C Books

PROFESSORS-WITH-A-PAST: I've only met a one or two former offenders who were "criminologists" and it's hard for me to say how good they were in that role. My sense is that they are too "close" to what they are studying and that it is hard for them to remain objective. But I've also met a few "criminologists" who were not ex-offenders and who were not objective in their work. I suppose one's ability at one's job is dependent many factors, not just one's personal experiences.

As I see it, this trend for hiring "Professors-With-a-Past" represents yet another travesty of post-modernism and the academy. I once participated on a panel at the American Society of Criminology where a panel member declared he would never be associated with these "academic" institutions that constitute "cop shops." His entire focus was against "Ex-Cops" and other former-law-enforcement Professor's filling their lectures with "war stories."

There is now a marked trend by many criminal justice departments to realign their designation as "Department of Criminology;" "Department of Law and Society;" or to, either return/retain embodiment within a university Department of sociology or Social Work or other department umbrellas.

I tend to see much of this "Ex-Con Professors" article as "partisan pleading" and the "endless excuse." It is ironic that at a time when we will not hire people with a professional law enforcement background in criminal justice that these individuals are being lionized. The very fact that the Northern Kentucky University's Ex-Con Professor must open his lecture with warning that he will be using profane language hints at the same specious staging of these course. I would love to see the syllabi being produced by these people.

Yes, ex-offenders, as consumer of the product, may bring keen insights into the academy, especially thru research in institutional racism, institutional violence - gang's behind bars, prison rape, extortion. Prisons, reporting to the executive branch of government at the Federal, State, and Local level represent the most politicized element of the CJS, they are constantly prey to the respective policy mandates of an administration. Solid and balanced insights from ex-offender scholars regarding the "Politics of Punishment" are wanted and needed. I agree with the closing admonishments to the Ex-Con Professors regarding "serious research."

We do not need emblazoned ex-offender "war stories"...we need viable research in solving the dilemmas of recidivism and contributing to successful reintegration strategies.

Jess Maghan
Chester, CT
April 2004

CONVICT CRIMINOLOGY IS AN EDITED BOOK THAT FEATURES SOME OF THE BEST KNOWN ACADEMIC SCHOLARS IN THE FIELD. I especially enjoyed the chapters written by the ex-convict professors. They are the real experts on crime and corrections. The reading is cutting edge, state-of-the art, a new paradigm in criminology. This book will blow the cob webs off the walls of the ivory tower. This is a new criminology!

RICHARDS AND ROSS EDIT A FASCINATING WORK ON THE LIVES AND OBSERVATIONS OF VARIOUS SCHOLARS WITH DIRECT EXPERIENCE IN THE PENAL SYSTEM. THIS EASILY DIGESTIBLE BOOK SERVES AS AN EXCELLENT REFERENCE WORK ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF CRIMINOLGY, AND IS RECOMMENDED BOTH GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. THE BOOK FEATURES 9 CHAPTERS BY EX-COVICTS THAT ARE NOW PROFESSORS OF SOCIOLOGY, CRIMINOLOGY, OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

There a lots of how to books out there but Behind Bars is something different. This book is assecessible to the general public and gives its readers, an inside perspective on prison. The language is clear and its points are made simply and directly. As an educator who has worked with "street kids," this book will be a useful tool at letting my students appreciate what it means to become ajudicated. Behind Bars is a "how to book" that you hope you will never need, or that your family or friends will ever need. But, on the other hand, maybe we do need to read this book so we get insight on this huge American industry. In order to be a well informed citizen I believe you should read this book.

As part of the Wadsworth Series on Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, this edited volume attempts to go beyond the coverage of typical classroom texts. The contributors, many of whom are ex-convicts-turned academics, are critical of assumptions used to justify incarceration, their central difficulty being with the way prisons dehumanise. This volume critically examines the prison institution from the perspective of the `other.'

Part 1, "What's Wrong with Corrections," sets the stage in three chapters. Austin argues that the current criminological research focus, much of which is misinterpreted, on predators, persisters or the truly dangerous, has resulted in the uncritical acceptance of incarceration as the solution. According to Ross, misrepresentations and stereotyping are the consequence of uncritically accepting of the media's take on corrections and reinforce existing crime-control practices, preventing discussions of alternative ways of doing crime control. Fisher-Giorlando reminds us that criminologists' successes, including her own, rests on the lives of men and women prisoners and that we owe it to them to devise and implement relevant policy.

Part 2, in six chapters, sets out "Convict Experience and Identity." Tromanhauser and Terry discuss the current state of conventional criminological research. Using his own life as an example, Tromanhauser reminds us that there is no simple explanation of crime causation. Terry concurs with Tromanhauser, adding that most criminological research is dominated by factor analysis and multivariate correlations' having little relevance with people's real life situations. Richards and Newbold discuss the state of social support for convicts. While Richards points out that corrections workers, more often than not, fail to interact with convicts in any meaningful or relevant fashion, Newbold argues that recidivism rates are high because many have no outside social support and reincarceration often occurs for breech of parole conditions. Thus, Newbold adds, life inside becomes easier because people learn how to adjust to life in prison. Lanier and Jones deal with adjustment to life inside and outside the prison walls. While Lanier points out that the increasing number of fathers in prison has negative psychological impacts due to their having long-term consequences for their institutional adjustment, Jones argues that adjustment back into society is subject to inmates' interpretations of past events and their current problem-solving skills. How prisoners face these challenges, Jones points out, can tell us a lot about what might be done to help them. The final chapter in Part 2 (by Mobley) argues that a fiscally responsible penology may mean better prisons may look completely different from prisons as we know them now. But Mobley, as an ex-convict, points out that suggestions made by him and his fellow convict criminologists face resistance from both convict and academic communities because the suggestions come from ex-convicts.

The final six chapters (Part 3), a somewhat eclectic collection, are about "Special Populations"-women, the physically and mentally ill, American Indians and juveniles. wen argues that we need to understand women's experiences from their point of view, conceptualising their behaviour as expressions of oppressive social contexts both outside and inside prison walls. On the issue of caring for the physically ill, Murphy suggests that overshadowing health care with security concerns poses danger to the inmate population and ultimately the community-at-large in terms of fiscal and resource burn-out. Arrigo points out that mental health offenders are effectively silenced because they are the subjects of transcarceration between mental hospitals and prisons. Thus alternative (more positive) interpretations/labels of their behaviours are effectively negated. The legal label `Indian' has social implications in terms of access to both constitutional rights and relevant institutional programming inside which has implications for preventing recidivism, according to Archambault. Tregea, a little off topic, deals with preventing recidivism, arguing for relevant programming that enhance inmates' chances for productive citizenry. In addition to vocational skills, quality educational programs that teach writing, oral, critical thinking and problem solving skills are needed. He further argues for both sentencing and recidivism guidelines to reduce the prison population in the long run. When examining how juveniles understand their carceral experience, Elrod and Brooks assert that the official version of the institution is a sanitised and at best, simplified version of realities experienced by those who live there, and that many juveniles do not see the point of much of what goes on inside.

The concluding chapter (Richards and Ross) invites readers to think about listening to the clientele of prisons so as to make relevant prison policy that may have a better chance of reducing the prison population in the long run.

Despite a few editorial errors, the no-nonsense writing style of some of the contributors may be unpalatable for some. The shifting levels of analysis among section chapters make this volume odd and eclectic in ways. However, this volume represents a significant and valuable contribution to the field of criminology making a strong argument for qualitative research in prisons. This volume offers a view of the prison institution and its effects, from the point of view of its clientele-the inmates- and is appropriate for senior undergraduates and criminal justice policy makers and administrators.

I loved this poem and laughed...enjoyed...and re-read it. Just a fun tale and the illustrations are really quite vivid and enlightening adding a quality to the storyline.

I saw this book in my son's school library and bought it through Amazon the very same day. A great rhyming story to read aloud. My son and I both enjoy reading this book. Highly recommended!

I recently saw this poem recited in a vaudeville show in the Yukon. A couple of days later when I saw the book I just had to buy it. Although the story is morbid, I think the sound of the words and the colorful pictures will appeal to my 10-month old grandson (if he's allowed to hear it read). Great book!

This was one of my favorite books as a kid. My dad used to read it as a bedtime story. The pictures in this version are not as big as those in the original which was a little dissapointing. Otherwise the book is exactly as I remembered it.

I recently saw this poem used effectively with a sixth grade Social Studies class studying the Yukon Gold Rush. The poem with it's morbid/supernatural theme is intriguing to kids in the middle school years and the colorful yet somewhat archaic and ambiguous language led to a great beginning Socratic Seminar. This type of "picture book" should be used more often with older students and as another reviewer mentioned this poem would make a great extension to a literature unit on narrative poems or as a supplemental reading to a classic novel like Jack London's CALL OF THE WILD. And though I had never heard this poem before someone recently told me it is a classic to tell around the campfire especially when camping in the snow.

The book was great: I agree with the previous reviewer's comparison of Wickert's book to a Grisham political thriller.

Frankly, however, that all takes a back seat to the guy who wrote the book. Check out the photo on the back cover. I'm in love.

Justine Burke, Petoskey, Michigan

As a reader of mostly non-fiction (especially biographies), I was pleasantly surprised on how Dark Redemption kept my attention. I started reading it about 6PM on a Friday and besides a few activities (mowing a yard and going to my nephew's birthday party on Saturday) I was finished by 9AM Sunday morning. It had the intensity of an early Grisham novel and the polish of a Clancy product. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants an intense, fast-paced and well-written novel.

I cannot stand predictable plots and run-of-the-mill endings. Dark Redemption has neither. It holds your attention from start to finish, gently weaving character after character into the storyline, while building a crescendo of suspense that culimates in one of the most surprising endings I've yet to come across in mainstream political/historical fiction. I even learned a lot about the Ku Klux Klan and the CIA! A real winner!

Tis book is a very fast paced and exciting political thriller. For a first time author, Mr. Wickert has done a very good job. As one reviewer commented, it would be interesting to see Hollywood make a movie of this book.
I look forward to Mr. Wickert's next novel.

Dark Redemption starts off slowely and the author builds the disparate characters into a well organized pastiche of the spy/terrorist genre. The book quickly becomes a "can't put it down" marathon. The final denouement is worthy of the best in its class. Its a good read!

I found this an exellent book. The original design patterns book drew its examples from C++ applications. I could see a use for the patterns in C++, but I thought most of them would not have been necessary if the code had been written in Smalltalk.

This book did an excellent job of showing how and where the patterns could be used in Smalltalk applications. The authors also extended and clarified many of the pattern so that they were simplier to understand. The book is more than a companion to the GOF book; it is an enhancement of it.

This book gives you a better understanding of the patterns than in its original version (the GoF one). I am not a SmallTalk programmer but a 9 years C++ one. At work I had to use the GoF book and never liked reading it. In contrast to this, the SmallTalk companion is easy to read and you can understand the patterns within the first few lines of their description. Take the Bridge pattern and compare their discussions in the two books. If you really like the Gof one then buy it. But according to me, it would be a big mistake buying the GoF in favour of the SmallTalk companion. Trust a C++ programmer :-)

This isn't a Smalltalk translation of "Design Patterns." Instead, it's a companion to that book. You'll need to read the first one to get the most out of this one. If you have read the first one, you'll find this one is better written and really casts essential light on some of the GOF material. The Smalltalk aspects of this book are really a non-issue (except perhaps showing static-typers how many hoops you don't have to use in Smalltalk). This is required patterns reading.

I bought this book because of the unresolved questions I had after spending so many hours exploring the GoF original book. I am an experience C, C++, and Objective C programmer, not a Smalltalk guru at all. And I found the GoF very confusing and intimidating. My current projects these days are written in Java (I miss Objective C). I looked for a book that would cover the pattern catalog in Java because I was really questioning the purpose of some of them in that language. Creating some mechanism to overcome the C++ language is somewhat understandable, but why bother with Java. Take the prototype pattern for example: "...It's (the prototype pattern) less important (to use it) in languages like Smalltalk or Objective C that provides what amounts to a prototype..." (page 121) Sure, ok, but what about Java? Can you give me an example on how it would benefit a language that doesn't really require it like Obj C, or even Smalltalk? Then the sample code refers to the maze example but not much material is given here. I bought several books with Java and Design Patterns in the title but was very disappointed with the beginner level these books approach this problem. The titles are seductive but the content is not that great. I don't need another ADOO (I've read Larman's book already. Get it if you are new to OO BTW.) So I ended up getting that book as a last resort. And you know what? It's great. I program in Java all day (and sometimes all night, sigh...) and this book spends more time on my desk than the GoF original one. So, if this comments remind you some of your experience, you should give this book a try. And this book lighted up another bulb in my brain: I ended up downloading Squeak and prototyping in Smalltalk some of my projects just for the fun of it, but that's a side effect I guess ;-)

I found this an exellent book. The original design patterns book drew its examples from C++ applications. I could see a use for the patterns in C++, but I thought most of them would not have been necessary if the code had been written in Smalltalk.

This book did an excellent job of showing how and where the patterns could be used in Smalltalk applications. The authors also extended and clarified many of the pattern so that they were simplier to understand. The book is more than a companion to the GOF book; it is an enhancement of it.

This book is very detailed. It helped me a lot when I got to a Asian Market to look for food. Plus at least when I know what it is. I recommend.

This book was the connection I needed between the recipes in my Japanese cookbooks and the local Asian market. Many of the packages have no English word on the package. I have used this book every time I have shopped; when I can't figure out what I am looking for, I take the Japanese word (the book cross references in English and Japanese) to the service desk. The young Japanese woman takes me to exactly what I am looking for. It has saved hours of decoding the ingredients.

This is great for descriptions and translations, not for cooking assistance; it discusses pairings of flavors for ingredients you look up. It is the perfect dictionary to keep close to the Asian cookbooks.

This ten-year old dictionary remains unsurpassed
as a guide to the ingredients, methods and utensils
used in japanese cooking. It is a portable volume
with romanized, kana and kanji versions of all the
names and so is ideal for a trip to the market
where many unfamilar ingredients may be presented
to the english--speaking food lover.

There are seventeen useful appendices that cover
topics like:
Chopsticks
Katsuoboshi
The kitchen and its utensils
Kombu
The Meal
Miso
Sake
Salt
Sansai
Soy sauce
Sushi
Tea
The tea ceremony
Umami and Flavor
Vegetarianism
Wasabi
Wasabon Sugar

In addition, many of the entries have enough
detail to be useful to the Western chef who
wants to incorporate Japanese ideas into his
or her cooking. Hoskins is an admirably concise
writer who packs a lot of information into a
small amount of graceful prose.

Be aware that this is not an encyclopedia. If
you use the English-Japanese section to look
up `mushroom' for instance, you'll find the
translation `kinoko' but not a comprehensive
list of Japanese mushrooms or techniques for
cooking them.

So leave the browsing to other books and keep
this one for trips to the market You'll be glad
to have it.

--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and the forthcoming novel bang-BANG from Kunati Books. ISBN 9781601640005

I recently spent a month in Tokyo and I enjoy cooking. I found this book along with a good Japanese cookbook to be very useful both in the market and the kitchen. I would have like it to included a kana (Japanese syllabic writing) to English section, but understand most English speakers are not familiar with this Japanese syllabic writing. Luckily all Japanese know our alphabet and my fellow shoppers were always happy to help me find what I wanted. In fact, I believe they appreciated my interest in their food and culture.

For those people who love Japanese cuisine but don't know much about the Japanese language, this pocket size dictionary is a wonderful tool. It focuses on most terms and words used in Japanese cuisine including drinks, entrees, ingredients, food terms, even some cooking and food container names. The dictionary allows readers easy to look up information. It is arranged in three sections: Japanese-English, English-Japanese, and Appendices with some interesting topics in Japanese cuisine. Each entry in the Japanese-English section provides the Japanese term in Roman script, Japanese character, as well as Kanji, along with the English definition details and possibly some additional culture notes. Truly, this dictionary is a MUST!

(Reviewed by Otto Yuen, 19-Jan-2006)

This book provides many clear reproductions of Schiele's preliminary drawings. There are even a few smaller reproductions of some oils. The text is easy to follow and goes chronologically with his work. The only down side is that the pieces are sited in the text and then one has to flip to the page to see them. However, they are grouped by year so you do not have to stray far from the page that you are on. This methold also seems to allow for nice size reproductions. The book is some what small for an art book, but I think the scale of the work allows for it.

Following the introduction, the book is arranged chronologically; the first chapter covering the years up to 1907 when the artist was seventeen, followed by 1908-1909, with the successive chapters covering a year each up to 1918. The chapters open with about six or seven pages of illustrated text, to be followed by the relevant drawings; there is no bibliography.

A very readable book, the text provides a year by year account of the artist's progress; his family situation and personal life, his education and development as an artist and what influenced him. It is an intelligent and reasoned account.

The vast bulk of the book however is taken up with the drawings and watercolours. All the images are reproduced in full colour, including the monochrome drawings. It contains over three hundred illustrations which, with the exception of those illustrating the text, are presented one to a page, with the a few double page spreads. The printing is excellent and the images appear rich and strong, well conveying the subtle textures evident in the artist's work.

This is a most handsome volume, fairly modest in dimensions, but at nearly 500 pages certainly not in content. It is beautifully produced and presented; the choice of font for the text has quite obviously been given careful consideration, and perfectly complements Schiele's drawings. The images combined with the sensitively written text cannot but draw one to Schiele, and highlight what a tragic loss that he should enjoy such a short life. If anyone has any doubts about the genius of Egon Schile, a little time spent perusing this splendid book will surely put that to rights.

This is a book that gives the reader a unique opportunity to discover Schiele's art through his works on paper (which, in my opinion, convey a much better idea of the importance of this artist than his paintings). There is a lightness in these works, and, at the same time an urge to express the uneasiness, the anguish that the artist feels towards the outside world, that is very well shown in the book, through countless high-quality reproductions. The text is very sensible and written by the leading authority on Egon Schiele.
Highly recommended.

As an owner of many art books, this one is in the top 20 favorites just because of the quality of the item. The quality of the reproductions, the number of reproductions and the price cannot be beat. This publisher has really put out some nice art books. Lets hope there is more to come!

There are three things that I liked about this book: (1) great art well reproduced. The colors are well saturated and vibrant. (2) Each section begins with a brief history of the artist's life and points out how his work changed (or didn't) during that period in his life. (3) There are enough illustrations so that you can truly observe his progression and maturation as an artist.

Schiele was clearly enamored by the human figure and he captured its allure and beauty as few have. This is an excellent art book that is also well priced. Highly recommended.

Es muy bueno perdonar a quién creemos que nos ha hecho daño, el vivir una vida plena sin odios, rencores, etc. es de lo más sano para tu ALMA. ESTE LIBRO TE DARA LA TECNICA INFALIBLE !

Y SUAVE PARA EL ALMA... Como una limpieza produnfa que nos purifica el alma y el pensamiento

y algo maravilloso que aprendi de una persona muy sabia, ME ENSEÑARON EL DIFICIL PERO RENTABLE ARTE DE PERDONAR:
Primero, lee el libro con sumos cuidado y atencion.
Después, haces una lista de la o las personas que odias o aborreces y, repitiendo su nombre, recitas:
"TE PERDONO Y TE BENDIGO !"
Al principio, ese "te bendigo"se te atora en la lengua, pero entre mas lo repitas, mas pronto te encontraras que no solo se hace facil repetirlo, sinon que UN BUEN DIA AMANECES CON LA SORPRESA DE QUE TU CORAZON YA NO ALBERGA NINGUNA ODIO !

Y TE SIENTES LIBERADO... PARA SIEMPRE

"...y perdona nuestras ofensas..."
¿Y AQUELLO DE
" ...asi como nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden..."
Te aseguro, amigo, que eso lo repetimos como loros huastecos... sin verdadera intención y sin ninguna atención..
Y DIOS ES MUY SABIO: Nos manda perdonar porque el resentimiento nos daña..Y PORQUE ES JUSTO QUE HAGAMOS POR OTROS LO QUE PEDIMOS PARA NOSOTROS MISMOS !

Y esta obra contiene UN GRAN METODO PARA PERDONAR.
Por eso te la recomiendo

MI ALIVIO...PORQUE NO ABORRECIA A NADIE, EXCEPTO A MI MISMO...
Y aprendi a perdonarme...¡ES TAN DIFÍCIL ! Pero ESTE LIBRO ME DIO LA TECNICA INFALIBLE !

After reading book one, their are some logical theories you can come up with for book 2. I found myself nervous about what would happen and enthralled as it played out. The author is once again successfully wielding his power to captivate to reader. I had to stay up late to finish, I couldn't rest until I knew what would happen to my friends in the world of Epic. Now I eagerly await the release of book 3! So many questions, so many thoughts, so many possibilities! Do yourself a favor and follow this series!

The story has just gotten better through the second in the series. The combination of individual personal turmoil, battle action, and political intrigue makes for some compelling reading.

Mr. Stephen has proven himself adept at weaving an engaging and exciting story that is difficult to put down for fans of any genre.

Unfortunately, now I have to wait for the next book, but some things are worth the wait.

This novel picks up where the original in the series leaves off. It's just as fast-paced, moreso even, and offers serious twists to the story line that the most experienced of readers won't expect.

Mr Stephen's ability to force your own emotions out into the open WHILE reading is noteworthy. The book challenges your own beliefs, imagination and decision-making process. You're forced to empathize witht he protagonist, and you learn that the antagonist is more than you initially imagined. The depth of the characters is exposed, and it's impressive.

From the military terminology, the chain of command, the strategery to the specifics of each culture personified - this book hits on all cylindars.

Incredible read. You'll be salivating with each page and left feeling lonely at the end - waiting for book 3.

Very well done, Mr. Stephen!

Outlaw Trigger is a dark glimpse into the psychology of loss and the resulting crisis of faith.

Lee Stephen has outdone himself with this excellent work. The hero of Dawn of Destiny, Scott Remington, continues his journey as a soldier of EDEN defending the Earth against alien aggression. Written in a straightforward, comprehensible style, Stephen uses his the Epic Universe as a sandbox to explore the dark side in all of us. I'm loath to say much about the plot of the book, lest I give away an ending that is as rewarding as it is surprising, but trust me when I say that it is worth every page turned.

Remington is still stationed in Siberia; the EDEN base there is still firmly in the grip of General Thoor and the Nightmen. Although their ferocity in battle and their ability to repulse alien attackers is unmatched, all is not well. The leaders of EDEN come together to try unconver a conspiracy surrounding the disposition of troops and material in Siberia (adding a nice, political element to the story that was somewhat missing in Dawn of Destiny), leaving Remington in the center of future action there.

Once again Stephen is unapologetic in his use of Providence in determining the course of an individual's life. The themes of faith, redemption, and righteousness run deeply throughout both novels in the Epic Universe, but never in such a way as to be misplaced within the worldview of the characters. In fact, Stephen's touch with these themes is surprisingly deft given the readable style. The questions he raises are both deep and visceral, leaving me questioning my own reactions if I were in a situation similar to the characters. Real strength is shown by doing what is right; refusing to listen to the dictates of conscience has its own rewards...or punishments. It is exceedingly rare that military science fiction is this thought provoking, but Stephen has delivered in spades.

The only problem that I have now is that I have to wait for Book 3.

Outlaw trigger picks up shortly after dawn of destiny left off. The assault on Novosibirsk is over, and things seem as normal as can possibly be for Scott and the others. However, things are about to abruptly change. "They say every man has a breaking point." Those are the first words written on the back of outlaw trigger. How aptly they describe the whole of the book.
Scotts life is badly damaged in the early stages of the book, when something traumatic happens at a time and place no one would expect. From then on out, his faith in God weakens, and he plunges into a depression that ultimately leads to a shocking end. Many of the old characters are involved as well, and more than one may not make it to the end of the novel alive. Bonds and enemies are made, and destroyed, and the bleaker and more uncertain side of all of Unit 14 begins to show. Will they comeback from this low, or will Scott and all of Unit 14 break up and fall into chaos? The overall storyline of Epic is beginning to move now, and I for one eagerly await to find out where it's going.
Many of the old characters are back, and some new ones as well. Everyone is still fun to read about, and there is even some new info about a few of the characters. Outlaw Trigger is as enjoyable as Dawn of Destiny, and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.

Even More is a sweet heartwarming tale of love that spans generations. It beautifully portrays the timelessness of the love of a mother for her daughter, of a daughter's love for her mother and the loveliness of the great circle of life.

Barbara Quick and Liz McGrath have written a beautiful rendition of what every mother feels in her heart when she looks at her baby and sees future generations. It's filled with love, hope and joy.

I highly recommend this book as a gift for yourself, your mother or your children

Reviewer name: Deven Vasko of Betsie's Literary Page
http://betsie.tripod.com/literary

First off, I absolutely loved the concept of having a story written in both English and Spanish and commend the authors on such an undertaking. EVEN MORE is a beautiful tribute to the unconditional love of mothers and children everywhere and focuses on growing up. Starting with the birth of a child, we then follow each of the various stages of growth with the mother sharing her love for her child and the child in turn sharing their thoughts about their mother in cute little "I love you more" phrases.

Matched with the declarations of love are sketchings, drawings, and images depicting the child's growth to coincide with the words of the story. There are even pictures that appear to have been drawn by a child. Though I loved the book in its entirety, my favorite part comes at the end where the daughter has had her own child and is repeating the cycle of "I love you more."

Beautiful, colorful, and spotlighting endearing love, this story touched my heart and made me think of my deceased mother as well as my own daughter who I too love...even more.

Reviewed by (...)

This book is a gem to give as a new baby present as it is beautifully illustrated and reads as well the first time you read it to your first child as when she reads it to the next sibling!

This is a beautiful and tender book that captures the deep love a mother/parent feels for their child. The illustrations evoked many wonderful memories of early parenthood and also of my own mother. The writer and illustrator of this book clearly are speaking from the heart! This is one to share with all parents-young and old for years to come.

"Even More" celebrates the special relationship between a mother and a daughter. Author Liz McGrath takes the reader on a trip along the cycle of life from the birth of a child to the birth of a grandchild. Along the way the mother finds ways to express how much she loves her daughter and the daughter also expresses her love for her mother. This is a wonderful book to show the young reader the strong bonds of love that exist (or at least should exist) between a daughter and a mother. This is a very well done bilingual book written in English and Spanish for children about four to eight years old. Sure to help the young reader understand how important they are to their parents, "Even More" is a highly recommended children's book.

I bought and read the book when it first came out, and I bought a second so I can loan it to others to read and not worry about my first book getting lost. Besides the Donnellys, some of the people and events in the book were apart of our life as well. Very well written!

I just found out about Michael's death through the Gulflink website. My sympathy goes out to his family. His story, with the help of his sister Denise, will be with us all always. He could have chose to sit back and just kept his disease and facts to himself, but he chose to share it with all in the hopes it might make a difference to someone. What a legacy to leave. And thanks Michael, for helping my family live through our anger we had at my brother's death, and dealing with Gulf War illness. My prayers are with your family....
Kelly Seibert
Hillsborough, NC

In this story there is a message for millions of Americans. In this story the reader will learn about the "wheels of justice."

I obtained a tape of this book from the library of the blind , on tape.
I was fascinated with the whole process of his student days as well as the way they worked in the present time illness.
My heart goes out to him and his family and ALL other Soldiers who became ill with no apparent cause after the war.
I would like to know what his present status is, and would like to help in any way that is possible.
In thinking that our present war situation probably is as tentative, to hold this VITAL information back from those who serve makes a mockery of the Ideals our Country was founded on.
I used to participate in Living History, and the good thing about that is that we seem to LEARN from the past.
War does NOT change minds or hearts.
I would hope and pray that this present generation does not have to pay the price of this brave Soldier, Officer, and Gentleman.

I first came across the book in the fall of '99. It was at a critical time in my air force career. Soon, the mandate to submit to the anthrax vaccine would require a decision that would obviously affect the rest of my life. Take a vaccine that has been proven to cause terrible reactions and has been whispered to be a root cause of Gulf War Illness or refuse and be subject to military justice and the end of my career.

In my squadron, the most asked question to management was "If we become ill following the vaccine, will the Air Force take care of us?" As I saw in this book, the answer to the question is NO.

As pilots, our most treasured asset is our health. Without it, we can no longer perform the mission that we love. The manner in which Michael and Denise describe the physical and mental anguish he endured was truly overwhelming. I could imagine myself in his position and the way I would react; how I would feel.

In my months of research, this book proved to be one of the many determining factors in my decsion. When I talked to former commanders who reminded me of their experiences with Agent Orange or when I spoke with members at my own base that had testified to Congress about their illnesses following the anthrax vaccine, in the back of my mind was Michael Donnelly.

I ultimately made my decision to resign in lieu of taking the vaccine which has led to the end of my aviation career. The only salvation I have is the knowledge that I will never need to worry about unexplained illness in the future.

My most heartfelt sympathy and gratitude go out to Michael and Denise's families. Michael's story is one that I will never forget. Thank you for helping me make my decision.