E Books

These books are all so great and wish someone in the world would make a movie of these books as they are so good for families.

If you haven't read all of Philip Gulley's books then you have missed out on true humor and a visit with people you have "known all your lives"
wonderful fall down clean laughing as well as touching moments.

Like all of Philip Gulley's books, this one takes us to Harmony and the people who live in that small town. His characatures of the Friendly Meeting House people are not only humorous, but there are lessons to be learned as we see ourselves in some of them from time to time. We're delighted that Deena and Dr. Pierce are married, even though Dale Henshaw manages to draw that ceremony to a dramatic climax! Dale will never change, even in such a dramatic occurance as a heart transplant. Fun reading with an added life lesson to be learned every now and then.

Anyone who has stumbled across the writings of Philip Gulley will want to get the next installment in the lives of Harmony. As a person reads these books, he or she forgets that these are all fictional characterizations and a person cannot wait to hear the crazyness continue. A must-read for anyone who wants to have some light-hearted moments!

Sam Gardner and his delightfully dysfunctional Quaker congregation are back again as this series just seems to get better and better. There are lots of humorous moments with special Harmony events such as the Blessing of the Noodles, the Corn and Sausage Days Festival, and the Progressive Nativity Scene. There are also more serious events and a threat to the lives of two of the members of the Harmony Quaker church. There are family squabbles between Ellis and Ralph Hodge and bumpy places in the new marriage of Dr. Pierce and Deena. Again Philip Gulley makes us laugh, makes us cry, and makes us think which is a surefire recipe for a good read.

This is the second volume of Janet Browne's superb biography of Charles Darwin (1809-1882). Browne, who is now Professor of the History of Science at Harvard, wrote both volumes while at the vital WellCome Trust Center at University College London (also the locale of the late Roy Porter). The book is just excellent all the way through. It picks up just at the point when the march of events is forcing Darwin to publish his finding in the epic "On the Origin of Species," when he is 49. Browne develops some interesting insights; such as the importance of the excellent British postal service to Darwin's work, since he communicated and exchanged information with individuals all around the world. In addition, she focuses upon the importance of that most unique institution, Mudie Library, which did so much to circulate Darwin's books throughout Britain, thereby altering CD's intention that his book would be targeted for a small elite audience. The author also has something to say about one of the most interesting Victorian figures, published John Murray, who benefitted from the surge of publishing and literacy in the mid-Victorian period. The profusion of journals and periodicals, such as the Edinburgh Review and the Westminister Quarterly Review, also did much so disseminate Darwin's ideas, as did events such as the Huxley v. the Bishop of Wilberforce debate ("I'd rather be a monkey than a bishop").

Equally interesting and important is Browne's discussion of how Darwin conducted his research and wrote a number of books. His research of heredity, facial expressions, worms, reefs and other topics are all covered. Browne does a good job in discussing all of the debates that erupted after the publication of the "Origin," and this tells us much about the development of Victorian science and intellectual history. Also of note is her discussion of how Darwin's ideas spread, the effects of celebrity on CD and his work, and his views of Christianity. The book is so well written that it is a pleasure to read, as Browne discusses some difficult concepts with such clarity and skill and every reader, no matter how extensive a scientific background, benefits from her treatment.
The book is supported by 63 pages of excellent notes, some helpful illustrations, and a 36 page bibliography. Browne is generally acknowledged as one of the world's leading scholars on the life and work of Darwin. Her involvement as Associate Editor of the 14 volume "Correspondence of Charles Darwin" has finely honed her understanding of Darwin and his thought. We should all be thankful that she is now at Harvard where more Americans can benefit from her superb expertise and insights.

Darwin's tightly held theories on natural selection are let loose to a resistant public but a public that was also proud of their intellectuals. Darwin's network of scientific friends and associates provide strength to a highly disruptive theory and in so advance their own scientific careers.

This one is also great, get both of these wonderful books on Charles Darwin. The first one is slightly better than this one, as one expects from biographies. CD is settled down, mostly writing and promoting his beliefs. He is sick a lot, but carries on. There just got to be too much detail toward the end of this, for me. Otherwise the level of detail and tone was pitchperfect throughout. What an astounding, amazing effort these two books represent. A real gem.

Along with the rest of the well-deserved high praise that comes to Janet Browne's biography of Charles Darwin I would add, with others, that its most extraordinary aspect is its readability. Biographies are almost always irritating in some way or another--Browne's volumes are effortless in any genre, miraculous in the difficult work of biography. It's quite true that both _Voyaging_ and _Power of Place_ are books you can't put down; they are so absorbing that you instantly forget you are reading. I find myself recommending them to people with no interest whatsoever in the subject simply for the reading pleasure. For scholars of the historical subject, the volumes provide a unified and inspiring reference. Browne's is a tremendous gift to Darwin's legacy and to the reception of his work.

This the second volume of Browne's Darwin biography has evoked high praise from a number of Amazon reviewers. It's praise well deserved. Her theme, the importance of Darwin's social position and his dedicated use of it to promote the uptake of his theories, makes a nice counterpoint to the path-breaking Desmond and Moore biography, whose theme was the `tormented evolutionist'. Not that Browne downplays the ghastly burden of Darwin's invalidity on his person and family: torment it assuredly was. Yet he persisted in his labors, which included extensive involvement with many helpers, and somehow managed to bring it all to fruition. What were the emotional springs of that endurance? Dedication to the glory of the Nation, or to Science, or to Mankind? No, the poetry of ideals is missing. Exaltation in his ever-increasing celebrity? Again No. While Darwin kept a detailed record of every review of the Origin and other publications, and took measures to promote them, fame was not his defining horizon. If it were, he probably would not have anguished, as he did, about the expected heat entropy termination of life on Earth some millions of years hence. Consistent with that gloom, his final publication was on worms, whose habitat, he well understood, he would soon join. Browne writes: `He was in the grip of a vision of time as powerful and as bleak as anything in Victorian culture'. The source of his endurance seems to have been his immersion in the routine of Downe House. The routine included his dependency on wife Emma and the kids, especially Henrietta and Francis. He kept a detailed account of household expenses and, in pinchpenny manner, insisted on avoidance of extravagance despite his wealth, which he more than doubled thanks to astute investments. Although he could have easily created a state-of-the-art research station at Downe, he persisted (against Francis' appeals) in the use of crude and meager equipment, much to the amazement of scientists who visited him. Yet greatness somehow arose from just this obsessive immersion in routine that stretched over four decades. Browne notes that his devoted friend Joseph Hooker exclaimed on receiving a photographic portrait that he `looked like Moses'. Sons William and Francis agreed. So have millions who've seen the expression of deep thoughtfulness in the numerous portraits of the frail, aging Darwin.

What was his illness? His death certificate specified angina pectoris syncope as the cause. Today an autopsy would probably confirm cardiac arrest. He had experienced heart pains periodically for years, although several physicians found no symptoms of heart disease. I was surprised that in her illuminating discussion of his illnesses Browne doesn't notice that Darwin's fatigue, which greatly reduced his mobility for about two decades, is consistent with heart failure. When we add the information that Darwin was a long-time smoker, confidence in that diagnosis increases. And the retching and flatulence? Browne mentions the proposal that these symptoms could be effects of Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which he might have contracted in Chile. Retching, skin rashes, and heart disease are symptoms of the disease in its chronic phase. This is an attractive diagnosis, since it achieves concordance of clinical signs from two causal pathways. Browne puts it aside because, it seems, she suspects an interaction between Darwin's stressed emotional life, his peculiar withdrawal into the Downe House refuge, and physical symptoms (pp. 235ff). Alas, she seems unacquainted with contemporary psychiatry, which would easily read her symptom list as indicative of the Avoidant Personality Disorder (`Grief and guilt surely played their part in his psyche. Fear, too, especially in the way his body would most often fail when he intended make a public appearance, suggesting some deep-seated dread of exposure. His customary reticence may have reflected a wish to avoid getting involved with other people's emotions-reticence and modesty could have been the polite face of dissociation, the spurning of closeness' p. 237). APD would link Darwin's strong avoidance pattern with his equally strong striving for approval, and pain on the occasion of disapproval of friends and strangers. It also incorporates his many self-deprecations and his anticipations, even from friends, that they might respond to a thought of his with extreme disapproval, eg, `crucifixion'.

I turn briefly to Browne's rendition of the Huxley-Wilberforce debate at the June 1860 BAAS meeting in Oxford. The debate is a paramount icon in the Darwin legend and a `defining moment in Victorian history' (p 115). The confrontation occurred on the last day of a conference that had been dominated by public and academic excitement about the Origin of Species. A large audience turned out expecting to hear Bishop Wilberforce `smash' Darwin's theory. They were not disappointed, for the Bishop, who was Bishop of Oxford and hence on home ground, did indeed criticize the theory on a number of points. The presiding officer, Darwin's former teacher Rev Henslow, called on Huxley to speak. He defended the logic and evidence of Darwin's theory, and finished with the damning declaration that if he had to choose between accepting an ape as his grandfather and a high dignitary who obfuscated science to defend prejudice, then he would prefer the ape grandfather. The Darwin legend interprets Huxley's retort as a one-line `proof' of the superiority of science to theology which also shifted the mixed feelings of the audience into emphatic support for Huxley and science. But did it happen? Did Wilberforce taunt Huxley about his ancestry and did Huxley respond as claimed? Did the audience convulse in laughter at the Bishop and treat Huxley as a hero, as he boasted? Doubts arise because the first report of this incident was an aside in a 1898 article, `A Grandmother's Tale', in Macmillan's Magazine-38 years after the event! The critical literature on this event has pretty well reduced it to wishful thinking of Darwin partisans, beginning with Huxley's imaginary self-congratulatory victory. Even if the facts were as claimed in The Grandmother's Tale, they would have no bearing on the substance of Wilberforce's criticisms, which he detailed in a lengthy review of Origin. As for Huxley, he had publicly expressed doubts about the compatibility of Darwin's theory with the long periods of stasis in the fossil record; and he never accepted natural selection as the main mechanism of evolution. Browne's narrative of this iconically central issue is unsatisfactory. She does not advise readers that serious criticism of the story has been made and her narrative incorporates Huxley's tale as fact. Yet she knows that the celebrated triumph is imaginary. Solution? `The gossip running through the crowd afterwards quickly crafted an epic narrative, a collective fiction with an inbuilt meaning much more tangible and important than reality. All felt they were witnessing history in the making' (pp. 124f). There you have creative history: gossip frankly declared to be better than reality. Smacks of postmodernism.

I have been a shell collector for more than 25 years and along this years, this is the first time that I get such an interesting, well-documented, beautyfully illustrated and skillfully designed book on this subject. I am very happy with this purchase. The book has 411 pages with information and has about 12 photographs in each page giving a perfect appreciation of thousands of shells from everywhere. Each photo includes the common name (obviously valid in English speaking countries only), the scientific name, average length of adults (in centimeters and inches), brief information of geographical distribution and synonym names. Oh!, I almost forget to say that the authors,R. Tucker Abbott and S. Peter Dance are two famous conchologists leading this field of science for many, many years. So, this book informs, teaches and makes it very funny to learn and investigate in the universe of shells. "Bon apetit", collectors!!!

I had an earlier printing of this book (1983) and was disappointed to find that the 2000 edition I just purchased was virtually identical apart from a page of corrections at the end which would be much more useful if incorporated into the text. I feel that this excellent book needs updating to keep it as the No 1 general book on seashell identification.

This book is very informative and descriptive if you're looking to collect exotic shells from different parts of the world.

I have been a shell collector for a very long time now. This is now my second copy of this book, as I have worn the first copy out. It is the most comprehensive identifier book around. The color photos are excellent, and the amount of species depicted is impressive! This book, along with Jerome M. Eisenberg's A Collectors Guide to the Sea Shells of the World, are probably the only two books on Sea Shells, a novice collector will ever need. The serious collector will also benefit from these books as well.

This is a great book which hv given me alot of info, but still can upgrate by increase more pictures & decription for seashells of the world.

I will just make this short and to the point. 'speechless'.
He was a master at storytelling. I would recommend this to any one who enjoys the sword/sorcery genre. I have this in hardbound, but cannot find vol 1 and 2 in hardbound.

It is amazing that Conan and all the stories he featured in could be covered in three books. I have the first and have to get the second, and I will, but the fact that such a huge Hero in the sword-and-sorcery genre came out of only a five year time period of short stories seems to me to be as amazing as how realistic the character is. He is flawed, humorous, sometimes greedy, always willing to bed a pretty lady and has a heart of gold. And, of course, nerves of iron. While you may watch the movies or the TV series, remember the real Conan are on the pages of these books.
Get them new or used.

This is one of three books containing the original Conan stories, as written by Robert E. Howard.
The stories in these books are organized in the order they were written, which helps see Howard's development of Conan and of the new (at the time) sword and sorcery genre.

There are other collections of Conan stories out there (in particular the 12-book series), but those collections contain revised ("modernized") version of Howard's Conan stories, and Conan stories by other authors (such as L. Sprague De Camp and Lin Carter) which may be worthwhile stories, but they're definitely NOT Howard Conan stories.

Enjoy this volume; enjoy all three volumes. The original Howard stories are definitely a gift.

Dont miss out on these Robert E. Howard Books, to bad he killed himself, or we may of had more than 12. I have to give 5 stars i loved them, its the only fantasy books i have ever read

Most people have heard of Conan the Barbarian, what with the comic books and the movies, but few people really *know* Conan.

When I first began reading Robert E Howard's Conan stories my expectations were quite low, I expected Conan to be a stock "hack everyone to bits" hero with little depth. As I continued to read I became more and more amazed at the staggering difference between Howard's Conan and the muscle bound galoot characterised by Hollywood.

Conan, of course is a barbarian, a man brought up in the hardened lands of Cimmeria, taught at an early age to fight, ride and survive. But at the same time he is a dichotomy; a man of furious, explosive fighting prowess tempered with a thoughtful intelligence that defeats his enemies in battle not simply by use of brawn, but with a mind that knows how to outwit opponents with superior strategies and brilliant, off-the-cuff, tactical decisions.

He has many friends, many enemies, plays many parts; the mercenary, the reaver, the pirate, the commando and eventually a wise and just king. But for all these things the underlying barbarian is never far from him. It is the thing that defines him, and with it he has a code of honor that often puts, so-called, civilised people to shame.

If you buy this book it is well worth the price if only for "Beyond the Black River", which in my estimation is one of the finest Conan tales by Howard. But there are four other admirable tales included as well. Enjoy.

When I first saw the title of this book, I wasn't sure what to think? Was this a chick lit murder mystery? a regular chick lit, some kind of paranormal? (I was praying very hard that it was NOT a paranormal as I am not a big fan).

What I actually got with Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead, written by Saralee Rosenberg was an absolutely hilarious semi-chick lit book.

I am not a fan of Desperate Housewives, but I am sure the producers of that show could have taken a few tips from the yoga-loving, catty and delicious Beth. I mean, this one is a seriously scary woman! and newly arrived wife and mom Mindy gets to be her next door neighbor.

While Mindy has illusions of close relationships and shared chummy fat-filled lunches with Beth, it becomes apparent very quickly that Mindy is completely out of her element and that she and Beth have nothing in common. However, as fate often does, it has a plan all its own. Somehow Mindy will become Beth's ONLY friend - so you can imagine the interaction between these two.

The biggest strength in this book is the humor. I loved, loved the fact that Rosenberg did not turn her main characters into boring, preachy, garden variety moms. There is wonderful interaction between Mindy and her daughters (the scene where Mindy's eldest daughter gets her period for the first time was both touching and laugh out loud). Mindy is the perfect opposite for Beth - as both learn life lessons as they go along.

This is a touching book. The storyline felt real and the characters were perfectly written.

This is a great book.

The title captured my attention, but it was the author who drew me in. Having read her three other books, I couldn't wait to get into this. I laughed so hard and really related to what it was like having a neighbor like that. And when the tables began to turn...who woulda thought? I found myself laughing and crying at the same time. Rosenberg is a master at creating a scene in which you can really see happening. Run, don't walk to pick up this book. You won't want it to end.

I loved this book and didn't want it to end. I've read all of Saralee's books and this one is just as good, funny, warm, and as inspiring as her other ones. I highly recommend "Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead" and when you're done pick up her other ones and read those too! You won't be sorry!

The title, the cover and the brief description are great - however, this book is so much more than how it has been described - From the first page, you will be hooked. The characters are so real (the entire story is so real) and you will develop feelings for each and every one of them.
Reading this book is like having a conversation with a very good friend -every emotion is touched throughout the pages. Yes, you will laugh and sympathize and then cry and then be happy again - the ending was awesome after some amazing twists and turns that you never saw coming - By the time I reached the end of the book, I was crying the story touched me so much. Once the last word was read - I was so sad I would never be in touch with those characters again - I immediately went out and bought too more of Saralee's books - and so far have not been disappointed. Fate and Ms. Fortune is fabulous as well - but I cannot stop thinking about the Diamonds and the Shermans - I regret reading it so fast. I miss them and you will too - don't miss this wonderful story from an awesome author !!!!!!!!!!!! You won't be disappointed (only that the story has ended) ............

We all have funny friends who tell great stories. Friends to whom we sometimes say things like, "you should write a book." I'm so glad author, Saralee Rosenberg, either heard this enough or believed in herself enough to share her humor with us. There's a laugh on every page of Dear Neighbor Drop Dead. From page one, I felt I had to fasten my seatbelt, as the quick pace and over-the-top characters just cracked me up. It was quite a ride through this Long Island neighborhood full of twists and turns and page-turning gusto.

Although primarily Mindy's story, this is the tale of Mindy and Beth. Beth is THE neighbor from hell, a first-class beyotch, who puts on the perfect routine and is so mean to everyone--particularly the big-hearted Mindy--she's easy to loathe. Mindy and Beth are thrown together through a variety of circumstances and their relationship as frenemies develops in unexpected and amusing ways. Every secondary character no matter how important or trivial to the story is beautifully developed and makes this quick read highly enjoyable.

Be prepared to experience the culture of modern Jewish families. You'll hunger for a New York bagel and smile at the expressions: "It's never the stuff you worry about that happens, it's the stuff you don't see coming that incapacitates you like a Taser. And nothing like five-thousand volts of electricity to get your undivided attention."

I had to agree with Mindy's stepson, Aaron, when he proclaims: "I like being Jewish. You guys really know how to party." To which Mindy, ever the wit, replies: "Next to suffering, it's what we do best."
Very well done. I look forward to reading Saralee Rosenberg's other books--including one mentioned in this story, Claire Voyant--particularly when I feel the need to smile.

Michele Cozzens is the author of It's Not Your Mother's Bridge Club.

For once a book that makes you THINK.
To say the example is from the Boer war period (1900) and that the principles exposed are still useful today will give you an idea of how good this little book is...
I've been a military reader all my life (I even did a compulsory military service) and this is on my top ten.
I must admit my interest in war is more concentrated in earlier periods... and the introduction of modern weapons and khaki is my personal limit (mass murder and carpet bombing I find hard to digest)... of course this is pretty silly of me (war has never been "gentle"... but I'll cling to my romantic approach to the subject).

But getting back to the point, the alternatives, thought provoking questions, and scenarios provided by this little gem DID impress me a lot!, I must confess that after years of wargaming and reading about war I committed all the possible mistakes in my deployments and anticipating what...

So the lecture is really a "come back to earth" experience.
A brilliant book, recommended even for crime (is it not a crime to cause the dead of your soldiers because of your negligence?) and mystery aficionados and not exclusively for military buffs.

ADB

Marine officers are often required to read this book during The Basic School (the six month infantry-focused training all lieutenants undergo after OCS or the Naval Academy). I have read that some Army schools also list it as required reading. Swinton takes a simple issue, the defense of a small swatch of land during entrusted to a young officer, and uses dream sequences to illustrate shortcomings of various tactical approaches to the problem. The officer realizes via hindsight the solutions to each problem and the reader becomes engaged in a sort of Monday-morning quarterbacking of his methods. Just when you think you have the answer, Swinton tears your theory to pieces with the next report of failure. After reading all of the scenarios, one realizes that the answer was so simple and some basic but careful analysis would yield the answer. That is the heart and core of tactics. Making a quick decision with limited information but moderate knowledge in order to come up with a 90% solution. Not only is this book a must-read, it yields new lessons every time I go back to it. It's one of those books you buy and come back to every few years. Highly recommended for the military historian, NCO or junior officer.

A perfect primer for every small-unit leader and above. Learn guerilla tactics and how to counter them from the series mistakes in a series of dreams of another young Lt. The story is a fast-paced and entertaining story and provides lessons learned by real combat experience. Though the setting is the Anglo-Boer war, the lessons are universal and well thought out. An enjoyable primer on small unit leadership of counterinsurgency.

Hypothetical Lt Backsight Forethought has 50 men and a mission to hold a drift in South African territory during the Boer War of 1899-1902, and he starts his mission fresh from officer training and being totally unaware of the realities of combat. In the first trial he gets beaten really bad but he analyzes his faults and learn from them. He also gets beaten in his second, third, fourth and fifth trial, every time making different mistakes which the enemy does not forgive. Finally, when he has a sixth chance to re-fight the battle he puts up a splendid performance making his opponent to pay dearly and holding the drift until friendly reinforcements arrive. It is a very enjoyable little book and although it was written a hundred years ago it is still very useful for anyone who wants to learn about the core of tactical prowess in infantry battle.

Swinton is a military professional with experience in the Boer War who wrote this famous short book based on a series of thoughts he had on how a infantry unit with only 50 men could defend a river crossing. A young Lieutenant has the role but you are given his perspective, the terrain features, the political situation, conflict with civilians and limits on your own military support. There is a brief history of the war with the "Dutch" and then your Lieutenant receives his assignment. With the use of maps, there are six scenarios of the Lieutenants approach to defending the crossing (drift). Each scenario is acted out and with each of the first five scenarios there are several lessons learned such as the effect of enfilading fire, the limitations of a simple trench, the use of the military crest versus being located on top of the hill, the effect the local sympathetic population may have on aiding guerrilla fighters, the effect of surprise, disguising your defense from view, proper posting of sentries and responsibilities, how to combat artillery, dealing with multiple directions of attack, using the terrain to advantage and on. As the Lieutenant in each scenario learns from his mistakes, he alters the outcome to his advantage but only incrementally. Only at the end and sixth scenario does he get it right but with realistic loss. The same map is introduced in each scenario with defense features matching the new defensive tactics. Fascinating book for all interested in basic infantry tactics, which has been used as a training manual for militaries world wide. This is a very readable book that can be read in less than 2 hours time. Applicable to any war but this book would be interesting to read with an account of Rappahannock Station, which was a spearhead position held by Confederates in advance of Lee's line on November 7, 1863 where Meade's forces overwhelmed the defenders and took almost 3,000 prisoners. Duffer's Drift would be very applicable here.

I have had this book for years and always go back and find something new in it. It's just a wonderful read and contains wonderful reminders on how to be the best you. I HIGHLY recommend it!

A must buy for anyone who believes in persistence and hard work.

The Edge took me from a average school boy rugby union player to a professional player who represented 2 countries( Scotland - the land of my birth and South Africa - the country who taught me to play rugby.) In business and sport it is a roller coaster ride and The Edge motivated me to remain positive and always keep the fire of desire burning inside. Today I use what the book taught me to motivate young rugby players at club, provincial and international level. I have also named my software company The Edge. This is a must if you wish to succeed in life.

Ths is one of the most influencial books in my life. It took me from a high school nobody, to a college somebody. It is a book that can help any person suceed in life, and to know the right way to do it. This book should be in everyone'e library. You can even read a quote every day and try to incorporate in that day. The edge is a true success book.

If you coach, manage, or supervise anyone, this is a must have. Whether for work or play, this book is the "Bible" of motivation. I'm an area branch manager for the worlds largest employer. What else is there to say? Buy this book! Place your order now because finding copies of it is very hard. This is truely, bar none, the first book anyone who is responsible for mentoring someone should have.

Bangkok once again stars as the setting for an adventure by Poke Rafferty, who makes his second appearance in what one hopes is a continuing series. He is determined to avoid trouble this time and settle down, marry his girlfriend Rose and enjoy his newly adopted daughter Miaow. Unfortunately, the best laid plans . . .

Poke has an idea for another book--something involving someone being followed and trying to avoid those tailing him. The book would be similar to those he writes for his "Looking for Trouble" series. This leads to an amusing episode which has little to do with what ensues. Now that Poke is ready to enjoy family life, who turns up but his father, who abandoned Poke and his mother 20 years before. Frank Rafferty is a rogue and is being chased by a Chinese gangster whom he has defrauded of a lot of gems and cash.

All this leads to an exciting story, filled with violence, descriptions of the Thai sex trade, counterfeiting, and of course, the exotic splendor of the city. Once again, as in the initial entry in the hoped-for series, intrigue and danger prevail mightily.

Recommended.

The Fourth Watcher is a fun read, lots of rollicking action and character intrigue. The stakes are solid, from death and destruction to intimately personal, and Poke grows as a character. Hallinan's vivid descriptions masterfully drag you into Bangkok and hold you there for the duration. Everything in this book makes me want to read more about Poke.

I guarantee you'll enjoy every twist and turn in this ride. This is my fist meeting with Poke Rafferty and I guess I'll have to look up his first adventure now. Well, I shouldn't say his. All the characters here are sharply drawn and I'm looking forward to the novel that brings Poke, Rose, and Miaow together. I'm glad I bumped into this one though and look forward to a future novel which will also continue the characters of Poke's father and his half sister who are introduced in this volume.What I like about Poke is the fact that he doesn't really know what he's doing but sort of bumbles his way through. He's not very great at making friends all the time, but you gotta like the guy.You'll find yourself caught short a few times....kinda laughing at what's going on and then suddenly feeling honest emotion and caring for the characters. I think that the less you know of the story, the more you'll enjoy it. The flaps on the cover and many of these reviews tell much of the story, but you might get more out of it by ignoring them and just finding out for yourself.

Poke Rafferty is a writer living in Bangkok, Thailand, with his fiance, Rose, and his adopted daughter, Miaow. Poke writes travels books with a unique twist - travel books that focus on the criminal aspects of locations. But he's ready to give up the danger associated with these books to have a life with his two special women.

Enter trouble! And not just trouble, but trouble in spades. Chu, a Chinese gangster is after Poke's father, Frank. He figures to reach Frank through Poke, even though Poke hasn't seen his father since he was 16. At the same time, Rose and her business partner, Peachy, innocently wind up caught in a counterfeiting ring. Throw in some crooked cops and an American Secret Service Agent, and you may think you have the makings of chaos. But quite the contrary. You have the makings of an incredible, suspenseful crime fiction novel.

Hallinan's rain descriptions set the stage for the monsoon of trouble that is about to rain down on Poke and those around him. The foreshadowing is brilliant, and the rain continues to set the tone of the book throughout the course of events.The imagery in this book is absolutely mesmerizing.

Rafferty says that "'English is polyglot tongue...A linguistic hybrid enriched by grafts from many branches of the world's verbal tree.'" Hallinan was plucking from that tree constantly in this book.

Hallinan's talent for imagery swept this reader away to a foreign land, but his knack for character development held my hand and helped me walk right into the lives of these people.

When I taught high school English, I hammered home the multitude of ways an author could develop a character. One of the hardest elements for students to grasp was how a character was developed through his/her interactions with other characters. This book is a text on how to effectively achieve that development. Poke's interaction with Rose and Miaow obviously builds one layer of his character. His relationship with his friend Arthit adds another. But what makes Poke most interesting is his connection to characters like his half-sister, Ming Li.

All of the characters were extremely rich and added so much to the overall book.

The plot comes across at first as being all over the place. If you read the book jacket, you know that Poke is the main character. However, this main character walks himself right into the barrel of a gun and is shot in the face in the first chapter. So how in the world is he going to do anything for the rest of the book, right? Especially since the plot takes place over the course of three DAYS, and no, it isn't a flashback! Now THERE is a hook. And then you add in the counterfeiting ring, the American Secret Service Agent, Elson, the Chinese gangster and all his thugs, stolen rubies...just where is all this going? The way that Hallinan weaves all these independent elements together is phenomenally intriguing and it keeps the pace of the book quick.

The tone of the book could have gotten very dark and dreary, but Hallinan's wit lightens the heaviness.

I highly recommend this novel!

I love Poke Rafferty and his beautiful wife and child. I was pulled into the first book which was haunting to me . . especially since it coincided with not only the trial starting of the Khmer Rouge camp monster BUT ALSO the capture of a child molester monster in Thailand. 2 very dark subjects that somehow were eventually eclipsed in the first book by the human perseverance and sensitivity of Poke.

That is why he and his "family" evoke for me The Thin Man series .... because he has such heart. And this is another great example of story telling involving this character. I keep on wanting to see it in film. He and his beautiful wife and his mischevious "daughter" and all of the other characters that come to life.

I doubt if I will ever make it to the far East but I won't have to with these books.

This is probably the greatest compilation of original old school photos of the Hard Core heroes in Skate Boarding, Punk, and Hip-Hop. Friedman's photography and perspective as the ultimate insider on all that he shoots shows us the evidence we can't find anywhere else, particularly under one cover. From Jay Adams (Dogtown) to Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi) to Chuck D. (Public Enemy) and tons of others, how can you not own this book? The photography, and this book in general is in a class all it's own, head and shoulders above any other skate, punk or rap book of photos, and this one includes the best of all three genres. This book is a master piece and you'll be happy you got it, the greatest coffee table book for our generation.

This being the first true book published on the work of Glen E. Friedman is an achievement all it's own. A classic that has and will continue to stand the test of time. A document of a bygone era that will inspire generations for a long time to come.

F*I*V*E* S*T*A*R*S*

Glen E. Friedman has been capturing the high voltage energy of today's youth and those who speak to them for a long time. In this very interesting collection of photographs he manages to focus (pardon the pun) on skateboarders, rappers, the guys who hang out on the streets all living on the edge. The energy he captures is inimitable. Reading this book immediately after viewing the museum exhibition of Jean-Michel Basquiat makes it all ring true. These may be the remembered commentators and artists of tomorrow. But for now, this is a worthwhile journey into subcultures you may not know. Grady Harp, July 05

This is addressed primarily to Mike Carroll (Spokane, WA) and
Seer"japna" from whocaresville. It really cracks me up that someone would waste their time to write a negative review on Amazon, especially for a book of photographs, and ESPECIALLY when that book is obviously intended for a very specific audience. That audience doesn't seem to include wannabe deer-hunter, computer geeks from Washington state or "enigmatic" all-knowing types from Japan or somewhere either. I'd love to know who your heroes are... Jeff Foxworthy perhaps?

This is a classic. If you're even looking at this page it's obvious this book is a must. What other book on the planet has pictures of Black Flag, Public Enemy and Z-Boy Jay Adams?
And all of it's other hard core icons. This is an incredible collection of excellent photographic quality.

The only reason I did not give this book five stars is because I am REALLY careful about doing that with any book . . . BUT I loved this book! I loved the two women, Shelley and Mai, and wanted, especially, to know everything about Mai's former life in Vietnam and how she'd handle going back there after so many years. I also loved the way the author did Mai's dialogue in such a way that I could understand the limitations of her English and yet not not want to laugh at her. Mai simply fascinated me. Another aspect of this novel that I really respected was the way Sachs writes about children, especially 2-year Hai Auo. He is such a realistic picture of a child that age! Cute, but also capable of emitting a "scream that sounds like an electric drill." Sachs so expertly captures a toddler's personality (his fickleness, bouts of crying, clinginess, etc.) that I felt like that child was in the room with me. I wanted to adopt him myself! Finally, I loved reading about Vietnam (a country that's always fascinated me) and I have already purchased a copy of Sachs' memoir of living in that country. Can't wait to read and review that one, too!!!

If You Lived Here: A Novel
I was drawn to Dana Sachs' novel "If You Lived Here" because one of its settings is Wilmington, North Carolina, where my son lives. But the moment I picked up this wonderful book and started to read, I felt myself gently guided into a world much more complex than any locale. The two main characters, Shelley Marino, a mortician's wife who desperately longs for a child, and Mai, a Vietnamese entrepreneur who owns an Asian grocery in Wilmington and who fled Vietnam and carried a desperate secret with her, have become as real to me as my own family.
Both of these women and the other characters who people this novel walk off the pages and stand before me in flesh and blood. And the story Ms. Sachs tells exposes their hearts in a way that very few books ever have for me. And I am an avid reader who, at the age of 60, has a hard time finding anything new under the sun! Today, it takes a very rare and exceptional book to move me. Ms. Sachs is a wordsmith beyond compare. Not only did I love the path she carved for me, but I found myself savoring the way she used words to exactly tap and reveal her character's souls.
Shelley and Mai are two very strong women who, despite different cultures, forge a wonderful friendship which carries them both on a journey to Vietnam and on a journey of healing and discovery. I simply opened my own heart to them and, while reading their story, I felt suspended from my own life. That is how compelling this book is.
I also received a special bonus while immersed in this story. I am old enough to have lived through the years of our war with Vietnam, and I had a front row seat to its horrors on television newscasts. My myopic view of Vietnam hasn't changed since I was a teenager. In fact, I had put "Vietnam" aside as a memory and as a country which no longer plagues us.
Ms. Sachs, with her beautiful words and her heart's investment in her story, has changed my vision! Her story is so well told and so consuming that she has managed to draw me in another direction entirely.
I plumbed the depths of two women's lives. I struggled with Shelley's husband Martin until he finally opened up and told his story. And when Shelley and Mai and Martin and other characters forgave each other and themselves, I wept and forgave too.
But while doing so, I awoke to the story of Vietnam. The flickering black-and-white images of destruction and human pathos from my teen years have permanently been replaced. I have now discovered, through Ms. Sachs' eyes, a Vietnamese people with beautiful souls and a Vietnam of greens and reds and yellows and blues as palpable as the country right outside my own front door. What a gift! What a release!
Tonight I will settle down into my pillows and start reading Ms. Sachs' memoir of her time in Vietnam, "The House on Dream Street!" I am now hungry to hear more!

This is a must read for anyone who has adopted--or who has given a child up for adoption (trust me).

This author swept me up in her story from the beginning......twirled me around on her journey.....and put me down gently....all while keeping my heart and mind in the hearts and minds of all innvolved in the story. I loved this book!!!!! Sachs can certainly write...with knowledge, reality....and imagination! What more does a GOOD novel need!!! I need more from her!!!

Adoption is a special way of understanding feelings of other people. When you start this process you need support and help. The reactions of people around you make it clear who really cares for you who loves you
This is what happened to the two women in the novel