broken. But then Grandma starts to tell Katie the stories behind the broken
treasures and Katie begins to understand.
In this simple yet very powerful story, the author shows us how special family is and how family
gatherings can be a wonderful time for sharing stories and memories. We are also reminded that it
is the people behind gifts and not so much the gifts themselves that make them special. The
combination of this message and Herman Stahl warm illustrations makes this a charming and
compelling picture book.
Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
Laurie Halse Anderson
Illustrated by Matt Faulkner
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
0689847874, $16.95, www.SimonSaysKids.com
The story of Thanksgiving may appear to be a simple one involving starving Pilgrims and kindly
Indians, and yet, there is in fact much more to it than that. In fact the American nation came very
close to losing its very unique holiday altogether. Thanksgiving was not, in fact, all that popular a
holiday in the past and it took the very hard work of one person to make sure that Thanksgiving
did not become, like the Passenger Pigeon and the Dodo, extinct.
The hero of this story is a woman called Sarah Hale. She was a simple "dainty little lady" and
certainly not the type of person one would not think of as a defender of causes. However, she
chose to fight for many causes, big and small, and one of them was make Thanksgiving a national
holiday. She appealed to the politicians and soon the states made Thanksgiving a holiday but that
wasn't enough for Sarah. She still wanted a national holiday so she went to "the top," to the
President himself. The problem was, the President was not interested. So, being a determined and
patient person, Sarah waited for the next President, and the next and the next. In fact she had to
wait until President Lincoln came to live in the White House before she found a sympathetic and
understanding President who was willing to consider her proposition. The country was at war and
needed something to pull it together. Lincoln decided to agree to Sarah request in 1863 and
Sarah's thirty-eight year battle was over. With wonderful, amusing illustrations and a lively,
funny, and informative text this is a wonderful book to read during the days leading up to
Thanksgiving. It is empowering and is especially suitable for girls, serving as a reminder that
women have been able to do all sorts of extraordinary things for their country over the years. At
the back of the book the reader will find a "Feast of Facts" which is full of fascinating information
about Thanksgiving, American traditions, the Civil War, and Sara Hale's life.
The Flyers
Allan Drummond
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003
0374324107, $16.00, www.fsgkidsbooks.com
A little boy and his friends love to run down the sand dunes pretending that they can fly. They
want to be the first people who will ever fly in the air. Then they start watching two very odd men
who have come to Kitty Hawk to "fly their crazy kites." The men, two brothers called Orville and
Wilbur Wright, have made a kite that is big enough for a man to ride in. These two brothers
dream of making a machine that will fly anywhere. They say that the important thing is to be able
to build a machine that they can "take off in, land, control, and steer." Then they also have to add
an engine to this equation to give the machine power.
The children each talk about their flying dreams. One boy dreams of being able to bomb the
"Macy gang's hideout" with "rocks and water bombs" to give them a real fright. Another wants to
fly to Africa. The boy who is telling the story, thinks of building a huge flying bus that would
carry lots of people all over the world. The smallest child in the group imagines flying all the way
to the moon.
Then the real story of what happened to the Wright brothers and their famous machine (which
called The Flyer) is told. We can watch the events that took place on that historic day, moment by
moment, until we get to that incredible instant when The Flyer left the ground. Then we see
Orville aloft, frozen in time, just as he was in a famous photograph that was taken on that day on
December 17th 1903 one hundred years ago.
This is a wonderful book for a young child as it takes one into the events at Kitty Hawk as seen
through the eyes of a small child. This gives the events a significance that the very young can
understand. The ink and watercolor illustrations are light, easy on the eye, and again appeal to the
younger reader. At the same time, the listener or reader is not talked down to, and the gentle
humor gives the book a delightful warm feel.
A Day that Changed America: The Gettysburg Address
Shelly Tanaka
Paintings by David Craig
Hyperion
114 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10011
0786819227, $16.99, www.hyperionchildrensbooks.com
In the second year of the Civil War there was a battle that lasted three terrible days. As a result of
that battle fifty thousand men were killed, wounded or captured. It took place around the little
town of Gettysburg.
The plan that lay at the heart of the Gettysburg campaign was to march a large army north, win a
decisive battle and then slice down into the capitol city of Washington. At the battle, Confederate
soldiers outnumbered union soldiers three to one and after the first day the Confederate troops
held the little town. General Lee set up his headquarters in a small stone house within its
boundaries. It was a small gain for the Rebel forces however, as losses were high.
On the morning of the second day the Union soldiers were ready and waiting for the second round
but it never came. By the time the Confederates did attack, the Union troops had had the time
they needed to rest and get organized. They found secure placements on ridges and high ground
and that was where they stayed, determined to hold their positions come what may. This was day
when the soldiers fought across the wheat field, the peach orchard, and the two little hills that
became so famous once the battle was over. This too was the day when so many men died. More
died the next day until both sides had had enough and the Confederates retreated.
Once the fighting ended the people in the town of Gettysburg emerged from their houses and
began to clean up the mess, caring for the wounded and burying the dead as best they could.
Some months later a weary and still grieving President Lincoln left Washington to attend an event
in Gettysburg which included a parade and where the famous orator Edward Everett was going to
tell the story of the battle of Gettysburg. Finally, the President was going to give a short address.
He was determined that the people should pay tribute to those who died, and that they should
understand what he saw lay ahead for the country as a whole. They had to see that slavery could
not belong in the future of the United States.
In this extraordinary book the full and detailed story of what occurred at Gettysburg in July of
1863 is told. What is also told is how the town coped with its history once the battle was over.
More importantly it tells how the Gettysburg address changed the way people thought about the
war and the nation as a whole. Lincoln made people look at the basic principles that lay behind the
constitution. Many people came to realize that he managed to put some extremely powerful
words into a speech that had lasted only two minutes, and they also realized that a great mind lay
behind the tall lanky figure in the stove pipe hat.
Throughout the book there are black and white photographs of the times, full color illustrations,
quotes from Edward Everett's oration, and several maps which show the action in the field of
battle.
The Full Belly Bowl
Jim Aylesworth
Wendy Anderson Halperin
Atheneum/Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
0689810334, $16.00, www.SimonSaysKids.com
All too often kindness goes un-rewarded in this world. In this charming little tale, a kind old man
who does a good turn is given a gift, a magical gift. He is a poor fellow who often goes hungry
and when he helps a tiny man who is in trouble and shares what little food he has with him, the
little man gives him a Full Belly Bowl to thank him for his kindness. The Full Belly Bowl
duplicates whatever is put into it.
Now the old man no longer has to worry about going hungry. He also realizes that he can
duplicate an old penny he has until he has enough of them to take to town to swap for gold coins.
Then he would be able to duplicate the gold coins in the Full Belly Bowl. Why, then he would a
rich man.
In his rush to be gone with his bag of pennies, the old man leaves the Full Belly Bowl on the table
in his little house and something unexpected finds its way into it. When he returns home he
discovers quite a surprise in the house and his life takes another dramatic turn. Though things
don't quite work out as he planned, the good-hearted old man takes joy in what he has and gives
thanks for what the Full Belly Bowl gave him.
This delightful story with Wendy Anderson Halperin's extraordinary illustrations is a perfect
read-aloud picture book. The artwork is so detailed that there is always something new to look at
with each reading. A heart-warming book.
The Explosion Zone - The Wright Brothers: Pioneers of Flight
Ian Graham
Illustrated by David Antram
Barron's Educational Series
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764125915, $6.95, www.barronseduc.com
For many people the very idea that humans would ever be able to fly in the air in some kind of
machine was preposterous. By the late 1800's it seemed as if the fields of Europe and America
were littered with the remains of heavier-than-air flying machines that had crashed during failed
flying attempts. All too often men tried to create contraptions that copied birds with wings that
flapped. Then a small number of inventors took a different route, they looked at the wings of birds
and built gliders. One of the first of these men was a German by the name of Otto Lilienthall. He
successfully flew gliders and his successes encouraged two young men in Dayton, Ohio to gather
as much information as they could about flight. From there they began experimenting with gliders
of various kinds, trying to find out which kind of wings worked the best.
Wilbur and Orville Wright had been working with their hands since they were boys, so building a
glider was not hard for them. They took their oversized kite to a place called Kill Devil Hills on
the North Carolina coast where they could be sure there would be lots of wind, few trees, and few
spectators, and got to work testing their glider. It worked so well that they decided that it was
time to make one that was big enough to carry a man.
What followed was a series of gliders, each with its own problems that had to be overcome. There
were crashes and set-backs of many kinds and yet progress was made. Ultimately their path of
successes led the brothers to build The Flyer, the machine which carried Orville to fly the first
powered manned flight on December 17th 1903.
With bright and amusing illustrations, this "Explosion Zone" book offers an entertaining narrative
about the lives of the extraordinary Wright brothers, and also explains the principles behind the
science of flight. It offers several activities for the reader to try, a glossary of the aeronautical
words used in the book, an index, and always interesting little details about the people who were
involved in this wonderful true story of "simple boys find greatness and realize their dream."
Pirates!
Celia Rees
Bloomsbury
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
1582348162, $16.95, www.bloomsbury.com/usa
Nancy Kington is the daughter of a Brighton shipping businessman, a merchant and a man of
means. He owns a plantation in Jamaica, a 'factory' for the processing of sugar cane, and a fleet of
ships. He buys and sells all sorts of goods from different parts of the world and for many years
Nancy has a free and reasonably happy life. Nancy's father also buys and sells humans, slaves from
Africa, but this is something his daughter never thought much about until her father dies suddenly.
With his death comes financial ruin and great change in Nancy's life. She is sent to Jamaica, to the
plantation which is now hers, and suddenly the question of slavery becomes a very real one to this
fair-skinned girl from Bristol.
Nancy's father not only left the plantation to Nancy, he also left her with a terrible future. Before
he died, he promised her in marriage to a frightening and cruel man called Bartholome, a Brazilian
plantation owner who lives in Jamaica and who has a shadowy and dark past. One dreadful night
Nancy finds herself caught up series of desperate and violent events. Nancy and a slave girl called
Minerva decide to flee to the hills; one from a marriage she cannot imagine herself in, and the
other from certain death.
What follows is the journey that these two girls make, always fleeing from the terrifying
Bartholome who seeks them out. They soon find themselves on a pirate ship, "on account," in
other words, they become part of the ship's company. Soon Minerva and Nancy are pirates in
every way, fighting and eating alongside the men, sharing in the labor and in the winnings.
Minerva fits in well with the life at sea, but Nancy feels always that there is something else that
she needs to make her happy.
Written with extraordinary insight into the human heart and a through understanding of the times,
this book is hard to put down. Fast paced, exciting, and full of unexpected twists and turns in the
plot, we are carried forward, hoping that Nancy will find what she is looking for and that she will
not have to give up on her dreams. Often brutal, cruel, and harsh, hers was a world where it was
easy to get lost in the fight for survival. The author does not gloss over the reality of this world
and the facts can often be both shocking and very moving. The misery that slavery caused to
hundreds of people cannot be forgotten and through her story, their story is given a face and a
reality. This is truly a superb book which cannot be too highly recommended.
The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane
Russell Freedman With Original Photographs by Wilbur and Orville Wright
Holiday House
425 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10017
0823408752, $19.95, www.holidayhouse.com
From a very early age Orville and Wilbur Wright were very close. They played together and built
things together. As they grew up this relationship did not change. Neither brother married or
moved out of the family home. They complemented one another and the end result for the
brothers was a friendship and companionship that made them happy and left them feeling
complete. The end result for the rest of us was an invention which changed the way mankind
traveled and saw the world.
It all began when Bishop Wright gave his sons a toy helicopter. The boys played with it until it fell
to pieces. They then built several similar toys themselves which flew successfully. However,
attempts to make larger versions of the devices did not do as well. As Orville and Wilbur grew up
they continued to tinker with mechanical objects and to make things with their hands. They left
school when they were still in high school and went on to work first in the printing press business,
and then to run a bicycle business of their own.
It was while they were successfully running this business that they heard about the experiments
being carried out by several men around the world in the field of aeronautics. The idea of creating
a machine that could fly fascinated them and became their new and abiding interest. It wasn't long
before the brothers were spending the off-season away from their shop and down on the sand
dunes of Kill Devil Hills on the North Carolina Outer Banks.
Thus began the struggle to solve the great problem of flight, or rather of being able to attain
flight. The brothers were soon able to build a glider that would carry a man across the sand dunes
at Kill Devil Hills. And yet there were always new problems to overcome before they could move
onto the next stage, before they could make a bigger machine, before they could think of adding
an engine. There were crashes, days of bad weather, mosquitoes that bit through their clothing,
visitors who clearly were there to steal their ideas, and always there was that worry that someone
else would get their flying machine into the air first.
The author of this book has written a first class and truly fascinating account of the Wright
brothers' achievements. We are given a real sense of the urgency that they felt to get a manned
and powered plane into the air, a feeling that they did their best to ignore. We also understand
how close they were, and are not surprised to learn that, when Wilbur died at the early age of
forty-five, Orville had little heart to continue working on airplanes. We delight in the successes
that the brothers made and in the praise and honor they so justly received, once the world truly
understood the full import of what they had created. Filled with their photographs, this is a
wonderful tribute to two extraordinary, yet very, quiet, humble and unassuming men.
This book was a Newbery Honor winner
Race for the Sky: The Kitty Hawk Diaries of Johnny Moore Dan Gutman
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
0689845545, $15.95, www.SimonSaysKids.com
Johnny Moore lives on the windswept and very isolated Outer Banks, a finger of land that lies off
the coastline of North Carolina. When he reluctantly begins writing in the diary that his mother
gives him, it is January 1st 1900. At first he can't understand why anyone would give someone a
book that has "no words on the durn pages." His mother then has to explain what a diary is for
and the only way Johnny agrees to write in the diary at all is if she agrees to allow him to give up
going to school. He has to promise that he will write in the diary daily however. Johnny doesn't
quite do this but he does write in it reasonably often and through his words, complete with his
colloquialisms, peculiar spelling, and incorrect grammar, we learn a great deal about his world and
about the two odd "dingbatters," or outsiders, who come to Kill Devil Hills to build and fly flying
machines.
At first Johnny only spies on the strange men who do even the dirtiest and most strenuous of
work in their neat suits and high collars. It isn't long though before he is befriended by them and is
working alongside them. Johnny begins to learn about the principals that govern flight. We realize
that Johnny may run barefoot, he may have left school early, but he is clearly clever and quick on
the uptake. He understands what the Wrights are trying to do quite quickly and when it comes to
engines he has a deep appreciation for the quality of the engine that the Wilbur and Orville have
custom built for their 1903 machine.
In addition Johnny grows fond of the brothers and protective of them and their work. He is
suspicious of the other "scientists" who come to visit Orville and Wilbur. As it happens, he has
good cause to be wary of at least one of the men. Johnny catches him photographing the Wright
brother's current machine. Clearly the visitor plans to steal his host's ideas. When a scientist in
Washington fails in his test flights Johnny doesn't try to hide his elation. As far as he is concerned,
the Wright brothers are the ones who should win the race to being the first to fly a manned
powered airplane. He has no patience for men who are highly respected in their field if he thinks
they might harm Wilber and Orville in some way. For example, Johnny thinks the brothers should
send Octave Chanute, the famous civil engineer, packing. "He built the first bridge across the
Missouri River" Orville says trying to impress the young man. "That's all well and good, but I ain't
never seen no flyin' bridge and I reckon I never will" is what Johnny thinks to himself in
response.
With wonderful humor, and a keen sense of what life must have been like for Johnny Moore, the
author of this book has created a piece of writing which truly takes us to the place and time where
it all happened. Through Johnny we not only see his world in the early 1900's but we also find out
all the major events that took place in the development of the flying machine that was to make
history on December 17 1903. We grow fond of this smart-mouthed but soft-hearted boy who
grows into a man as we read his diary. His English gets better as we read, even with him self
correcting his grammatical mistakes by 1908 when Orville and Wilbur come to Kill Devil Hill to
try out another plane. Throughout the book there are photos, many of which were taken by the
Wright brothers. There are also quotes from letters written by Orville, Wilbur and other
characters in their remarkable story. In addition the author has included clips from newspapers
and at the end of the diary, a concluding chapter in which he explains how much of the diary is
truth and how much is fiction. He also tells the reader what happened to the famous Wright
brothers after 1908, what the real Johnny Moore did with his life, and what happened to the other
personalities that we met in the diary.
Rip Squeak and his Friends
Susan Yost-Filgate
Parklane Publishing
888 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0967242231, $16.95, www.parklanepublishing.com
Rip Squeak and his sister Jesse are delighted to have the cottage to themselves. The humans are
gone and they have taken all the feared cats with them. At least that is what Rip Squeak thought.
He soon finds out, however, that one of the cats got left behind, a very small and lonely kitten in
fact. A kitten, moreover, who is not in the least bit interested in eating the mice and is more than
willing to be friends.
In no time Rip Squeak, Jesse, and Abbey the kitten are on the best of terms. After Jesse has a far
too close encounter with a tomcat in the garden during a rainstorm, a new friend joins the party.
This is Euripides, a frog who is full of big words, surprises of all sorts, and who is an actor,
among other things. Euripides teaches Rip, Jesse and Abbey a new word, "improvise" and what it
means. In no time the young mice and the kitten are improvising on the piano, making up little
tunes and having a wonderful time.
Next, Abbey takes her friends to a wonderful place in the house where there are all sorts of
treasures to enjoy. Rip is amazed that the place was "under our noses the entire time." Clearly
there are many things to be explored and found in their very own home and garden.
Beautifully illustrated with rich and colorful paintings, this book is a joy to read. With characters
that appeal to children and a simple story it is a wonderful tale which celebrates the joys of new
friendships and surprises discovered. As Euripides would say "Life is full of mysterious things,
coincidence, and unanswered questions." We look forward to many more adventures with these
charming characters.
Marya Jansen-Gruber
Reviewer
Michael's Bookshelf
The Holy Land
Robert Zubrin
Polaris Books
11111 West 8th ave. Unit A Lakewood, CO 80215
ISBN: 0974144304 $14.95
The Holy Land takes us on a crazy journey that is filled with witty characters and fanatical beliefs.
Robert Zubrin creates a story that pokes fun at all people (including aliens) and gives us a reason
to chuckle; primarily because the actions and reactions of the characters would probably be quite
accurate!
The 'hero', if you wish to describe him as such, is Sergeant Andrew Hamilton. A hardened soldier
who is taken somewhat captive by the alien priestess Aurora, who merely wishes to study the
'subhuman' earthling species. With several twists and humorous turns, the story progresses from
strange to simply crazy!
Time would not permit me to elaborate on the story, but I can say that Mr. Zubrin has done an
excellent job in creating a zany story built on the disturbing reality of human behavior (disturbing,
for as I said, many of the people in the book certainly are similar to some in our world today!)
The story is easy to read and understand, though I must point out to Christians, myself being one,
not to view the fanatical characters in the story as an attack against the true believers, but to know
that Mr. Zubrin has simply shown what could happen if dangerous fanatacles gained power.
I would recommend this book to those who like a good story, and can put aside being 'offended'
by it's content. Good Job!
Jump Start
Gary Carter
PublishAmerica, LLLP
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN: 1413701930 $19.95
From the emergence of man on Earth, tales and legends were forged about great winged dragons.
For several millenia they have captivated the imaginations of people world wide. Now, the
legends shall prove true, and with it a terror unimagineable shall be unleashed.
Mr. Carter has skillfully woven several facets of science fiction into one great novel. From aliens
to dinosaurs, Jump Start brings an age-old tale to modern day man. I thoroughly enjoyed the
story, which became a real page turner for me! Mr. Carter's writing skill is shown through the
novel, and every part of the story is exciting (and sometimes surprising!)
I would recommend this book to all science fiction fans who love dragon lore as
much as I do. Good Job!
The Marketing Toolkit For Growing Businesses
Jay B. Lipe
Chammerson Press
4315 Aldrich Avenue South Minneapolis, MN. 55409-1810
ISBN: 0972034501 $19.95
If you're looking for a marketing guide to help your business, then your search has ended! The
Marketing Toolkit For Growing Businesses has literally blown away the business books I've read
to date. Mr. Lipe has incorporated into this book a vast store of knowlege and experience. His
writing style is very easy to follow, and the great amount of information contained in it proves he
knows his stuff!
There is enough contained in this book that I couldn't possibly elaborate on any one subject, but I
can say that with careful study and hard work, any business will benefit from Mr. Lipe's teachings
and tips.
I thank Mr. Lipe for allowing me to review this book. I would recommend it to anyone who's
trying to make their business a success.
Chill Factor
Paul Diamond
SynergEbooks
1235 Flat Shoals Rd. King, NC 27021
Binding: EBook
www.synergebooks.com
ISBN: 0744306124 $5.00 1-336-994-2405
A bright, young detective recently transferred to the South Eastern Regional Crime squad of the
Yard finds herself sent to investigate a crime scene where a suicide has taken place. Soon she
begins to speculate the death was indeed a murder, but little does she know what corruption lies
hidden as the story unfolds.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Chill Factor. The story was written well, and will keep your
attention until the end. It's refreshing to read a book that keeps it's foundation on the story itself,
and not on useless side-events (lust, excessive blood, ect.)
I would recommend this book to all who love a good mystery, and like to take the time to savor
every page.
Michael Bogert
Reviewer
Neal's Bookshelf
Lies And the Lyin Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right
Al Franken
Published under Dutton
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014, USA
ISBN: 0525947647 $24.95
I'm one of those guys who go out there and actually read and debates political stuff. Not your run
of the mill kind of shlub who just sits around the dinner table and forbids discussion of anything
that might cause an uproar; in fact, family gatherings tend to polarize because of me. In this, I
respect Al Franken. He's my kind of guy. He'll go out there, say what he feels, and if you don't
like it, too bad. This alienates many, many people, and puts him on many a GOP hit list for
buzzkills in the political arena, and it prompts people like Bill O'Reilly to go red in the face and
sue people.
If you don't know that to which I refer, I'd send you to Google with the words FOX NEWS and
AL FRANKEN. You'll find a large collection of websites dealing with the strengths and
weaknesses of Al's arguments, the folly of Fox's suit against him for trying to trademark the
phrase "Fair and Balanced", and a number of commentators who, like my family, polarize at the
mere mention of his name.
In a recent class of political satire and commentary in which people polarize to one side, right,
left, or middle (as it has always been), Franken's new book has become a particular focus of media
attention, in large part from people who haven't read this book I'm now reviewing.
Similar things happen in pop culture all the time. Dogma, the controversial Kevin Smith movie,
took a sarcastic aim at the Catholic church, prompting very religious people to send death threats
to Mr. Smith, protest the movie, and boycott studios. These people hadn't SEEN the show, but
because it involved tough subject, like God and church, people automatically became
defensive.
Recently, a movie about Ronald Reagan was created which had apparent falsity in it. It was
shelved, and caused a massive public outcry, despite the fact that hardly anyone who reported on
the subject had seen the film or read the script.
It's very American to polarize. It's why we're strong in war, it's why we have a very powerful (if
not moral) economy, and it's why we're allowed our most precious resource: Freedom of
Speech.
And Al, to put it mildly, exploits this resource well.
He begins with a rather self-deprecating admission that he has utilized a research staff from
Harvard to find his facts, and then launches into how God chose him to write the book. And that's
Franken's motif. Serious commentary, then jokes, than serious commentary, then jokes. It's this
ability to jockey back and forth professionally that makes him (or his ghostwriter, as the case may
be) rather effective in pulling the reader around.
Michael Moore employs a similar tactic, but I've found it more based in emotion. Which is good,
but it's his style, as opposed to Franken, and for me, having read all of Bill O'Reilly's books, all of
Michael Moore's, and portions of Sean Hannity's before throwing it across the room in disgust, he
uses the most factually based information in his satire, which counts for something. Bill O'Reilly
bullies, Michael Moore pulls at your common sense sometimes with facts, sometimes without, and
Al Franken uses facts and then offends to the Nth level. This is my preferred style.
And he's very personal in his attacks, taking potshots and strong shots at very conservative media
figures. Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, the Bush Administration, Roger Ailes, and Rush
Limbaugh ALL come under the knife, and suffer. Why? Simply because, as the title implies, they
all lie, and they do so in documented ways.
My mother and I fought over this just this afternoon. We tried to analyze the brilliance of the
news structure in America, and who was right, who was wrong, and who just hovered in the
middle. She's more conservative than anything else, and I'm a demented Libertarian Democrat
hybrid that would make Bill O'Reilly cut my mike and Michael Moore sneer. But we both watch
Fox News. And we both had no clue why. Until, that is, my mother put her finger on it.
"It's because they confront the issues!"
And there it was. At first, her defense was that they were impartial, allowed you to make up your
mind, etcetera, but that fell quickly, thanks to facts that I picked up from this very book I'm now
reviewing, in particular the nastiness of Roger Ailes.
The Fox News Channel talks about anything and everything, just like NPR. And the reality of the
matter is that they put a very conservative spin on things, just like NPR goes radically Liberal. I'm
not knocking either, particularly, but I did notice one thing Fox News has that NPR lacks.
Documented lies. A liberal bent is a liberal bent, but a lie to convince people to your methodology
is dastardly. Seditious. Anathema to Free Speech, because it unduly influences it.
And then we came to the second, more startling conclusion that even she couldn't deny. The
danger, I insisted, is that people rely on the facts presented by Fox News and NPR. With simple
Lexus Nexis digging, Mr. Franken comes up with citations of horrible lies, most startlingly a
eschewed chart in Sean Hannity's newest book implicating the democratic congress in the budget
deficit for increasing spending, when in actuality, the Reagan crew got just over its Administrated
requested cash, about 50 billion. In a multi-trillion dollar debt, blaming the Democrats for the
deficit then becomes a lying game.
It harkens back to similar charts in Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, exposing the fact that
Reagan raised taxes for the poor and lowered them for the rich despite a Rush Limbaugh chart
statistically skewing otherwise.
Franken exposes a dramatic bent in the media, and rather than, as one might expect, a liberal bent
(even I believed that, going in), he shows, through counting positive and negative stories on
Republican and Democratic candidates, that an actual conservative eschew exists.
Further, he bounces harder on Hannity in chapter 28, indicating that while conservatives and Fox
News blame Clinton often and well for deflating the military and causing 9-11 (as opposed to
President Bush, who had business ties with Al Queda and allowed a security program to dismantle
the 9-11 hijacking project slip through his fingers), in actuality, Clinton strengthened the military,
enabling our sound technical victory in Afghanistan. Nation building, well, he wasn't so good at
that, perhaps, but this is not the issue at hand on either right or left. Hannity, Franken notes,
blamed in part the weakening of the military on Clinton's decreased ordering of tanks, a now
nearly obsolete form of combat apparatus. Coming from a military family, I've toured tank depots,
and I can tell you first hand that Franken is correct. Tanks are on their way out, and robot attacks
are on the way in. He indicts Reagan for not ordering horses, as they were once used in battle,
and then points out that Clinton raised spending on the most efficient portions of our military, the
units which took Afghanistan and Iraq, by 70 percent.
He finishes the chapter with a quote from Dick Cheney admitting that the military a president has,
is created by the president before him. A military the entire administration felt capable of taking to
Afghanistan and Iraq, all the while denouncing Clinton for destroying it.
He prints Bill O'Reilly's registration as a Republican, and cites instances of O'Reilly insisting he
has no political affiliation.
He tears holes in Ann Coulter so large that I'm amazed the book survived. But then, given the
popularity of the Fox News Channel and an almost fanatical devotion of the people who espouse
the network's belief to the writing and sayings of their commentators, it doesn't surprise me. Does
no one read both books any more? Of everyone I asked (and I asked many people in preparation
for this review), many had read Franken, and many had read O'Reilly or Coulter, but NONE had
read both. This is the danger of Fox New, and this is the danger of the aforementioned
polarization. Ignorance, and action based in ignorance, a theme which Franken repeatedly
indicts.
The book takes a surprising dip in the middle with a sequel to Operation Chickenhawk, a feature
from Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot which unfortunately made a return, and deviates from the
straight attacks with a play about a mother and a lawyer from drastically different income who
converse about the way the government treats the poor as opposed to the rich. I admired the
statistics interspersed, and I have a personal stake in the way the government makes the poor
suffer over the rich, a patently obvious offense to anyone who makes less than 50,000 a year, but
the whole section seemed out of place, leading me to believe that it's best when Al lets his
research speak for him. This doesn't mean he's a bad writer...it's well written, and I've certainly
loved watching his work on Saturday Night Live, but it takes from the general tone. Rush
Limbaugh is A Big Fat Idiot deviates in the same fashion, taking from the general narrative, but in
general, lies stays true to form and tone for the most part.
The tone Ann Coulter says is treasonous. Of course, Al spends several chapters showing how the
right uses publicity and lies to make their own tone, and the general feeling after the reading is
that both sides have sticks firmly implanted in their rears, as it has been, as it will be, but at least it
destroys the lie that only the Democrats play dirty pool and they all hate the United States. Being
half democrat (on my left brain's side), I can tell you that at least from my perspective, I love
America, and I resent the mischaracterization, so I love that Al attacked it.
There's also a funny cartoon, supply-side Jesus, and an indictment of abstinence education in the
form of a letter to major Republicans asking them to tell their story of abstinence to a public TV
show, to which none named responded in the affirmative.
And finally, there's the lightning round, a quiz in which Franken spouts statistics with no end,
shocking, derailing statistics.
Franken is a nasty, evil attacking man. I love it. It's a good book, and it's hilarious in many ways,
upsetting in others. I read political books because I hate sociology. I hate sociology because it
implies things through statistics that make no sense, and I love to point them out. In this book, Al
has taken the middle of the road approach that makes the most sense to me. He sets up the
statistics, then he knocks them down, then he offers tight statistics of his own that are hard to
question. One might say this man has integrity, which is shocking given that most of these books
are games of name calling. When Al calls names, he does it in jest, but when he lobs his bombs, he
does it in a factually based truth. I love that, too.
I went to many websites and tried to find some that questioned his truths, the things he said. For
Ann Coulter, there are many, and they attack her facts effectively. For O'Reilly, the same. For
Hannity, less, but still, the same basic deal. Even for Michael Moore, there is some condemning
evidence against Bowling For Columbine and some statistics in his three recent books. For
Franken? Few of note, and those not very well written. Mostly they consist of:
Franken opens up his book with complete trash, like the idea that the media is NOT liberally
biased. End paragraph, no justification, no reasoning.
Of course, the same might be the said for this review, but I question none of the statistics in a
Coulter, O'Reilly, or Hannity book. Save the false ones. And I make no generalizations about
what they believe, merely that their lies are intentional and egregious. Everything else they do,
bless them, is a part of free speech. As are their lies, but I indict them for the lies, as they cause
the kind of falsity in societal thoughts which lead people to believe insane things, like blacks are
inferior to whites, the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer is okay, and hey, a war is
something we can take lightly and rush.
I just am challenged to find a statistic in this book that doesn't hold true on examination. I have
not spent months looking, but I did search the internet rather thoroughly, and I keep my eyes
open, and I saw some of the lies indicated in this book on the Fox News Network live, and I
called them then, shouting at the television. I feel like an informed man, I read more than the
average schmoe, and this book came off as sincere and on target, if a bit heavy handed and
attacking. That's a stereotype I'll buy. The left attacks. What this book shows that others don't is
that the right does, too.
The cover is a bit much...but then, it's designed to tick off the people who do judge books by their
covers. The people ON said cover, who sued him for it, and the people who will decry this book
without reading it.
Me? I read this book. I read pieces of Hannity. I read O'Reilly. I read Moore. I couldn't read Ann
Coulter, though Lord help me, I tried. And of them all?
This book is the solid best, and a must read for anyone embroiled in the political controversies of
the Bush Administration. Such discourse is of the highest importance in the coming election, and I
recommend this book for everyone. But go read O'Reilly and Hannity first. Trust me. It makes the
book that much better.
And please, if you find an open contradiction in this book, share it with the rest of us, because I'm
hard pressed to find one.
On a scale of one to ten, I give this book 8 and a half, minus one and a half for the deviation in
Operation Chickenhawk and the play.
I tried to contact Mr. Franken for an interview, but his publicist declined.
The Dark Tower, Book 5: Wolves of the Calla
Stephen King
Illustrations by Bernie Wrightson
Distributed by Simon and Schuster, Inc.
Scribner
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN: 1880418568 $35.00
Back in November of 1997, I, a young fool in love, picked up The Dark Tower, Book 4: Wizard
and Glass. By Stephen King. Intermixed into the usual Stephen King humanity, inhumanity, and
solid writing, a theme of losing the ones you love for something larger pulled me, affected my
thoughts about writing more than any book had in a great while.
Roland, the main character of the series, loses his beloved, Susan, to fire. She is burned at the
stake as a witch, a lost soul in a series of lost souls in his infernal and desperate quest for The
Dark Tower, an allegorical fiction for all of existence which he must conquer, or at least save.
Jake, Roland's youngest gunslinger in his ka-tet and perhaps the most innocent, simply turns to
Roland, telling him, "I'm sorry you lost your friend." At this point, Roland bursts into tears, the
burden of telling his story of love behind him.
Similarly, as I read those words, I was a lonely traveler myself, leaving Tacoma Washington for
Bellingham Washington to examine schools to leave home for. I too had just lost a lover, a friend,
someone I cared for very deeply, my first girlfriend and my first real love.
So to put it mildly, my life and the circumstances in it swirled to meet the circumstances of the
last Gunslinger novel, some 6 years ago. It would be hard to meet up with the experience of
reading that book again. Wolves of the Calla comes very close.
I have led a hard life, and books have always helped me through them. The Dark Tower books are
very special to me, in that when I first read them, I was experiencing the happiest three months of
my existence. At 13, I had an entire summer to dwell on before beginning a stretch of work that
would last for 10 long years before finally quitting and realizing my dream of writing. I picked up
about a book a day, I stretched out in my bed in the scant insinuated upstairs of the house I grew
up in, and I read all night, starting at about 8 and ending at about six in the morning. I did this for
most of the summer when something inspiring didn't come about, and it was in this flurry that I
came to read The Dark Tower.
At first I passed it off as very dry. A Gunslinger who winds his way through the desert chasing
after the man in black. Pretty clich‚, when you come down to it...but nonetheless, I was intrigued.
Just not intrigued to go on.
As I would my way through the summer, I decided to give the book another chance. I read it
again, and then, on a ten cent whim, purchased the second book from the used pile of the local
library.
The Dark Tower: The Drawing of Three took the Gunslinger in a complete different direction.
Now this lone man, this stereotype of the lonely fighter, found himself failing and having to rely
on others to survive. The tension, the depth of the characterization drew me in, and I plowed
through the second and third book in a matter of days.
And then I waited four years for a sequel.
Then six years for another.
If there's one thing to be expected with The Dark Tower, it's a wait. In the time that I've read this
series, I've gone from 13, when I would stay up all night and read, to 17, filled with angst and
afraid for a future without love, to 23 now. At 13 I cared about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
and literature. At 17, I was killing myself for the written word and preparing for a life as a writer.
Now, six years later, I've managed a scant little corner of the Internet world where I can write,
have an audience, and I've created three books of my own with two in the offing.
It's given me some perspective. For instance, I know what goes into putting a novel together.
Maybe not a great novel (I'm certainly not selling like King, to be sure, in fact, I'm not selling at
all), but I've experienced the tricks, the cheats, what we do as creators of fiction to turn the
audience on its head and stay with it. Being the fool that I am, I usually try to ignore them and
usurp them. Stephen King writes to the masses, I write for myself. And Stephen King is far more
masterful and beloved than I will ever be. BUT...knowing this, having seen the process from start
to finish and been party to it myself, I found it extraordinary to read the books from start to finish
again before Wolves of the Calla.
Even at 13 I saw The Gunslinger to be a work of someone not quite...THERE yet. It's likely why
Stephen revised it for this final push. It's the work of a man on his first few novels. I know that
feeling. I'm going back to my first novel, from 18, as we speak, and what time, practice, and skill
does to the artist, it's just amazing. This is why Wolves is so magnificent. It's a man at his
peak.
Dark Tower 2, as I said, brought King to his stride, and the other books came closer and closer to
what is undoubtedly the opus of King. Over the years, I read all of the books he wrote, and thus
gained insight into the rationality behind all of the book's other facets of mystery, but one thing
springs up again and again and again. Each novel he writes is a great experience in and of itself
(Well, mostly. There are a FEW stinkers from when he was too drugged out of his mind...see On
Writing for a good explanation. But even the stinkers are technically masterful.), but you get the
sense that there are things hinted at but never elaborated upon. The Dark Tower seeks to be that
final elaboration. And since King himself indicates that this is the last great hurrah, I expect
that.
Begin the spoiling section of this review...turn back, if you don't want it ruined forever!
This book does not offer many answers. This is not really a big deal, as there are two large books
left, but it still left me hanging in that sense.
This book, subtitled as the rest of the books in the series now are, as RESISTANCE, is a tale of
Roland and his ka-tet standing off against a largish group of Wolves in the land of the Calla,
Wolves that steal children, feed them to the Breakers from Black House, Hearts in Atlantis, and
Everything's Eventual. They come back roont, a state that causes them to grow gi-normous and
then die suddenly, taking their brains. The catch? It's one of every two of the twins in a land
where twins are normal.
Heading off from the events of the last book in a land of the Superflu from The Stand, the ka-tet
encounter the Calla in the middle of the wilderness who implore them to set upon the Wolves who
come every generation and steal their children. Roland cautions them that Gunslingers, once
called down, cannot be called back, and the town fights over whether to use them at all.
As the reader, one wonders why the wheel of all existence, The Dark Tower, comes after the
Calla and her people, but Roland explains it well...to abandon the tenets of the Gilead line, to
stray from the Eld, would make their quest as hollow as those of the town who favor leaving the
children to the Wolves, as the Wolves leave one of every two twins as a way of placating the
townsfolk.
In a mildly predictable mystery (provided you're schooled in forms of conflict resolution in
literature) a robotic underling of the people named Andy proves to be a major catalyst in stopping
the wolves. The mystery is well put, and in several instances when the mystery is about to be
revealed, you're tempted to toss the book across the room, you're so frustrated. That's the kind of
stuff I like to read. Stuff that makes me on the edge of my seat, or about to have something rather
interesting and deep revealed. Usually I turn to literature...but I'm one of few who would call
Stephen King literature. People scoff at him because he wrote a few horror novels. I don't really
understand that. I've always been of the mind that an author is as good as his prose plus his ability
to maintain your interest, really, or at very least say something worth saying. Stephen King, with
his down-to-Earth characterization, usually provides all of the above.
I read that King himself believes he'll fade away in a few hundred years, a lot like some of the
more popular artists of the past who never made something epic of what they did, like Dickens or
perhaps Dostoevsky. Personally, that's one of the only places I think he's full of it. I think he
underestimates the cultural importance of The Stand. Maybe his other books shall go by the
wayside, but The Stand will be remembered a hundred years from now, easily, as one of the best
pieces of literature this century. For what is literature but what stands apart in your personal age
of mediocrity? And perhaps The Dark Tower will land on this list as well...it certainly taps the
Superflu and touches upon the same themes of indomitable humanity.
They stop the Wolves, of course, and they do it without sustaining a loss, only to find that
Susannah, pregnant from the demon of several books ago, has fled into a door to have her
demonic child with a new persona, Mia. They have used a Wizard's Glass, established last book,
to go through the door and save the all-important rose, a gateway to the Tower itself and possibly
the hinge of existence, and Mia has taken it to go and have her birth, which will result in
Susannah's death, for the demon plans on consuming her after birth.
At this, a crisis is revealed...do they go to aid Calvin Tower, owner of the lot where the rose is
kept (at least until Eddie purchases it in the course of the flipping across worlds, todash, it's
called), or do they save Susannah, member of their ka-tet and Eddie's wife? My guess, given the
title of the next book: Song of Susannah? They're going after their friend.
Also reintroduced into the mythos in this book is Father Callahan, from 'Salem's Lot. 'Salem's Lot
reads a lot like the Gunslinger...a first effort of someone destined for greater things, but
nonetheless, it is one of the more elegant first efforts I've read. Callahan, now in Roland's world
by virtue of flipping todash at the behest of Walter, the man in black, helps the crew figure out
what the Wolves are up to, and offers them some insight into the now recurring themes of todash
and 19.
19 shows up everywhere. 19, 99, and 1999. My guess is that the Dark Tower somehow hinges on
1999, no? Maybe the millennium? Maybe the events of the books, since most of the characters are
built around the 70s and 80s, center on the end of the world?
Either way, there are things common to many a Dark Tower book. New concepts to absorb that
are intense and creative, new villains, and old characters brought back to make people who are
versed in King get their just rewards...
There's even a nice little feature at the beginning of the book now the titles of all the books that
are Dark Tower related are in bold...so those of you just getting into King who want to be party
to the Dark Tower only have 16 books to catch up on. Good luck! And they're at least touched
upon here. As mentioned before, we've seen breakers, and we see todash, which is undoubtedly
jumping worlds from Talisman and Black House. There's also the auras around people Callahan
sees, from Insomnia, the multiple worlds of From A Buick 8, the walking dead from Bag of
Bones, Randall Flagg from The Stand (though unfortunately he is lacking in this volume) and
Regulators.
This is the lone disappointment of the book, as mentioned above...the lack of resolution. But as
there are two books to go, as I also said, let's give the man a chance.
This story, on its own, fleshes out the characters even more and puts them through their first real
paces. Last book we saw Cuthbert and Alain, the book before we had Shardik, perhaps, and
meeting the mains was a difficult thing for the first few books, but the real trial starts here. And
they pass...Jake takes his first steps from childhood into understanding the cruelty of the world,
and it is hinted that we might actually start to lose characters that we care about, and soon. The
Calla is very distinctive, the characters within it so strong you start adapting their colloquialisms.
I've been saying Thankee-sai in places of business since 1993, much to people's puzzlements, but
now I'm going to have to start saying "Doya?". You'll understand by book's end if you don't
already.
And then there's Stephen King...the biggest jump forward in the book, despite all of the good
characterizations, solid action, and the ultimate trial of the newly finalized group of heroes is the
realization that one of their number is in a Stephen King book. Callahan finds a copy of 'Salem's
Lot, and finds it to be true. This is just before the book ends, with the number 19 issue unresolved
but Roland knowing a way into the next door. My thought is that these books are about to kick it
into overdrive, and fast now.
I won't spoil the secret of the Wolves, but it is ingenious, and I have to say, and enemy who
wields a lightsaber, a snitch, and Dr. Doom's outfit gets thumbs up in my book. Heck, I'm a Harry
Potter, Star Wars, AND comic book geek, so I about fell out of my skull when I read that one.
It's probably the best part of the book, when Stephen King not only puts HIS world onto the
heroes, but the worlds of others. I don't know how he does it without getting sued (Well, sure I
do. He's STEPHEN KING!), but it's just great. I love mixed mediums, and I think it's one of the
greatest untapped wealth-springs of storytelling left untested.
Just leave it to an old favorite, Stephen King, to test it.
The spinning plates from the story of Gray Dick are truly inspirational. A group of angry farmers,
and who steps up to defend them? Their womenfolk, with their plates. At times, authors go nuts
to put women in roles of equality simply to emphasize feminism or other social issues, but here,
Stephen King manages to do it in a way that makes sense AND empowers, which is tough, nigh
impossible to do without coming off as trying. I applaud that loudly.
Almost as loudly as the particularly apt use of Somebody Saved My Life Tonight, by Elton
John...it's Callahan and New York to a tee. Enjoy it.
I highly recommend this novel, and I would place it among King's best. It was worth the wait.
Less is answered, but it's like Matrix Reloaded...it's better in ways than Revolutions, because the
questions asked are sometimes better than answers delivered, and King certainly opens things up
and allows for more speculation and thus entertainment.
On a scale of 1 to 10 for me, and this is rare, as I read a number of books and most score maybe 6
or 7, or sometimes a lucky 8, this book is a solid 10.
Neal Bailey
Reviewer
Paul's Bookshelf
Talking to Richard
Gary Sherbell
Neshui Publishing
8029 Forsyth #204, St Louis MO 63105
http://homepage.mac.com/bbrigitte/neshui
ISBN 193119047X, $TBA 241 pages
Steven Goren is an Administrative Law Judge in the Subway Division of the New York court
system. He is the person who decides how much of a fine must be paid by people who jump the
turnstiles or smoke on the subway platform. He has grown to loathe Richard Rankin, famous
defense lawyer. Rankin does whatever he can to get his clients acquitted, usually by painting them
as political victims or by playing the race card. One night, sitting in a bar, Goren hears, and is very
glad that, Rankin has died of a heart attack. An older black woman sitting next to him asks Goren
to take back his words about Rankin. He refuses, not knowing that the woman is a voodoo
priestess. The next morning, Goren finds that Rankin has been resurrected from the dead...as his,
shall we say, male sex organ.
One can imagine the problems this can cause. The two come to an agreement, where Rankin stays
quiet during the day, while Goren is at work. Rankin knows the priestess who did this, but refuses
to take Goren to her until he gets a chance to properly say goodbye to his family. Meantime,
Goren has several sexual opportunities with other women. When Rankin cooperates, the sex for
her is mindblowing. Later, the two have a test of wills. When Rankin doesn't cooperate, the
results are disastrous.
Rankin and Goren show Rankin's widow, Jane, everything, and the two have a final farewell of
their own, with Goren in the background. Anne, Rankin's estranged daughter from his first
marriage, eventually agrees to see Goren. She happens to be gorgeous, and Goren falls head over
heels in love with her. But Rankin refuses to, in effect, have sex with his own daughter.
Eventually, Rankin makes his peace with Anne (by tape recording) and takes Goren to the
voodoo priestess to get the curse undone.
Get past the bizarre central premise, and this is quite a book. It's easy to read, and it's got
something to say, including about liberal politics and the American justice system. For those who
are not squeamish about sex and talking body parts, this is recommended.
Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult
Richard Metzger (ed.)
The Disinformation Company Ltd
163 Third Avenue #108, New York, NY 10003
http://www.disinfo.com
ISBN 097139427X, 360 pages, $24.95
Magick is defined as "the art and science of causing change in conformity with will" (Aleister
Crowley). That's the intention behind the pieces in this book, to look at many aspects of magick
and the occult, and thereby do really interesting things with the concept of reality.
Peter levenda looks at Hitler's obsession with the occult, and a side of World War II fought with
spells as much as with bullets. Daniel Pinchbeck tells the story of how he unintentionally brought
poltergeists into his home by snorting a hallucinogenic compound called DPT. One of the pieces
in this book is an interview with Black Pope Anton LaVey, author of the "Satanic Bible." Of
course, Aleister Crowley is well represented in this book.
The crises in our present-day world are the "fault" of a powerful spiritual being called Ahriman. It
is the inspirer of materialistic science and commercialism, and permeates modern culture with
deadening forces. Another piece analyzes the Cthulhu Mythos stories of H.P. Lovecraft. Several
pieces look at various aspects of the magickal collaboration between Brion Gysin and William S.
Burroughs. Robert Anton Wilson tells of a collaboration in the field of astral projection between
him and Timothy Leary, while Leary was part of the California penal system. Jack Parsons was
one of the pioneers of the American space program, helping to found what would become the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory. He was also an avid practitioner of the occult sciences. Ida Craddock was
an advocate for women's freedom, including sexual freedom, in the late 19th century. She also
claimed to be the wife of an angel.
To quote from the Introduction, "And if it is your first dip into occult literature, I do hope this
book is like having a nuclear bomb go off behind your eyeballs or a razorblade slashed across your
brain." In that respect, this book succeeds really well. It is another book from The Disinformation
Company Ltd that is not for the faint of heart, or those who don't want their perceptions
challenged. Parts of this book were way over my head, but I enjoyed the rest of it. Those with any
interest in magick or the occult need this book. It's very much worth it.
A Man Called Stan
Jay Henning
iUniverse Inc
2021 Pine Lake Rd #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
http://www.iuniverse.com
ISBN 0595274145, $12.95, 160 pages
This book tells the life story of an average person named Stan. Told in seemingly random pieces,
he experiences turbulent and quiet periods, as if he was traveling down a river.
In one section, Stan is heading to work,a nameless corporate sort of job that he hates. There is a
new receptionist, a beautiful young woman named Anne. Stan eventually gets up the guts to talk
to her. He asks her out on a picnic, but sleeps late on the day in question. Stan is able to redeem
himself. One day, Stan sees Anne run into the arms of a handsome gentleman. Stan gets very
depressed, and heads to a local bar for some serious drinking. Having a lifelong love affair with
liquor, at a time like this, Stan doesn't settle for getting just drunk. Stan goes for extreme, record
setting, waking up face down in the gutter, drunk. Stan doesn't talk to Anne for several days, until
she tells him that the handsome gentleman is her brother.
In another section, Stan, as a 14-year-old, and Fred, his lifelong buddy, sneak into an adult party,
where Stan starts his relationship with liquor. Stan also receives his first sexual experience,
courtesy of Fred's mother.
Stan's children and grandchildren take him from his nursing home (where he has been living since
Anne, his wife, died) for a picnic in the park. Instead of bringing along Harvey, his drinking
buddy, Stan brings along Wanda, a fellow resident. Her family doesn't visit her, even though they
live close enough to visit. Later, at the nursing home, Stan goes off by himself for a once a year
ritual. He looks through a small photo album containing pictures of Anne, and their life
together.
Through it all, Stan looks for meaning in his life, his place in the universe. He gets it at the end of
the book, when all his friends have died, and Stan knows that his time is coming very soon.
I loved this book. Told in a very deadpan, third person style, with just a touch of strange, it's very
easy to read, and easy to identify with. The reader will hate to see it end, just as I did.
50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know
Russ Kick
The Disinformation Company Ltd
163 Third Avenue, #108, New York, NY 10003
http://www.disinfo.com
ISBN 0971394288, $9.95, 126 pages
Are you being kept in the dark about the world around you? Do you feel that there are things the
government and media won't tell you, but you can't quite put it into words? This is the book for
you.
Written in bite-size chunks, this book presents a number of things not told to the public. What the
world knows as the Ten Commandments are not what Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai on
those stone tablets (read Exodus Chapters 20 and 34). The police are not legally obligated to
protect citizens. The government can take your house and land, and then sell them to private
corporations. According to the auto industry, 90% of SUV drivers are insecure and selfish.
Almost 90% of American cows contain a cancer-causing microbe called bovine leukemia virus. In
America, prescription drugs, even when used properly, kill over 100,000 people per year, making
it the fourth leading cause of death. The CIA commits over 100,000 serious crimes yearly.
The US Government vastly overstates the number of terrorism convictions it obtains each year. In
1961, two atomic bombs were accidentally dropped on North Carolina when their plane
disintegrated in midair. One of the bombs was found; the other is still missing. The government's
own reports show that both bombs had 4 separate arming devices; 3 of them had been activated.
Kent State was not the only, let alone the first, massacre of college students during the Vietnam
War. The tattoo at Auschwitz was originally an IBM code number. Many of the first feminists,
like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, were prolife. Juries are allowed to judge the
law, not just the facts. According to the Supreme Court, it's legal for a person to ingest any drug,
especially if they are an addict. Last but not least, what were you doing on January 25, 1995? On
that day, the world came within minutes of World War III.
This small, but mighty, book easily reaches the level of Wow. There are references in the back of
the book so the reader can do their own investigating. It's easy to read and very eye-opening.
On several different levels, this book is very highly recommended.
Paul Lappen
Reviewer
Pogo's Bookshelf
Rhett DeVane
The Madhatter's Guide to Chocolate
Rabid Press
Austin TX
http://www.rabidpress.com
0974303909 304 pp $14.95
Some folks work for the lack of money; others labor for the love of chocolate. Max the Madhatter
with the purple hat escaped the chicken cage to wander the streets. Nurse Marion said it would
help to keep the voices away. Whenever they came, they'd drag him away to be strapped to a bed
and zapped by a machine not a pleasant experience.
Mr. D paid Max in chocolate, who jotted recipes down in his notepad.. Writing catches thoughts
on paper, just like pinning fleeting butterflies to a corkboard, fixed in space and time, they couldn't
disappear. Words on paper have curled edges like kind smiles. He wrote fleeting thoughts and
memories to recall another day: a yellow daisy given by Lil' Hattie in his hatbrim.
A gift given must be returned.
Returning to Chattahoochie wasn't easy-- not because of the funeral and the hollow condolences.
She hated to admit that she grew up there, telling everyone that she lived three miles out on the
Hill. Still single, Hattie knew tongues would wag when she arrived. Going back was like trying to
wear a pinafore from when she was twelve. Things just didn't fit. Now she had even less reason to
visit her parents' old home. Both of them were dead, leaving Aunt Piddie and her daughter
Evelyn, and her rather cold brother, Bobby, known as Mr. Personality for his way of making the
heavens break open with acid rain. Out of the Hooch, Hattie didn't want to get trapped again.
The will Hank explained surprised them both. They hadn't an inkling about their parents' estate.
Inheriting the house complicated things, like moving a tree with roots. She planned to stay a
month to settle her mother's affairs. Why hadn't she married? The handsome hunk at the funeral?
Oh, Garrett, fitting the Hollywood stereotype of dreams. There were all those old acquaintances
that were better long forgotten. Jake, her old flame, had moved back to town. He arranged the
flowers for the funeral. Certainly he should be thanked. After all, she took a nosedive into the
grave, disturbing the arrangement. Maybe some things had changed, but the town looked the
same as it did in the Fifties: a center for mentally retarded.
Chattahoochie has a gossip columnist to keep the press alive.Elvina keeps busy giving accounts of
social affairs. Without her the town wouldn't spin in so many circles. Tongues do talk and
prejudice is hard to bury in a small town where the main profession is prying into other people's
minds. When the local Countess Cruella de Witherspoon-Ville kicked the bucket, Jake inherited
the castle. Practical, he traded it in for a craft. Changes come slow in a town where folks are
formed in their ways. Little girls grow up to be wives and men should act like men. Pansies belong
planted in a garden and not found among the lilies in the florist shop.
Fourth of July Fireworks explode in bigotry. We witness the admission of an assault victim to a
local hospital. Realistically portrayed with attention to details, we are outraged by the inhumane
cruelty apon an innocent victim. Through personal confessions and intimate revelations we
sympathize with the characters trying to cope in a world of boiled and pickled prejudice. Through
the author's eyes we hear the warning once again that no man is an island, recalling the isolation
of many who are afraid of rejection.
Lively chatter draws the spectator into the action. Not everything comes up daisies; some sleep
beneath roses in a town of racial and sexual prejudice. Filled with quirky characters and dynamic
dialogue, the reader follows the local social affairs and the energetic plans to revive Chattahoochie
into the land of the living. Buried with a Hershey Bar in his hands, Max the Madhatter endows
Harriet with a magical recipe for life. Chocolate is only half so good when you eat it alone. To
enjoy it, you must share it with the world. For some delicious reading, take a bite.
Chris Dalmitio
Rough Living: Tips and tales of a Vagabond
Booklocker.com
http://www.booklocker.com
http://www.geocities.com/rough_living/
1591133378 167pp $8.95 USD
"Rough living requires little, but a few things make your life a whole lot better..."
With little as little noise as possible, the author gets to the meat of his subject with the pragmatic
instruction for minimalist survival. He knows. He has the skills and experience that benefits those
who attempt the vagabond life or those who must survive daily life. He presents the practical
guide to survival for urban living or foreign travel.
Rough Living is a surivivor's kit for those who live on the street or travel by thumb.
Well-organized, tersely written, Chris outlines the basic necessities living with minimal resources.
In the past century, Chris Dalmatio would be an adventurer, explorer, voyager or soldier of
fortune in search of life's meaning, cast into a dashing, romantic role for yet another Dumas novel.
Instead of the cap of invisibility, he wears the worn hat of a bum or slouched cap of a rascal as he
explores the other world of society. With a journeyman's savvy, he views society and culture
about him with candid reflection caught with photographic skill. If you wish to live rough, most
important is the need to live. Like Thoreau, he echoes the phrase, "simplify." There are four ways
to obtaining the essentials: 1. buy, 2. create, 3. ask and 4. take.
Although bluntly spoken, those who wish to argue or scorn his observation should reconsider the
realities of corporate America where 33% of the children belong to homeless families and
consummerism justifies inconceivable waste from domestic and corporate sources. Consider the
corporate monsters on the take, who poach on the ignorant, the poor or the unwary through legal
means. The inflated insurance rates, bad products and product dumping on foreign countries
while exploiting the poor for low-wage labor. Stealing a man's health or sleep is also unethical
while not providing sufficient income to meet minimal living needs. Critical and creative, he
assesses sources for survival, pointing out the resources available for survivors: doing
dumpster-dives and gleaning the corporate dumpings to write tax-lies.
Even a vagabond lives by a social code. If you couch-surf, then reciprocate by wshing the dishes.
Learn to make a scrumptious basic dish so that you don't wear out your host's patience and
tolerance. Be useful and have respect for yourself and others. Don't demean yourself. Although
the reader may be comfortably seated in a fuzzy, overweight chair, there are many out there
without shelter and haven't eaten a decent meal in ages. For those, this book provides guidance
how to survive with tips for resourcefulness to recover in life. For all things, there are basic rules
and guidelines, including drugs: be safe. With alacrity, he defines potential danger for the
sojourner.
The second part of the book is devoted to the sojourner's tales and his adventures from Seattle to
Sumatra. Written with cinematic skill and the gift of a true-born lier, he opens the curtain at the
beginning of the drama, told from the wisdom of a toddler:
"One evening Dad was watching us because Mom was working and he had no gig that evening.
Mom and the baby sitter followed a similar routine in making me a bottle (ba-ba), ensuring that I
had a pacifier (bo-bo), and then tucking me in my crib (night-night) before helping my brother
with his homework. Dad threw all of that out the window and propped me on the couch watching
TV while he helped my brother with his homework at the kitchen table.
It was at this point that I first heard the haunting melody of what might lie beyond. Obviously, I
recognized that something lay outside better than what the talking heads on the magic box were
babbling about. Dad's first clue was a whoosh of cold winter air blowing my brothers papers from
the table. He looked up and realized that I was gone ... he caught me as I attempted to dart
between fast moving cars.
He picked me up and shook me asking, "Chris, what are you doing?"
It was only then that I spoke my first sentence as I tried to explain it to him. "No ba-ba, no bo-bo,
no night-night, bye-bye." If I had been a bit more articulate I might have explained the call of the
road like this "I'm pretty sure there's a better life out there for me somewhere". (p 44)
With the skill of Jan deHartog or the clarity of Steinbeck, Chris sets out to explore the world with
the minimal requirements for survival. His journey takes him east out of Seattle into an alien
civilization with clear observation of his environment. He captures the world with startling detail
and freshness and the words read like glossy pictures cropped inside the latest issue of National
Geographic. Unlike Goethe's or Mozart's diary, we do not get bogged down in drizzling rain
boorishness about the hotel reservations or the latest argument with papa or the emotional
explosions over a court performance. The intention is not to entertain royalty but to explore the
lavish diversity of life. There is no pompous condescension to the native, but a sense of awe and
amazing ability to cross cultural borders and retain the original flavor of a conversation or
situation. With the skill of a miniaturist, he frames episodes into memorable stories, recalling the
exultation of climbing the Great Wall or the idiocy of an American boor misplaced in Ghengis
Khan's Cafe who gets caught cheating on a book trade, but announces his bigotry loud and clear
for the world to hear:
"So here's what I don't understand " Carl ignored his unanswered questions. " I mean, my visa is
only good for a month. I don't understand why the Chinese don't let Americans and other
westerners stay as long as they want. I mean it's not like some Chinese peasant coming to
America. I mean we've got money. The Chinese don't have to figure out what to do with some
stupid peasant. They should just let us stay as long as we want."
"Maybe they don't want you here." Sasha indicated the rest of the group sitting around the table
but Carl again ignored or didn't catch the insult.
"Yeah, but why not? I mean, I'm spending a lot of money here. I'm making the economy better.
I've spent about a thousand dollars and it's only been a week. Everything is so cheap here. Not
like New York where I have to pay $1800 a month for a studio apartment." (p108)
Critical? Yes, but accurate in tone and voice. For those who want to live in a padded, insulated
world, Rough Living is uncomfortable and unpleasant as camping out in the drizzling rain without
a tarp or plastic beneath the soggy sleeping bag. For those wishing to discover the other side of
the world, and risk exposure to critical thinking step in. The narratives are lively, diverse and
capture the dynamics of travelling in different cultures and seeing the hidden aspects of a society
and country. Not all homecomings are happy, some are tragic. Not all children are free; some are
for sale, some live highly endangered lives in the world outside our window. Given a choice
between corporate greed or vagabond love, Chris is a vagabond lover in search of the world.
Pogo
Reviewer
Rick's Bookshelf
Killing Faith
Keith Gouveia
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68512
www.iUniverse.com
ISBN # 0595293239 $11.95 130 pgs
Keith Gouveia has done it again.
As any of you that read my reviews with any regularity might recall, I have reviewed two previous
books by Mr. Gouveia-The Eternal Battle and Dream Demon, both excellent tales of terror. His
duo of great horror now becomes a trio with the release of his newest tome, Killing Faith, a story
of pedophile priests that comes from the headlines, and adds a horrific twist that will keep you
turning pages with ever increasing speed as you race toward the powerful ending, leaving you
grasping for more.
Police Officer Robbie Bachetta is plagued with dreams from a case in his past, filling him with
self-doubt and indecision. Enter Julian, a man wronged by a priest as a boy, now seeking
vengeance and redemption by sending all priests with impure thoughts, intentions, or actions to
the bowels of Hell. However, Julian is not alone in his crusade he has been assimilated by a demon
named Moloch who grants him powers beyond his wildest desires to aid him in his quest; yet this
demon has an agenda of his own that will bring about far greater repercussions than anyone
knows. Robbie must not only fight a battle on the physical plane, but also on the ethereal as he
struggles to bring an end to the demon's insidious plans, and save not only the world but also
himself in the process. If only he has enough faith.
While his other two books were compelling in their own right, Killing Faith has the distinction of
showcasing how far author Gouveia has grown as a writer. His characters are three dimensional,
having a depth to them which gives a lifelike quality. His situations, while broadened for the need
of the genre, are not so far-fetched as to be considered absurd. He has taken a story, which has
astounded The Church and many of its parishioners, and made it gripping in a unique way of
which he should be proud.
There are many writers out there in both the small press and the mainstream that fancy themselves
horror writers, yet falling woefully short in their goal. Keith Gouveia is not one of those, he is a
true budding master of the macabre, and with each successive novel released, is more on his way
to being a 'name'. Get on board now, so you can be one of those, like me, that will be able to say,
"Who, Keith Gouveia? I've been a fan for years." Keep 'em coming Keith, I'm ready for the next
one.
From Faythe To Ever Increasing Faith
By Donna L. Patton
Abrah-Cove Publishing
P.O. Box 153, Griffith, IN 46319
abrahcovepublish@cs.com
ISBN # 0974190209 $14.95 280 pgs.
Faith is a driving force in the lives of many people, helping to cope with not only the every day
chores of work, paying bills, taking care of families, but also in the hereafter that is to come. It is
written that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed (which by the way is pretty small in case
you didn't know) that you could tell a mountain to move and it would. But no one has that much
faith. Oh we come close, maybe an eighth of a seed, maybe a quarter, the most stalwart of us even
a half, but never enough to say "Mountain, move!" and then watch it go. Moreover, while we may
wish to walk the straight and narrow, it is not an easy path. We all have faults-it's what makes us
human, it's what makes us real. And being real is one of the many things I liked about From
Faythe to Ever Increasing Faith by first time author Donna L. Patton, and the character that has
the title role in her novel, Faythe Alexander.
Ms. Patton has created a young successful attractive African/American woman to be the star and
strong role model in this highly compelling story, and with her, a world that is one where people
make mistakes, and learn. People grieve and go on, people love, and know heartache, yet love
again. And people believe-they believe in a greater power; a God that is real, and alive, and helps
you get through the struggles of existence, always there to guide and support. It is obvious from
the way that Ms. Patton uses her gift of writing to minister, that she is a firm believer in the Lord,
and walks with him on a constant basis.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a book that preaches, but instead shares within the confines of a
richly developed story one of love lost and found; of friendships renewed and reinterpreted, and
the vastness and abounding love of a Savior for one of his creations, and the return of that
love.
Is it a romance novel you might ask? Well, yes, and could easily fit on the shelves of any secular
bookstore in the romance section. However, it is far more. Is it a Christian book? Well, again, it
could go next to any book at a religious bookstore with pride, but to pigeonhole it into any
narrow confine does an injustice to the writing skills that Ms. Patton displays.
From Faythe to Ever Increasing Faith is a rare find; a book that ministers to the needs of the
reader without hitting them over the head, yet never once compromising the message for the sake
of the story. I would say that Ms. Patton should be proud of what she wrote, but I think her
answer would be she didn't do it alone, she had help from someone 'higher up'. And I think she
would be right.
Batman/Aliens Two
Ian Edginton, author
Staz Johnson and James Hodghins, artists
Gregory Wright, colors
John Workman, lettering
DC Comics in cooperation with Dark Horse Comics
www.dccomics.com
1700 Broadway New York, New York 10019
ISBN # 1401200818 $14.95 160 pages
Crossovers, the meeting or two or more characters that would not normally meet, have never
been more popular than they are right now. The recent movie Freddy vs. Jason is a perfect
example of the popularity of just such a meeting. In 1998 DC Comics, in cooperation with Dark
Horse Comics had two of their own high profile characters interact: the Dark Knight known as
Batman, and from the deepest reaches of space, the blood thirsty brood referred to collectively
and individually as Aliens. The first encounter proved to be such a commercial and critical success
that a follow-up was not only inevitable, but also demanded by the many fans, bringing us to
Batman/Aliens Two, and what a spectacular tale it is.
On the trail of the killer of a shady businessman, Batman discovers the brutal slaying was not the
work of some sick psychopath, but instead that of an Alien which had been held in a preserved
state in a sub-basement of a building in downtown Gotham City which was being torn down. Now
awakened from its confines, the abomination is free to terrorize the citizens of Gotham, forcing
the Caped Crusader once again into a battle with a monster that he barely escaped alive the last
time he met one of these unholy creatures.
Making matters even worse, enter Dr. Catherine Fortune from the Federal Emergency Medical
Authority who wants the creatures considered a biohazard and preserved for study. Throw in an
appearance by members of Batman's Rogues Gallery-Joker, Killer Crock, Poison Ivy, Two-Face,
and The Scarecrow just to name a few in a new and deadlier way than they have ever appeared
before, and Batman is truly in for the fight of his life. This is Batman as you may have never seen
before, battered and bruised, as he struggles to reclaim Gotham City, no matter what the
consequences he has to suffer, he will not lose-for if he does, the entire world will lose as
well.
I would be remiss beyond redemption if I did not mention the creators of this adventure. Ian
Edginton, the writer, is himself no stranger to the world of the Alien, having wrote two previous
collections, Alien: Rogue, and the classic Alien vs. Predator. He brings to this tale not only a true
understanding and respect for Batman, his supporting cast, and the lore that surrounds him, but
also an intensity of action when the battles ensue. If you are only familiar with the creatures as
depicted in the movies, you will not be disappointed-these are them in all of their chest busting,
face hugging, acid dripping glory, make no mistake. Staz Johnson and James Hodghins do a
remarkable job on the art, conveying a world where heroes in capes and cowls coexist with
off-world terrors so convincingly you will forget that these are static pictures, as your eyes flash
to the next panel, playing like a movie in your mind. You can almost feel each slash of the claws;
each burn as the acid eats through skin. The coloring expertise of Gregory Wright adds a mood
and depth, which serve to heighten each sensation, displaying every nuance of the art, and
bringing each page to cinematic life. Last but in no means least, John Workman does an
extraordinary job with not only the words in the speech balloons, but those that make up the
sound effects as well. Showing how a sound should sound if it could be seen (as it must be in
comics) is never an easy task, and he does it with the skill of a master.
I should also add that Batman/Aliens Two is a stand alone tale, there is no requirement to have
read the first meeting, however there is a brief recap within the tale as a flashback to bring to up
to speed on all you need to know. Nevertheless, I am sure that after reading this volume, you will
want to get the first one to compliment the collection.
Batman/Aliens Two by DC Comics is modern graphic storytelling at its best. Its too bad that
Hollywood couldn't make this the next Batman or Alien movie-its that good. I hope for Batman's
sake there is no 'Three', but if there is, you can be sure I will be there, fighting alongside in spirit
and captivated by each panel. If you haven't tried a graphic novel, or even if you are an old fan as
I am, Batman/Alien Two will be a great addition to your library, count on it.
Almost Perfect
Wayne Schoenfeld
SWC Editions
3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd Suite 698, Studio City, CA 91604
1-323-654-9339
www.swceditions.com
ISBN # 0972769633 $34.95 85 pgs.
Even after the end of the Vietnam War thirty years ago, the subject to many is still a touchy one,
conjuring up images and memories that will always be a part of their lives. But what we fail to
realize is that the War's aftermath is also still felt by the citizens in whose country we fought, and
how they are struggling to rebuild and go on-sometimes against insurmountable odds. They are a
proud people and need our help, regardless of any past conflicts, for in my opinion, that is just
what it is, the past. And for that reason, I am thankful that we have a group of doctors known
collectively as Rotaplast International, and their incredible work brought to the public's attention
due to the remarkable labor of love from renowned photographer Wayne Schoenfeld, and his
book Almost Perfect.
Almost Perfect uses compelling photographs and accompanying text to tell the plight of
Vietnamese children born with facial defects, and the team of physicians who, without
compensation, go there to medically correct where nature has erred. We are shown the families
and their wait for hours to get in to see the overworked and understaffed surgeons, and the faces
of the parents with hopeful eyes. We are shown the children pre-surgery, and the challenges which
they have to deal with on a daily basis in their young lives, yet still they have the same joyful love
of life which can be found in the spirit of all children the world over. But best of all, we see the
results; the smiles on the faces where none could have appeared before, and on the parents as
well, grateful of a miracle they thought could never happen-that their child might have a normal
life. They say a picture tells a thousand words-each of these alone speak volumes.
Almost Perfect is a work from the heart for all involved, and it is obvious on every page; so much
so on the authors part that all proceeds from the sale is being donated to Rotaplast
International-and that is commendable beyond the words I have to convey the emotion. The work
of this little known group of trained physicians which travel the world over performing their
magic needs to be brought to as wide an audience as possible. If what I say here in this review is
of any help to their work at all, then to be involved with this project, on even the most peripheral
of levels, is the greatest honor I could ask for.
This is far more than just a book; this is a photo-journal that documents a journey of hope and
help, and one that I know will touch your soul, as it did mine.
Almost Perfect by Wayne Schoenfeld. Buy this book and help give a child their chance for a
normal life-you'll feel good that you did.
Rick Mohr
Reviewer
Roe's Bookshelf
The Burning City
Ariel and Joaquin Dorfman
Doubleday/ Random House
ISBN # 0385604815 $TBA 259 pages
Ariel Dorfman has been referred to as a "Literary Grandmaster." Fans of this prolific
award-winning author will enjoy the blending of his talent with that of the younger, avant-garde
Joaquin Dorfman in this novel, The Burning City.
Set in New York City, a mirror image of huge cities everywhere, the characters are culturally
diverse, sharing a common thread; a thread that is finely woven into a tapestry of shadow and
light of the urban demography. Our protagonist, Heller is a sixteen-year-old messenger on wheels.
Always the bearer of sad tidings, he has the uncanny ability to deliver the most heart wrenching of
messages in an almost spiritual mode; a mode that softens and enfolds the recipient in the
comforting arms of understanding and acceptance. The Burning City is a brilliant portrayal of
emotional turmoil in the teen years. Raging hormones, beckoning first love, fearless competition
and stubborn determination are all evident in Heller's story. Heller is a young man on a
mission.
The writing style sets the pace for the story. Choppy, abrupt sentences like the revolving pedals of
Heller's bike as he careens through the city streets, then slow and steady in the pensive
philosophical moments of the story. The plot is simple yet intriguing. Descriptions of the city are
sensually alive.
This book is stimulating reading for young and old and is highly recommended by this
reviewer.
Various Faerious
Jacqui Grantford
Thomas C. Lothian Pty. Ltd, Australia
ISBN 0734403755 $38.30 U.S 32 pages
Sometimes it can seem
In the blink of an eye
Some magical beings
Have just passed you by.
From Various Faerious
Various Faerious is a magical book that must not pass you by. Enchanting rhymes, mystical
illustrations and a subject matter so beguiling this book is a must for everyone from toddler to
senior citizen.
The book introduces us to the world of Faeries. Faeries of Snow, Faeries of Fire, Angel Faeries
and Fearless Faeries with helmets and swords create a world of imagination. This book will have
everyone looking for Faeries in every corner and under every leaf. The illustrations are colorful,
the artwork is superb and the poetry is simple but musical.
Jacqui Grantford is an Australian illustrator that will soon be recognized world wide for her
brilliant work. This book would be a wonderful addition to anyone's library and would be a much-
appreciated Christmas or birthday gift for children from 2 - 92. Although this book was published
in Australia it is available through Amazon.com and www.worldretailstore.com.
Highly recommended. Order a copy today.
Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews
Reviewer
Roen's Bookshelf
Things Kids Say To Santa And Other Stories About Santa
Jim Pollard
Success Ranch Publishers
Hickory, Kentucky 42051
Santa@SantaSpeaks.com
ISBN 0972237712 $12.00 1-270-851-9432
Like most of us at Christmas time, I always try to find books that make great gifts. Jim Pollard's is
one that fills that need. In fact, when you meet him your first thought is that you are meeting the
real Santa. His white beard, gray hair and glasses add to the perception that he is really Santa. For
the last forty-five years over, 50,000 kids have told him that.
The book's charm is what people of all ages have said or done when they've met him. Some of the
enchanting stories are the young girl who did not talk because she was afraid of his costume, the
child who did not want a baby brother, or sister children who think Pollard as Santa knows things
about them, the good list or bad list question by a child, the restaurant where Santa was treated
very special by the staff, the teenager who didn't want to get his picture taken with Santa, Santa at
Disney World.
Like the master Art Linkletter did so many years ago of getting kids to say remarkable things,
Pollard has written a laugh out loud funny expose of what happens when kids and adults talk to
Santa
Dreams on Film
Leslie Halpern
McFarland & Company Inc.
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
ISBN 0786415967 $32.00 1-800-253-2187
What an intriguing idea is the study of dreams in movies and how they apply to real life. Halpern
has done a great job of finding films that have dream sequences, and researching how science
wants to expose that dreams in film are not real. The book is more geared to the college level and
has the potential to upset those who make movies, but there is a lot to be said for what the author
has delved into. I love books about dreams and the study of them. Most tell the meaning of
certain items in them. Halpern's analysis is very different in that she uses a scientific approach to
something we all know is not real anyway. At any rate, for those of us not in academia "Dreams
on Film" takes a different position to movie making magic into something it's not. For instance, in
"Fiddler on the Roof" she states Tevye's dream as fraudulent. That maybe very true, but it is that
sequence that changes the mind of his wife on who their daughter should marry. That is also part
of the charm of the movie because the viewer is fully aware of what Teveye is trying to do. There
are other films she uses as well.
After reading, "Dreams on Film" one statement emerges: let us also never forget that art and
science should remain separate.
Combat
Jo Davidsmeyer
Strange New Worlds
P. O. Box 223, Tallevast, Florida 34270
www.StrangeNewWorlds.com
ISBN 0970162421 $29.95
Having grown up in the sixties when "Combat" the TV series, was first run on ABC, it is very
nice to see that Davidsmeyer has written the definitive book on the show that helped build the
network that then was very young. This is the show that many of us would imitate every day
when we played war, while we wanted to be just like our heroes Rick Jason or Vic Morrow.
CBS a short time ago had its 75th anniversary show that didn't really highlight what helped make
it the forceful network it is today. Unlike CBS, this book places emphasis on the things that made
the show so popular. Rick Jason has written the forward and the episodes are all detailed by
storyline and guest stars. There are lots of pictures and other interesting facts no fan of the show
can afford to pass up.
Facing the Wall an Infantryman's Post-Vietnam Memoir
Phil Ferrazano
Booklocker USA
ISBN 1591133939 $14.95
E Mail address Phil@FacingtheWall.com
Phil Ferrazano was drafted and served in the Viet Nam War. Wounded in combat, he thought
while in the hospital that he would be sent home due to the severe nature of his injuries, and
because other soldiers had caring doctors who sent them home. But that was not the case for
Ferrazano. His doctor sent him back to the front lines. On the trip back to his unit the driver of
the vehicle had an accident that caused Ferrazano's wounds to reopen. This was the beginning of
Ferrazano's private war. For over twenty years he fought with the Veterans Administration to get
the full benefits he deserved. The whole time he was in unbearable pain. Somehow Mr. Ferrazano
was able to survive. When he viewed the Vietnam Memorial replica The Traveling Wall that made
a stop in St Petersburg Florida, it brought back the painful memories of his tour of duty. Viewing
the wall made him more determined to get the benefits he was entitled to receive. At a hearing
before the Veterans' Administration he made his case of why he should receive full benefits.
Ferrazano also tells the different types of pain and suffering he had to endure throughout the years
after his service to his country.
Ferrazano has a lot to say about how our government treats its veterans. Surprisingly he has no
bitterness and ends on a very high positive note when he addresses his 30th high school class
reunion.
Facing The Wall is non-fiction that reads like a fast paced novel.
Hanging Curve
Troy Soos
Kensington Publishing Corp
850 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022
www.kensingtonbooks.com
ISBN 1575666561 $5.99
Troy Soos the author of the Mickey Rawlings baseball mystery series that are named after famous
ballparks is back with this installment. This time Rawlings is recruited to play in a game against an
all black team in April of 1922. But even Rawlings a professional ballplayer can't help the white
team beat the black team. After the game the black pitcher is found hanged. Rawlings wants to
know who killed the pitcher and why. What he uncovers is more than just a murder.
I have especially liked how Soos' has always combined the best elements of baseball and mystery
fiction. But this time the story is very different. The book is more a social commentary of the
United States that shows segregation to be an accepted practice. The irony of it all is that the
whites consider themselves good Christian folk.
Soos writes fiction that takes place so long ago show so well that societies change in technology
and other aspects, but human nature doesn't.
HANGING CURVE is so much more than a mystery title by a very gifted storyteller.
Island of Tears
Troy Soos
Kensington Publishing Corp
850 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022
www.kensingtonbooks.com
ISBN 1575666561 $23.00
This Troy Soos novel is far different from all of his others. This time the work has nothing to do
with baseball. The novel takes place in the 1890s in New York when America opened Ellis Island.
It involves corrupt police, immigration and a murder. The writing is very easy with characters that
are realistic while the description of the time period is very educational. ISLAND OF TEARS is a
great novel to read and enjoy
Gary Roen
Reviewer
Roger's Bookshelf
Shouting at the Sky: Troubled Teens and the Promise of the Wild
Gary Ferguson
St. Martin's Press
ISBN 0312200080 $24.95 249 pages.
Nature Writer Discovers Human Nature
We've heard the stories about youth who die in therapeutic wilderness programs. We also hear
about young men and women dying during military basic training, in senseless automobile
accidents, and from their involvement in various unlawful activities. The negative stories get the
public exposure and persist.
How much do we hear about therapeutic wilderness programs that have turned youth around,
literally saved their lives? How many stories do we see in the papers about the thousands of fine
men and women who complete military basic training with pride and perform so well protecting
our country? A very small percentage of students are ever involved in automobile accidents or
unlawful activity.
There is good news, and we need to listen and spread the word. Gary Ferguson heard about the
powerful work done by Aspen Achievement Academy, a highly reputed outdoor program
designed to turn around troubled youth. Based in Loa, Utah, several hours south of Salt Lake
City, the Academy runs a program that reaches deep inside the young men and women who are
sent there often against their will. These confused teens have acted out their anger and
confusion by doing drugs or alcohol, harming others or themselves, and engaging in other
extremely anti-social behaviors. They are sent to Loa by parents at the end of their rope,
therapists and counselors, and sometimes legal situations. They don't want to go, yet they are
transformed in spite of their initial resistance. A couple of months in the desert and the woods,
under the close supervision of trained counselors who care about them produces incredible
turnaround results.
The young people experience a wide range of insights, surrounded by caring and loving people
whose job it is to keep them safe and give them an environment where they can find themselves
and grow. Curious, and perhaps a bit suspicions, nature writer Gary Ferguson made arrangements
to become trained as a counselor and experience what the teens and their staff support
people go through every day.
Shouting at the Sky is a beautifully crafted story about journeys. Spending time with a girls' group
and a boys' group, Ferguson observes, listens, participates, and creates a moving journal of the
experience. Readers will share the life-changing shifts of troubled teens, the dedication and stress
of staff, and Ferguson's personal transformation as he is influenced by troubled youth practically
fighting for their lives.
The nature writer comes out in the flowery language that feeds the reader's imagination and in
the appreciation of the environments in which the young people function. Sometimes the depth of
the writer's ability to use the English language to paint pictures gets in the way of the message,
but the message burns its way through. Ferguson learned about human nature in the weeks that he
actually spent with the youth and the staff counselors.
The stories are often gripping, moving, and heart-warming. I was inspired to keep reading, didn't
want to put the book down. If you have children who might be described as troubled youth, read
this book. If you're a teacher, counselor, or therapist working with youth, read this book. Having
spent some time in Loa learning more about Aspen Achievement Academy, I can tell you that this
book is accurate and well worth the read.
Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service
Dennis Snow and Teri Yanovitch
DC Press
ISBN 193202106X $24.95 202 pages.
Effective Guide for Executives and Managers
Customer service is similar to Motherhood and Apple Pie. Organizations that deliver outstanding
customer service as an integral part of their business operation build customer loyalty and bottom
line strength. Those that don't well, we all know that bad customer service can destroy a
company, or at least severely limit its potential.
This knowledge is legendary. Techniques for delivering good customer service are well-known.
This is not brain surgery. Why another book on the ubiquitous topic?
First, note the title. The book title doesn't talk about Excellent Customer Service or You Will Be
Fired if You Aren't Nice to Our Customers. The Unleashing Excellence title and theme of the
book is directed toward senior executives. Customer service is a corporate strategy that needs
to be led from the top. This book needs to be read by senior executives that allege that they don't
have time to read it. The downside of mediocre customer service can be career-limiting to
executives who don't pay attention to this critical component of their company's business.
The authors, both formerly part of the Walt Disney leadership development programs, are now in
private practice. They are active consultants to a wide range of employers on customer service
issues. In their work, they apply what they learned at Disney and other employment experiences
to deliver an executive-targeted message. Toward this end, the book is easy to read, includes
shaded call-out boxes, Action Steps and Pitfalls to Avoid at the end of each chapter. The book's
concluding chapter presents nine leadership actions to guide readers in strengthening their
customer service delivery. A comprehensive index makes the book even more
reader-friendly.
Readers will benefit from a continual flow of best practice stories from many employment
settings. Many of the examples of good work come from the authors' clients. These illustrations
serve to enhance and illuminate the content to bring the traditional concepts to life in ways that
leaders can read the book and initiate appropriate actions for individual and organizational
improvement. Several sections of the book stand out in my mind, but all chapters are filled with
ideas, thought-provoking discussions, and anecdotes to bring the concepts to life.
Yes (sigh), this is ANOTHER customer service book. Do we need more books on this topic?
Some of us are beginning to feel overstuffed with this topic---like the bloated feeling we get after
a huge Thanksgiving dinner. Thankfully, this book serves a specific purpose of providing how-to
advice and insights for executives and managers to consider and implement. Use it as a tool to
stimulate customer service conversations in your organization as you inspire increasingly high
attention to incredible customer service as a part of your corporate DNA.
Marketing Without Advertising
Michael Phillips and Salli Rasberry
Nolo
ISBN 0873379306 $24.00 240 pages.
Comprehensive and Up-to-Date
The authors begin the fourth edition of their book with a declarative statement: "Marketing means
running a first-rate business and letting people know about it. Every action your company takes
sends a marketing message." Clever ads, the authors suggest, are a waste of resources.
Advertising is not effective for business building, customers lured by ads are fickle, and there are
better ways to invest resources for business building. That said (Chapter 1: Advertising: The Last
Choice in Marketing), the authors proceed to give us a comprehensive, practical, in-depth journey
through a wide range of marketing strategies.
Topics covered include the physical appearance of your business, pricing, people treatment,
openness and trust, educating prospective customers, demonstrating expertise, helping customers
find you, dynamic interactive marketing, and use of the internet. A valuable section of this book
deals with designing and implementing a marketing plan, the all-important work of organizing
your strategy.
An appendix includes recommended reading, how to contact the authors for consulting help, and
21 worksheets to help you evaluate how you're doing. Good index. This book covers a lot of
information strategies and techniques that will be valuable to any small or mid-sized business.
I mention this broad-base value since the book is published by a firm that specializes in law books.
Obviously, there's great value to law firms in these pages, but readers should not expect the book
to be exclusive. In fact, the chapter on Creating a Calendar of Events uses examples of an interior
design firm and a chiropractic clinic. Questionnaires and call-out boxes throughout the book help
readers get the message and understand it.
The only negative I would share, which is minor, is the unusual page numbering system. Instead
of starting with page 1 and continuing, as most books do, this book numbers the pages by
chapters. Example 9/15, indicating the 15th page in chapter 9.
Creating a Total Rewards Strategy
Todd M. Manas and Michael Dennis Graham
AMACOM
ISBN 0814407226 $69.95 304 pages
A Textbook on Employee Rewards
If you enjoy working with university textbooks, you'll appreciate this book. It feels like a college
text. It looks like a college text. It's filled with graphs and charts like a college text. It's seasoned
with case studies in call out boxes. There are endnotes, as well as a bibliography. The index is so
full of references, a smaller type was used perhaps to save space.
The authors' message is that the secret to developing a creative and effective rewards strategy is
based on a combination of Money, Mix, and Message. The Money aspect addresses the value of
the reward(s) to the employee. The design of the plan, constructed to meet employer and
employee needs, is the Mix. The Message deals with what the employer wants to communicate to
its employees about appropriate values and the company's expectations. The authors describe
their approach as "M3," emphasizing the need for a good balance between the three factors.
Readers will explore more than a hundred practical tools for building what they call the M3
Reward System. Financial rewards are integrated with non-financial rewards. Application of the
step-by-step strategy promoted by the authors is a CD-ROM that is loaded with tools, exercises,
and techniques to equip readers to tailor their own strategies to be consistent with company
needs.
The authors are consultants with considerable experience in serving dozens of Fortune 500
companies. The orientation of the book, understandably, is toward larger companies. Smaller
firms will still get a lot out of this text, but may have to invest some serious study time to get the
full benefit of the package. The stories relating the authors' experiences are illuminating and add
value for the reader who wants to gain the deeper understanding of how customized corporate
reward programs are put together and managed.
Hefty price, but fully loaded.
Global Deals: Marketing and Managing Across Cultural Frontiers
Michael Hick
Skyward Publishing.
ISBN 1881554309 $21.95 309 pages
Super Guide for Anyone Doing Business Globally
In a relatively short time, we've moved from doing business with our neighbors to doing business
with people we may never meet in places we may never go in languages we don't speak. This is
all part of the increasingly rapid globalization of our economy. With different cultures come
different rules of engagement. Pardon the pun, but business today is a different world than it was
just a short time ago.
Hicks, a consultant to companies doing business globally, knows his field. Reading this book is
like sitting down for a comfortable living room conversation with an expert. You'll gain a deep
appreciation for how global business is different, what to watch for, and what can get in your
way. The text is well-illustrated with stories, examples, and insights that will enable readers to
substantially increase their chances of success on the international playing field.
You'll learn about cross-cultural behaviors that will undoubtedly open your eyes. The knowledge
about cross-cultural business skills, negotiation, sales, and customer service will put you
strategically ahead of the competition. Hick addresses how to make global alliances work and
how to deal with gender issues. The downside is covered, too, so you'll know about vital issues
about bribery, corruption, and legal issues. The question of dangerous destinations is particularly
valuable in today's volatile world.
This is the kind of book that will hold your attention as you begin. You'll want to keep reading,
which can interrupt your productivity. Don't try to read Global Deals at work. This one is best
absorbed in the curl-up-in-the-comfy-chair kind of reading. The stories will draw you in; you'll be
surprised how much you're learning.
A bibliography and index add to the book's value, enabling you to use the book efficiently for
reference later. Suggestion: after you've read this book, invite your colleagues to read it, too,
strengthening your company's capacity to do business in the most effective way on the global
stage.
The Hidden Amazon
Dick Lutz
Dimi Press
ISBN 0931625335 $16.95 155 pages
Interesting information, but
Most of us know something about the Brazilian Amazon. There is a lot to learn about the
Peruvian Amazon, a wholly different environment. This book is another of Dick Lutz's natural
history travelogues that mix his experiences on tours with abundant information about the natural
and human history of the area he's touring.
It's hard to tell if these are pure books about the author's experience or a literary embellishment of
the tour company's promotional material and Guidebook for Tour Guides. Readers will learn
about the expedition on the tour company's boat a journal about Our Experiences for the Folks
Back Home and the natural history of this precious rain forest environment. It's a combination
of postcards to those who couldn't make the trip and a good high school course or college course
in applied biology.
This book contains some pictures, with credits to the author's wife and to the tour company, but
no explanations of what the pictures are. One gets the feeling of looking at a hastily-assembled
scrapbook. If you're interested in what a tour of the Peruvian Amazon might be like, you'll gain
some insights from this work.
The Hidden Profit Center: A tale of profits lost and found through communication
Helen Wilkie
MHW Communications
90 Warren Road, Suite 202, Toronto, Ontario M4V 2S2
ISBN 0968462618 $19.95 101 pages
Cute Object Lesson
This little book is another of those tales where the CEO is visited and advised by an unlikely
character. We've seen a number of books in this genre, probably inspired by Charles Dickens and
his ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future. In this case, our CEO is visited by a cleaning
lady who, with a flick of her feather-duster, takes him on journeys through his computer
screen a take-off on Alice in Wonderland's looking glass.
Stay with me. It gets better. After the unseen CEO observes some money-wasting behavior on the
part of his employees, a rabbit appears with one of those old cash registers that made noise when
its keys were pressed. This is a "five foot white rabbit wearing bright red gloves This was one
cool bunny!" OK, we're stretching this a bit far, but remember this book has risen from the ilk of
bedtime stories.
The bunny calculates the cost of the errant employee behavior and, with a dramatic "ca-ching,"
informs the CEO how much money has been lost through waste or missed opportunities in the
scenario. This pattern is played out each night for a week as our beleaguered CEO gets a wake-up
call about how inadequate communication and training is flushing company profits down the
drain.
A cute tale, though one requiring some open imagination. Points are made and well-summarized
at the back of the book. Most executives would benefit from the reminders. The $19.95 price tag
seems a bit high for such a small book, but that money could be recovered quickly as the book's
lessons are applied. I found that it was easy to anticipate what was coming next and the magic
fairy and imagination-stretching bunny were a bit bothersome, the design kept the story light so
the messages could be received.
This book has some value as a training tool for corporate executives. I could see getting copies
for all members of a management team and asking them to read a chapter a night and discuss it
over coffee and donuts in the morning. Results would be achieved.
Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers
Brian Cole Miller
AMACOM
ISBN 081447201X $17.95 171 pages
Great Reference for Today's Managers
This book brings together several mutually-supportive elements: managers with heavy,
fast-moving schedules; team members who want to feel a greater sense of belonging; and an era
that demands higher levels of collaboration .teamwork.
The book is organized into two parts. The first section is instructional; the second section consists
of bullet-pointed presentations of fifty short easy-to-run exercises. The opening section has two
chapters that are worth the price of the book all by themselves: How to Run a Successful
Team-Building Activity and What Could Go Wrong with a Team-Building Activity. What a sense
of security this section gives managers: these activities are simple to use and your experience is
practically fail-safe.
Each of the activities is presented using the same format. The bullet-point sections are This is, The
Purpose is, Use This When, Materials You'll Need, Here's How, For Example, Ask these
Questions, Tips for Success, and Try these Variations. It doesn't get much more comfortable than
this! Understanding today's work environment, Miller promises no role-lays, demonstrations,
outdoor activities, handouts, or touchy-feely stuff. The activities are organized by areas of need:
Communication, Connecting, Cooperation, Coping, Creativity, and Teamwork. A strong index
complements the well-organized table of contents, making the volume highly user-friendly.
Recommended for managers and supervisors, as well as training and development professionals.
Consultants will also find this tool to be useful as they work to bring people together to achieve
results. Everything is explained so that the exercises can be led by laymen or by professionals. A
wide variety of tools is offered, enabling the reader/user to choose the experience that will be best
for the participants and the circumstances.
The Why Are You Here Cafe
John Strelecky
161 pages.
Aspen Light Publishing
Suite 50, PMB 270, 7512 Dr. Philips Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819
ISBN 097436200X $7.95
Intriguing, Thought-Provoking
The title of the book will probably threaten your sense of composure. Is this something I want to
waste my time with? New-agey. Woo-woo. Recognizing that titles sometimes miss the mark and
that there's good stuff between the covers of the book, I moved beyond the front page and into
the text.
The book begins with our storyteller relating a frustrating experience of being locked in a
monumental traffic jam. We can all identify with that scenario. Would you just sit there and
wait especially after a police officer had informed you that the problem wouldn't be cleared for
at least an hour? Our hero got himself out of that jam and headed back down the highway in the
opposite direction, looking for another route to reach his destination. And that's the crux of this
book.
Finding himself totally lost, not seeing a soul for miles, he pulls into a diner. The menu includes
three deep questions about life that are processed progressively through his conversations in
chapter after chapter. Once you get into this book, you won't want to put it down. You'll find
yourself on a similar introspective journey of discovery.
I could probably write a lot more about the messages in this book, but its best that you read and
explore them for yourself. The book is inexpensive; the return on your investment will be
rich.
The Simplicity Survival Handbook
Bill Jensen
Basic Books/Perseus
ISBN 0738209120 $17.95 312 pages
Do Less to Do More: Duh!
If you are one of those people who continually looks for shortcuts to overcome the overwhelming
feeling of overdoing your life, this book is for you. If you are not one of those people, you're
probably confounding things for the rest of us so this book is for you.
If you already seek ways to simplify your life, a lot of the material in this book will stimulate a
"Duh" reaction: I already know this stuff. Very good! A gold star for you. Now here's the Big
Question: are you actually employing Jensen's simplicity techniques to do less and accomplish
more? Or are you one of those well-intentioned people who needs a swift kick every once in a
while to get you back on track? This book is full of swift kicks.
A word of caution. If you do all these things as well as the author would expect, you will probably
alienate some people who don't get it yet. Be prepared. You may want to temper some of the
applications with a little wisdom and sensitivity to the folks you interact with. Chapter 1 is How
to Ignore Most Corporate Communications. While there could be a lot of value in that practice,
there's also an inherent risk. This juxtaposition runs throughout the book as Jensen somewhat
irreverently pokes fun at what so many of us do just because we've always . You know the drill.
Ready to change?
In addition to the read-through text, which can also be used as a reference thanks to a clear
Table of Contents and a triple-comprehensive index, there are tear-out pages with compressed
advice clearly presented on single pages. Triple-index? Yes, there are three indexes: by subject, by
people, and by organization.
Prepare to feel lectured-to. You'll probably have that feeling in many sections of this book,
because you deserve it. Accept what you'll get, trusting in this consultant who understands the
topic well enough to write a book that's full of valuable content. The trick is to apply what you
learn. That important step will give you great return on your investment in this volume.
Note: the author also wrote Simplicity. This book could be perceived as a companion to that
work, but it stands alone nicely.
Roger E. Herman, Reviewer
http://www.hermangroup.com
Stephanie's Bookshelf
The Fire Within
Kevin Yarbrough
Publish America
P.O. Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705
(240) 529-1031
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN: 1592861857 $16.95 224 p.
Kevin Yarbrough is one sick Motha'! His debut novel, 'The Fire Within' is a flesh burning mix of
mind-bending situations and horrific delight. Although there were a few editorial blunders, his
story of a twisted family and the mythical creature haunting them out-weighs the minor
boo-boos.
A young woman, Elysia Reeves, has been trapped in her mother's evil web, forced to give her
body to a number of nameless men and give birth to their children in order to keep her mother,
Kacia, youthful. Unfortunately, her mother must destroy the men to keep her identity under
wraps, and feed on the babies to stay alive.
Tiring of the constant torture her mother has placed on her and the loss of so many of her
children, Elysia escapes to a small town where she meets up with the one man who had escaped
the flames of her mother's evil wrath, Kaleb McCallister. When they fall in love and become
pregnant, they run like hell, knowing that Elysia's mother is right behind them, growing weaker by
the second and craving the only thing that will keep her alive: the last child Elysia will ever
carry.
'The Fire Within' is definitely a unique read. What makes it so unique? Elysia's mother isn't your
typical, slimy demon. Kacia Reeves is the almighty Phoenix, born in the Garden of Eden and out
to demolish anyone or anything that stands in her way. I personally wouldn't mess with his fiery
character, even if she were only in human form. The woman makes Joan Crawford seem like a
saint and could melt the skin off an Eskimo with just one glance.
Before I had read this book I wasn't familiar with the story behind the Phoenix, I had just heard
about the creature from various places and had seen it used as a high school mascot. It was nice
to read a book based on such a frightening and forgotten monster.
Kevin Yarbrough's original writing style and refreshing twist on the Phoenix is a powerful
combination of sex, violence and surprises that will not only singe the eyes, but also set your
bookshelf ablaze. I suggest a well-lit room and a fire extinguisher for this sure-fire read.
Memoria
Adam Pepper
Medium Rare Books
Anaheim, CA
www.mediumrarebooks.com
ISBN: 097291577X $14.95 294 p.
The human mind is capable of many things; it controls thought, movement, pain and pleasure. In
Adam Pepper's debut novel, "Memoria", the mind is not only home to our most painful thoughts
or happiest memories, but to something far more sinister than the human brain could imagine.
Dr. Lawrence Osias of The Osias Foundation stumbled upon something extraordinary when he
was but a mere child. Taking after his father and uncle who sought out a higher power within the
human mind, Osias opens a porthole to another world, a world where the blissful memories of
humans are fed upon by what Pepper describes as the guardians of the Collective Memoria, and
the victims tricked into their mind's submission are stuck reliving the worst their minds have
stored away.
Not only are the victims happy thoughts ripped away from them, but their bodies are as well.
What happens to their bodies? They remain on Earth, roaming about as if nothing ever happened,
continuing on with their day-to-day lives, and instinct isn't the only thing keeping their bodies on
the move. Like radio-controlled robots, their bodies are ordered to do acts of hate and violence by
the one who convinced the victim's minds to join Memoria in the first place, a very sexually
convincing entity by the name of Desiree.
Outside of the Osias Foundation and the dream-like world of Memoria, a jobless and very family
orientated Dave Wagoner searches for work. He stumbles upon an ad in a newspaper, requesting
volunteers for ongoing research at the Osias Foundation. Hard up to find something to help
support his wife and two young boys, he enters Osias' insane world, and, with the help of Osias,
unlocks powers within his mind almost unthinkable to our kind. Not only is he able to heal the
common cold by using his brain, something calls out to him, leaving him reluctant to re-join the
family he took so much pride in.
Although a brainwashed Dave views Osias experiments as harmless, there is a group of
bible-beating people protesting the Foundation, claiming that Osias' experiments go against God.
When one of their own decides to make his way into the Foundation, he ends up under the
Doctor's cold scalpel and is approached by the beautiful Desiree of Memoria; her motive? To keep
Osias from closing the porthole, which he opened.
As you can see, there is a lot going on in Adam Pepper's twisty novel, which makes it such a gem.
He brings the surreal worlds of his character's minds to the reader's mind colorfully, and has a
knack for transporting the reader into the book with perfectly wound words and vibrant
descriptions. "Memoria" being his first novel, I can't wait to see what other hypnotic tales he has
to unleash.
If you are searching for something fresh from the horror genre, intelligently blending the
psychological, erotic and the graphically violent, I suggest you seek it out in "Memoria"
His Father's Son: Dante's Rage
Diana Bennett
Publish America
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN: 1592860907 $24.95 324 p.
Some people are just born evil and others acquire it through everyday life, or in this case a set of
powerful rings bringing the elements of strength, knowledge and the ultimate evil. When close
friends Giovanni and Juliano run into a stranger by the name of Ezra, the destiny of the three men
begins to unfold when they put on the mysterious rings, making them powerful, immortal and
brilliant. They never age, never lose a battle and never get a chance to truly love. They feed off
the souls of innocent people and desire the souls of strangers, friends and even the people they
adore.
Within all of the death, turmoil and heartache two young boys are born: Dante, a child with a free
spirit and a thirst for the spilling of blood and Jerome, who is more of a gentleman than a warrior.
As they grow older, the grief bestowed upon them by their Fathers forms a web of hate, revenge
and suffering between the two men. Dante, jealous of the love Jerome stumbles upon, comes
between Jerome and his fianc‚ Suzanne, ripping the two friends apart and stirring the bizarre hate
octagon formed by Juliano and Giovanni.
Oh, but there is a method within all of this madness. One of the rings, if placed on the proper
person, will turn them into one of the most powerful Gods ever created. But how will this ring
find it's proper place? When the four men settle down, Dante and Jerome both creating new lives
for themselves, they are called upon by Giovanni and the mystery of why Giovanni and Dante are
so cold and uncaring unravels and Giovanni's evil plan is unleashed, but was it really Giovanni's
plan, or had he been out-smarted by one of his own?
'His Father's Son: Dante's Rage' might as well have come complete with super glue on the cover,
because this book did not leave my hands for quite sometime. Never have I read a book and been
so compelled to it, it's characters or the questions inside. Diana Bennett was able to make me
squirm over one of the most evil and relentless men I hade ever read about. This book is jammed
packed with subplots and surprises that make it an addicting page-turner. It had all of the
wonderful things I look for in a book: characters I could relate to, a vast amount of bloodshed,
intelligence and overwhelming passion. Plus I have to add that Diana did an excellent job
describing the landscape and hardships of the medieval period in which the book takes place.
Ignore the suited man on the cover, the only suits you will find in this tale are those of armor and
although the man on the cover is quite the looker, Diana did not chose him as her intriguing
Dante.
I would most definitely give Diana's book another read. 'Dante's Rage' is now on my top five
"must read" list and I am certainly a fan.
Interview with Diana Bennett, author of "His Father's Son: Dante's Rage"
Woods- Why horror?
Bennett- Okay, you can't blame me on that one! My mother started sitting me in front of horror
movies, propped up on pillows, before I could even sit on my own. Some families have Sunday
dinners or play board games, mine watched and read horror. I've never even considered not
having horror in my life. I was actually quite amazed growing up to find out that Poe was not the
standard for bedtime stories. I guess the reason it stuck was the buzz you get from being scared.
There is nothing finer than that!
Woods- What is your first memory of horror? Was it a film? A book? An experience?
Bennett- I am sure this wasn't my first, but the first thing I remember in detail was watching
CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS. I distinctly remember being scared
senseless. So of course I had to watch the movie as an adult. Let me just say it is not the best
zombie movie ever made. We all know that is DAWN OF THE DEAD. It did however set a
trend, as my absolute favorite movie monsters are zombies. To this day zombie movies are
restricted to daytime viewing, despite how poorly made they are. There is just something
ingrained in my mind that one day a zombie will be what gets me.
Woods- "His Father's Son: Dante's Rage" has been pretty successful so far. What compelled you
to write it? Where did you get the idea?
Bennett- Okay now after I answer this you are not allowed to call me a flake. This story started
out as a very short, maybe twenty pages, tale. Thing is each time I tried to call it done Dante had
other ideas. When I write I allow my characters to speak through me so I really feel that Dante
gave me the idea. And boy is he picky.
Woods- When I read your book, I couldn't help but to fall for your character, Dante. Do or did
you ever know any real life Dante's and were they the inspiration for such a cold, yet passionate
character?
Bennett- I have met no man that is even comparable to Dante, but I am still looking. Dante is the
embodiment of what I would want in a man. Yes I realized he is, well, I guess a bad boy deluxe,
but I think there is a part in every woman who desires that. It may be more prevalent in those of
us who openly express our darkness. I find no interest in cardboard heroes. Predictability is so
droll.
Woods- Can we look forward to another installment of "His Father's Son"? If so, can we get a
few, slight details about what's in store for the characters?
Bennett- Mmmm you want the secrets. Okay, but only since you are such a groovy lady. I have
written another novel, a stand alone novel, in which two of the characters grace the pages. But
the true sequel to His Father's Son is forthcoming. If you have read His Father's Son the cameo's
in the novel with no name as yet will be neater than what rating are we going for here? Oh
never mind you get the idea. As far as the sequel goes from the opening chapter readers will be
pleasantly shocked by the faces they see and the new roles they have been placed in. If I tell you
whom that just gives too much away. How about I say, rest assured everyone you want to see and
then a few more, sexy, additions will be there.
Woods- I also know you like to dabble in Erotica. What brought on the urge to write within the
genre?
Bennett- We all know the physical feelings caused by being scared are similar to those of being
aroused; it just seemed like a natural thing to combine the two. I generally don't do erotic without
horror. If people want fluffy sex they can turn on the TV and watch any number of silly romance
movies. I was once told my 'Horrotica' is like sex without the interference of the heart. My
response to that was, yes but once the heart is removed at least you have something to eat
afterward.
Woods- You are editing an anthology called "Raging Horrormones", which will be due out
sometime next year. Can you give us some insight on it?
Bennett- Heehee, that is a great book! What we have there is some very nasty hardcore horror
stories with strong erotic ties. The sex is the horror, the horror is the sex. You see, I just wanted
to prove I wasn't the only sick puppy out there and in doing so the readers get a treat like nothing
I have seen before.
Woods- Okay, now tell me about you, the person, not the writer. What kind of music do you
enjoy? Where could someone find you on a Saturday night?
Bennett- Oh dear. I am very reclusive actually. Me the person? The words that come to mind I
dare not repeat. Actually me the person resembles me the writer very much. I don't care for
anything fluffy. I prefer to spend my time watching or reading the latest horror. My life revolves
heavily around my daughter who scares me more and more each day. The poor kid is just like
me.
I listen to music according to what I am writing. During the mellower passages I have been know
to listen to Jewel, and when it comes time to get dark nothing beats Rob Zombie. I want to marry
him when I grow up.
On a Saturday night, playing poker or chess, but please don't tell. I think maybe I should be out
chasing 'normal' people until they submit to the dark ways or something like that.
Woods- What are your goals as an author? Where do you hope to see yourself ten years from
now?
Bennett- You know I could lie here and say I want to entertain. Well that is the goal of my work,
but as an author I want to be famous and disgustingly rich. I have plans for a beach house in ST.
Augustine. When I reach that point all my readers are invited to take a swim. Hey it isn't a private
beach I can't stop them but I do hope they keep it down. Ten years from now when the name
Bennett is uttered I want people to think of me. Oh and I want to marry Rob Zombie.
Woods- What would you like carved into your tombstone? Any last words? Feel free to rant.
Bennett- Do you mean I am not going to live forever? Damn! Okay, I guess something like 'the
coolest sicko on earth 1974-5974.'
Last words I am never going to quit so how about I part with this thought.
Dear reader this is just the beginning of a dark journey in which I intend to push every boundary
possible, so please keep you hands and feet inside the reading chair until the stories come to a
complete stop.
Stephanie Simpson-Woods
Reviewer
Sullivan's Bookshelf
God's Defenders What They Believe and Why They are Wrong
S. T. Joshi
Prometheus Books
ISBN # l59l020808 $28.00 330 p.
Joshi doesn't believe in God, Allah, or Jesus Christ nor does he accept the Bible or the Koran.
Joshi wonders about the intellience of people who do. Fellow Indians who believe in and practice
Hinduism embarrass him.
Well known writers, religious leaders, and thinkers are closely examined on their religious beliefs,
according to what they have stated or written. Christians targeted are the usual, and some
unusual, suspects: William James, T.S. Eliot, Annie Dillard, William F. Buckley, Jr., Jerry Falwell,
G.K. Chesterton, and C.S. Lewis.
This volume deals exclusively with those of the Christian faith. The author might have written a
more balanced book if he had included debates with individuals believing in Judaism and Islam,
too. But little is mentioned about those religions except for a fleeting reference to Senaor Joseph
Lieberman and to few other nonChristians.
Joshi's debating techniques are the time-tested ones of deductive reasonsing, Biblical
inconsistency, history, physics, biology, and, of course, evolution. The author is quite persuasive.
Yet he uses far too many dismissive, negative words: "ludicrous," "silly," and "uninformed," in
referring to the beliefs of others.
Readers will have to plow through the first three chapters concerning deceased defenders of
Christianity before getting to the more interesting part of this book: living Chhristians and their
religious stances. Once into the arguments against Jerry Fallwell, Pat Robertson, and Stephen
Carter, the book becomes hard to put down.
"Either there is a god, multiple gods, or none," writes the author. "Either there is such a thing
called a human soul or there isn't, and, if there is, it either can or cannot survive the death of the
body. Either Jesus Christ, if he exists, was the son of God or he wasn't. Either Mohammet, if he
existed, was God's prophet or he wasn't."
A writer and an editor, Joshi's most recent work has been ATHEISM; A READER.
Recommended with this caveat: Christianity's true believers are hereby warned: Don't read this
book unless you're ready to seriously shake-up your religious beliefs!
The Meaning of Everything The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary
Simon Winchester
Oxford University Press
ISBN # 0198607024 $25.00 260 p.
The British Philological Society decided in the mid-l800s that they wanted to produce a new
English dictionary. After a series of false starts, the program got underway.
"It was l2 May l860," writes the author, "--and though most of those involved thouht their work
would come to fruition within the following decade, it was in fact to be 68 years and three weeks
from that starting date before the great work finally saw the light of day. The Rules were in place,
the team was assembled, and now, that late spring day, the clock had finally started ticking."
Samuel Johnaon, the good English doctor, had produced a dictionary over a hundred years earlier
in l755. But that contained a mere 43,500 described words. Moreover, its definitions were
sometimes more complicated than words being described. And Noah Webster had produced his
dictionary in America in l828 with 70,000 words. Therefore, the Society decided that a newer,
more comprehensive dictionary was required. And so, in l860, shortly before the American Civil
War began, work on the dictionary started in England.
Over a few years, with different editors, part-timers mainly, and lots of difficulties, the book's
progress slowed almost to a stop. Its complications pointed to the need for a full-time editor.
That's when James Murray, an informally educated wordsmith, holding no earned university
degree, was discovered and appointed editor.
He resumed work on the dictionary and in an organized manner, too. Several sub-editors and
numerous volunteer helpers from all over the English-speaking world, including from America,
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, were added.
Mostly, Murray wanted quotations, from these unpaid helpers, in which various words of the
dictionary were used. Many of these people were eccentrics. A case in point: the mentally
deranged, convicted murderer who was serving a life sentence in prison. And he became one of
the best contributors to the dictionary Most of these far-flung volunteers sent in thousands of
quotations for the new dictionary.
And so, work moved forward, if at a glacial pace. As a result, the decade or so planned for the
dictionary's completion ended and more time passed.
The Philological Society eventually approached several prominent publishers to get quotes for
printing and publication of the dictionary.
Now publishers of consequence were not interested in what was rapidly becoming the longest
running book project ever undertaken anywhere in such an obscure field. Even Oxford Press
connected to the famous University in England, though accustomed to publishing academic books
with minimal sales and little or no profit, turned the project down.
At long last, however, a wealthy Englishman, interested in the dictionary and well connected with
Oxford prevailed upon its Delegates, the board that ran Oxford Press, to take on the dictionary
project. After much wrangling, a contract was signed, but, of course, the new manuscript didn't
come to the printers as scheduled. As a consequence, Murray, its longtime, and long suffering
editor, was pressured to produce the work with less than his usual thoroughness. He resisted,
though he took a verbal battering from those Oxford people. And he did not cut a word from the
book.
And so, months, years, and decades passed. Over time, because of delays, Oxford Press began
publishing the dictionary piecemeal and selling it by subscription. The first part of letter 'a' was
brought out and sent to subscribers. The purchaser would get each portion as it was printed till
the dictionary was complete. But even these small sections came out only once a year, if that
often.
In l928, a celebration, described within the book, was held for the publishing of the final sections
of the dictionary. But this time, the original name 'A New English Dictionry' became 'Oxford
English Dictionary,' or OED as it's known today. Oxford Press had put up most of the money and
taken the biggest risks, so they deserved the namesake.
The dictionary's many parts, containing 15,900 pages, 414,825 words, and 1,824,306 illustrative
quotes (out of more than 5,000,000 quotes submitted by volunteers), were hardbound into
thirteen volumes. But by its very nature, it was never finished. Soon, supplemental books
encompassing new words that had recently entered the English language were being
published.
In the l980s, a completely new edition of the dictionary was brought out. It was comprised of
twenty volumes, and not long afterward, supplemental books for it, were being printed too.
The set commpleted in l928 was estimated to have cost 375,000 English pounds. That seemed
reasonable to the parties involved. After all, it was thought to have been one of the finest, most
monumental, and truly important efforts for any language in history.
An even more current OED is being compiled as you read this review. It has so many words that
its publisher, Oxford University Press, is seriously thinking of not publishing it in book form,
which would require at least forty volumes, but of bringing it out in digital form only, for use on
the internet.
The author of this new book, Simon Winchester, has previously written KRAKATOA among
other tomes. He divides his time between the U.S. and Scotland.
Recommmended for English speakers everywhere.
Jim Sullivan
Reviewer
Taylor's Bookshelf
Why Me? Why Now?
Lorraine V. Murray
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
0877939926 $9.95 1-800-282-1865 www.avemariapress.com
Deftly written by Lorraine V. Murray, Why Me? Why Now? Finding Hope When You Have
Breast Cancer is a spiritual guide intended especially for Christian women who have been
diagnosed with breast cancer. Drawing upon lessons of the Bible, Why Me? Why Now? deals
with such issues as facing personal fear, remembering God, and coping with diagnosis, treatment,
and recovery. An emotional and pious work, Why Me? Why Now" is enhanced with simple
scriptural reflections, questions, and exercises to round out this spiritually invaluable aid to getting
through the trying times that a cancer diagnosis brings and is especially recommended reading for
the caregivers, friends, and families of women with cancer -- as well as any woman newly
diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Westminster Theological Wordbook Of The Bible
Donald E. Gowan, editor
Westminster/John Knox Press
100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396
066422394X $34.95 1-800-227-2872 www.wjkacademic.com
Exhaustively compiled and ably edited by Donald E. Gown, (Robert Cleveland Holland Professor
of Testament, emeritus, at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary), The Westminster Theological
Wordbook Of The Bible is an encyclopedia-style resource offering seminarians, clergy, as well as
non-specialist general readers the combined knowledge of a truly exceptional group of biblical
scholars. The entries are arranged in an alphabetical order to illuminate the reader on the diverse
definitions and various scriptural references of everything from angels to the meaning of wisdom
and worship. A practical consultation resource recommended for individual or group Bible study,
The Westminster Theological Wordbook Of The Bible is recommended for academic, community,
and seminary library Christian Studies reference collections and for Biblical Studies curriculums as
a superbly presented supplement resource.
Leadership In The Church
Walter Cardinal Kasper, author & Brian McNeil, translator
The Crossroad Publishing Company
481 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1550, New York, NY 10001
0824519779 $24.95 1-800-395-0690
Written by theologian Walter Cardinal Kasper (University of Tubingen), and ably translated into
English by Brian McNeil, Leadership In The Church: How Traditional Roles Can Serve The
Christian Community Today forthrightly addresses many of the most pressing questions facing
Catholic Church leadership today. Walter Cardinal Kasper is the bishop of the German diocese of
Rottenburg-Stuttgart, and has been named to the College of Cardinals by the Pope. Therefore he
brings a special expertise to Leadership In The Church when he examines problems in apostolic
succession, the application of justice and mercy in canon law, ecumenical points of view
concerning the future, and a great deal more. A welcome contribution to Contemporary Catholic
Studies reading lists and reference collections, Leadership In The Church is commended as being
an especially well-reasoned discourse reflecting a lifetime of piety.
God, Science, And The Cosmic Jigsaw
Jonathan Kingsley
Llumina Press
PO Box 772246, Coral Springs, FL 33077-2246
1932047980 $15.95 www.llumina.com
God, Science, And The Cosmic Jigsaw by Jonathan Kingsley is a thoroughly "reader friendly"
guide from a Christian perspective to the resolution of diverse conflicts between modern theology
and hard science, conflicts and seeming contradictions that often cause people to hesitate to bring
God into their life. Emphasizing logical argument and painting a picture of harmony and faith,
God, Science, And The Cosmic Jigsaw is a spiritually enlightening, intellectually satisfying, and
far-reaching advocacy of physical and spiritual truth, both here and in the hereafter.
The Religious Context Of Early Christianity
Hans-Josef Klauck
Fortress Press
100 Fifth Street, Suite 700, Minneapolis, MN 55402-1210
0800635930 $30.00 fortresspress.com
The Religious Context Of Early Christianity: A Guide To Graeco-Roman Religions by Jans-Josef
Klauck (Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature at the Divinity School of the
University of Chicago) is a college-level reference to the religious practices that were common
and widespread at the inception of Christianity. Ranging from examinations of antiquarian
sacrificial cults; to the popular belief systems of the day in astrology and soothsaying; to the
imperial cults surrounding powerful individuals, and so much more, The Religious Context Of
Early Christianity is a scholarly, impressively researched, and meticulously presented reference
work which is a very welcome addition to Christian Studies reading lists and historical reference
collections.
Capital Punishment And Roman Catholic Moral Tradition (Christian)
E. Christian Brugger
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
026802359X $50.00 1-800-621-2736 www.undpress.nd.edu
In Capital Punishment And Roman Catholic Moral Tradition, E. Christian Brugger (Assistant
Professor of Ethics, Department of Religious Studies, Loyola University, New Orleans,
Louisiana) critically examines the position of the Catholic Church on the death penalty down
through the centuries to the present day. Professor Brugger postulates that while the Catechism of
the Roman Catholic faith does not expressly condemn the death penalty, neither does it imply
through logic that the death penalty is wrong. Capital Punishment And Roman Catholic Moral
Tradition is a confidently recommended to a Roman Catholic readership as being a serious,
in-depth, scholarly study of a controversial ethical, moral, and social issue.
The Prison Epistles
Lawrence R. Farley
Conciliar Press
PO Box 76, Ben Lomond, CA 95005-0076
1888212527 $15.95 1-800-967-7377
The Prison Epistles by Archpriest Lawrence R. Farley (currently pastor of St. Herman of Alaska
Orthodox Mission OCA in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada) is a informative reading and
extensive commentary on the letters that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, Ephesians,
Colossians, and Philemon while he was shackled in a Roman prison. Especially recommended for
the non-specialist general reader seeking a better understanding of this New Testament material,
The Prison Epistles offers a literal translation from the original Greek, as well as
section-by-section analysis. Presented with both devotional and exegetical emphasis, The Prison
Epistles is a superb and thought-expanding resource for studying Paul's profound and moving
words.
The Mind Of Christ
Dennis F. Kinlaw
Francis Asbury Press
c/o Evangel Publishing House
2000 Evangel Way, Nappanee, IN 46550
091603593X $12.50 1-800-253-9315
The Mind Of Christ by Ordained United Methodist Church minister Dr. Dennis F. Kinlaw is a
thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration into Scriptural motivations that prompt ordinary
people to do extraordinary things on behalf of their faith. The will of sacrifice and leaving behind
the needs of the self to serve a higher power, as well as fulfilling God's love and His plan by
exploring what it means to be Christian form the core message of this profound and highly
commended testimony of Christian faith.
Treasuring God In Our Traditions
Noel Piper
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
1581345089 $14.99 1-800-323-3890
Ably written by Noel Piper (a Baptist Church minister with over twenty years' experience),
Treasuring God In Our Traditions is a thoughtful reflection on how ordinary or everyday habits
can contribute to keeping God in one's mind and heart. Demonstrating the value of God-centered
traditions, heirlooms, and family patterns, Treasuring God In Our Traditions is a profound and
inspirational meditation with insights highly recommended for all Christian readers regardless of
denominational affiliation or theological background.
He's God And We're Not
Ray Pritchard
Broadman & Holman Publishers
Creative Resources (publicity)
127 Ninth Avenue, North, Nashville, TN 37234
0805426949 $19.99 1-800-251-3225 www.broadmanholman.com
He's God And We're Not: The Seven Laws Of Spiritual Life by Ray Pritchard (Pastor, Calvary
Memorial Church, Oak Park, Illinois) is a deeply reverent examination of personal truths one must
embrace to know a healthy relationship with God. Based upon seven laws including "God Doesn't
Need Us, but We Desperately Need Him", "Active Faith Releases God's Power", and "There Is
No Growth without Struggle", He's God And We're Not delves into philosophy, truisms, Biblical
citations, and more, thereby escorting the reader on a grand tour of faith to the highest levels of
spiritual understanding and insight.
Body And Gift
Pope John Paul II, author & Sam Torode, adaptor
Philokalia Books
PO Box 65, South Wayne, WI 53587
0972535810 $10.95 www.philokaliabooks.com
Highly recommended, especially for a Roman Catholic readership, Body And Gift: Reflections On
Creation presents the words and wisdom of Pope John Paul II's speeches, seamlessly adapted into
a series of essays by Sam Torode, concerning love, sexuality, and the human person. A simplified
presentation of the pope's fifteen-minute talks which condenses the critical, core issues into a
direct and unambiguous message, Body And Gift is an unparalleled work of insight and spiritual
pondering.
Revelation And The Fall Of Judea
Maurice A. Williams
Xlibris Corporation
436 Walnut Street, 11th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106
1401068049 $21.99 www.xlibris.com
Experienced technical writer and literature researcher Maurice A. Williams presents Revelation
And The Fall Of Judea, an interpretation of Revelation through the eyes of diverse authors who
see it as John the Baptist's warnings of what will happen should Christ be resisted. Thus the
predictions of visions and their consequences are viewed as referring to events of history rather
than the present day. Carefully linking history with testimony in an easy-to-read manner,
Revelation And The Fall Of Judea is an intriguingly original and impressively thought-provoking
work.
The Kids Bible
Leena Lane & Gillian Chapman
Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63118-3968
0758605617 $9.99 1-800-325-3040 www.cph.org
The collaborative effort of author Leena Lane and artist Gillian Chapman, The Kids Bible is a
wonderfully illustrated picture book rendition of classic tales from the Bible. From Genesis and
the Old Testament to the birth and life of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, these tales span the
length of scripture and present it in simplified form with colorful artwork especially designed for
sharing the gospel story with young folks. Also very highly recommended for young Christians is
the Concorida Publishing House editions of Bible Make & Do: Book 1 (56-2231, $7.99) and
Bible Make & Do: Book 2 (56-2232, $7.99).
John Taylor
Reviewer
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com