John Heard Books

The movie " In A Childs Name" was the best movie that I have ever saw. It brought back memories of what happened to my sister. Now I have ideas to help my nephew.

In A Child's Name by Peter Maas is an outstanding non-fiction book. Maas finds factual information about the custody case, because he was one of the reporters. He interviewed both sides and wrote the book based on what they thought, and not his own opinions. He describes in great detail about the battle over Philip Taylor that was between the victim's sister and her in-laws. The book, however, has too many explicit details that younger people should not read. Even older readers can find some parts disturbing. There is a lot of violence, anger, and hard feelings that the reader can feel just by reading the book. The movie of the book is good; however, it leaves many of the details out. The movie doesn't tell about Theresa and what she did with Ken. I didn't know half of the things that went on with Theresa, Ken, and their families until I read the book. I was shocked to find some of the information that Maas wrote about. It also doesn't tell everything about Ken, like the book does. For the full understanding, the book is an excellent source. This is one book that could catch the reader's interest from the beginning to the end. I thought that this book was one of the best books that I have ever read, because it kept my interest. I would definitely recommend this book to people whom like custody cases mixed in with a murder case.

This poor girl should have gotten out of this awful marriage. It showed how close to her family she was and at what lenghts family will go to to do the right thing. The book presented how strong and what great character her sister had.I have met her sister on several occasions and she is nice,kind and sweet. How this family can go on the way they do is an inspiration to others.

If you saw the TV-movie of IN A CHILD'S NAME (starring Valerie Bertinelli), it didn't tell half the story of wife-murderer Ken Taylor, his child-stealing parents, and their accomplices, of whom some were unwitting. With this book author Peter Maas raises the stakes for true-crime writing. Read IN A CHILD'S NAME!

There are only two ways you can look at the lives of these legendary "bad boy" actors and comedians. First is head-on, which this book offers in abundance. And second, philosophically, as suggested by one of the most poignant passages in the book, "They all saw the joke of life, and they teach us not to be scared. There is no bogeyman. Get the essence of love and happiness and joy, and share it with people. All that matters is to leave a legacy of happiness, and to give someone else an inspiration--like they gave us." (Rita Saiz, clairvoyant?)

John Barrymore, W.C. Fields, Errol Flynn, and John Decker were among the most talented individuals of their day, and seemingly, among the most tragic, each drowning his pain in alcohol and prematurely snuffing-out their abilities and lives. But they did so in good company: John Carradine, Alan Mowbray, Ben Hecht, and Thomas Mitchell, to name a few. And best of all, there was Gene Fowler, the writer whom they trusted to keep the record straight. And worst of all, there was Sadakichi Hartmann, a pre-counter-culture beatnik/hippie who seemed to be consumed by his worst impulses, and was kept afloat by Barrymore.

But to concentrate on the tragic is to lose sight of the legacy that includes Barrymore's "Svengali" and "Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde," Fields's trenchant satires of American family life, and the transcendent magic of Flynn's swashbuckling heroes. Authors Mank, Heard, and Nelson offer no apologies for these artists, nor do they cast judgement. This is a book that is both repulsive and yet mesmerizing. In the end, we are left not so much mourning the shortened careers of these men, but marveling that their genius allowed them to perform a weird alchemy that transformed so much personal squalor into artistic brilliance.

This is High-Gothic Hollywood storytelling, and maybe it's about time.

I was a bit nervous when I ordered "Hollywood's Hellfire Club" by Gregory Mank, Charles Heard and Bill Nelson.

I love old Hollywood and the stars of its golden age and although I was not looking for a whitewash of their lives, I was worried it might be a book that just trashed them. And yes, the book shows their lives warts and all, but it was clearly written by people who love these guys and the period of Hollywood they lived in.

The interwoven stories of these friends has the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, but all told in an engrossing way that really wraps you up in the tale. I was familiar with W.C. Fields, Errol Flynn, John Carradine, John Barrymore, Ben Hecht and Gene Fowler but I did not know much about John Decker and Sadakichi Hartmann but reading about their exploits and insanity was funny and fascinating (W.C. Fields as Queen Victoria? And who in their right mind would ever think of a perfume concert?!?)

The book is a very enjoyable read, it grabs you with each persons story and pulls the group together as it tells the tale. Organized by decades, the book is lavishly illustrated and although most of the cast of characters had a lot of sadness in their lives, the book does not get morbid, it more looks at the absurdity and fun these people brought each other, and through their work they brought each of us.

These guys personified perfection in their chosen fields, were perfectly decadent in their private lives and the way "Hollywood's Hellfire Club" is presented makes for a perfectly fascinating story.

Greg Mank has left the haunted mansion of golden age horror film critiques and heads into Hollywood Babylon territory with his newest book; and what he finds would have Kenneth Anger gasping for breath. Mank, with his coauthors Charles Heard and Bill Nelson, tells the tale of the Bundy Drive Boys, a collective of fast living and hard drinking Hollywood actors, writers and artists--- all committed to their friendship and the right to destroy their careers, their families and themselves by any means necessary. Among the hell-raisers are John Barrymore, W.C. Fields, Errol Flynn, John Decker, William Fowler, John Carradine, Ben Hecht and Sadakichi Hartmann; and their stories of childhood tragedy, incest, rape, cannibalism (in a POW camp), drunken brawls, sexual conquests, and even an art forgery scam, will have your jaw hitting the floor.

I read HOLLYWOOD HELLFIRE CLUB in one sitting. My morbid curiosity (wondering just how much worse can things get for the Bundy Drive boys) simply would not let me put this book down. If you are a fan of Hollywood's Golden Age... or the last person to leave the scene of a train wreck, this book will surely entertain and/or horrify you!

Jurassic Park is an outstanding book. This is the second time I have read it and it got better. It is interesting becuase companies will probably be able to clone dinosuars like that soon. The book really kept me interested, it really didn't have a low spot. The book kinda tests your ability to understand fiction. At times you have to use a lot of imagination, but even with that it is a real good book.

All three of these books are absolute winners, and being able to read them without lifting a finger is a plus on its own! Full of action and adventure, all thee titles are sure to keep you o the edge of your seat. You'll never want to stop listening!

It has been said that 'Jurassic Park' is one of Crichton's best books (if not THE best) and I agree. An absolutely amazing work of original fiction which is written to near perfection. The movie was ripped to shreds by many fans of the novel for having 1-dimensional characters, but you cannot say that about the novel. Crichton breathes life into these people, especially Ian Malcom, easily his greatest creation (and Jeff Goldblum was perfectly cast in the movies I might add).

The idea of resurrecting extinct animals wasn't originated by Crichton, but he is the guy who took the idea and ran with it to the publisher first. I just cannot think of a more compelling idea for a fictional story which bases its original theory on literal facts. The idea of visiting living dinosaurs is facinating beyond words, but Ian Malcom said it best about the process of bringing to life animals that have been dead for millions of years when he said, "You were so interested in discovering whether or not you COULD clone dinosaurs that you never stopped to think if you SHOULD." Quite possibly one of the most entertaining adventure/thrillers ever published.

'The Lost World' in many ways was set up to fail by many even before they read it. How do you top 'Jurassic Park'? Since the total originality of the first book is gone, that takes away a little of the enjoyment, but I believe that Crichton sacrificed nothing with this sequel. Staying true to his original story he wrote a sequel to his book rather than the movie version, making this that much more compelling and entertaining. Never for a minute think that 'The Lost World' isn't as fun in almost every way as the original, because it IS. It is also SO different than the very poor movie that shared the same name. Actually they only shared about 5-10% of the same storyline, enough of a difference to wonder why they didn't come out with a novelized version of the movie. While not his best novel, I found it as exciting as the original and chock full of everything that makes a thriller worthwhile to read in the first place.

I had heard for years that 'The Andromeda Strain' was Crichtons best novel...and this is one area where I disagree. Although being a fun and very good book, it is easy to see how far he has come as an author when you read it. It is very possible that this book inspired a rash of movies which imitated the main plotline of a disease or alien being brought back to earth unknowingly, but one of Crichtons best novels? I don't think so. Still it IS a must read for every fan.

Brian Heard, a well-respected forensic scientist, presents his life long experiences with the serious & provocative subject of forensics in a skillful and insightful manner.

His natural storyteller manner combines with his encyclopedic knowledge of the forensic profession to create a benchmark book. I'd highly recommend this to be read by everyone. Criminal investigators, future forensic scientists and attorneys in particular will find it as useful as it is entertaining and the general public will be enthralled. A must read for anyone interested in crime scene investigation.

If you want true crime this has it all. An easily readable account of a Forensic Scientists examination of over 200 cases ranging from the Krays and the Richardsons to the worlds most violent Triad gangs. This man has lead a truely remarkable life and has put it down in a form which is easy to read, entertaining yet full of the most greusome details imaginable. At the end all I wanted was more and I really hope that there is a follow up in the piupeline.

The full story of the Negro on the frontier deserves to be told and one of the purposes of this book is to break a trail in that direction. By bringing together some of the more thrilling adventures of black men among hostile Indian tribes. A surprising number of frontiersmen wrote accounts of their adventures or had them "ghostwritten," much as is the practice among athletes and other folk heroes of today. Their stirring narratives of wilderness warfare and capture by Indians are presented here in their own words whenever possible. When the adventurer could not or did not write his story, it is in the words of witnesses. Beginning with Estevanico, the first Negro in America whose name definitely is known to history and closing with Henry Flipper, a calvary officer who lived until 1940, the collection of narratives spans four centuries.

The amazing adventures of Estevanico are known to many atudents of Western history. But the second man represented in this collection, a New England slave and Florida captive named Briton Hammon, has been forgotten in spite of the fact that he probably was the earliest American Negro author. Some of these black adventurers fought beside Indians against whites, others helped white frontiersmen conquer the Indians, and at least two were leaders in warfare between Indian tribes. Ranging in roles from a Methodist missioary to a Crow Indian chief, each of the ten men whose exxperiences are related in this book had at least two traits in common - an adventurous spirit and an abundance of courage.
--- excerpt from book's Introduction.

If you haven't seen the films, you will at least already know the story: eccentric old man funds a scientific venture involving the genetic resurrection of dinosaurs, and decides that the best way to showcase his work is a giant safari park on a tropical island just off the coast of Costa Rica. Needless to say, things go a little wrong and later there's running and screaming. A lot of it.

The film is still on the list of top ten highest grossing films of all time, and for good reason. It was a great film. If you've seen it and liked it, and are wondering if it's worth reading the book, then the short answer is "yes". Michael Crichton is an astounding author and every one of his novels is worth reading, regardless of whether or not you know the story.

The novel begins with much more mystery and a much wider scope than the film. Some of the smaller animals have begun appearing along the coastline, and nobody knows what to make of what they are assuming is a new species of lizard. These shorter storylines soon lead to Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, who are soon after invited to join the billionaire John Hammond on his new theme park, which is guaranteed to be "right up their alley".

From then the story is more familiar. Island. Dinosaurs. Industrial theft and sabotage leading to the visitors seeing more of the island, and more of the dinosaurs than they hoped for ... There are more than enough differences to the film to keep readers enthralled, including a few minor character differences, especially with regards to the children Tim and Lex, who have more "on-screen" time, Dr Grant, who is a little more rugged, and the almost villainously short-sighted John Hammond. There's a lot more action and - hooray! - a lot more of the tyrannosaur and the velociraptors!

Crichton's brief sentences and plain narrative lend great authenticity to the text, although he hadn't (and still hasn't) perfected the balance between science and story. There are one or two science-heavy scenes but it's all believable and accessible to any reader. This is definitely worth a read.

9/10

What an amazing book, so exciting. I literally couldn't put it down.

Filled with so much details about the many different dinosaurs and the scientific experiments taken to create the ultimate 'zoo' called Jurassic Park and of course what happens when it all goes so horribly wrong.

The movie was good but the book was terrific, 10/10 to Michael Crichton, a genius storyteller.

One of the best books I have EVER read, a true thriller of a story.

I read this book about ten years ago. Not too long after I watched the movie for the first time. This is one of those stereotypical books that are so much more enjoyable than the movie. Don't get me wrong the movie was good but this book is a bit more real in the sense that the dinosaurs are portrayed more brutally and in a book you just have time for more character development and situations.

All in all this is one of my favorite books and was the first Michael Crichton book I ever read!

In the everlasting battle of movie versus books, Michael Crichton's "Jurassic Park" conquers all. The shallow thrill ride conjured up by Steven Spielberg in the 1993 movie pales in comparison to the intensity of the novel. Being quite similar to the screenplay many will find more entertaining to read than to watch I know this reviewer did.

The very first chapter grabs you with an American girl getting attacked by small compy dinosaurs when her parents were looking, placing a sense of a foreboding mystery. After the main characters, paleontologist Alan Grant and his paleobotanist graduate student Ellie Sattler, enter the plot they are soon whisked away to an island owned by the CEO of `In-Gen' John Hammond. As the first guests of the park, Alan and Ellie along with others explore and meet the engineers; and in typical Crichton fashion, everything that can go wrong, does. This is a result of the park's underestimation of the dinosaur's capabilities and the interference of the overly nerdy and greedy Dennis Nedry who has been hired by a rival bio-technological company to steal dino-embryos creating a domino effect which puts the group in mortal danger. Taking the lead Alan and Ellie now must take on an island of vicious creatures who want only one thing, them.

A terrific beach read, be warned though, Crichton's version takes on a much darker side with a fair amount of gory content to those of you with a weak stomach. The plot takes you right in and is a great improvement on the storyline that most audiences know well. All in all, Crichton created a suspenseful masterpiece that even the most skeptical book readers will love.

- Written by Becky MacDonald

I thought it would be hard to beat the movie but this just went above and beyond. AWESOME.

One of Turow's best, if not the best. I have not seen the movie, therefore the ending was a complete surprise.
I will not repeat what the other Reviewers have written, just wanted to rate the novel as I thought it was truly a 5-Star read.

This is a strong, compelling story with a page-turner drive. Though longer than average, it's easy to read and took only a couple of days of concentrated effort to finish, and it was a pleasure to do so. My impression is that the most powerful element of this book is the characters - they are well drawn, with good voices, and consistent through the arc of the story. My only criticism is that some of the strong voices are stereotypical - but, of course, stereotypes come from somewhere.

What is worse than being convicted of a crime you didn't commit? Yet, it happens all to frequently, sometimes because the prosecutor knowingly hid evidence that would have led to a not guilty verdict.

There is significant documentation of such improper convictions, in a series by the Chicago Tribune, in a study by Columbia Law School, and esoecially in the marvelous work of Barry Scheck and his colleagues in the Innocence Project (see Actual Innocence: When Justice Goes Wrong and How to Make it Right.

It is a serious blemish on the American criminal justice system that too many prosecutors abuse their power, and get away with it.

My second novel, A Good Conviction, tells the story of a young man wrongfully convicted in a high profile Central Park murder, brought about by a prosecutor who knew the defendant was actually innocent and hid the exculpatory evidence that would have led to a not guilty verdict.

Several prosecutors and appeals attorneys helped me with the legal aspects of a Brady appeal in New York State, and all of them agreed that what I portrayed was both realistic and all too possible.

Readers have found it to be fast paced, exciting, and heartbreaking.

Dan Slepian, network producer of many crime and legal news shows, says ... "Having spent countless hours working with detectives, courts, attorneys, and wrongly convicted inmates I was most impressed with how well researched and accurate your narrative was. You really nailed it. In addition, it was a great read."

Judge (ret.) Leslie Crocker Snyder, former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, first sex crimes prosecutor in the U.S., (see 25 to Life: The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth) says ... "A Good Conviction is a well written, well paced, and fascinating tale of prosecutorial abuse in the Manhattan DA's office. Makes one wonder how many other times something like this has occurred and just how high the abuse is actually sanctioned."

Michael Radelet, one of the authors of In Spite Of Innocence: Erroneous Convictions in Capital Cases, a study of over 400 cases of persons wrongly convicted of crimes carrying the death penalty says ... "A Good Conviction is an unusually gripping story of an erroneous conviction and the passionate fight to correct that injustice. Weinstein's account of what a bad prosecutor does to Joshua Blake provides a frightening and realistic parallel to many of the true life cases we documented in our study."

LEW WEINSTEIN

Presumed Innocent is a must read novel for any legal thriller freaks, because its story illustrated a skillful lawyerly technique, that you will notice on every part of the story.

Scott turow did an amazing job by creating a lot of strong character in this novel, he had succeed bring each character to play an important role to the story, that make the story look so natural, with plenty of surprises and understandable ending.

Further more, the story also contain a lot of moral message, such as law, politics, ambition, scandals, corruption, sex, marriage, friendship and attorney client relationship.

The biggest question is "Who's the murder of Carolyn?"
I say, "Just read the novel and I promise that the truth is going to be revealed just for you"

Two thumbs up for Mr. Turow!

Here's an absolutely superb book; one of the best mysteries I've ever read.
A deputy prosecuting attorney (district attorney) has his hands full while his boss is running for reelection. As this is happening, one of his fellow prosecutors is murdered and apparently raped. It turns out the two had had an affair in the not too distant past. There are clues to the murder, but which are red herrings? There are others involved in the investigation, but do any have an axe to grind? Hints of relationships and past activities swirl around like tendrils of fog in a dying breeze. Whodunit . . . and why?

Overall it's a corking good read without any flaws or holes. But it's more than that; it's an oddly disturbing story. I can take a Grisham or Kellerman book, and sit comfortably absorbed into the wee hours enjoying the ride. But Turow gets under your skin and makes you fidgety. You want to put the book down, but you're compelled to keep reading. You can't comfortably categorize good guys and bad guys, things here are all constantly shifting shades of gray. Is the main character a victim or a diabolical killer? Was the victim an innocent, or did she precipitate her own doom? Keep squirming and turning pages as you throw out assumptions and reassess the evidence. You won't be sorry!

This book pulls you into the dark world of Sandford. It is the best of the "Prey" series. An absolute win!

I was thrilled to have another Prey novel to read. Eyes of Prey lived up to my expectations and was a great addition to the Prey series.

This is another solid police procedural by John Sanford. For me, it seemed to drag in places, but in all fairness, that could have just been my mood and circumstances that made parts of it difficult to stay interested in. All in all, I love the Prey series, and look forward to reading the next one.

Sandford is a brilliant writer and he shows how Lucas Davenport - the hero of the series - is walking that thin, sharp line between hero and villain right now. Suffering from depression (and likely post-traumatic stress disorder after the events in the preceeding book, Shadow Prey (Lucas Davenport Mysteries)), Lucas lets his temper take control early on while hunting down a young pimp who beat up one of his hookers - a young lady who was one of Lucas' snitches. This subsequently leads to an IA investigation at the worst possible time, because Lucas is then assigned to work on a new case - a well-known doctor's wife (Stephanie Bekker) has been murdered in their home, and her eyes cut out - an anonymous phone call alerted the police. When there is another murder, Davenport begins to suspect there might be a serial killer on their hands - even though he cannot make a connection between the two women.

Things heat up quickly in the novel and I have only given you a very bare bones idea of the plot - I don't want to spoil this novel for anyone who hasn't already read it. I love this series and this book is an exemplary example of why I feel about these books as I do. Lucas Davenport feels like a real person, with real problems that he deals with in a real manner - that is, sometimes self-destructively. I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who enjoys a good thriller, police procedural or murder mystery. You can't go wrong with the Lucas Davenport series.

John Sandford is not the best of crime novel writers but he's not bad. I've read a couple other Prey books and have enjoyed them. They're good books to take to the beach or to read on a plane. The nice thing about them is that they don't require much concentration.

I am disappointed in this one. In fact, I'm only half way through and I don't think I'm going to finish it. What's the problem? It drags too much. I want a crime novel that is hard to put down. This one is easy to put down but hard to pick up again. Let me give an example. One of the main characters has a drug addiction. Sandford wastes pages (and virtually chapters) describing this guy's drug induced states. I got the idea the first time so I didn't need these descriptions repeated every couple of chapters. In fact, I've skipped those pages and haven't missed anything.

Other parts of the book are equally slow and boring. I'll try another of the Prey novels but will give up on Sandford if I find the same style.

Imagine listening to Peggy Lee singing "Is That All There Is" and feeling like you need to sleep for a week to escape the inane, predictable world. And then imagine youself feeling inspired by a short but magical novel that seems to say that just about anything is possible. If you're in the doldrums and tempted to become a cynic, read W. P. Kinsella's SHOELESS JOE. Peggy won't sound so convincing after you're finished.

Yes, of course, the plot is slightly different from the movie's, but not by much. A few scenes from the book are omitted for the sake of pacing, and Hollywood made J.D. Salinger into bestselling writer Terence Mann for legal reasons in case the recluse got his shorts all bunched up. But the storyline of FIELD OF DREAMS is quite faithful to the novel. So why read the book, you ask.

First, Kinsella's style is quite poetic. Although it becomes a bit saccharine in spots, it nevertheless has an easy feel to it. The paragraphs flow with a descriptive grace that is a bit magical in itself. There are some very long digressions, but even these are interesting as they slip nicely into Kinsella's tale of baseball as the saving grace of America--and one man in particular: Ray Kinsella.

The best reason to read this book, however, is to have the author's original words, as opposed to the resulting screenplay, sink into your soul so that you can feel the magic of the prose-poetry at a deeper level, where it can take root.

Kinsella manages to do two things in this novel: he speaks of the importance of the simple things in life: a farm, a pitcher of lemonade, a kiss, baseball. Simultaneously, he implies that there is a magic woven into the very fabric of reality, a magic that can happen to anyone. Paradoxically, it is this magic that ultimately makes the simple things accessible to us. Maybe that's why kids can have fun with rocks, sticks, and carboard boxes--kids who also believe in magic and baseball.

So "is that all there is"? No, Peggy. There is a mysterious world in the cornfields of Ray Kinsella's farm, a world that can touch our own if we allow ourselves to once again believe in dreams and possibilities.

Shoeless Joe is an inspirational novel about a baseball fanatic from a small town in Iowa. Ray Kinsella the main character, is a struggling farmer economically. One night Ray hears a voice while on his farm saying, "If you build it they will come". Ray the dreamer he is, decides to knock down his valuable crops and build a baseball field, in hope of bringing back his favorite player Shoeless Joe Jackson. So Ray follows the voices and goes on a long journey from Iowa to Boston to Minnesota in search of answers to finally find the answers to his dreams and his economic problems.

If you are a fan of dreaming and hope then this book is for you. This book is very similar to the movie, Field Of Dreams. However, in the novel W.P. Kinsella elaborates a lot more on the settings and it is a lot more enjoyable. If you are a fan of non-fiction I do not reccomond this novel. The events in this book are farfetched but really inspiring.

The theme in this book mistaken by most is not baseball. Kinsella brings up the idea of hope, father-son, and to not give up on your dreams.

Well it's supposed to be about dreams, magic, life and not about baseball...wrong it's about baseball and an American understanding that baseball is a way to unlock dreams, magic, and life.

But I am not an American follower of Baseball so along with Underworld by Don DeLillo it went over my head (although DeLillo's books first chapter was a stunning, lyrical depiction of the centuries' baseball World Series final moments). So is Shoeless Joe...stunning, lyrical writing? No, assume wooden, workaday.

Think I am being harsh? Well I look forward to a story based of a brickie who puts a goal up in Norfolk. George Best then appears to help him build the football pitch and gradually all the world ** players appear (Lev Yashin as goalie, Carlos Alberto Torres, Nílton Santos as full backs, Franz Beckenbauer, Bobby Moore as centre backs etc for one last game with the Brickie's long lost father as the ref. That I would understand so Nick Hornby get writing it.

But for the moment I am sticking to the film of the book-Field of Dreams. And making a mental note to be wary of any book that has a sports theme!

** run past me again how in Baseball one country = a world series whilst the 2006 World cup has 198 counties competing and over 700 million people watched the actual finals

For anyone who loves baseball, and good lord I do, and for anyone who values the history of baseball, this novel holds a mirror up to us and explain to us why we love this game the way we do. The reader cannot help but feel identification and empathy with all of the wonderful characters Kinsella creates. Even those who do not really understand this whole baseball fascination will gleen an insight or two into why that is.

Mr. Kinsella has crafted a unique story, written in eloquent prose that speaks to the reader's heart. All of the facets of the human condition are explored in conjunction with this snapshot of baseball love.

The book is filled with so many wonderful scenes. It is much better and more fulfilling than the film, "Field of Dreams."

Baseball season or not, this is a perfect book to read when you have some free time.

"Shoeless Joe," by WP Kinsella is usually known as the book that inspired the movie, "Field of Dreams." But it deserves to be known as a medicinal classic for any nostalgic baseball fan who longs for the days when he watched a game with his father.
When an Iowa farmer named Ray Kinsella hears a voice telling him to build a baseball field, a journey ensues. This journey includes tracking down healing "Shoeless" Joe Jackson's nostalgia for baseball after being banned from the game, tracking down the elusive JD Salinger, and reconnecting with long lost family members.
"Shoeless Joe" is more than a baseball book. It is a book about a place where innocence can be maintained. Unlike, Holden Caulfield from the "The Catcher in the Rye" by JD Salinger, Kinsella has found a way to hold on to innocence, at least in a certain area. Like glass cases in a museum, Kinsella's baseball field breaks the conventions of time, bringing the past and present together.
This book is at its best when read as a sequel to "The Catcher in the Rye." Its multiple allusions to the novel and similarities offer a literary perspective of baseball. Baseball has the power to heal nostalgia for it is a game unchanged since its creation. When at a baseball field in Seattle, you could very well imagine being at a field in Boston. "The one constant through all the years has been baseball," Saliger tells Kinsella. "As America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers - it's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again - baseball has marked the time."

Excellent source of information no metter what your stance is concerning guns. Lots of well documented research to be found.

This book is partly More Guns, Less Crime for Dummies. The other parts are how the media works against gun ownership, how the government works against gun ownership, and how these two things cost human lives.

It is a fun and easy read, and afterwards you will be a little more clever about how you view polls, statistics, and news in general.

John R Lott is a true patriot and his book, 'The Bias Against Guns: Why Almost Everything You've Heard About Gun Control Is Wrong' should be included as part of the Bible. Every God-fearing American is duty-bound to heed Lott's warning about the liberal, jelly-back movement that is threatening to destroy the country's long-cherished freedoms. However, while I agree 100% with the author, there is a significant argument missing when he says that everything you've heard about gun control is wrong. It's an obvious point that we haven't heard and one that is intellectually unassailable; GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE, BULLETS DO! Therefore, pass a law allowing everyone to own as many guns as they want; 10, 20, 100. Sell them in libraries, bookshops, gas stations, nightclubs and schools. Give them to children, psychopaths, teachers, social workers, prisoners and even terrorists. But at the same time, pass another law banning bullets. It's that simple. This revolution in social policy will not only silence the white ants in the White House, it will also show the rest of the world that Americans can solve problems that lesser minds find impossible to conquer.

If you can get past the numbers research then you'll benefit from this book. And, you'll never understand the evidence behind the truth about the benefits of gun possession versus the costs until you read it. The Bias Against Guns easily discredits those opposed to gun possession. Anti-gun folks don't tell the truth about the benefits of owning guns - John Lott does and proves it with advanced statistical analysis and research.

The proof that proves the benefits of gun possession is in this book.

Right wing, non-scholarly press. Then look at where Lott's critics publish--in scholarly journals and with academic presses.

Enough said.