Authors Books

Great book - see his site at http://wwww.brianpowerwaters.com.

I thoroughly enjoyed Margin for Error: None, and I thank you for every chapter. There are a lot of men and women controllers out there that feel the same way I do about people like you. Thanks again. Gary Lashbrock, Miami Tower.

Margin for Error: None outlines his views on the nation's air traffic control system. Included were such chapters as "Danger, FAA at Work" and "Controllers Mate It Work." Baltimore Sun

Captain Power-Waters "tells it like it is" through the use of many examples. Unfortunately, those who should read this book-FAA officials-probably won't. C.W. Glines (author of numerous books on aviation) in Airline Pilot Magazine.

This book was published in 1980, and then again in 2001 but not updated. All material is at least 23 years old.

If you can read French and if you grew up heaaring Mother Goose rhymes (in English) this book is a MUST HAVE. It presents an almost credible scholarly work about some fragments (in French) from an old civilization. If you will read those fragments aloud, you"ll be able to hear (in English) well known nursery rhymes. Truly fascinating, and soetimes challenging! (Especially if you had never known THIS rhyme in English!)
--And the "scholaraly" footnotes are great!

Zebu qui se regrette: there's no question about that, and I _am_ grateful that it's back in print. BUT, buyers beware: the print in this edition looks like it came out of a cheap photocopier. Van Rooten deserved better.

This is a wonderful book - I laughed myself silly the first time I encountered it (even though my French comprehension is NOT wonderful). Will give this one to a friend to whom I know it will give hours of pleasure.

Mots D'Heures: Gousses, Rames is one of the greatest literary entertainments ever written. It runs the gamut from touchingly nostalgic to raucous. Above all, it is howlingly funny. It makes me laugh so hard it hurts.
You need two things to enjoy Mots D'Heures: Gousses, Rames. You should know some French, and you should know some nursery rhymes. With that, the book will hit you from line to line with waves of jaw-dropping hilarity, endless wit, and moments of poignant reminiscence.

There is nothing more to say except: bah, six boucs! [The author apparently thinks you should pay six goats---or a sheep?]

PS -- Having unguardedly purchased a copy of the paperback edition listed above, I must agree with a recent reviewer that the production is dreadful. A reader interested in this masterwork would do well to seek out a copy of the original 1967 edition (long out of print), even at considerable cost. But not from me, though. I wouldn't part with mine for less than tartines fortunes.

With the spurious title "The D'Antin Manuscript", suspicions are immediately alerted. D'Antin = "downtown", maybe? More than likely.

The book purports to be a rediscovery of a mediaeval French manuscript and is presented with appropriate introduction, notes, etc., the usual machinery of scholars. However, upon reading the poems, the arcane nature of the French renders the lines meaningless. What kind of manuscript is this, anyway? You go with the flow - you chuck "meaning" out the window.

Read them phonetically, and suddenly the poems take shape in a Proustian way, as the nursery rhymes of your youth. Not only is the book great fun to return to a) for a laugh and b) to practise your French accent (you'll need the fluency for, e.g. "Un petit d'un petit" - Humpty Dumpty). It's also great to fake your friends out with this handy little tome.

Bring it back into print!

I have 26 more pg. to read, & I don't want this book to end. I am enjoying seeing parts of Mrs. Cleary's life in her fiction books. I now want to re-read all my Ramona books.

After devouring Beverly Cleary's first memoir "A Girl From Yamhill" I couldn't wait to read My Own Two Feet. The only thing to complain about is that there isn't a sequel to this one! Picking up where Yamhill left off, we share in Beverly Cleary's journey through college and into her adult years and the writing of her first book, Henry Huggins. Reading Cleary's Memoirs, I was taken back to my own childhood and my love for Ramona & Beezus. Cleary has a unique gift of simple writing that readers of all ages can enjoy, whether you are 8 or 80. I lover her writing as much today as I did when I was in the 3rd grade.

A must-read for all Beverly Cleary fans. Picks up the story where "A Girl from Yamhill" left off and takes us through her college years and her career as a librarian. A book that will inspire you to become a librarian or a children's book author. As well writen and accessible as all of her children's books about the gang on Klikitat Street.

I loved Beverly Cleary's fictional books when I was a boy. More recently, I enjoyed reading her first memoir "A Girl from Yamhill." Therefore, I just had to read her second memoir, "My Own Two Feet" which chronicles her life through college, her work as a librarian, her marriage, and the beginning of her life as a children's author. I loved it! It not only provides a wonderful insight into the mindset and character of its author; but also presents a vivid, sometimes very nostalgic, look at life in the 30's and 40's. It describes an America that has disappeared. A college social life that revolved around a seemingly endless number of dances and a strict code of decorum on how young women should dress and act. A small town opposed to the idea of having two married librarians since jobs were so scarce during the Depression that it was considered fair enough for just the husband to have a job. Also as a Catholic, I was amused by Beverly's parents' opposition to her marriage to Clarence Cleary simply because he was Catholic.

There's also some fun information for the fans of her fictional books. Readers will learn how Ribsy and Ramona got their names and what was Mrs. Cleary's original ending to "Henry Huggins." It's also interesting to note that the character of Ramona Quimby, which is arguably Mrs. Cleary's most beloved, was created simply as an afterthought to keep all her characters from being only children. I absolutely loved this book, and was disappointed it was so short!

This is a terrific book. I particularly liked that so much of the story took place in places I am very familiar with, like Chaffee College in Ontario and UCBerkeley. The photos are fascinating too. This a wonderful book for anybody who has been a college student, or who wants to write, or who has had a difficult relationship with a parent. I thoroughly recommend it!

Anyone who likes Larry Niven's work at all should be happy with this book.

From Tom Clancy's introduction, along with others by co-authors and editors, through all the stories - and this basically includes his best work of all (Inconstant Moon and All the Myriad Ways), along with some other good stories. In fact, even with the excerpt scores averaging almost 3.50.

Even the excerpts are well done, the fun scene from Ringworld a good choice, for example.

Throughout, Niven offers commentary, and non-fiction pieces include an extensive look at how they put together the setting for The Mote In God's Eye, and also a piece outlining plans to write something that would satirise Known Space as all a hoax.

Then at the end a few thoughts and an advice paper apparently that he and some other writers, including Pournell did for some political body or other.

I'd probably call this a 4.25 I think.

N-Space : excerpt from World of Ptavvs - Larry Niven
N-Space : Bordered in Black - Larry Niven
N-Space : Convergent Series [short story] - Larry Niven
N-Space : All the Myriad Ways [short story] - Larry Niven
N-Space : excerpt from A Gift from Earth - Larry Niven
N-Space : For a Foggy Night - Larry Niven
N-Space : The Meddler - Larry Niven
N-Space : Passerby - Larry Niven
N-Space : excerpt from Ringworld - Larry Niven
N-Space : The Fourth Profession - Larry Niven
N-Space : Inconstant Moon [short story] - Larry Niven
N-Space : What Can You Say about Chocolate Covered Manhole Covers? - Larry Niven
N-Space : Cloak of Anarchy - Larry Niven
N-Space : excerpt from Protector - Larry Niven
N-Space : The Hole Man [short story] - Larry Niven
N-Space : Night on Mispec Moor - Larry Niven
N-Space : Flare Time - Larry Niven
N-Space : The Locusts - Larry Niven and Steven Barnes
N-Space : excerpt from The Mote in God's Eye - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
N-Space : Mote Lite - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
N-Space : Brenda - Larry Niven
N-Space : The Return of William Proxmire - Larry Niven
N-Space : The Tale of the Jinni and the Sisters - Larry Niven
N-Space : Madness Has Its Place - Larry Niven
N-Space : The Kiteman - Larry Niven


She puffs on Pluto.

3 out of 5


Overcee project farm people find.

3 out of 5


Demon summoming time limit Atom solution.

3.5 out of 5


Murder maybe multiverse.

4.5 out of 5


Slowboat reservation.

3 out of 5


Vaguely lost.

3 out of 5


PI no Martian Manhunter.

3.5 out of 5


A specially adapted ramscoop ship pilot gets in trouble in space, when he sees a large golden alien humanoid. He finds himself rescued and transported 12 light years instantaneously back to Earth.

3.5 out of 5


Various biffo, with or without laser beams.

3.5 out of 5


Alien alcohol test case quad pill investigation.

3.5 out of 5


Really lunary weather we're having.

4.5 out of 5


Strange party alien trip.

3 out of 5


Free Park experiment not bright.

4 out of 5


Three stage dude adjustment.

3 out of 5


Quantum black hole is ridiculous overkill.

3.5 out of 5


Offworld mercenary Cabell nightwalker Spectrum Cure.

4 out of 5


Fuxed up entertainment production mission.

3.5 out of 5


Monkey kid form peak.

4 out of 5


Abandon ship, the little bastiches have weapons.

3.5 out of 5


Hey! That looks different.

3.5 out of 5


Sauron attacks Dagon City. Who'd like to see that?

3.5 out of 5


Heinlein time alteration.

3.5 out of 5


Harem sneaky story.

3 out of 5


ARM to schizo arm.

3.5 out of 5


Flying lessons.

3 out of 5

This book is at the top of my "If I were stranded on a desert island..." list. I don't love everything Niven's ever written, but this sampler has something for everyone. This isn't just the best of Niven, it's some of the best SF written in the last 40 years. What's also nice is the inclusion of hard-to-find stories like "For A Foggy Night" and the non-fiction slice of life stuff. NSpace, Playgrounds of the Mind, and the later Scatterbrain provide an unparalleled look at the career of one of SFs greats. If you read no other science fiction this decade, read these books.

I purchased "N-Space" and its sequel "Playgrounds Of The Mind" in summer of 1992, totally unaware of who Larry Niven was, or that he already had such a lengthy history in the science fiction community. At that point (my first year in college) I had not read a lot of SF beyond the confines of Star Trek novels; save the space opera of W. Michael Gear and the military SF of Chris Bunch & Allan Cole. I didn't even really know what 'hard' science fiction was, and picked up "N-Space" and "Playgrounds Of The Mind" because I was pining for something different--perhaps more challenging?

Oh boy, did I ever get my wish! I soon discovered that "N-Space" is not a straightforward science fiction novel, but rather a mega-compilation of short stories, novellas, and outtakes from novels, spanning Niven's (apparently) decades-spanning SF career. I spent the fall and winter of 1992 totally falling in love with Niven's various universes, and the characters that inhabit them. Moreover, I fell in love with the 'hard' aspect of Niven's work, which compared to the space opera I had been previously reading, was rigorously rooted in the realities of physics and science. I was enchanted by the idea that you could stick to real science (mostly) and still tell amazing and adventurous science fiction stories. In fact, much of Niven's hard SF ranks superior to a great deal of softer material precisely because of its 'realistic' flavor. The generic, and often rubbery gadgets and technology of softer fare is religiously replaced in Niven's work by concrete extrapolations, based on what we understand about the universe in the present time.

Now, with that in mind, I would caution younger or less experienced readers, where "N-Space" is concerned. Especially since the book is not a novel unto itself, it's easy to get lost or distracted in this book. So many different ideas, concepts, times, places, and characters, are all hurled at you at once. If you're not ready to hang on for the ride, you're liable to get thrown off! Thus, if you're brand new to science fiction, or if you were like I was, and only familiar with media SF or military/opera, you need to understand that "N-Space" is a very different kind of book that gives a very different kind of read.

Still, Niven has enormous talent, not just for telling hard SF stories, but for telling them with wit, insight into character, and not just a little humour. His imagination when it comes to world-creation is dazzling, and his alien races and places are some of the most memorable I have ever read. Like a smorgasbord, "N-Space" gives us a healthy portion from virtually all of Larry's playgrounds, both well known and obscure. By the time I was done with "N-Space" I launched voraciously into "Playgrounds Of The Mind", which is essentially the second half of "N-Space"; the two books serving as the first and second parts of one, giant collection.

I've since gone on to explore the majority of the works that "N-Space" touches upon, and after a decade of consuming Niven I consider him to be, perhaps, my all-time favorite SF writer. "N-Space" is not his best single work, it is the best from his best, and as such, makes an outstanding primer for anyone who has never read Niven, but wants to becoming broadly and deliciously acquainted with his work.

At one time the term "science fiction" caused eyebrows to raise. "Isn't that reading for losers who can't relate to others well?" Larry Niven is one of the authors who forever changed the way SF is perceived, one whose fiction emphasizes science without cutting short on any of the tools of your typical brilliant writer of fiction. This gives us well-sculpted characters, even in the shortest of stories, with eye-opening and theoretically sound scientific concepts, plot twists, and remarkable endings. Satisfying story after satisfying story.

What's unique about this collection isn't that it includes a foreward with comments by other authors and fans, or that the author comments on each piece within the collection. Those are commonplace. But in Niven's world, he likes to let you into his world in a special way, perhaps by dishing some dirt on an SF mag who rejected a story that turned out to win a Hugo, etc. He openly questions his finished product, saying that "Today I'd write this story differently," etc. As if we could lift the lid on his cranium and step inside for a moment, seeing how the stories are crafted. Very interesting.

Not as interesting as the work, however, another unique thing about this collection: Not only short stories are collected here, many of which only appeared in one issue of some now-defunct SF mag or other, dating back to the mid 1960s upward to 1990 when this book was first published. He also includes essays, such as an unforgettable commentary on the problems Superman would have if he tried to mate with Lois Lane, as well as excerpts from his published novels at the time. A terrific sampler of a terrific author, whose early-70s work "Ringworld" stands as one of the most brilliant works of speculative fiction of all time. Intelligentsia still debates the validity of its scientific assumptions, and while even Niven admits that most of these have been disproven, how many SF works do you know that sparked so much debate while still being so widely admired?

Niven is far, far beyond any alien shoot-em-up author. This ain't "Star Trek." This is real scientific fiction told by a natural storyteller who loves what he does. We readers love him for it.

I am a lapsed Niven fan having discovered him in the late '70s as a kid. Something spurred me to buy N-Space as a way to rediscover what I cherished about his unique mix of hard sci-fi and realistic human emotion.
Thank goodness! When I was done I had to immediately start picking up where I left off with "The Mote in God's Eye" and I look forward to re-reading treasures like "Footfall." Perhaps I'll just start at the beginning and work my way up? :)

I chose to listen to this book because I felt I "should" be better acquainted with what can arguably be called the most famous diary in history. I looked upon it as a chore that would improve my mind.

I may have, indeed, improved my mind but it turned out to be no chore! What an absolute delight. I've read many historical novels that weren't half as exciting, funny and fascinating as this book. I kept having to remind myself that this man REALLY lived through all these things -- the plague, the great London fire, the machinations of the court.

Plus, his willingness to expose in frank (and sometimes bawdy) detail his personal life, health, sexual dalliances, etc., brought *him* as well as his times vividly to life.

I doubt if trying to read through the actual diary would be as much fun, but the editors' careful selection of entries culled out the best bits while never losing continuity.

And what more can I add to the praise of Branagh as narrator? The man is a phenomenal talent and shows it in this book. Never over-acting, he manages to convey a perfect tone (for instance, just the hint of a whisper at the more personal parts, as though Pepys was confiding in us).

All in all, this book convinced me that improving my mind doesn't HAVE to be tedious.

Of course it is not the complete Pepy's diary but is wonderful to listen to while on long drives. Kenneth Brannagh as the reader brings life into the English language of yesterday. I wonder if a movie is in the offing.

Samuel Pepys' Pepys' Diary is an outstanding classic which comes to life in audio cd format, narrated by Kenneth Branagh whose background in film and direction lend to a vivid narrative indeed. Pepys' classic has lasted centuries because it records in vivid descriptions the bygone world of 17th-century London life: this vivid written word in turn translates well into audio and brings a rich history to life.

I loved these tapes. I concur with the reviews that they are addictive - better for a long country ride than a harried rush hour. Then let Pepys (Branagh) be your witty and engrossing travel companion.

It obviously helps to be familar with the Restoration to enhance your enjoyment of these diaries; though many with even a general background will still find them entertaining. Highly recommended.

This is a remarkably entertaining audio book for those who wish to have a birds-eye view of life in seventeenth century London. Samuel Pepys began keeping an extensive diary in 1660, which he religiously kept for nine years. He finally stopped writing it in 1669 due to his failing eyesight. Samuel Pepys personally lived through the restoration of the Crown to Charles Stuart after the fall of Cromwell, the Plague, and the Great Fire of London. So, it is remarkable to be able to hear Samuel Pepys' vibrant, eye witness narrative of these historical events. Read by the great British actor, Kenneth Branagh, whose beautifully nuanced reading of this abridgement is one that the discerning listener will find compelling, the diary of Samuel Pepys is one book that history buffs of the period will surely love.

In his diary, Samuel Pepys recorded not only events that had historical significance but also those day to day details of his own life that shed light upon the way that people actually lived and worked in seventeenth century Restoration London. The diary chronicles all those mundane little details about which life is made. His meetings with friends and colleagues, his desire for social and professional advancement, his treatment of his servants, his spats with his wife, and his brief extra-marital affairs and bawdy romps, all this and more is contained in his diary. In detailing his affairs of the heart, he often used a code which appears to be a combination of English, Spanish, Latin, and possibly French. It was understandable to me, as it would be to anyone with some knowledge of these languages, and, consequently, understandable as to why he would write it in code. He obviously would not want his wife to know what he was up to!

His is a unique voice that should be heard by all those who would wish to know more about seventeenth century life in Restoration London. Suffused with period detail and written in the linguistic style of the day, this book is a must for all those history buffs who are interested in Restoration England. Bravo!

Reviewed by Lisa Kisner for Reader Views (3/08)

Andie Phelps is married to a successful businessman, has a wonderful son and is active in her community. Melanie Johnston is a hard-working single mother of a son and daughter. A tragic accident claims the lives of each of their sons. What follows is a heart-wrenching journey as each woman tries to come to grips with the tragedy. Although from different worlds, each is gripped by grief, which consumes their personal lives and reaches into the community. Both women must undergo a journey of discovery about themselves and their faith, facing adversity every step of the way.

Kathryn Cushman's debut novel is well written and engrossing from the first page. This book depicts a realistic account of lives torn apart by tragedy and dealing with the repercussions. I felt each woman's raw pain and anger as if I knew them personally. I found myself nodding as each woman made choices, realizing I would have made the same decision should I be in her shoes. There was no clear "right" or "wrong" in this book, only choices made in the wake of devastating heartache. "A Promise to Remember" is a book about loss, forgiveness and renewal of faith should be on everyone's must-read list. I am looking forward for more from this gifted author.

I sobbed when I came to the end of this beautifully written story. I haven't cried when reading a book in a long time.

The book starts in the middle of a difficult subject--the death of two teenage boys--so it took me a while to keep reading past the first chapter; the grief of the two mothers was so well described I could not stop thinking about how awful I would feel if anything happened to my children. Fortunately, I pressed on and read the entirety of this very compelling story. I enjoyed how she portrayed each mother's story sympathetically; "the truth" is never as simple as it first seems.

A wonderful story; and so realistic! Even though the parents of Chad may have been at fault we still need to forgive and forget. When an accident occurs, there's always a reason for it. It brought two woman together who both loved their sons and made them realize that their sons wouldn't have wanted them to hold anything against each other. I hope Kathryn Chushman continues to write Inspirational realisic stories like this one.

This was a riveting story about pain, loss, and forgiveness. It was very easy reading and the author had my attention from the very beginning. I could not put it down. While it certainly was a tearjerker - it was full of hope. I was really touched.

I'll add my voice to the growing number of accolades. A Promise to Remember is a must read. It is one of those books that can touch a reader no matter what your preferred genre. Yes, the main characters are women, but men play a prominent role. It's not a shoot-em-up story, but it is ripe with real life drama. Men will "get" this book, too. And readers who don't pick it up will miss out.

I saw 2 of Chekhov's plays in college and I honestly don't remember them. Glenn Close appeared in one I remember, but beyond that I was obviously distracted. Nothing could have prepared me for the perfection of these stories. I have never read a collection that had such an impact. Chekhov's clear-eyed world view peers at tiny physical details in the lives of the characters to see into their souls. They are tragic heroes in common clothes.

Chekhov looks on without judgment. His attitude is humane and liberal. No matter how foolish his subjects, his attitude is never condescending.

I hadn't realized it until I finished Pevear's forward, but Chekhov begins to slip subtly into stream of consciousness in several stories. This and many other innovations make Chekhov a pivotal figure in fiction writing. He is certainly under appreciated at present.

(I can't compare it, of course, but the P&V translation is another gift.)

Anton Chekhov is largely known for his plays (The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya), but he is also widely regarded as a master of the short story. However to fully appreciate these stories the reader should be somewhat familiar with the state of fiction in Russia during the last half of the 19th century as well as social and political conditions in the country at that time. Some knowledge of Chekhov's personal history and his philosophy of life is also helpful. Lacking these insights one is likely to find these stories to be excessively negative and depressing.

One difficulty in reading this book of his best short stories is that the first few (50 pages or so) are unrelentingly depressing; death and unrequited love being the main themes and they are told in Chekhov's spare style. A Boring Story is a longer and more interesting piece. It includes some aspects of Chekhov's philosophy, and while it ends on another depressing note, there is still an element of hope present. Ward No. 6 is perhaps the best of these stories, as well as the longest. It tells of a hospital in Siberia with a ward for mental patients. The story centers around a doctor (Andrei Yefichmych), a decent and compassionate man who gradually descends to the depths of the place. Along the way he has an interesting exchange with a mental patient, Ivan Dmitrich. The doctor suggests that one can be happy anywhere, even trapped in a prison, and cites the example of the Greek philosopher Diogenes who so distained material things that he lived in a barrel. The patient disagrees strongly, shouting, "I love life, I love it passionately!" He adds, tellingly, that maybe Diogenes would not have been so happy if he had had to live in a barrel in the wintry cold of Siberia!

The other stories in the book treat of a variety of people and situations from all walks of Russian life. While despair and a sense of hopeless fatalism remains the main thrust of many of these stories, there is also an element of hope present. Chekov keeps coming back to the idea that the future will be better. Some stories, such as Anna on the Neck, even have an element of humor. The last story, The Fiancée, perhaps sums up Chekhov's view of Russian life. In this tale a young woman living in a small town becomes engaged to a local man. A guest from the city, Sasha, starts to talk with her about how empty her life will be if she marries this man. Gradually she begins to come to this realization and in the end leaves to move to St. Petersburg to have "a new, expansive, spacious life, and that life, still unclear, full of mysteries, lured and beckoned to her."

I have given Chekov a rating of 4 stars, rather than 5, because, compared to Guy de Maupassant and O. Henry, his stories do not sufficiently express the full range of human emotions. Both of the latter masters of the short story infuse their work with humor and even broad satire and this is the stuff of life as well as the dreary world that Chekov inhabits. Yet maybe Chekov is reflecting the reality of Russia in his time. In any case these stories are well worth reading.

There are no better short stories than those of Anton Chekov. He wrote characterizations that resonate across the years and across cultures. Chekov takes you deep into these people's lives and struggles so that the reader feels a very definite strong connection with these characters that populate pre-revolutionary Russia. Short on plot and yet each story is satisfying and memorable. Some , Ward 6 is an example ,are masterpieces of the short story form.

Excellent translation and stories that you can read and enjoy again and again for years. You can't go wrong here.

This is the first series of works that I have read by Chekhov. I wanted to read some of his shorter works before beginning reading his novels. Now that I realize how much I enjoy his stlye, which I think other people will like as well, I am looking forward to reading his larger works. I very much liked the insight into the Russian culture.

Chekhov simply astonishes. "The Lady with the Little Dog," one of his most famous stories, is rendered splendidly by Pevar and Volokhonsky. I don't know of any other writer who captures the confusion, fear and excitement of romantic love as well as Chekhov does here. The last line is perfect.

This was a good read. All of the stories were interesting but 4 some reason I could not get into Mr. Carter's story. Ms. Ervin's story is continued in the book Torn and I strongly urge U 2 pick it up, it gets alot better. Ms. Santiago's story is also continued in her book yet 2 be released, Allure of the Game. This was my first time reading Mr. Sullivan's work but I was extremely pleased. The book is very well written and a nice quick read.

All I have to say is that every last one of these stories were Hot,The authors did a great job and kept me on the edge of my seat!This anthology is a must read and worth your $ !!!!

TCP has garnered some of the hottest authors for an ingenious compilation of urban lit that will certainly earn well deserved accolades as an Urban Lit classic. This outstanding piece of literature is filled to the brim with brilliant hood tales.

Danielle Santiago's original and realistic gangsta tale of a female dominating the drug game but with the notoriety comes dangerous circumstances that bear life threatening consequences for family members. Once again, she artistic ally verbalizes a tale that draws you in from beginning to the end leaving you yearning for more!

Then Keisha Ervin writes `another sad love song' making us crazy as Mo and Quan fight a never-ending battle of love. Quentin Carter gives us an introduction to the life of a snitch. While T. Styles' shows us that the nice girl next door may have a few tricks up her sleeve. As Leo Sullivan finally closes shop with "B-More Love" as a fearless thug named Jamal, goes to battle for the love of a damsel in distress and her family's well-being.

This was a first class stunner that I fantastically assembled! It has it all beginning with love, be it young love, old love, familial love, honor and loyalty, "Street Love" has captured the essence of it all! If I have to voice one flaw, it would be the length of the stories...but this is an anthology of short stories! Excellente!!! Major and numerous kudo's!

STREET LOVE, an anthology by Triple Crown Publications contains
five dramatic, explosive short stories.

Keisha Ervin brings the heat with Mo and Quan in After the Storm. Mo
and Quan have been together for eight years. Even though the magic
has left the relationship, neither wants to be the first to say
goodbye. All of their respective secrets are about to be revealed
and this time, their relationship may crumble from the aftershocks.

The Game by Danielle Santiago is the story of Butta. He has fallen
in love with Arnessa, a drug dealer who enters the game to take care
of her younger sister. Arnessa catches unwanted attention from
rival, Suef and is focused on eliminating him. Will The Game catch
up with her when her little sister gets caught up?

Quentin Carter's contribution to STREET LOVE is The Fink, a story
about the trials and tribulations of being a snitch. After spilling
the beans on his best friend and business partner for a reduced
sentence, will Phelix be able to stay alive long enough to enjoy the
fruits of his labor?

Cold as Ice by T. Styles gives readers a glance into the life of
Pepper Thomas. Pepper is a young girl frustrated by the lack of
funds in her household, but a golden opportunity falls into her lap
after her criminal neighbors are robbed. Does Pepper have the heart
to go through with her plans?

Leo Sullivan provides STREET LOVE with B.more Love, the love story of
Ashley and Jamal. Ashley is a straight A student with no desire to
be with a baller and Jamal is a stick up kid. Drawn together by a
series of tragic events, will their newfound love last?

STREET LOVE is a complete anthology of some of urban fiction's
hottest authors. Each story is a love story with a twist on the
timeless themes of love, loyalty and honesty. All of the stories
included are strong enough to stand alone as a novel. Keisha Ervin's
newest release, Torn, is the continuation of After the Storm and is
one of the best books I have read in 2007. Vickie Stringer has done a
superb job of selecting the hottest stories to be included in STREET
LOVE. If you are a lover of urban fiction, you definitely add this to
your to read list.

Yes this is a hot to deaf read!!!

STORY 1:
I'm made at Keisha Ervin, she's the first story and here's is a sample from her new novel Torn....Mo and Quan been through some ruff times, from him puttin the hustle b-4 Keisha and cheatin non-stop after 9 long dreadful years she feels it's a wrap....until Quan proposes to her and when she telling her friends the good news, Quan calls while he's gettin sum from a chick name Sherry who's supposed to have a baby by him. Oh the dama starts here!! Mo is COMPLETELY hurt 1 she hears him cheating 2, it's w a woman who is supposed to have had his son. HINT: Mo can't have kids. Soooo, Mo sleeps with his best friend West, calls Quan and bamb DRAMA, but she doesn't really sleeps w him, she gets a sum__--u fill in the blank.

I can't say more, cuz you'll find out for urself:)

STORY 2
Danielle Santiago needs to come out with a new book. Arnessa is a hustler, straight tomboy but very cute. She's takin care of her baby sis after her moms bail out on them. A hustler on thw come up is jealous a female pockets are fatter than his, so Suaf puts a violates her sis, Arnesa gets Butta, her connect involved and thats when DRAMA arrives. Butta aint neva seen Arnessa as a woman, and when he does that's HIS woman. But what Arnessa doesn't know is that her little sis aint so innocent.
Read on people, read on:)

STORY 3:
Quentin Carter has done it again. Phelix is a snitch. HE snitched on his best friend, even though Phelix has a BIG secret that only he and his best friend knows. Phelix gets three years when he's released he see's how life is like when your known as the big time hustler turned snitched...
I don't even wanna say anymore cuz this story is so good:-)

STORY 4:
T Styles gone girl:) She should make this a novel and I'm SO FREAKIN SERIOUS:)
Ice is that dude. Fine, fat hustler and did I mention fine. He's keeps fat whips and his mother lookin betta and betta. Pepper hates where she lives. She hates the projects, the crackheads, the roaches, but she knows she wants to get out. Being an A student his her ticket out. When Ice apartment gets broken in, and the robbers drop a DVD. BAM, DRAMA IS HERE AND THE STORY TAKES OFF!!! I will not say how Ice REALLY makin his $$, I will not say what' REALLY on the DVD, I will say this Pepper is holdin the DVD for ransom, so her and her mother will have money to move to a betta place. What Pepper doesnn't realize is that even though Ice doesn't know it's her blackmailin him, there's ALWAYZ somebody watchin in the hood.
Trust, you'll love this one:)

STORY 5:
This was different for Leo Sullivan, I'm used to readin murder mystery, suspense...Ashley is in high school. livin w her 15 yr old lesbian sister, 6 yerar old sister, hard workin mother and her crackhead boyfriend. jamal is a stick up, rob whoeva, wheneva fine, built thug who wants Ashley, but she doesn't want him. When Ashley's mothter is diagnosed with cancer, and her no good child molestin boyfriend leaves with the rent $$ Jamal is the only one able to keep her mother alive and a roof over their heads. I will not give more into this story b/c it's too damn good too:)

THIS IS THE BEST ANTHOLOGY TRIPLE CROWN HAS PUT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!EACH STORY SHOULD BE A NOVEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John Domini has done it again. When I first discovered Domini's books (see Bedlam, Highway Trade, etc.), I became a die-hard fan. His recent novel has won me over again. Domini writes with clarity and tooth: his characters so alive, they practically emanate from the page, springing from one adventure to another. The book is true to its title, chronicling the adventures of the protagonist Kit, who upholds the written word, as a writer /owner of an independent rag that outs the heinous political undercurrents of that era. Domini captures this with wit, excellent research, intrigue and as always, astounding character development. This author is a tour de force of the written word and a celebration to the field of literature. Bravo!

The 70s may be the most misunderstood decade of the 20th Century. While most people would prefer to not try and understand the 70s, cracking jokes about polyester leisure suits and disco dance lessons, John Domini is not ashamed of the culture of that time. And if nothing else, this book is a reminder of what we shouldn't forget about the 70s. Certainly the punk movement of that time should be remarked upon even if David Byrne rode on the New Wave from the basement bathroom of CBs in NY to stardom while Joey Ramone stayed true to the form. But perhaps that's Domini's point. His main character often asks via an ongoing newspaper story in his head, "How can a punk be a success?" Maybe a punk has to be a success to have an effect on the culture. Perhaps David Byrne was on to something. Domini's character, Kit Viddich, channels Hamlet and Odysseus throughout the story as if to say this moment in time, this story, this punk artifact will too last through time. In other words it will be added to the culture, even if it is just words, words, words.

And in the most brilliant aspect of the work, Domini channels the maestro, Marshall McLuhan, pairing David Byrne's band, the Talking Heads, with the message itself of the Talking Head. Certainly the 70s didn't invent the newsreporter but it was in the 70s that the newsreporter turned into the talking head: the news interpretor, the god of the media, the ever yakking, ever usurper of the print media.

Which leads us to one final artifact of the 70s that should not be forgotten: the alternative newspaper. Again, not invented in the 70s, but certainly legitimized therein. Our modern zine culture is a testament to alternatives born in the decade after the 60s when so many idealists were left empty-handed and asking what now? They knew what the truth was, had seen what could be from those hippy-dippy days, and we weren't tired yet as so many others were. They weren't ready to accept the superficiality that turned out for the 80s. They weren't all leisure suit-wearing disco ducks after all. And political corruption was still rampant.

If nothing else this book is an American story complete with happy ending. Against all odds and frankly good sense, the good guy remains steadfast against the corporate giant. He doesn't accept the bribe, he doesn't fold, he doesn't give in. Whether or not he wins is not really the point; the fact that he remains is what's important. Corporate and political greed will always be with us. As long as we have our little heroes slogging it out in their independent and under-funded press against those Goliaths, we can feel we're on the right track. For in the end it is the story of the individual that is important. As long as we don't lose our integrity, we have a happy ending.

Domini's book doesn't insult intelligence, so please don't read this book if you lack a sense of humor, reality, sensuality, or common sense because this experimental novel is just that: about the senses. Sometimes the reader becomes as lost and confused about the world and moral obligation as Kit, fumbling through each scene with new light and revelations. This book of senses unfolds, layer upon layer of Kit's, his wife's, hard emotions and what to do with life and it's decisions and consequences. The split-screen effect of Domoni's style with Kit's thoughts doesn't distract, it adds to that confusion that everyone in life must face...just not as much as the characters in this rich book of characters.

Perhaps it is the language of this novel that elevates it above the level of mere crime drama. Domini juxtaposes elements of noirish intrigue with retro-hipness to create the tense story of Kit Viddich's struggle of ethos in a dark world of corporate and government conspiracy and negligence.

The best part of this book is the many allusions to Shakespeare's Hamlet, partiuclarly one of Domini's choruses, borrowed from Act II, scene ii: "Words, words, words..."

I loved this book because of the really cool and modern writing style. Domini uses a "split screen" technique to give you the main characters thoughts and plans for turning his experience into an article for his independent newspaper. the characters use an almost stylized dialogue -- one minute Kit and his wife soundlike a 1940's film and the next the newspaper staff is talking like the hippest underground punkers the late seventies/early eighties had to offer. Very cool. All the characters have secrets and adgendas. It's a great read that is literary and experimental.

If you've read any of Harold Jaffe's writing at all, you know he writes with tremendous heart and devotion to his cause. Certainly this heart manifests itself in angry textual roadside bombs and subversive attacks, but the underlying cause is a nobel and brave one. A devoted fan of Jaffe's work, I find myself impressed with his precision and relentless social critique. In "Mother Palestine," Jaffe tweaks a familiar formal innovation, an unsituated dialogue, by simply employing the device of motherhood. The effect is stunningly effective, it pulls us into the politics of this remote struggle through a minimalist suggestion of intimate human relationships that every reader will respond to, on one level or another. It is an example of Jaffe exploring the range of textual methods and structures he has been using now for well over a decade. "Revolt Wives" is another important inclusion here--it suggest a humanistic compassion for all who suffer at the hands of the oppressive ruling class, not just the muslims who suffer. In that regard, especially considering how the book can be received, Jaffe's work remains so very important as expression of what a growing portion of the US population is feeling--a contempt for our (our=corporate war machine whether US or Israeli or otherwise) punishment of innocents abroad and at home in the name of profit and sweet crude. Incidentally, and sadly, I think the populace's disagreement with the war machine would be much better contained if gas were still $1.50 a gallon, but that's another story. "Mustache" is also wonderful, and especially important as it seems whatever party is in power, the deference to Israel is reliable and unwavering. Hate to be a self-hating half-Jew, but man it is a bummer to witness the recurring atrocities that happen under the blind eye of US-Israeli relations. And the way the US is treating Hammas after they won the (clean) democratic election--what the heck is that? It is a despicable time, and Jaffe's recording of absurdities such as the orange alert, atrocities such as the corpse wagging of Hussein's sons, is another important accomplishment in his long and committed carreer.

In "Trader Joes" Jaffe introduces the notion of a forgotten, non-threatening and invisible young Arab woman--a victim of the violence--and then echoes that figure in later texts. Of all the texts here, I will reread "Sewage" first, as I love the neatness of the way the three threads work together. Unfortunately, the caustic patriotic violent interrogator is most familiar to me, but the alignment with the ineffective water treatment plant and the compassionate cop is direct, useful, and does what Jaffe does so well--recontextualizes reality in ways that reveal ugly truths.

One final comment: Jaffe resurrects "Things To Do in Time of War," a story he first published in Straight Razor, which came out during the first Gulf War. The first version of the story was located inside the home, and it had a particular delirium to it. This version of the story is located in the workplace, on the freeway with other commuters, and it has has much less delirium and far more ingrained horror. In the nearly ten years that have transpired between these two installments of the same story, Harold Jaffe has shown his readers how committed writing works, how the indefatiguable machinery of corporate-government policy and "morality" can be challenged with anger and precision. More than that, he keeps hope alilve for those of us who believe that culture is not merely a marketplace for the hegemony of the ruling class. His next book is expected to be a collection of his essays and docufictions directed at writers who wish to join him in the project of textual rebellion against the status quo. It could not be a more timely and appropriate move from a writer who has inspired so many devoted readers despite the marginalization that mainstream publishers and distributors may have imposed on him during his career. So long as Jaffe keeps publishing books, committed writers will know that that there is a future for the voice of outrage and indignation. Guerrilla writing is alive and well and you can find it in the pages of Terror-Dot-Gov.

An extraordinary network of vignettes dervied from newspapers and on-line "news" sources. Jaffe has coined the phrase "docufictions" to describe his cunning deconstructions of what passes for objective data.

The result is something like postmodern America re-seen, or--beter--seen for the first time with a distressing clarity.

Brilliant.

With Terror-Dot-Gov, Harold Jaffe demonstrates he has the eye of a prognosticator. In his fictions (called "docufictions" because they're so accurate) he dramatizes how -- and why -- America is destroying itself and how -- and why -- it's taking a sizeable portion of the world with it.

The signs and portents are all presented and interpreted: heads severed for justice and sport; attack dogs sinking their teeth into the flesh of innocents; Baghdad treatment plants for processing raw (feces) and cooked (prisoners) sewage; and players in the game of "who would you bomb?"

I don't mean to imply that it's a grim book. On the contrary, it's humorous -- ironic and satirical without trivializing its subjects. And why not? As long as we're determined to act like neo-lemmings we might as well laugh as we plunge over the cliff!

"Harold Jaffe brainwashes a drug fetus to the guerrilla=sex in the 21st century." - Kenji Siratori, author Blood Electric

To read Harold Jaffe's pieces as a commentary on or critique of the war on terrorism is to under-read him, as Beckett was misread as being "symbolic" or Swift as a fantasist. Just as Swift made an ostensible target of the Irish in his "Modest Proposal" while actually targeting the bigotry of the English, so too does Jaffe construct a triadic argument. The ostensible target this time may be the war on terror, but the true target hiding behind the straw man is the reader. Jaffe reveals imbedded assumptions in the language of these docufictions and in so doing betrays the lack of objectivity in news texts and reports as we receive them. He points his pen at us and shows us how complicitous we have been in committing the atrocities he describes. We may revile the media's displays of violence and feign shock, but we are always willing to stand in line to pay the price of admission. In "Behead," for example, the beheading of Brent Marshall is described as not going very smoothly "because of Marshall's exceptionally thick neck." Thus the brutality of the slaying is blamed on Marshall, a Virginia "thick-neck" of the type we have learned to feel less compassion for over the years because a thick neck represents a "dumb jock," "a red neck," "a hick." "Big as an ox" means "dumb as an ox," as we conflate clichés to get there. In "Pizza Cannibal," one character says, "I just couldn't believe this guy [Salt Brumley] could have done something to bring out the feds." Brumley is described as a "homely bachelor" with "stick-out ears, large flat feet, cleft palate, and low IQ," and the first three attributes are taken as personality issues: people with stick-out ears and large flat feet are routinely made fun of as being "stupid" in our society (see Li'l Abner), and are generally considered too "simple" to be harmful. In the same story, Jaffe challenges us liberals to look at our own smug intellectual superiority--would we who uphold that what goes on between consenting adults in the privacy of their bedrooms is perfectly acceptable include mutually agreed-upon murder and cannibalism? Or are we liberal only up to a point? What point? Why? Caveat Emptor? The dialogue in "Trader Joe's" contains pure consumer speak. Where would conversations go nowadays without consumerism? Would we have anything to say to one another if we lost our retail chains and baseball scores? Even references to Pinochet and suicide bombs are dropped into conversations because of their impact on Chilean wines and Home Depot. My favorite of these docufictions, the one that really got me involved, is "White Terror." This is presented as a game, with the key refrain being, "Who would you bomb in that one?" Scenarios are given to us, such as how one of Queen Elizabeth's corgis was bitten by a terrier belonging to the daughter. Who would you bomb? The respondent is told the dogs are named Raj and Dottie, but even after knowing which dog was which, the respondent still assumes that Raj was the terrier. He assumes the violent one has the Eastern name. Assumptions such as these are at the heart of the book. Jaffe challenges the reader with disquieting juxtapositions and multiple versions of the same story. "Which is true?" we might ask. Can we ever know, even if we are "told" by media or government that one version is true? Of course not--all we get is filtered versions whose points of view and choices of diction reveal deep-seated biases. Look, for example, at the different descriptions of a group of dogs in the six alternate versions of a canine attack in "Revolt Wives." The dogs are described as a "lumpen," a "Gestapo," a "kasbah," a "death row," a "Bentustan," a "Gaza" of frenzied dogs--each term, of course, associated with death and abuse but carrying with it so many different connotations that they alternate versions of the scenarios are immediatley colored by that word choice. This is Jaffe's brilliance: he shows us how language has been used against us as a weapon, and he challenges us to wake up to that fact.