I Books

It is attributed to John Ford that he said "Print the legend, not the story." Whether that tale is true or not, the line was delivered at the end of the move `The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence,' as was said to allow a popular conception to be maintained. This same thought was behind the movie `Wake Island,' which portrayed the battle for the island as a notional last stand with all American defenders dying in its defense. In that case, it was part of a propaganda effort.

Author Urwin tells the true story of Wake Island and it is far more impactful and emotionally heart-rending than the movie or any other fictionalized version of the story could be. The marines and civilian workers were effectively abandoned in a worse way than were the defenders in The Philippines. A resupply mission to Wake Island was cancelled and the island given up for lost. \

Nor is the story as the movie was laid out. After successfully repulsing one assault landing on one of the islands making up the atoll, the Japanese landed on again and were in the process of being defeated when the marine commander - who had received incorrect information about the state of the battle, a classic case of "the fog of war" - elected to surrender. Afterwards, some prisoners were killed by the Japanese. Worse still, a number of the civilian workers were kept on the island as laborers. For them, there was no relief or respite; ultimately there were executed.

But, what is similar - though woefully underplayed in the movie - was the bravery and nobility of those involved. For this band of brothers, it was not an easy relationship among themselves. The marine and navy commanders conflicted over who really was in charge; the civilians were their own tribe, one initially excluded by the military; all components had a few cowards. But, it was a classic case of what Americans will do when all the façade is gone.

Urwin is brilliant as both a technical writer and a story-teller. He takes a scholarly approach with each chapter starting with an introduction telling what will be discussed. The book moves smoothly and competently through the story and its extended aftermath. One is left at the end feeling that the movie may have missed the point but your sense of pride in being an American overwhelms that feeling easily. I had to wonder what I would have done had I been there.

Most people only know about wake Island from the William Bendix movie made in 1942 when very few facts of the battle were known. What was know was that in 1941, as most American outposts in the far east fell in hours, this small Island with a garrison of some 450 marines and a few airmen held out for weeks and became a symbol of hope for Americans in a world of otherwise bleak news. The papers called this unlovely rock "The Alamo of the Pacific" in rememberance of that other famous last stand.
What Dr Urwin goes into is the detail beyond these facts, having interviewed survivors from both sides of the battle and poured over navy records he takes Marines who were little more than faceless icons, and made them human, with fears and hopes and lives all their own, and in so doing makes their stand more iconic. He gives them lives and personalities with annecdotes and humor as remembered by their friends in later years that shows them as a uniquiely American force.
Is it a big book? yup. Is it easy to read? Oh Yeah! The early chapters are about the finding, losing and refinding the atoll known as "Wake," then going into how it was developed in an attempts for commercial air travel in the 1930's. These chapters were so easy to read I found myself wondering if there were books on this, A topic I'd previously had no knowledge of or desire in. The writing is that good.
"What better way for man to die, then facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers and the Temples of his gods." yup, sums it up well.

Professor Urwin has contributed a priceless addition to the collection of great American historical letters. Perhaps one of the best compilations of Wake Island information that at no time reads like the encyclopedia it resembles.
This is a huge and potentially intimidating book that is worth every bit of its seemingly steep price tag. Invest in your brain, you get what you pay for and then some!

REVIEW EVERY BOOK YOU READ, AUTHORS DESERVE YOUR OPINIONS!

I am a student in one of Dr. Uwrin's classes and he assigned this book for us to read. Usually I get annoyed when this happens because it is usually a way for teachers to throw their ideas further onto students and make them pay (literally) for it. Urwin's is one of only two professor written books that I have enjoyed reading for class. Dr. Urwin's writing is extremely clear and easy to follow, and he grips the reader. The language is not the pompous scholarly language one usually finds in books like this. You don't have to be a student of WWII to read this, anyone could pick it up and read it without problems. And to answer someone's musing that if Dr. Urwin's lecturing is as good as his writing, it is and then some! READ THIS BOOK!

The title, Facing Fearful Odds, is taken from Macaulay's "Horatius at the Bridge" (a poem I lovingly remember reading as a schoolboy), and it's evocative of the dramatic siege of Wake Island in the immediate aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Gregory Urwin is a fine writer who vividly portrays the drama of a handful of Marines and civilian construction workers who repelled daily assaults by the Japanese navy and air force for 16 harrowing days before finally capitulating to overwhelming force. In stunning detail, the author depicts the frantic preparatory events leading up to the siege, the fierce resistance, and the bitter aftermath. It is sad that these heroic events are little known by today's generation.

What is compelling about Mr. Urwin's account of the Wake Island story is his depiction of ordinary men thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Although the Marines were volunteers, many of them joined the Corps to escape the Depression, and many of them never expected to find themselves in such a perilous position. Nonetheless, like Horatius at the Bridge, these men did more than their duty.

Facing Fearful Odds describes how the United States failed to marshal its considerable resources during the year and three months that Europe had been at war; we were dreadfully unprepared militarily, economically and psychologically for the sudden impact of the terrible defeats Japan dealt us. If we view the events of late 1941 in the context of the smug condescension most Americans felt toward Japan, and the fact that we woefully underestimated Japanese military prowess, we can begin to understand how shattering Pearl Harbor was. Americans were angry as hell and damned scared.

Then, a few gritty Marines and civilian construction workers - every one of them a regular "Joe Everyman" with whom any American could identify - held off the mighty Japanese navy and air force for more than two weeks and dealt them a stunning, crushing blow. That we ultimately lost Wake Island mattered little. That these brave men showed the world that Americans could - and would - fight back meant everything to the people at home and to those in the service. These few men lifted America from its fear and helped focus its anger in a powerful resolve to defeat the enemy.

The Marines of Wake Island were expendable, and they knew it. Mr. Urwin enables the reader to imagine why a man would willingly put himself in harm's way knowing - with near certainty - that he was unlikely to survive. One could argue that the man doesn't have a choice, but of course he has a choice - he can surrender. Urwin shows us that the willingness to fight and not surrender came from something more than patriotism. Though they fully expected to die, it was a matter of pride; though they believed no one would ever know it, they were determined to make the enemy pay dearly for American lives. They knew if they did that, someone else might live a little longer.

Facing Fearful Odds is about defiance in the face of certain death, of abject determination to make the enemy pay a terrible price for their arrogance. The men of Wake Island didn't save the world - that was for the men and women who came after them to do. But they saved America's face. Guam surrendered immediately. Wake Island did not.

Several weeks before the battle of the Alamo, Mexican troops marched into San Antonio demanding a siege cannon that the Texan rebels held. The Texans' reply was, "Come and take it." Implied were the words, "...if you can." Gregory Urwin gives the reader a rare opportunity to know how the men of Wake Island felt when they made the Japanese Navy "come and take it."

To say that Roy Neuberger's book entitled "From Central Park to Sinai" was a real page turner, is a definite understatement. This most engrossing and captivating book details the story of a personal transformation of a man searching for spiritual meaning and purpose in his life. The grandson of a great rabbi and founder of the "Mussar" movement in Judaism, Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, Roy Neuberger's life couldn't be further apart from that of his grandfather. Educated in the traditions of ethical culturalism, Mr. Neuberger felt an ever present spiritual vacuum in his life and as such he embarked on a personal quest for truth, via the study of Catholicism, Protestantism and a whole host of other religions and value systems. He even wrote a book detailing why these other religions and their credos were superior to that of Judaism and why Judaism held no meaning.

Accompanying Mr. Neuberger on his trajectory towards spiritual fulfillment was that of his beloved wife, Linda, also a student of ethical culturalism. The fear and uncertainty that plagued Mr. Neuberger throughout his life could be simply termed as a man living through a perpetual anxiety attack with no relief in sight.

It would seem that G-d heard the inner cry and pain of Mr. Neuberger, and as destiny would have it, he was guided in the direction of Rebbetzen Esther Jungreis. That night in Neuburgh, NY changed the course of an entire generation of Neubergers. Mr. Neuberger was deeply impressed with Rebbetzen Jungreis' Torah message and he began to attend her classes on a weekly basis, despite the hardship of traveling such a long distance during a fuel crisis. Rebbetzen Jungreis served as a conduit to bring the message of G-d's love and compassion to a man who hungered and thirsted for spiritual guidance and meaning. In essence, Mr. Neuberger began to fall in love with G-d, embracing His Torah and commandments.

Since that time, Mr. Neuberger and his wife have raised a beautiful family steeped in Torah values and has spread his joy and understanding of spiritual truth with hundreds of people who he has invited to his home to enjoy the uplifting experience of Shabbos.

Mr. Neuberger's story will not only inspire, but will captivate the heart and soul of the reader. It is a must read for anyone searching for guidance and truth and even for those who are not searching for anything in particular. It is a welcome addition to any library and will remain within the recesses of the soul for posterity.

Roy Neuberger's journey to find himself is extremely inspiring. It goes to show you that a man can have all the money in the world,but without a some spiritual guidance, what is he really living for? In some ways his wealthy background was a great hinderance to him. His parents did not give Roy all the proper attention and guidance as the Ethical Cultural Schools merely confused his thinking.

Finally after 31 years, a colleague woke him up to the fact that he is a Jew whether he realizes it or not. Mr. Neuberger finally realized that he was not giving his own heritage a chance. Finally he asked to visit a synagogue with a friend and it so happened the Rebbetzin Jungeris was speaking there that night. At that point a chain reaction fo events triggered in Mr. Neuberger's brain that this was answer he was looking for.

The rest of the book consists of many powerful miracles based on prayer and faith in G_d. Although many of the stories are repeated from Esther Jungeris' The Committed Life, it is still a pleasure read about people turning their lives around by believing the Power of the Jewish Religion. Judaism encourages its followers to be strong and persist towards acheiving happiness and overcoming obstacles.

This book will make you believe in miracles even if you are not Jewish. An inspiration to us all.

Mr. Neuberger is a very enthusiastic and sincere man of faith, and these qualities shine through in his book.

This book has the power of spiritual elevation reinforced by a sense of personal discovery.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in religion, who can appreciate religion as an experience where personal growth and community involvement are not contradictory; but, parallel and mutually reinforcing.

Roy Neuberger's personal story has a strong message even for non-Jews and for people who are not religious. His personal search for God is very moving and is written in a charming, conversational style. I was especially taken with his numerous stories about he and his wife, Leah, helping so many people from various walks of life. There are important messages in this book that will help all of us to live better and more enriching lives.

This was a heartfelt story of a mensch who was dissatisfied with the lack of spirituality in bland liberal universalist culture in which he was raised. Eventually, he found true joy in Jewish orthodoxy. However, if you're pondering deep metaphysical issues, you'll find assertions here, but not deep abstract notions of different "isms" and why they are true or not. I was also uncomfortable with the assertion that Jewish assimilation caused the Holocaust.

A exceptionally well written book dealing with the ever befuddling question of "where do we come from?" Or better yet, "What happens if..?". If you are a person that likes to think about such things, you will really enjoy this book. It is told in the context of a fantasy story, but the basic underlying concepts and ideas are there. A wonderfully spun story of dealing with self-discovery and with circumstances beyond control.

All seven of this wonderful series will keep you intrigued. Full of mystery, color and wonderfully sarcastic cats, the surprise ending with shock you. I never saw it coming and in a day where everything is so cut and dry, something as creative as this is a diamond in the rough. I was lucky enough to find all seven book at a half price book store and was shocked to now discover them out of print. These series should be on the shelves for ages to come.

My husband and i, always avid scifi readers, devoured all seven of these books in the early 1980's. At that time, these books .. this story .. were among the most satisfying i had ever read (that august catagory includes the likes of Tolkien's stuff, the Dune books, etc). We moved recently and in the process of readying ourselves for that upheaval, we went through the bookcases and tossed books we'll never open again (gasp! heresy! ). During that process, however, i came across these books and sank to the carpet, caught immediately. Now i'm fully immersed in this world again and lost in this great story.

I can't believe they're out of print. That's just wrong.

I picked up the first volume in a yard sale, and couldn't put it down. The entire series is amongst my most treasured titles, and I feel lucky to have found them all. PLEASE re-release these titles (preferably all in one hardcover) so others can enjoy!

These books depict a journey both physical and spiritual. The hero, Rikardon, and his partner Tarani make many discoveries about themselves and the world they inhabit. Many of the discoveries are a surprise and I won't give them away.

Suffice to say this series is very well written with well fleshed out characters (both human and non), a good historical background woven into the story, and a fast paced and detailed storyline which makes the book(s) hard to put down. They should not be out of print.

This book came to me as a gift of Love at a critical time in my life. It was, in the most literal sense, a God Send! Since that time I have purchased and given many copies to loved ones. I still re-read it often. Peter Erbe's words are beautiful, full of love and life changing! Peter, wherever you are I send my love, wish you well and am so grateful for your contribution to the planet! Kara

Before I read this book, I remembered reading a book titled "The Power of Belief" by Ray Dodd. Ray mentioned in his book about "I AM" and the opposing belief "I Am NOT". It is either I AM or I AM NOT. Which is it? I AM or I AM NOT. I AM NOT is a dream state, or rather, a nightmare.

I remembered writing a poem after that about an imaginary conversation I have with an angel and asking this angel how do I wake up from this nightmare, or what Peter O Erbe mentioned in his book, amnesia. We are all God having a human experience and worst of all, we have amnesia, and we have forgotten who we are and this amnesia is the root of all our problems.

And after reading Ray Dodd's book, I found Peter's book in a new age store, used book section. Was it an accident?. No. I was ready and my consciousness attracted the book as much as the book was attracted to me. Yes, the book chosed me and I chosed the book. When the student is ready, the teacher appears.

GOD I AM is a fantastic book to read and have, especially if your life is not working, is in a mess, and you need to set if right once more. Do not be surprised if harmony returns to your life after reading this book and applying the wisdom in it.

The information from this book comes from a loving and wise consciousness of which we are all a part of, and Peter is the instrument for the information to be uniquely communicated in a unique flavour. There are many books with the similar themes, but you will be drawn to the ones that you resonate.

Personally, I like Peter's style of explanation, although certain sentences i have to reread to understand the messages in its entirety.

I strongly recommend GOD I AM to put your life back in order again.

Love

El Solaris RP
[...]

Regardless of what spriitual path you have chosen to walk, God I Am: From Tragic to Magic will resonate with many truths within. It's a wonderful addition to a Course in Miracles and overall an extremely helpful source. Enjoy.

this man is highly intelligent as well as spiritually aware. This book tells it as it is, so it is one of these precious books that helps clarify yourself, and reveals the Truth of Life if one stays with the text, that is if one meditates the sentences that call for it.

on reading many "spiritual" books over the past 35yrs,this has got most of the answers,it completes the cycle,I felt I was reading what I had patterned together over the many years,but it is the only book to give me the final answers i have been in search of,and now need to only search with-in.Yes,hard to take in all that it is,but it is IT.Thank-you Peter for having the understanding of relating this insight ,with such clarity and simplicity,of examples,I hope many others every-where read this incredible book -judy

I am - or was - an overweight teen. I really love the show Growing Up Gotti and once I heard that Frankie had a diet book comng out I thought that this would be a perfect oppurtunity for me to loss the weight for good. I ordered the book and it exceeded my expectations. Frankie is truly a great writer. This book encouraged me to follow his diet steps! Now, only half way through my diet, I have lost 24 lbs. And it is thanks to Frankie! So thank you for helping me and others lose extra weight for good.

I wish there was more publicity on this book. I had watched the show and goggled the show for images and came upon a picture of him before the show and was shocked to see his weight and even more shocked at what he is today. After viewing the sample pages provided by Amazon, I knew I had to grab a copy. I am 10 years older then Frank but he touches the core of my problems. He is an admirable writer that can be respected by all ages. I really appreciate his honesty, sincerity and encouragement. He taps into emotions and experiences that I have yet to see in any book, and for it to target the young generation is phenomenal!! Thanks Frank :)

i love the growning up gottie show
it of the chin, but anywayz, hi frankie, i just wanna say that u look soooooo fooooone,now we girls can see ur the real frankie
u look amazing

The author of this book was just arrested for drug posession. Diet and exercise, or was there something more?

Lies and scandals.

Frank Gotti's diet and exercise book really reveals the trauma of being overweight as a kid/tennager. I couldnt believe the before and after pics! And the heartfelt text inside. Frank was not afraid to show his sensitive side, in an effort to help others lose the weight as well. I applaud him--he has guts!....(and he's gorgeous!)....Katie Ross

A lot of the approbation or criticism of a book like this has to do with the accuracy of the translation, which is something I'm not an expert in. What I can say about it is that this translation reads like a novel. It leaves you with the impression that Herodotus is telling you a story, rather than the impression that you are reading a bit of ancient Greek literature translated by some stodgy classicist.

The story itself is excellent. Basically, it's the story of the rise of the Persian Empire, culminating in the war with the Greeks. It covers things like the battles Marathon, and Thermopylae. But it's much more than that. Herodotus surveys the geography and cultures of the people who existed during that time. Much of what he recounts is hearsay and mythology, which I imagine can be frustrating for the historian but is actually very entertaining and fascinating for the general reader. There are also numerous short stories interspersed with the larger narrative, especially in the earlier chapters.

This is a fantastic book, which I think even people who normally wouldn't read classics would enjoy. In fact, I think this books is most comparable to a book like "The Lord of the Rings". If you enjoyed that, and you like history too, then you'll probably like this book.

Who am I to write a review of Herodotus' The Histories? I am not a classicist, a historian, or a scholar. I wouldn't know the difference between translations, which one is "most true" to the original, which one provides the most accurate analysis of the texts and its accuracies and inaccuracies. So, I have decided that the only way I could review this book is to express how readable it is for a non-scholar who wants to read one of the most ancient of histories, of a time and place far removed from our own, about alien cultures and beliefs, and a complicated war between the ancient Greeks and Persians.

The only reason I read this version is that when I mentioned to my brother once that I had never really read any of the Greek historians, he said I had to read this one and then loaned me his copy. It took me a couple of years, but I finally got around to it. And I found that what he told me is true. The Histories is extremely readable and interesting. Herodotus spent a lot of time giving a background of the conflict, and mixes the historical with what we would call the mystical or fantastic. A lot of time is spent describing the cultures of the Egyptians, the Persians, and the various Greek city-states. If I forgot the significance of a name, I could just look him (rarely a her) in the index, where a short description could be found. If I became confused about where the Thracians were from, I could look at several helpful maps in the back.

There were several times that I became overwhelmed by the details (I guess I didn't appreciate knowing what colors and costumes each people wore during battles). I also had difficulty following from one battle to another, but I'm not sure if that was the fault of the text.

I therefore recommend this for the casual, armchair historian who just wants to learn more about the ancient Greeks while reading a good story. I suspect the book would also work for the more serious scholar who wants to study the text.

Having had a couple years of Greek in college (just enough to be dangerous) I have to say Grene's translation looks to me the most literal and readable at the same time. The old Rawlinson translation is stylish but not as close to the Greek as Grene. de Selincourt's Penguin classics effort loses style points compared to Rawlinson, and yet manages to perhaps be even a bit further from the Greek. Waterfield's Oxford classics just reads as flat and featureless as the Wall Street Journal's finance pages, and yet isn't very close to the Greek either! Grene alone seems to open a contemporary English speaker's ears to hear how Herodotus would sound if you were actually a Greek speaker of the 5th century BC (and isn't that exactly what we want our translators to do for us?). I like his point that with the Homeric overtones, Herodotus should sound just a bit "odd" a little archaic, yet lively. I think Grene hit the mark right on the head, and of course Herodotus himself is a gas. Totally entertaining, and highly recommended.

On a side note, does anyone know how to pronounce Mr. Grene's name? I realize he's Irish, but it's an unusal name and I've never heard it pronounced...

David Grene's translation of Herodotus' "The History" is a good version of the Greek historian's magnum opus.

The Introduction provides context for the translation to come. It is useful and functional, although Knox' introductions to The Iliad and The Odyssey (Fagles' translations) strike me as better at putting the work in its place. Nonetheless, the Introduction is serviceable. Grene notes of Herodotus' work that" "There are two worlds of meaning that are constantly in Herodotus' head. The one is that of human calculation, reason, cleverness, passion, happiness. There, one knows what is happening and, more or less, who is the agent of cause. The other is the will of Gods, or fate, or the intervention of daimons."

In the History itself, Herodotus ranges widely geographically, and considers many different countries. With these, he discusses in detail such varied matters as hygiene, sex, culture, animals, religion, geographical features, and so on. He appears to have tried to ascertain as best as he could what the actuality was and what hearsay or rumor was. One of the more interesting examples of this is his effort to understand the role of Helen in the Trojan War (2, 120). Here, he doubts the veracity of Homer's rendering of the causes of the war. He believes that Helen never did go to Troy, because Priam would not have been willing to risk his empire over one woman. At other places, he clearly states the different versions of some incident and then renders his own best judgment as to what he thought the reality was. In short, he did not simply retell tales that he heard. When he is not sure what actually happened, he says so (e.g., 1, 49; 1, 75).

In the end, Herodotus has done a great service for many generations, by putting down, as best he could, his understanding of the history of the various actors of his time and before. The reader will find it difficult to keep all the people and countries straight. The volume features a useful set of maps, providing a sense of the different countries mentioned, as well as the travels of armies on conquests.

The book moves ahead in a majestic trajectory to ultimately describe the Persian-Greek War, with Xerxes leading his great force into Greece. Herodotus provides detail on many aspects of this conflict, which the Greeks eventually won, after battles at Thermopylae, Salamis, and Platea.

For an early effort at history, Herodotus' work is important to be aware of. And Grene's translation makes the work accessible to readers today.

this is to my mind the only translation for you. Herodotus was not a historian; rather, he was an inquirer, and a displayer of inquiry. I've never read another translation that captures the profound uncertainty about the operation of the universe that radiates from every sentence of his Greek.

The ancient world is a wonderfully unfamiliar place, once you've let go of your preconceptions: reading Grene's Herodotus is a very good way to start letting them go.

Another great book that deals with the Klingons.
Years ago I had quit reading Star Trek, but now I am back.
This is very original work and very interesting to read.
You have a long running space battle and an equally long running ground battle, and every crew member is important and well developed by the author. Very fun to read.
Worf and Martok make a very brief appearance, but that is what I like about this series, it is wholly original with very good characters and both the men and women have equal parts.

There's nothing I love more than Klingons heading into battle. Even the phrase, "It is a good day to die," makes me smile whenever I read or hear it.

With all of the proper introductions taken care of in "A Good Day To Die," Keith R.A. DeCandido's second I.K.S. Gorkon book, "Honor Bound," wastes little time on catching up the reader and dives right into the battle between Captain Klag and his allies in the Order of the Bat'leth and the honorless General Talak and his legion. With so much fighting going on (superbly illustrated in DeCandido's written word), you'd think that there would be little room left for character development. However, the reader gets to learn even more about Klag, Dorrek, Kurak, Leskit, Toq, B'Oraq, Goran, and even a few of the Children of San-Tarah as the battle on land and in the stars gets more violent and savage.

DeCandido cleverly intertwines combat sequences with flashbacks (especially in the mind of Kurak) and keeps the action at a quick pace. The bulk of the story is the actual battle, but DeCandido ties up everything nicely in the end and leaves the reader hungry for more in the third installment of the Gorkon trilogy, "Enemy Territory."

For anyone interested in "Star Trek" and especially those who love the Klingons, I highly recommend the I.K.S. Gorkon book series. Be sure to read "A Good Day To Die" in order to get a solid basis for the entire trilogy.

Brad R.A. DeCandido should write every novel focusing on Klingons from here on out. He not only incorporates characters from the televised Star Trek Series (TNG and DS9), but creates his own characters that are thoroughly Klingon and very intriging. I believe KRAD has a better feel for Klingons than any other Star Trek novelist.

Captain Klag has just lost San Tarah though honorable combat after judging the Children of San Tarah as honorable foes in the previous novel "A Good Day to Die." However, the PetaQ General Talak has ordered Klag and his crew to violate their word and surrender their honor as Klingons. Klag decides to call on the Order of the Bat'leth, the age old association that Chancellor Martok has once again commissioned to be the champions of honor within the empire. The resulting battle is one that Klingons will sing operas of for at least a generation.

The writing in this work is of high calibre. The battle scenes are described so vividly, you can picture the ships and subspace eddies in your mind. The San Tarah are developed as a fascinating species who not only have a strong warrior ethic and are highly effective fighters of their own, but as the denoument of this story will show, they also place a very high premium on honor and integrity.

This was a great read and I can't wait to get to installment three "Enemy Territory."

The first two books in Kieth R.A. Decandido's new Star Trek series, The I.K.S. Gorkon, are, in reality, one story. These two novels follow the adventures of the Klingon Defense Force ship Gorkon and her captain and crew as they embark on a new mission:


"to explore strange new worlds...
to seek out new life and new civilizations...
...and to conquer them for the greater glory of the Klingon Empire!"

In the beginning, the reader finds himself witnessing the honoring of a ship's captain and the rebirth of an Order. That captain, called Klag son of M'Raq, is being inducted into the esteemed Order of the Bat'leth, an Order devoted to honor and duty and the precepts of the greatest Klingon to ever live: the Emperor Khaless, who created the Klingon sword, the bat'leth, from a lock of his own hair after throwing that lock into a volcano.

More than this, though, Klag and several other captains are ordered to enter a system called Kavrot to find worthy planets on which to plant the Empire's flag. Klag and his crew find such a planet, but then things take quite a change. The natives of this world, called San-Tarah, wish to compete in contests to decide their fate. Should the Klingons win, the San-Tarahns would willingly cede themselves to the Empire. Should they lose, Klag leaves and no Klingon will ever set foot on the planet again.

Of course, nothing is ever so simple as this. Inevitably, there is treachery afoot. Klag's superior does not think much at all of this contest or of the captain himself. What happens to Klag and the San-Tarahns? Read and find out.

This reviewer found the first two books of the I.K.S. Gorkon series to be fast-paced, fun, and very funny at times. It was also very "real", which is not always easy to portray in a sci-fi setting. The characters and their motivations, for the most part, were believable and this reader shouted "'Qapla!" with every success and consigned the villains to Gre'thor every time the crew of the Gorkon met any kind of defeat. The writing was wonderful, with very few editorial mistakes. The settings were vivid, to the point that the reader could feel the grass and smell the blood, hear the battle and taste the smoke and fire in the air, could almost feel the touch of a bat'leth or mik'leth handle wrapped around his fingers. If you like sci-fi novels, and specifically Star Trek novels, pick these two up. You'll be in for a rare treat

This book was excellent. It was an easy read, inspiring, and uplifting. I hope they come out with a second book. I would recommend this book to every woman. I even think a lot of high-school age girls would get something good from it.

This book is a wonderful inspiration to women. It is a truthful and simple book. Each entry is unique and wonderful to hear. I was so inspired when I read it I sent a copy to all my closest women friends and family. This sends a wonderful message about self-esteem. I would encourage any woman to have this book. We should all celebrate the fact that we are beautiful in our own way!

I wish every woman in this country would buy a copy and spread the word! We focus way too much in this society on trying to look like everyone else, and "I am Beautiful" brilliantly celebrates the beauty in our individuality. Having this book on my shelf is like having an instant lifeline to an invaluable friend (only it's more like 100 friends!) to perk me back up on those days where I can feel my self esteem suffering because I don't look like all the picture-perfect women I see in magazines or on TV. I can honestly say that every single time I've sat down to read it I've either gotten goosebumps, or big tears welled up in my eyes. Something about this book just hit me right where it counts. I can't say enough about it. Thank you, Woody Winfree and Dana Carpenter, for creating this beautiful work.

I was given this book by a dear friend because I have been exremely ill the past year and my self-image has become distorted and anguished. I have felt as though my life has lost meaning and my view of myself is no longer of that worth living. Reading this book was an inspired gift. As I read and observed each woman, I learned of the great differences in each person and how to cherish every aspect of that which makes us unique. It is a treasure to cherish for years and years to come.

When I first picked up this book in a bookstore, I wanted to cry. To be honest, the tears welled up in my eyes. They weren't tears of sadness; they were tears of joy. This book is a welcome accompaniment to any home concerened with the importance of a woman's well-being, both physical and otherwise. The pictures are honest renderings of real women, women you'd bump into in the supermarket, or pass on a typical city street. The stories are the ones you've told to yourself time and again--here they are in unison, confirming everything you suspected about the magic inside yourself. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A very good piece of work with some precious pearls of wisdom. An excellent read. Great for newlyweds and seasoned couples alike. Highly recommended.

I am reading this book now. I wish I would've read this book before I got married. Unfortunately, I am divorcing, but I can say that this book is a real pick-me-up. I am now understanding the role of a man and a woman in a marriage and now I know what to look for when I do get married again. The responsibility of a man in the household, How men and women are different, how to get past hurts and how not to be manipulitive. God wants relationships to have order. Work as a team under the guidance of the Almighty. Women and men are the same in the spirit, but they provide a different function. If one person doesn't fulfill their role, the marriage will not work. The love emotions will fade and it will end in disaster! Amen! I went through it. I haven't finished reading all the chapters yet, but I can't put it down. Decide for yourself, it is a real blessing to me. Thanks Bishop Long!!!

Eddie Long presents a book attempting to teach people about Godly relationships and what both sexes require in them. While his intentions are certainly noble, they fell short of pleasing or helping me in several important areas. Before I start my ranting, let me say that he does make some very good points about marriage and the sexes. Heck, the man even points out that Delilah wasn't all bad, and you gotta give him gutsy points for that! I applaud him for certain comments, such as telling men not to blame their wives for their problems and to listen to and value their opinions; he also gives women some good advice about men. So what's my problem with him? Well, in spite of all his seeming understanding of the female spirit, his ideas of a woman's role in society are nothing short of sexist.

First of all, he began with the fatal error of telling me that wives should obey their husbands. Not submit to, but obey, as though wives are children. The word "obedience" is an absolute no-no in the marriage vocabulary as far as I'm concerned. This obedience thing honestly surprised me, since he had claimed that women are equal to men. Apparently, someone should have explained to him the meaning of equality, because several of his other comments contradict his supposed belief in it.

When he talks about female obedience, he doesn't draw the line at marriage alone, but indicates that a woman's lot in life is to be obedient to a male force: "her father before marriage, her husband after marriage, and possibly a pastor in an intermediate period." So, where's the equality? As an independent woman, there is hardly anything that offends me more than a man presuming to tell a woman that obedience is best for her (isn't that similar to what Southern whites used to tell Africans about slavery?) Other contradictions are visible in his writing; for example, in spite of saying that it's okay for a woman to be single, he indicates that women were made for men, both to give them companionship and to bear them babies. Men NEED women, he says, and women so need to nurture their men. He even pulled the age-old trick of saying that a woman can influence a man by submitting to him. He basically seemed to be saying that we're supposed to obey our husbands and be their mommies at the same time.

Maybe Long realized that he sounded sexist, because he went way out of his way to praise women's strengths and to emphasize how much men need us, so much so that he actually made me wonder why men SHOULD be in charge if we're so great and they're so needy. The final straw for me was his comments about women having jobs. He said, "I think I understand why women take on men's jobs. Either they've been abandoned and forced to work, or abused in the past and would rather work than rely on a man." Um, you forgot a third possiblility, buddy: Maybe we take on "men's" jobs because we're perfectly competent and capable of doing so! Why imply that a woman only works if there's something wrong with her? With this comment, his claim of belief in equality flew out the window once and for all. But then, I should have seen this coming when he said wives should be obedient; how are women to be equals in society if our own husbands don't treat us as such? Marriage is about two people coming together, NOT about the wife morphing into the husband.

I suppose Long and his wife have the right to practice one-sided marital submission, but he doesn't have the right to pass this off as God's will and attempt to cram it down our throats repeatedly. His agenda is clear when he calls disobedient wives "ungrateful" and tells women that if they don't obey their husbands, their marriage will be miserable and their children will be dysfunctional because they won't know how to deal with male/female relationships. Whatever, fella; I fully intend to get married without obeying my husband. I guess I'll just have to pray that my heinous ingratitude doesn't drive my poor family into therapy. Don't be fooled by his sweet talk, ladies; what his message really boils down to is this: it's perfectly okay for a woman to be strong, but only if she stays in her place. Which, in case you weren't paying attention, is consistently under a man's control.

This is an excellent book on relationship within the family and the body of christ. It helps woman and men to know there place and function in the physical and spiritual.

This book helped change my life. The Lord works in wonderous ways!

Almost every parent wishes happiness upon their children more than anything else. "I Just Want My Kids to Be Happy!: Why You Shouldn't Say It, Why You Shouldn't Think It, What You Should Embrace Instead" is a guide to help parents accomplish that goal and plant the seeds of the traits that bring happiness - the seeds of optimism, kindness, and more. A must for any parent striving to promote a good psychological future for their children, "I Just Want My Kids to Be Happy!: Why You Shouldn't Say It, Why You Shouldn't Think It, What You Should Embrace Instead" is highly recommended for community library parenting collections.

This book could not have come at a better time. I was panic-stricken about getting my 15 month old daughter on the wait lists for all of the 'best' pre-schools in my area. I was writing checks, completing forms, filling out more paperwork than I did for graduate school. Why was I doing all this? So she would be happy, of course. As a new parent, I am guilty of saying 'all I want is for her to be happy' but with no thought as to what that means, or why I even say it. This book took my vague concept of happiness and helped me understand what 'authentic happiness' really is, and how to work toward acheiving it, not only for my daughter, but for me as a parent.

I found it to be a very easy read, well-researched, and I really appreciated the fact that the book gave real-world examples on how to apply the theory into our busy parenting lives. I can't recommend this book enough, both as a parent and as a clinical social worker.

I am certain I will refer to this book often as a guide to good parenting as my child grows older.

Helpful, insightful, and filled with great advice, "I Just Want My Kids To Be Happy!" is a book today's parents must read...While parents are more committed than ever to their children's happiness, kids today are more worried, more anxious, and more depressed--a fact the authors point out so well through the use of statistics and examples...If I could afford it, I would purchase a copy of this book for all expectant and new parents. It sheds light on how changes in the focus of what is important have created a society of children who aren't prepared for the realities of life..."I Just Want My Kids To Be Happy!: Why You Shouldn't Say It, Why You Shouldn't Think It, What You Should Embrace Instead" shows parents in an easy and helpful way how to bring up children who are truly happy, not ones who experience short-term pleasure at the expense of long-term happiness...I highly recommend this book to parents, grandparents, and caregivers everywhere!

Many parents confuse happiness with short-term pleasure. Instead of allowing their kids to work through unhappy times, they feel it's necessary to make sure kids never experience disappointment, sadness, and other unpleasant emotions. What parents don't realize is that those feelings help kids grow up to be emotionally mature adults.

Just because your kids appear to be happy doesn't mean they really are. Kids try to please their parents, and you might be surprised to find they're wearing a smile because you've told them you just want them to be happy.

If you're truly concerned about your child's long-term happiness, I'd encourage you to pick up a copy of this book. Both you and your kids will benefit from these suggestions.

Reviewed by: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews

What? We shouldn't want our kids to be happy? Not really, say Aaron Cooper, Ph.D. & Eric Keitel, M.Ed. Instead of focusing on their being happy all the time (causing them to pretend to be happy when they really aren't), we should teach them to accept the full range of feelings so they can handle disappointment, fear, anger, etc.

The authors say that this "...want them to be happy" mantra makes us captive to our kids' moods, feel guilt when they aren't happy, and prevents their learning to cope with adversity.

As co-author of THE COMPLETE SINGLE FATHER, I've heard how single dads who often have their kids part time, every other weekend, or just on holidays, feel they need to make their kids happy to "prove" that they're still a good parent. No doubt single moms feel similarly.

Rather than focusing on our kids being happy, we need to let them know that it's important to be healthy, caring, find meaning in their lives, have fine character, practice acts of loving kindness, and be spiritual.

I JUST WANT MY KIDS TO BE HAPPY is a most unusual and thought provoking book. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, spiritual advisor, etc., this is a special book to open your mind to what really matters in your life and your children's lives and to prepare them for whatever life brings.

I highly recommend this book.

Elaine Fantle Shimberg
ElainesBooks.com
TheCompleteSingleFather.com