Biographies Books

This book gives a dipicton of WWII that you do not get in most books. I have meet this man and heard him give many presentations on his book and experiance. I would recomend this book to anyone that is interest in WWII and what happend over there from someone that experianced it.

I too was fascinated with Mr. Van der Geest's book even though it sounded too good to be true. I am a student of WWII and of the Battle of the Bulge in particular as I had an uncle who was killed outside of Champs on Christmas morning. I question Mr. Van der Geest being there as he said he was. I have researched the events of December 22nd, 1944 in great detail and in no account (A Time for Tumpets; The Battered Bastards of Bastogne, The Bitter Woods, etc.)can I find any mention of Mr. Van der Geest being there and interpreting anything and these books go into great detail in naming names of those who were involved with the surrender proposal. I wonder if he was even attached to the 101st airborne as he talks about them fighting their way out of Holland on the way to Bastogne where they were going to meet up with Patton. The battle hadn't even started yet; Patton hadn't made his proposal to relieve the 101st and besides the 101st was going to Mourmelon to rest and refit. He writes about going to Bastogne the first week in December, but the 101st didn't leave Mourmelon until Dec. 18th.
I have found other errors in the book as well and it makes me wonder if perhaps Mr. Van der Geest took accounts of the war and made them his own.

I just finished this book. It is an amazing story that proves fact is better than fiction. What an amazing life this man lead. His courage and fierce determination to survive brought him through the key places and major events of WWII. Buy this book and pass it around. I was fortunate enough to have this book passed to me.

Mr. Van Der Geest spoke at my school and I have never heard a more amazing story of courage and faith. This book captures his story of his survival during WW2 and all he accomplished after he escaped the death camp. I would recommend this book to any person young or old because we cannot forget what happened to this man and the thousands of others like him - especially those who were not so blessed as to survive. We cannot forget our history and we must learn from it. This should be a mandatory book to read in highschools everywhere, because it carries a far more important, interesting, heartbreaking, and yet hopegiving story than any other book I certainly ever read. I'm so glad this man had the courage to tell his story.

My father recently sent me this book as a present. It was probably the best book that I have read this past year. This story, of Jack Van Der Geest, life...really hit home for me. Recently, I became very sensitive to racism. Specifically, my fiances son was beaten by a group who believed him to be a white supremist.

I plan to buy this book on a regular basis and give it as a gift to those other parents that need it...to educate our youth on the tragic events of World War II.

Jack Van Der Geest...is an inspiration...

Rob Johnson

Theologian David Bosch stated that, "The mission of the church needs constantly to be renewed and reconceived." And so Christianity and its myriad churches have adapted to the changing climate of secular cultural beliefs and methods which gain wide popular acclamation. By the time Voltaire wrote in "Candide" of his devoted disciple to ultra-rationalist Alfred Leibnitz, Prof. Pangloss, the "take it on faith" appeal of the churches toward less acculturated masses seemed glumly passe in the craze of the western cogniscenti toward the new rationalism that stressed study of evidence in rigorous empiricism and epistemology. By the 19th century, the gospels, scriptures, older apologies and other early Christian texts were beginning to be scrutinized by the criteria of rational method formulated in the immediate prior decades. Dissatisfied with the veneer of vague metaphysics in the literal content, the early Christian rationalists employed methods of literary criticism and developed "higher criticism" as a means of analogous and metaphorical interpretation.

Especially in the U.S., starting in the mid-20th century a reactive more fundamental and evangelical school of clerical scholarship is determined to take their "new" rationalism public. In the day and age of rocket science and electronic engineering, both in sermon and classroom, the scholars would spread the word that faith alone is no longer required to embrace Christ's one "true" revelation -- hence, books written for popular appeal such as "Evidence That Demands a Verdict" by Josh McDowell. (Apparently that was not enough : "The New Evidence that Demands A Verdict".) Alleged ex-Atheist journalists like Lee Strobel become super-stars on Christian television with books like "The Case for Christ", ad nauseum.

D.M. Murdock is not the first detective among skeptics to casually but surgically burst the bubble and pollute the punch of modern Christian claims of evidence. But in less than 200 pages she does so with an alacrity and thoroughness that is nothing less than stunning for the quantity of information imparted but brevity in outlining a counter-case. I am reminded of an especially skilled courtroom attorney orating a final summary of arguments to a jury.

She has the ability to make her case quite ably from a minimally clinical perspective, to be sure. But the reader is treated to so much more. We recognize in the writing style here, the sumptuous ability to engage her reader and immerse one in the vagaries of comparative mythology and religion that is the trademark of Acharya S. A passionate archeologist, classicist, and historian, she has that knack of being able to guide the reader into sharing with her the adventure of exploring intellectual realms not commonly known or appreciated. She uses such talent here in spades. From a respectful summarizing of Gospel Matthew, we are alerted to the problem of harmonizing the gospels, the problems of evidences outside the Christian paradigm, the problem of dating the gospels and other Christian documents by standards of best tangible evidence, the earlier Jewish scriptural and pagan influences on the NT, other issues aside, each more enthralling than the preceding, until finally debunking the weak claims of evidence, some clothed no better than the proverbial emperor, insisted upon by the growing range of evangelical Christian scholarship. The pages turn, the momentum builds, and even the most disinterested reader is introduced to fascinating aspects of literary development and mythologizing in the earlier ancient realm of our western tradition.

Who was Jesus? is an exceptionally well written and researched investigation into the Jesus story and the New Testament. The author, D.M. Murdock, brings logic, reason, and intelligence to a subject that has held human kind captive for centuries and dares to go where so very few ever dare go. This book rates among the top of a very small group of other equally as compelling books such as "The Age of Reason" written by Thomas Paine in 1794, "The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors" written by Kersey Graves in 1824, and more recent publications "Caesar's Messiah" by Joseph Atwill and "An Infidel Manifesto" by Gary Lenaire.

Over the more than three decades that I've been researching/studying Christianity as a determined "Anti-Theist" {a term author Christopher Higgins chooses to use when referring to one who denies [any] belief in supernaturalism) there is one aspect of this "Universalized" belief system that [cannot] be ignored; "Christianity is a "Big-Business Machine"; and, no matter what may be the denomination, its basic premise is "making money" and exerting control upon the [gullibility] of those indoctrinated into what can best be defined a "Cause Célèbre" (or rather, a case in point that despite some in-general educated public controversy and/or [appears] to bend-over backwards to arouse great interest and, thusly, becomes famous because of the issues or the people involved, today such promoters are the mostly degree-holding skilled professionals whose [job] it is to "... keep listeners interested and believing..." and, thereby, carry-on a generational fantasy in which the "Goodly" {the believers} will be redeemed and live eternally servicing the needs of the Deity, while the "Evil" (those who defy the cause) will be eternally punished!
Has anyone ever stopped to wonder how long "Heaven Can Wait"? Surely by now, after many, many, many centuries beyond the initial "Institutionalization" of a Jewish Jesus as a Grecian Christ back in the 4th century of the Common Era, the "Waiting List" to enter the "Kingdom" must be as long as would be the distance from the earth to the moon and back again--several times over!
While much has been said/noted much can be seen to depict the sorry "State of Affairs" into which for all-too-long the entire world has been subjected under the guise of Christianity! Thus, since I cannot state the matter in better terms, I can only repeat [copy] that which was written by D.M. Murdock on page 262 of her book: "Who Was Jesus?" The Fingerprints of The Christ" -- an assertion with which we [fully-concur] and which we now quote:
"... this issue is not to be taken lightly as the threat of the global destruction of civilization by religious fanatics looms larger by the day. The devisers of clever fables have, in fact, established a bizarre and dangerous fairytale that is setting up the entire world for a decimating holocaust, apocalypse and Armageddon the likes of which we have never seen before. With its constant portrayal of "End Times" scenes of death and destruction, the fundamentalist Christian perception of reality, which incorporates the Muslim and Jewish paradigms as well, constitutes a deleterious delusion that teaches a variety of doctrines incompatible with the love for life but repeatedly calling for a cosmic battle that ends all life. With its eschatological doctrines of the Second Coming, Rapture and End Times, the Christian myth is, in the final analysis, unsustainable (emphasis added).
Be sure to read her other books "The Christ Conspiracy! The Greatest Story Ever Sold" & "Suns of God"!
***
Sincerely,
Ronald A. Malloy

I read once that `History and Education is religion's biggest enemy'. This book, `Who was Jesus? Fingerprints of the Christ' is both historical and educational and a treasure for the inquisitive. If you do not subscribe to blind faith then I would recommend this book. Actually, if you have a parochial education you should read this book! A prominent atheist stated that adherence to a Holy Book only curtails ones sense of wonder and `Who was Jesus?' makes you wonder.

I was once a Christian, but I ate the fruit from the tree and found it delightful and D.M. Murdock's work is a delight.

As a Religious Studies student at Indiana University I am extremely fascinated by the historical origins of Christianity. Ms. Murdock has provided a much needed objective evaluation of the supposed "evidence" which is usually marshalled in defense of traditional and conservative approaches to the topic. With an even handed use of logic, she forensically examines primary sources. While often citing mainstream and conservative scholars, she doesn't limit herself to their timid conclusions. In fact, her analysis leads to conclusions that are as reasonable as they are shocking. This work is both consice and thorough. It deserves strong attention from aspiring academics as well as those of the conservative literalist fold. Rather than dogmatize out of some hidden agenda, she, more rationally, lets the evidence speak for itself. I highly recommend this eloquent and persuasive volume!

I was given this book by a research mentor at the conclusion of a summer of undergrad research. She thought I would find the sections advising scientists to find appropriate wives amusing, and I certainly did. Cajal is certainly opinionated on this and many other subjects, and he writes well and clearly. Although the book is dated, the basic philosophy of science itself has not changed, making Cajal's insistence that young researchers question authority and trust their own abilities as timely as ever.

a wonderfully written, sharp, succinct account of how and why we should do research. for anyone embarking on long term work in the natural or social sciences this book provides invaluable advice. if only everyone worked this way!

This is a great book for anyone who is embarking on research life journey. It should be a madatory reading for all persons getting training in research.

Could one expect have such a magnificent review of the life which can give you the main principles to enjoy your life as a scientist? Yes, read this book which still inspires me in most aspects of my life. By some pertinent illustrations, Santiago gave us the basis to lead not only a sucesss in your scientific career, but also (and more important) advices to a better human being.
This book (and all others of this kind) speaks to human's heart, and should be proposed in our education system instead of so many boring and barely useful.

This book was recomended by Dr. T T Sun, who himself is a great motivator and researcher. I read this book and its incredible. It changes the view of thinking towards science.

I found this book so topical that I suggested it for my book group. We will be discussing it this fall! I think it addresses the unspoken fear of many boomers -- getting old. I took this book with me on plane trip. I found people doing double takes when they saw the title. Even our cabin attendant wanted to give me an answer to the title's question. Komaiko handles the subject with loving humor.

This is a brilliant, compassionate, funny, inspired, dedicated quick read! It is, I believe the best book about relationships I've read in a very long time. Leah Komaiko says what I think but have never been able to verbalize much less write and put out into the public! When is her next book out?

I am so impressed by the honesty of the author, Leah Komaiko--her fear of being old and her sense of insecurity. I am also pleased that she found a way to go through her fear. I am so sorry to know that Adele (the 94 years old lady in the book) was abandoned by her family with no particular reasons. I remember my 89 years old father told me that the worst thing to be old is... you were young not too long ago. And when you get older you would prefer to be with your family. I can imagine how Adele felt when she was left at a nursery home by herself with no visitations from her family... It is a wonderful book!

I was touched by the honesty, simplicity and humor of Leah Komaiko's writing in this wonderful book. As a 44-year-old woman, I relate to the challenges of aging in our youth-worshipping culture. I was also struck by the ways in which the friendship between these two women progressed. There were moments when the author seemed ready to "throw in the towel," but the fact that she persisted even when things didn't go quite the way she planned was an inspiring example of how to love another human being, warts and all. I recommend this book to anyone.

I saw Leah Kamaiko interviewed on last Sunday's Today Show. We were also treated to footage of Leah and Adele walking and talking together. True soulmates. Seeing them reminded me of how moved I was when I read "Am I Old Yet?" the book Leah wrote so that all of us could share what these two wonderful women have learned from each other. There is only one age, alive, and that life is best lived in connection to ourselves and each other. Leah's willingness to face her fears of aging and learn from them gives gentle space for the rest of us to explore this taboo subject. For years in my psychotherapy practice I have worked with many people facing aging and mortality issues for themselves and their loved ones. "Am I Old Yet?" is poignant and wise. It illuminates while it confronts and comforts. I highly recommend this book. It is a valuable resource for our continuing collective journey.

I am a big fan of David Halberstam. Like his other books, this one was well written, but I just could not get into the subject matter. The main characters that he follows were uninteresting and pretty one dimnesional in their rowing obsession. Halberstam seems to worship their dedication to a sport that few care about, but I find their masochistic pleasure in continuous pain and lonely training quite odd and certainly not anything heroic. I think that if I had been a rower at some point in my athletic career instead of a track athlete and soccer player, I would have enjoyed this book more. We've all heard the term "too much inside baseball." For me this book was too much "inside rowing" and did not translate into a broader experience for fans of other sports.

Really well written, but a depressing story. I finished the book without any happy illusions about the sport, or sports in general. Nevertheless, a valuable story about the human spirit.

halberstam is very engaging in not merely following the story of the 1976 Olympic US rowing scullers, but in relentlessly digging into their lives for historical details of their rowing past, psychological stabs at what drives them, and their social interaction with their teammates. this book was quite well known in the 1980's, but seems to have been forgotten by many in the rowing community - what a shame!! i expect every serious rower today would still find this an extremely compelling and interesting story, and for those of us who read it 20 years ago, i can testify that it is very well worth a re-read. and the other top rowing book? virtually unknown and quite hard to find, brad alan lewis' `assault on lake casitas' is just as great as `the amateurs', and a fantastic companion to it!!

For someone who's not a rower, Halberstam gets most of this right - the technique, the atmosphere, the obsessiveness (which is common to all levels of rowing, just intensified among Olympians). In some ways the selection for the '84 Olympics was a crux point in the US rowing system, and Halberstam shows just why. If you want to get a view into a sport most people ignore, written by a top author, this is a good place to do it - same if you just want a peek in the mind of world-class athletes. If you want to really learn about the 84' Olympics selection camp, I'd recommend reading this in combination with Brad Lewis' "Assault at Lake Casitas", for a another viewpoint from one of the main actors (and the '84 doubles gold medalist).

Incidentally, the movie Rowing Through was based on The Amateurs. It's quite divergent from the book, but not too bad if you can ignore a good bit of gratuitous sex and some hardly-Olympic-caliber rowing in the scenes on the water.

I read this book in spite of the facts that I have no interest in rowing and know nothing about it. I read it only because it was written by David Halberstam, and I've loved everything I've ever read by him.

This book was no exception. Even though I still know very little about the sport, I now appreciate how grueling it is, and how much training these guys do.

You can't go wrong with a David Halberstam book, and this one's no exception.

A must read! Puts life into perspective. Traffic, bills, taxes seem trivial compared to the hardship he endured.

There are several excellent reviews of this book already posted, so I'll keep mine brief. Yesterday I was having a really lousy day, and wallowing in self-pity after work, my dear spouse took pity on me and said "I was saving this for your birthday, but let me give you something." She dug around in a hiding spot and handed me this book.

I read the entire book, cover to cover, over the next six hours. Couldn't put it down. I had never even heard of "Bud" Day until last night. Today, I have to tell you that I stand taller myself having read this book.

A young Marine in World War II, a pilot in Korea in Vietnam, and the holder of every decoration for bravery that this country can award. He never did it for the glory- he simply saw his duty and did it. His story is about a man who wanted to rise up from the wrong side of the tracks, better himself and make something of himself. Clearly, he succeeded. But so did Robert Coram, the author, who paints a realistic picture in following the life of George Day, his wife and children.

Robert Coram starts his preface as follows: "...Every time I was with Bud Day and the Mistys [the group he commanded] or the POWs, I recalled that line from James Michener when the admiral is standing on the bridge of an aircraft carrier watching his pilots take off against the terrible defenses at Toko-Ri and says to himself, 'Where do we get such men?'"

Get this book and read it. Get an extra copy or two and give as gifts to YOUR favorite patriot.

I have to say I really enjoyed this book. I'm also glad folks like "Bud" Day stand up to our Govt. to right the wrongs that were done to fellow GI's like myself.

I would recommed this book highly!!!!!

A real page turner, I read this over the weekend while visiting family.

It's not only an amazing story about Bud, the history before and after Viet Nam are equally insightful. I think it's suitable for 8th graders and up and should be required reading for all students. The incredible journey of Bud is fascinating and I rate this as one of the best non fiction books I've ever read. For those who don't read 'war' books, this is the exception you must read.
Did you see the movie Forest Gump? About a man who just had one amazing life experience after another? There's no relation at all to the mens lives, but that's the way this book reads. Bud just seems to have one amazing experience (not easy ones!) after another. Learn about his journey and how he served under 3 separate armed forces divisions. He is one tough guy and the truly an AMERICAN PATRIOT.

2008 Political Note: John McCain and John Kerry are both mentioned in the book.

In 1957 USAF Captain George "Bud" Day came TDY from Flying F-84s at Weathersfield, UK to Etain AB, France to check out in the F-100. He was assigned to the 562nd FBS where I was a first lieutenant also upgrading in the bird from F-86s. Bud was an affable guy and we casually started a friendly rivalry as to whom was amassing the most time in the Super Sabre. I, a bachelor, would see Bud from time to time in our scruffy green-painted cinder block Officer's Club.
Though we almost always wore flight suits in the Club, one night I was there in khakis and quite solemnly getting hammered all by myself while seated at the bar. For what reason, I don't recall but probably had to do with a Dear John letter I had received. I was doing a good job since I had started at the top of the bar's drink list and was working my way down ordering each one in turn. Though not noisy or rambunctious, I was pretty wobbly, bleary-eyed, and becoming rather disheveled. Several of my friends had approached and tried to draw me into a conversation, concerned over my apparent withdrawal. I would not respond and grew progressively more morosely smashed.
Then Bud Day came over, stood next to me and put his arm around my shoulder. Looking back, I recall he seemed rather large. In a friendly, confidential voice he began to speak some pretty serious words about what I was doing. Now we all know that TDY pukes have no business stepping out of line with we permanent party luminaries, rank not withstanding.. What nerve. But I began to listen.
"I'm not here to start a beef," he said in a kindly voice, "but I must tell you what I am thinking. First off, you are getting quite drunk. I really don't care about that. But," and he emphasized the `but,' "you are wearing the uniform of the service I love and not wearing it well. That I will not tolerate. Why don't you just go back to the Q, change into civvies then you can come back and pass out on the floor for all I care."
My first reaction was one of anger. Where did this guy, this TDY puke, get off telling me what I can or cannot do in my own Officer's Club. That thought died aborning. He had said exactly the right thing in exactly the right way. I straightened up, looked him in the eye, and said, "You are right," and left the Club immediately and never returned.
Perhaps in some people's eyes this was a trivial event that didn't necessarily reflect either heroism or conviction on his part. To me it was monumental. Obviously, since I remember it so well after 48 years, it had a profound effect on me. You know, we are all influenced in one way or another, small or large, positive or negative, by practically everyone we meet and everything we witness. Sometimes in a tiny way it changes our life in some obscure aspect we aren't even aware of. We may even, unknowingly, become a better person.
So what effect did Bud Day's action have on me? Two things; have firm convictions and have the courage to stand up for them at all times.
I doubt if Bud even remembers that long ago scene in an obscure O'Club. But I surely do, and have admired Bud from that day. So, though it was a shock as to what he went through as a POW it was no surprise that he carried himself so heroically. Macho be damned, there goes a real man.

With respect, I remain
Mark Berent
Author, Rolling Thunder Series

William Manchester's "The Arms of Krupp" is an epic look at the company, personalities, dynasty, and the nation that formed one of the world's most infamous armaments manufacturers.

From the earliest records of a Krupp in the late 16th century, the Krupp family profited off the suffering an misery of others when Arndt Krupp bought land in Essen for a bargain following an outbreak of bubonic plague. It was a pattern that played out again and again up to the Second World War; but the later tragedies the family profited off was human conflict rather than disease.

Throughout the narrative, the reader is introduced to a long list of eccentric and sometimes brutal 'Cannon Kings': from manure-loving Alfred whose genius launched die Firma into its infamous glory, the scandalous Fritz, the robotic Gustav, to the WWII-era slaveholder Alfried. At times, readers will envy the early Krupps for their dedication to die Firma, while in other instances the audience will be appalled by the Krupps' cold-blooded arms dealings that led to the deaths of so many of their own countrymen.

Manchester is keen on casting the house of Krupp as a symbol of modern Germany; as their trials and boons both seemed to coincide in recent history. Furthermore, "The Arms of Krupp" is an excellent source for insight on the pre-WWI arms race and the post-Versailles rearmament that other histories of the period overlook. Over all, it is a highly recommended book for anyone interested in the history of Germany and the barons of modern warfare.

This book is excellent for all the reasons mentioned in the other reviews. What I found REALLY annoying was the author's use of German quotes. He provides quotes, in German, usually somewhat abbreviated as shown by the use of ellipses, and then provides the translation of the entire quote in English. Since most of his readers can't read German, and the entire quote is NOT in the German version, why include them? More frustrating are the German phrases that he quotes and doesn't translate, leaving us to guess at their meanings.

It covers a lengthy span of time in Krupp saga. Its 900 pages have space for all kinds of detail, from the purely familiar and personal to the more general of German customs and idiosyncrasies, and finally -to me the most relevant and interesting- the historical. The historical from the ground perspective, is what I mean, not the ideological or political.

There's a lot of merit in this author to keep the interest along so many pages. Some of these pages are of great style, elsewhere the interest plummets a little, which is totally understandable.

One paradox in the book that can summarize the story of Krupp is the difference between the way the greatest Krupp (Alfred) treated a poor and foreign woman appealing for help, and the way his great-grandson, would treat people like her in his not-known-well-enough private concentration camps. For Alfred it was: "Necessity knows no law", a fitting motto. Exactly the opposite would be during the Nazi times. Here's a sample of great writing: "Yet there was a time when Alfred's great-grandson not only abandoned helpless women from abroad, but exploited them, and then left them to a doom far more unspeakable than the turbid gray waters of the Rhine. The bonfire of the Third Reich was rapidly being reduced to embers. No sources of manpower were left and so, necessity knowing no law, Krupp turned to girls, to mothers, and, in the end, to the construction of a private concentration camp for children."

A must read, for the fine style in which it describes important historical subjects that must be known, the day-to-day lives of the people who lived those turbulent -to say something- times. Let's not forget those horrors. And don't try to understand them, just beware how low the human race can fall.

The ultimate story of the KanonenKonig. I highly recommend this book to anyone intersted in the industrial history of the Ruhr. The best work on the rise of Germany available.

William Manchester squeezes yet another masterpiece into just under a thousand pages (not counting index!) For four centuries one name was associated with the armaments that were utilized in four major wars, creating the richest family in Europe; Krupp. Each leader of the dynasty had peculiar quirks that Manchester delights over, some were involved in sex scandals, and another ran his day to the second with pure Prussian obsessive-compulsion. Krupp innovations included the steel cannon and railroad wheel; they designed the notorious 88mm of WW II, and the descendant of that gun, the 120mm hypervelocity cannon, may be seen on U.S. tanks to this day. The driving force behind the industrialization of the Ruhr, it would be legitimate to ask if Germany were responsible for the rise of Krupp, or Krupp responsible for the rise of Germany. Like so many others, Alfried Krupp fell under Hitler's spell, spurring him to run private concentration camps in order to produce more weapons. Intrafirm Krupp memoranda from this period begin to use terms such as Sklavenarbeiter (slave labor), Sklavenmarkt (the slave market), Sklavenhalter (the slave-holder, Alfried Krupps), and Judenmaterial (Jewish livestock.) The Nuremberg Trials follow, and Krupp walks away almost unscathed, to continue in business until the company foundered in the 1960s. German history and the Krupp lineage is inextricable, and there is no better writer to bring such a unique saga to life.

the book was great son and husband read it fast shipping and in good shape

this is a must read for the bill elliot fan and nascar fans

i am reading the book and so for i have enjoyed it very much and i am finding out what a hard time bill had in his racing career

It was very interesting to read Bill's own story on NASCAR racing and his career. He has not ordinarily been to loose with his words in the past, so it was refreshing to get his views and opinions first hand. He was generally very complimentary towards his fellow competitiors, but was quite critical of NASCAR concerning the safety issue and the death of Earnhardt. A good read from one of racings finest and classiest drivers.

All I can say is...AWESOME BOOK. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's a 15.

I'm going to use Erika's book to help me read my own writing.
The ability to see your own mistakes, edit your own thoughts, and create new and unique pieces is precious. Thanks, Erika, for sharing your experiences.

Rita

I am extremely grateful to Erika Holzer for her most recent book Ayn Rand: My Fiction-Writing Teacher. In it, she discusses her mentor-protege relationship with Ayn Rand, her development as a novelist, and important lessons about the fiction writer's craft. What I most appreciate about the book is Mrs. Holzer's insight into the art of fiction writing. She does not simply recite a few directives given to her by Ms. Rand. Rather, she provides a context for each of the lessons she learned and explains the importance and relevance of Ms. Rand's advice. Thus, the reader is left with a veritable road map to becoming a skilled and thoughtful (and, yes, principled) fiction writer. Thank you, Mrs. Holzer, for this insightful book.

Writers of all philosophical stripes will find Holzer's new book full of useful guidance. Much of it stands as a tribute to Rand the teacher, recalling an era when Holzer spent considerable time with her, moving past understandable heroine-worship into a true mentor-protege relationship. Yet the book is more, a catalogue of key relationships that benefited Holzer, the woman and the writer.

Writers at all stages of development will find this book useful. All readers will be edified by the noble soul who shares so much of herself in these pages. Holzer covers believable characterization, disciplined plot development, heroes and anti-heroes in literature and film, the moral function of fiction and other issues in the book. She generously reveals many secrets of her admirable writing style.

Holzer's stories are sensual without being salacious. Her fiction writing is transporting, full of compelling moments and memories. Her views of novel writing put her firmly in the camp of romantic realists. She is opposed to (or at least troubled over) so-called "naturalism" in modern novels. This book is highly recommended.
-- Patrick B. McGuigan, Oklahoma City

I am a writer in my professional life, but I do not write fiction and have no plans to in the future. I am also a big fan of Ayn Rand.

Ms. Holzer's book provides what I imagine is incredibly useful advice and context for fiction-writers; having said that, I found the lessons in this book extremely valuable for my own endeavors as well. I enjoyed every minute reading this book as a little piece of insight into a heroine (Ayn Rand) and was able to put myself often into Ms. Holzer's learning shoes to absorb the lessons Ms. Rand taught.

I believe my own writing--legal and non-fiction in nature as it is--will benefit greatly from the lessons I've learned. Plus, it was an enjoyable read so it's worth the time in any case.

There is a great method to Erika Holzer's madness in how she put together this excellent book, "Ayn Rand: My Fiction-Writing Teacher." First off, let me say that I have no intention of ever becoming a novelist, and that as a writer, I'm strictly a journalist and essayist. Therefore, I am not exactly part of the "target audience" of such a book. However, I am a lover of movies, short stories and novels, and it is from that vantage point that I read this.

Most of Holzer's "lessons" about writing learnt at the feet of Russian-American novelist Rand took place in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the living room of Rand's midtown Manhattan apartment. The book gives you that feel, as Holzer lets her anecdotes unfold naturally. As I reader, I never felt as though I were reading a boring by-the-numbers "how-to" book, feeling like the poor sucker at the receiving end of a power-point slide presentation (which is how most 'how-to' books feel, which is why I avoid them like cholera), but instead, Erika's got you sitting in a wing chair, eating a Danish and drinking caffe con leche and thrilling you with "Hey, guess what Ayn told me about holding on to your audience? Don't hit them over the head with the freakin' message!"

It's a nice compendium of life-lessons, disguised as writing tips, and it's clear the author took them to heart, particularly in her short story (printed herein) titled "The House on Hester Street." It is the most charming short story I've read in years! It's really some of her best writing, ever, because it seems her heart was in this one 100%. The plot construction was simple, but not until I got well through the story did I see where it was truly headed. Ending quite like an O. Henry story, but the ironic twist never felt forced. Instead, my reaction was "of course," and, "how perfect."

More so than her two novels (to be fair, I have to re-read "Double Crossing," because it's been 23 years), it shows the influence her "inveterate moviegoing" has had on her writing. As I read it, the whole thing unfolded like the scenes of a movie, the pacing very much like a film's montage. The scene with the central figure and her ailing mother talking, in very crisp, matter-of-fact cuts; the train trip in slow dissolves; the taxi ride to the 5th Avenue library in jump cuts. The letter reading was a dreamy flashback, sepia toned and all. It had a very easy flow to it, like a narrative of a motion picture.

I read a lot of short stories, and aside from Roald Dahl or Daphne duMaurier, most leave me sort of "ho hum." "The House on Hester Street," however, is really one of those short stories that is demanding to be made into a screenplay! I couldn't help thinking that this was where her "Cheryl Taggart as Gibson Girl" mood piece found its true home (though it may also be yet in her upcoming courtroom novel). There's also the feel of H.L. Mencken's reminiscing about his wild days in Baltimore about it, he being a connoiseur of high-toned dames.

Back to the book: If I got a kick out of this just as a casual reader, imagine the gems of great advice you'll get from this if you want to seriously tackle the task of writing the Great American Novel.

IT IS AN INTERESTING BOOK, AN IT IS VERY CHEAP.
I COULD READ ALL THE BIOGRAPHY ABOUT MY FAVORITE GROUP AND I THINK THAT I FALL IN LOVE WITH THEM.
THE BEST PHOTOGRAPH IS WHERE THEY ARE TOGETHER IN A CONCERT.
THEY ARE VERY GOOD-LOOKING

i love the pic's in this book, when i read this book it told me some thing i didn't know, but some parts iretate me cause i know they are wrong,but i think i was well written it made me laugh many times,i love most the pic's on nick, as i have all the books on bsb i find this one of the best i have!!!!!!!!! it's a must!!!!!!!!!!

Horrible book, because it deals with a horrible "band" which is fooling millions of people around the globe...

I LIKE THIS BOOK CAUSE THE PICTURES INSIDE IT LOOK SO GOOD ESPECIALLY AJ MCLEAN AND HOWIE D AND THOSE ARE MY FAVORITES IN THE GROUP AND I ALSO LIKE BRIANL.BECAUSE HE IS SO FINE AND THE BOYS GOT IT GOING ON ALL THE TIME.

It was great! I love the Backstreet Boys (especially Brian) and I loved this book. It had great info on each of the guys, good stuff about how they got together, and really hot pictures. If you love the Backstreet Boys, get this book!