John Waters Books

If you like memoirs, written by great writers about themselves, you'll love this one.

I was born in 1970, this was written not long after--my sense of being is way different than this guy. He wrote this himself in his later years, meanders here and there, but more in the end. Charming all the way thru.

I'd heard that maybe this was a little racy, but again--only in the beginning. And even then, not nearly what you see when you tune into any television station. Really, just a glimpse into what gay men of his era went through (a good glimpse).

When I realized what gold I had in my hands I slowed way down with this one--he writes in a way that makes you want to savor. It's a whole different time, you hafta listen.

Thank you older gay men, you paved the way.

This book shocked and disappointed many upon its release in 1975. Many were expecting something resembling a predictable literary auto-biography, though, with the authors notorious history and reputation, should have been prepared for what they got instead. This is a fascinating book about and by the man many called genius, the author of "A Streetcar Named Desire", "The Glass Menagerie", "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof", "Sweet Bird Of Youth", "Night Of The Iguana", etc..., and the events in his life that help one better understand just how autobiographical many of his works were. From his upbringing by a tyrannical, indifferent father, who was disappointed in his "sissy" son, his overbearing mother, and his relationship with his lifelong, deepest love, his sister Rose, whose tragic mental illness and lobotomy froze her in time, and perhaps was the most important factor in his troubled life and his creative genius. He was all too human, in his relationships and insecurities. He exposes himself, warts and all, at once being an extremely sensitive, caring human being, who at other times in his life, could turn into an irrational, paranoid, abusive chore to be around. Substance abuse certainly played a major part in his progressive personal and professional demise, and he is brutally honest about that also. He is also unapologetic about the many promiscuous periods of his life, the bluntness of his recounting of sexual escapades usually so humorously told, that it defuses what could have been just vulgar bad taste, to some. His 14 year love relationship with Frank Merlo, who died of cancer in the early 1960's, was, aside from Rose, the most important relationship of his life. Though he and Merlo were estranged towards the end of Merlos life, then had a reconciliation just prior to his death, Tennessee was to never recover from the loss. He also tells about the beginning of his career, and certain pivitol moments in his professional life when, before fame and praise came, it was doubtful that the poor, struggling writer might ever find success. There are also wonderful first hand insights into his contact with the likes of Brando, Anna Magnani, Capote, to name a few. But, admittedly, this book is more about the man than the career. He readily concedes that he is not about to bore himself and some readers to death with chronological descriptions about the fruition of each play. As he says here: "The plays, what about them? If this was a book only about my plays, it would be a very short book. The plays speak for themselves". In fact, there is nothing chronological about this book. It was published about ten years before his tragic death, a period in his life that , after a brilliant career with successive hits, was marked by professional failure, the progression of which was publicly recorded by ,what many perceived to be, unusually aggressive critics who were intent on destroying him personally. If you're looking for a standard auto-bio of a literary career, you may be disappointed. But you also may enjoy, as I did, this wonderfully touching and often humourous book by a sad, troubled, brilliant human being, who battled with his demons his whole life, trying to give a voice to the lonely, the outcast, the misunderstood...the "gentle people", as he referred to them. We are all contradictory, perhaps those the Gods touch with genius more so than others. It's the totality of a life that matters, and the total sum of his life was that he tried his damndest to be a GOOD MAN. An honest man. And, he also created some of the most brilliant works, with some of the most memorable characters, speaking some of the most beautiful words, in the history of theater. Don't judge dear Tennessee too harshly.

I think "badges of honor" (from a previous review) misses the mark. "Badges of dis-honor" would be closer to the truth. I think Williams' extremely destructive drug abuse and alcoholism are obvious escape hatches - escapes from his inner deamons, his possible self-loathing, and certainly an attempt to reconcile the loneliness that each artist has to contend with. The same isolation and deamons that Williams faced nearly destroyed Michelangelo - and they did kill Virginia Woolf, Francis Bacon, and Oscar Wilde. I still think "Iguana" and "Streetcar" are among the finest literature in the American canon, while "Suddenly Last Summer" is among the most compelling psychological (if not philosophical) horror stories ever written. In fact, it's worthy of Poe. Tennessee Williams can be difficult and disturbing, because he NEVER lies to us. Every one of his works renders him defenseless - and by extension our defenses are stipped bare as well. Only the greatest authors, artists, and poets are able to do this. No thoughtful person is quite the same after delving into the work of Tennessee Williams. I think that's an awesome power to possess - and William's never abuses it. Instead, he saved the abuse for himself. I'm still coming to terms with this.

Before reading this I knew absolutely nothing about Tennessee Williams....after reading it I wish I knew even less.

Williams writes with no continuity, constantly jumping back and forth with stories from different times in his life, making this book difficult to follow.

His drug addictions, prima donna temper tantrums, numerous homosexual trysts, and infidelity to his dying lover are nothing to be admired yet he writes about them as if they were badges of honor.

Don't waste your money or time on this one.

If you are looking for a well organized overview of TW's life and career, look somewhere else. For someone truly interested in Tennessee Williams, I would suggest first reading a biography of him, and if you are still interested, read this to find out what made this man tick, what made this man get out of bed each day and write, and what a (....) guy he was. This is a nitty-gritty, confessional look inward at the personal aspects and thoughts of the life of a very talented writer.
I am sure what shocked his public when it was published in 1975 was his frank description of his love life and sexual affairs. For Ernest Hemingway it was okay to describe his love life because he was straight, but for a gay man it was (and still largely is) expected to be kept discreetly sub-rosa. But Tennessee was not ashamed of his nature and not ashamed of his life and in that way this memoir (and his life itself) is an act of cultural defiance. It pours out in a fairly disjointed stream of recollections. To be honest, it reads like a rough-draft that needs a lot of editing and filling in. But all-in-all, the inherent drama, passion and thirst for life itself jump out of the page and carry one through to the end and you can't help but be touched by his humanity and his passion and his drive to express himself through his art.

I was hoping to learn more about John Waters, the man, when I bought this book, and I was far from disappointed. This book is a great memoir of his life from start to finish, with lots of juicy inside info on all of his films. Throughout the book the reader meets all of the outrageous and delightfully politically incorrect characters that inhibit his movies and his life. There are lots of inside stories about Mink Stole, Divine, and everyone else ever seen in a Waters film, as well as the sweet low-down on that famous poop scene as well everything else you've ever wondered about. Waters is surprisingly honest about all sorts of rude and criminal acts that I'd never have known about if I hadn't read it. Underneath it all he shines through as a lovable guy who adores his hometown of Baltimore as well as the genre of trashy movies. If you love Waters, or even don't particularly like him but want to know more about him anyway, you must read this book.

John Waters is a very funny, albeit very warped, man, but if you're considering buying this book, you probably already knew that. In this book he tells his life story (up to about 1980, when this book was first written), focussing on the making of his movies; on his friends (such as Divine, Mink Stole, Edith Massey etc) who became his regular cast and crew; and on some of his more unusual hobbies and obsessions (such as his fascination with high profile criminal cases and his love of Baltimore); and it is every bit as hilarious as his movies (although slightly less disgusting). In addition, it also includes interviews with Divine and Waters' heroes, Russ Meyer and Hershiell Gordon Lewis; a brief biography of Edith Massey (the egg lady from "Pink Flamingos"); and a large number of black and white pictures.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although I did find the interviews to be a bit tedious, particularly since I am not a fan of Meyer or Lewis (to me they felt like filler, put in solely to make the book a publishable length). Nevertheless, this book should appeal to all fans of Waters' work, and to anyone interested in the process of film making.

John Waters is a very funny, albeit very warped, man, but if you're considering buying this book, you probably already knew that. In this book he tells his life story (up to about 1980, when this book was first written), focussing on the making of his movies; on his friends (such as Divine, Mink Stole, Edith Massey etc) who became his regular cast and crew; and on some of his more unusual hobbies and obsessions (such as his fascination with high profile criminal cases and his love of Baltimore); and it is every bit as hilarious as his movies (although slightly less disgusting). In addition, it also includes interviews with Divine and Waters' heroes, Russ Meyer and Hershiell Gordon Lewis; a brief biography of Edith Massey (the egg lady from "Pink Flamingos"); and a large number of black and white pictures.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although I did find the interviews to be a bit tedious, particularly since I am not a fan of Meyer or Lewis (to me they felt like filler, put in solely to make the book a publishable length). Nevertheless, this book should appeal to all fans of Waters' work, and to anyone interested in the process of film making.

Before reading Shock Value, I'd read John's other book - Crackpot - and found it to be extremely witty and insightful. He seems very humble and able to communicate with anyone. I like this book Shock Value, however I am giving it 4 stars b/c I would rather not see images and snapshots. I'd rather just have had a full book I could read. Also, I didn't find his career-oriented to be interesting.

John Waters is fantastic. His true talents are not in his films, but in his writing. He can take the mundane and make it extraordinary, the creepy and strange and make it funny, and the ugliest of the ugly and make them things of beauty. Though he's an old man now, and his movies have gone mainstream, this book is a look back at his hilarious youth and all the mischief making that made him and the Dreamland cast stars.

This book covers the making of all his films, the biographies and interviews with his famed cast members, as well as his inpirations (ex. Rus Meyer). You enjoy their antics and feel as if you are right along side them in the making of their hilarious movies and tasteful adventures in bad taste. You can't put it down and are actually laughing out loud as you read. And he even writes about his family. How punk rock!

One thing he taught me to do was to love my hometown. People never seem to like their hometowns, whether they are in the most flashy of cities or the tiniest one horse town. Life is what you make of it, and John put the hairdo capital of the world (Baltimore) on the map with his hijinx and adoration of all things weird and wonderful. He takes his enemies and makes them into glowing monsters we can all throw rotten tomatos at in his absence. The creepy weirdos aren't monsters, they're glorious, misunderstood creatures we are to embrace. Look for the scariest, craziest places and have the most rip roaring time with the clientele. I've taken his advice and now have the ability to talk to anyone, because there are loads of lonely lunatics out there just dying to be friends with you.

I thought this book was a good read for anyone interestied in learning the different types of splices used in marine applications. Some of the procedures were a bit difficult to undersatnd but if one sticks with it they work out.

I bought the book because I wanted to splice high-tech yacht rope, especially the 12-strand braids like Amsteel. This review pertains only to splices related to such rope.
The photos are not always of the splice being described (p.84). The illustrations appear to have been cropped to fit the page, which is especially confusing for complex splices (p.88). The hollow braid splice on p.83 results in a weak splice with a bump at a vulnerable location - I believe this is a dangerous splice and that the authors have failed to grasp the workings of the Chinese Finger Puzzle principle mentioned in several places.
Conclusion: don't waste your money. Go to the web sites for Yale, Sampson, and New England Rope to get better illustrations and text for free. Also, study the test results from Layline.com on the importance of tapering the buried eye splice tail.

The Splicing Handbook is simply one of the best reference works for the working rope splicer and professional rigger. Barbara Merry has provided an excellent book to review rusty skills, to learn a new splice, and as a convenient compendium of splice history to settle any shipyard, boatyard, or construction site argument on how to splice a specific configuration of rope. Ms. Merry is held in high esteem for producing a book on the most difficult technique of rope work - making a proper end termination! Good for her!!

Barbra Merry is a good friend of mine. Shes the one who got me started on ropes and knots and splicing etc... Anyway I have had a chance to skim through her book and read parts and excerpts from her book and it is really good. I've only known Barbra a few months but shes a really nice lady and if you ever have the chance to meet her make sure you make friends because shes the nicest lady you'll ever meet in your life. And if you ever have the chance to tie knots or learn how to splice or learn new knots I urge you to learn it because it is a great hobby and loads of fun. Thats my review about her book but its probably a review about the author.
Chris Anderson

This is a good and inexpensive book. You'll find a lot of information about splicing, perhaps more than you will ever need.

The problem with a book is that you have to understand how the strands -- and which strands -- lie up next to each other. It's not that easy to figure out the first time around. I learned how by watching my Dad. That gave me an idea how splices are made.

Consider Amazon's software on splicing; ISBN 0970971419 if you just want to learn common splices. It's a software program for beginners to do the basic splices in front of a computer. It's more expensive, though.

For someone so supportive of Jackson, his policies and actions (even when Buchanan himself deems them "going too far"), Buchanan fails to support his arguments. Clearly the author is enamored with the former President. Even during his military career when Jackson frequently disobeyed orders or followed his own code of conduct, Buchanan argues that he has sufficient reason for doing so and his actions were justified. But where is the evidence? By arguing that the Monroe administration was acting covertly to takeover the Floridas, he fails to cite from where he gets such information. There are no references to Monroe's history.
Buchanan has done his homework when discussing Jackson. He cites Jackson's papers and other credible biographies. He gives a well-rounded picture of the life and hardships Jackson endured and how electrifying his personality must have been. However, Buchanan goes a tad too far in arguing that Jackson, even when he broke the law, seized sovereign territory, killed two foreign residents, etc. was acting justly or on behalf of the administration where there is only evidence that he acted on his own accord. If those arguments are to be deemed credible in their own right, Buchanan needs to provide ample evidence that supports Jackson's seemingly arrogant decision-making process. He may have done his homework for Jackson, but the basis of his arguments seem based solely on his admiration for the man and not on historical facts or opinions of those present in that time. In other words, he acknowledges that there are those who call Jackson an Indian-hater or say he wanted to govern as a military dictator (ex. Napoleon), but fails to discredit those notions.

John Buchanan has written a most interesting book. Spanning the thirty year period 1780-1810 he covers a time of great uncertainty about just what to do with the existing and projected geographical definition of the fledgling United States. Aaron Burr was not the only person to think in terms of separation. Today, driving on Interstate Highways at 70 MPH through the Appalachian Mountains, it is difficult for us to understand just what an impenetrable barrier these mountains really were. No less a figure than Thomas Jefferson thought "whether we remain one confederacy or form into Atlantic and Mississippi confederacies I believe not very important to the happiness of either part."

No wonder then that the people of the west, as the west was then defined, drew so closely together and became such an interdependent, insular block. Surrounded by enemies (Great Britain on the North, Spain to the South and West and indifference from their own countrymen to the East), land locked with no natural outlet for their goods and agricultural products and at constant war with Native Americans, this, the fastest growing segment of the US population, was threatened with extinction. Thus, the setting was a tinder box with a truly separate people ready for that particular leader whose interests were not just aligned with but also coincident with their own.

Andrew Jackson was such a man. This is a story of survival, a story of great personal courage, of a very independent people who hacked their homes and way of life out of a true wilderness. It is a story of how the foundations of the Jacksonian Era were so firmly laid that the 34 year history of the Virginia Dynasty was so completely crushed in American politics that it never resurrected. An oft overlooked, misunderstood or just plain ignored segment of American history, these thirty years in the west were pivotal to the development of early America. Andrew Jackson was truly THE man, a most amazing force to be reckoned with, and an American to the very core of his soul.

The reader gets two stories for the price of one in "Jackson's Way." The first 150 pages tell the story of America's expansion West to the Mississippi River with objective and rich detail about the conflict and trials of both settlers and Indians, but little about Andrew Jackson. The book is also a good balance between modern apologists and proponents of manifest destiny. The second story describes Andrew Jackson the soldier and general, mostly Andrew Jackson the consummate leader. I can list with the fingers on one hand the really good books about leadership, this book fits in that count. If you're tired of sniveling and self serving politicians and generals driven more by bureaucracy and pomp than fighting skill and tired of selfish chief executive officers raking in million dollar stock options while laying off thousands of workers without adequate severance compensation then meet Andrew Jackson as described by author John Buchanan. If you teach history and want to see students sitting on the edge of their seats instead of falling asleep then this book is for you too. The story describes in detail battles in the Mississippi River watershed during the war of 1812 culminating with the Battle for New Orleans (1814-15) when we whupped the British tail. Buchanan describes Jackson's leadership traits in a way that readers in virtually any profession can relate.

Jack Buchanan is a great writer! I was enthralled by this book from the moment 15 year-old Andrew Jackson swept onto the page. Buchanan brings to life the saga of the Old Southwest and the American pioneers. The most interesting element of the book is the portrait you get of Andrew Jackson, who was so loved men voted for him fifty years after his death. Anyone interested in the Presidents or the history of the Old Southwest will want to read this book.

As you may have gathered from some of the other reviews of this book, the text could stand some improvement. However, the beautiful paintings and graphics make up for this somewhat, and are valuable for wargamers wishing to paint accurate miniatures, and for creating shorelines and fortifications.

The author has indeed found and printed some wonderful illustrations, especially the paintings, but his text cannot be relied upon. This book needed much more rigorous fact-checking.

This book contains among the best illustrations and the worst-researched text imaginable. It is truly recommended for the images, the prints, the photos... but DO NOT pay any attention to the captions or the words, which are inaccurate at best and wildly misleading at worst. A good coffee-table book, but a lousy history.

This book is absolutely a must for anyone interested in Civil War naval history. It is not a large book, but the paintings are absolutely wonderful. I have never seen a book of Civil War naval art which is so complete and visually stunning. The text is also quite good, and enhances the already enjoyable feel of the book. I would strongly endorse this book to any armchair historian, as it touches on an oft-neglected aspect of the War Between the States in a way that is very appealing, both visually and intellectually.

The Civil War Chronicles "Naval Warfare" is a must for any beginning civil war buff as well as the die-hard enthusiast who wants a strongly-written, coffee table pictorial book of Civil War Naval action. Wideman's narrative is balanced, and he has indeed chosen the best illustrations from the past as well as from today's Civil War artists, as he himself pointed out in his comments. Wideman not only covers and covers well the major actions ("Monitor" vs. "Merrimac", Farragut at Mobile Bay, the "Kearsage" vs. "Alabama"), he also covers the lesser-known incidents as well; i.e., the Red River Expedition of 1864, and the assault on Fort Fisher in 1865. All of the major naval personalities are also mentioned here, although he only gives scent coverage to Cushing's daring assault on C.S.S. Albemarle. Again, very value-priced and a finely illustrated narrative of civil war sea combat and innovation.

This book is full of useful information for painters wishing to paint water that looks 'right'. It is generously illustrated, with explanatory text that is clear and to the point. The layout is logical and clear, and the book deals with one point at a time by means of a short, clear textual explanation accompanied by an explanatory sketch, painting or diagram, before moving on to the next point.

The book starts with a short chapter on equipment and supplies, and follows with a chapter on how water's properties affect its appearance - transparency, reflection, angled reflections (e.g. a leaning post reflected in water), rippled reflections, reflections viewed fom above, reflections which are extended by ripples in the surface of the water, choppy water, colour reflected in water, sparkle on water, reflected glare, - and so on. Water is tricky stuff, but with this book as a reference, I find that my approach is more confident, and the visual results much more satisfactory.

Other chapters include painting to interpret mood, painting wet ground, puddles, creeks, lakes and ponds, rivers, waterfalls, bays and harbours, and surf.

I find it a brilliant explanatory and reference book.

I am a professional artist and found this book to be one of the best investments I've made. He shows in detail every aspect of water from the foam on waves to shadows on waterfalls. I paint in oils and pastels and found even the watercolor demos to be very helpful. Highly recommend!

The title of this review says it all. As for 'all mediums' mostly are watercolor. So, if you are into watercolor and not wanting to learn how to paint water, which what water is in there is terrible, then by all means purchase it. Personally, I sent it back as no help to me.

If you are looking for the same level of instruction as in the prior E. John books, you won't find it. The pictures are beautiful but no major step by step process--more a global overview. I pre-ordered this book months ago, as I think E. John is a phenominal painter and seems so spiritually attuned and connected with the ocean. I was a little disappointed with this edition, but being an admirer of E. John Robinson's, I would have purchased it anyway.

E. John Robinson is a well known California Seascape artist that works with both oils and watercolor. In his "Painting All Aspects of Water," Robinson shares his observations and techniques gained over his many years of study and painting water.

Robinson begins with a discourse on the properties of water and the creation of mood then applies these lessons to painting every possible use of water - wet ground, puddles, rivers, waterfalls, surf, and much more.

This is an excellent book for not only the novice but also for those who are more experienced and need that little extra from a master.

Robinson is the go-to person, whether oils or watercolor, to inspire you in making your water scenes mystical and magical.

The money you spend on this book will be the single best investment (aside from spending time on the stream gaining firsthand experience) you make. Easy to understand and turn into working knowledge for the flyfisherman new to this fishery.

Excellent book on steelhead fly fishing. Very good information and easy to read format.

NOTE - There is now a Third Edition of this book availible (March 2004) that has an expanded section on recommended steelhead flies and patterns. Book contains updated information on steelhead resources. Useful information on tying your own leaders (various leader formulas are explained in detail).

The Second Edition is good, but the Third Edition appears to be more complete.

John Nagy's book is perfect for the steelhead angler living in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Steelhead in Lake Erie are different from other populations of Great Lake's steelhead, because of the shale creeks and rivers.

John Nagy over the years has developed specialized leaders, custom built rods, and proper drifting presentations for these waters. The book goes in detail on weather and stream conditions, steelhead behavior, strategies, and maps of tributaries of Lake Erie. The book also has pictures of the most popular flies used for steelhead. I started fishing for steelhead two years and John Nagy's book has turned me from a frustrated newbie to a stream savvy steelheader. I would strongly recommend this book.

This books does have lots of decent info on the subject, and I learned a lot from reading it. However, the only photos of the fly patterns in the book are on the back cover, and leave a lot to be desired. I have been told that the 2nd Edition has much better photos and tying instructions for the fly (egg) patterns in the book. If I had known in advance, I would have purchased the 2nd edition for a few more dollars!

For a short book, this has it all.

The book is set up to provide a great deal of information in a concise format.

First it tells you where to fish in OH, PA and NY. Then it tells you how the weather affects the fishing (very important in the Great Lakes). Then it tells you how steelhead behave in this stream during different weather and water level conditions. This guides you in selecting a stretch of water to fish.

The author describes the various techniques that are effective in these streams, bottom bouncing egg patterns and nymphs. He closes with suggested fly tackle and local fly patterns.

I felt that I had accompanied a guide for an all-day trip after reading this book. It is an exellent start to learning how to catch these exciting fish.

This Unofficial Guide is a must-have if you like to keep your gear-bag packed for your next adventure. Jean Pierce has been there, done it and dived it. Having dived from Palau to Peurto Rico, myself, I thought I knew all there was to know about getting to the world's best diving, but this book has opened my eyes to even more. Informative, and written from a diver's eyes (as opposed to the travel agent's); it gives you the information you need to know if you want to get maximum bang for your diving dollar and diving time. I believe in traveling light, but I will always find room for this book in my bag -- it's just that necessary.

I found this book to be incrediably useful. I purchased the guide book before my trip to North Carolina and found the detail about Nitrox availability, camera friendly dive boats, and dive shops to be right on the mark! I've never seen this kind of detail available in any other diving guide book.
I definatley recommend this book to any diver planning a diving vacation.
Kuddos to Jean Pierce for this great guide book!

A diver for just two years, I have already used this Unofficial Guide on at least three occasions. Yes, the choices presented are highly subjective (as most diving guides tend to be), but there are a wide range of locales and choices to get one started. I have begun all of my diving vacations by referring first to this guide...then researching more thoroughly on the internet. Usually, I end up using one of the dive operators and diving resorts which the book has suggested and finish the process by making reservations via the internet or by phone. If you enjoy reading more comprehensively about diving before making your decision, look elsewhere...if you are like me and prefer to glance at something more condensed or capsulized, check out "World's Best Diving Vacations."

This book is a must have for anyone traveling to diving/snorkeling destinations. My husband and I recently used it while traveling to Long Island Bahamas. Information on lodging, restaurants and points of interest were right on the mark. We have recommended this book to friends who found it very useful also.

Divers and non-divers alike would benefit from this guide. The author writes in an informative and interesting style, giving personal and historical information. It is enjoyable and easy to read. I pick it up for pleasure to read about places I want to travel to in the future.

This guide makes it possible to travel with confidence to completely unfamiliar places, knowing what to expect when you get there. Don't go diving without it.

An absolute waste of money! As it turns out, I've been diving recently at many of the locations listed plus quite a few others. Given the title, I thought the list would be quite comprehensive. I expect there will always be differences of Opinion on subjects like this, but I can't figure out the logic of the locations chosen. The authors maintain that ease of travel is important to them, then list Heron Island Australia, but leave out locations like Bali. My biggest criticism, however is the long list of East Coast USA choices.

Like several other reviewers, I latched on to this book thinking it dealt with present-day folks defending themselves against criminals. In point of fact, this book by Robert and John Waters relates Old West and Depression-era shootouts between bank robbers and enraged local citizens. It's exciting reading but not what I expected.

The stories in OUTGUNNED are a combination of well-known failed robberies and little-known bungled attempts. Exploits by famous outlaws - Jesse James, the Daltons, Pretty Boy Floyd - are intermixed with those of robbery rejects like Adam Richetti. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to the order of the different chapters. Chronologically you jump back and forth from events circa 1915 to 1897 to 1938. And, if the thread that holds the stories together is bank robberies, why then is a chapter devoted to Tom Horn who was a killer but never a bank robber?

All in all, a somewhat interesting but still optional choice.

I bought this book because I thought so highly of Mr. Waters' book, "The Best Defense." This is also a good book, but the subject is not what I was expecting. I should have read the commentary and reviews more carefully.

I was expecting more stories of people who had defended themselves with a firearm, but this book doesn't really cover that subject. This book is about people who banded together to defend their communities against outlaws. It is not about personal protection.

Most of the stories are about bank robberies and how the local citizenry thwarted them. The most recent event covered in this book occurred in the 1930's. This is primarily a history book.

Although the book could have been edited better, Mr. Waters has done his research well, and he gives a good accounting of each of the covered events. If you are looking for this sort of thing, you will enjoy this book. I was looking for something else.

Robert Waters has done it again! OUTGUNNED! reads like a sequel in subject matter to his previous books regarding self-protection of law-abiding citizens of America against ruthless criminals. Since I am a university history instructor, please indulge me to elaborate in this review. I truly appreciate all the effort that went into writing this informative book.

Mr. Waters and his brother, John, have obviously spent much time in the research of data involving gangsters from the midwest to the great southwest. Some are well-known, and some are not. Toward the end of the nineteenth century up through the early twentieth century, all kinds of marauding gangs were running rampant throughout these territories. In the latter days of the westward expansion, settlement, and development, law and peace were not always easy to maintain. It was simple for hoodlums to hit a bank or post office, and quickly disappear into the wilds of Texas or Indian territory.

From Jesse James and his loosely knit group to John Dillinger, and the flamboyant members of the Mob in Chicago, these thugs carved their way into the minds of Americans, and some are still remembered. These people and events are described by Mr. Waters in graphic details that abound on every page through thirteen chapters. At times, by pointless mistakes made, the outlaws were brought to the dust by their intended victims. The bravery of these ordinary citizens was amazing!

There are those in America who will argue that Robert Waters advocates self-protection with the use of firearms or other weaponry, and that it is politically or religiously incorrect. Their problem may be getting invaded without a chance. I have read this study for its substance, not specific technicality, and am satisfied that Mr. Waters and his brother have written a fine piece that will hold the interest. What was the actual ignoble ending of Butch and Sundance, along with some of their disciples? Read this book!

As in his prior books, Robert Waters, aided this time by his brother John, has brought to light the politically suppressed accounts of Americans righteously using firearms to defend themselves and, in this case, their property and that of their neighbors.

Delving into history, the Waters brothers give us an insight into times when citizens were not prosecuted for defending their communities and its institutions, particularly the community banks. It would take a lenghty search for a reader to assemble all these accounts on his own.

However, as in Robert's earlier works, there are an embarrassing number of errors, mostly technical, but also historical and geographical. I hope that they continue to produce these unique books but I also wish that they would seek better editors and proofreaders. In books that are so closely related to firearms there is no excuse for some of the glaring technical errors.

Bill Nye The Science Guy has a winner, again. This one is the Big Blue Ocean. There are twelve easy to do experiments for children to do. How big is the ocean? That is the first question. It is answered very informatively, then it is followed by a great experiment to cement the concept for hands on learners. The whole book is formatted the same way with informational side bars added. Good third and fourth grade material.

I have a Ph.D. in oceanography and have taught it in colleges. I was looking at this book for clues on writing oceanography for kids. I didn't read every word but in my skimming I found two pretty bad errors. The book says gives theocean off Chile as an example of a region with very little life (WRONG! there's upwelling of nutrient-rich water there and it's an example of a region with a lot of life) and that chemosynthetic bacteria at hydrothermal vents make oxygen (NO! it's energy). The book is fun but for readers who don't know a lot of oceanography, beware.

If your kids (and you!) love Bill Nye on TV, they'll also enjoy him in print form. Here Bill is up to his usual antics--but it's all serious science. This fun and accurate introduction to a number of aquatic concepts is likely to "hook" kids--so be prepared to follow this book up with one that goes into more depth!