Non-fiction Books

I know that Starhammer is not great literature but it is a thrilling story for traditional science fiction readers. Rowley creates an interesting, if frightening, future for humanity. However, the scale of time referred to in the novel spans a billion years, long before humans existed. Somewhat like in the Warhammer series. He also creates one of the most frightening alien life forms I have read about in science fiction, the Vang. I always thought that it was a shame that Rowley didn't develop this theme to more than the three books he wrote on the subject of the Vang and the Laowan. His Founder series was good but I found the Dragon theme less interesting. Like other reviewers here I have read Starhammer several times over the years and it is definitely one of my favourites.

This whole series is completely suspenseful, and this book definately sets the stage!

I found this book as I was looking for more information on the Halo backstory. Everything I was reading was saying that the developers borrowed pretty heavily from this series and they were definately right. Don't get me wrong, they are NOT the same story. There are just a lot of similarities, which in my mind is a good thing.

A word of warning, though... Don't read this book unless you have a whole day to spend; once you pick it up, it's got you!

IF you like Halo, then you will love this book. I cannot emphasize this more.

The people at Bungie who created Halo are such obvious fans of this book its not even funny.

Things from Halo that are based/similar from Starhammer:
-John(Master Chief)
-Covenent
-Flood
-343 Guilty Spark
-Halo(The weapon part of it)
-Cortana
-There's more, I'm sure

I first read this book many years ago after purchasing it along with a bunch of others at a secondhand book stall. I've read it many times since and never get tired of doing so. Just a sensational story that deserves to be made into a blockbuster of a film. If you love sci fi and haven't read this book yet then do so without any delay. It doesn't matter if you have to beg, borrow or steal the money to buy the book - just do so. You'll be all the richer for having done so!

This book is one of my dumpster diving finds from almost 15 years ago. It has no cover and is about the most damaged book I own.

But, I treat it as best I can, considering I have read it at least twice every year since I found it. It is a detailed trip into a bleak future, where mankind is saved long before it ever reached the stars.

The book has some technical flaws, and the pacing changes through the story, but for all that it presents ideas and visions with clarity and imagination. I would love a story about the long past heros of the novel.

The plusses of the book significantly outweigh the minuses. The heros are thinking, feeling beings, the villans obviously think a different way, and the true villan turns out to be much scarier than expected. Plus, its smart.

In all this is a very exciting and fast paced (mostly) book that is a vision of redemption.

Maya Angelou's reading of poetry is moving to the point ot tears and laughter. I highly recommend it.

This audiobook arrived in about a week and was in the condition advertised. Overall, I was satisfied with the transaction and would purchase from this seller again.

...Invictus is by William E. Henley......I do not like much poetry.....but 'Still I Rise', is one of the most moving and powerful pieces of literature of our day. You can feel the rumblings of motivation rising within you as you read it---it summons the power of our ancestors as you read it... YOU FEEL this poem with all your heart--or I fear you have no heart and you remember that feeling for years after you have read it!
It is a magnificent poem that the author not only wrote, but earned through her own life.
This book would make excellent Christmas gifts of inspiration.

This book is filled with wonderful, powerful poetry that really awakened me to the troubles of African Americans in that time of history. Diego Rivera's paintings in the book are staggering and breathtaking. This is a must-see for any ameteur or lover of poetry.

The title says it all. I love this poem. It's Maya's best so far. And I love the combination of the poetry and artwork. I hope she chooses to do this more often. A superb book created by a superb woman! *****

"Birdy" has been often compared to such novels as Heller's Catch-22, the tendency for the book to be read as a war novel was strengthened by the movie based on the novel in 1985, directed by Alan Parker, which moved the time of its action to the days of the Vietnam War. The book, however, concentrates on the issues of adolescence, growing up, and reaching maturity.
"Birdy" tells a story of two friends Al and Birdy who met in pre-war Philadelphia and who friendship survives the war when Al is invited to a mental ward where Birdy is kept after his traumatic war-time experiences which which brought about his mental-breakdown. The reader becomes gradually acquainted with their adventures in flash-backs and witnesses Birdy re-awakening.
The book rings true both a nostalgic description of the pre-war working class US which no longer exists, a chronicle of friendship and a description of mental disorder. Must read - you can follow the reading with the movie and there is Peter Gabriel's CD to accompany the novel!

"Birdy" is a novel with a shared narrative; on the one hand there is Al, and on the other there is Birdy himself. This is one of the specificities of the book. Birdy as a character is quite interesting in his weirdo/loner/genius/freak kind of personality, and because of the divided narration, you get both the outer and inner approach on his obsession, birds, and flying.

On the whole, this is a very readable book, and quite enjoyable. Not a page is a bore and one cannot get enough of Birdy's featherly obsession and how far it will go.

However, the ending left me rather unsatisfied. I thought it starkly contrasted with the rest of the novel and didn't live up to everything that came before; as if something deep was ended on a joke.

Another critic concerns the back of the book, where you find the following words: "While fighting in World War II, they find their dreams become all too real - and their lives are changed forever." Well, that gave me the idea that these two friends would end up fighting together in Europe or something and the birdness of Birdy would come into play. Contrary to those lines, there is very little concerning World War II - although there are a few pages of Al's warring, there is almost nothing of Birdy's. So do not put too many hopes there. I never really trust blurbs, but I still find it stunning that so many of them tell things that are just wrong.

This being said, and excluding the ending (of which I'm not too hot but in general, not the final lines, which aren't so bad), this is a good read. I never was all that crazy about birds, but this novel was very informative as far as canaries are concerned; and bird life in general. The psychological aspects of Birdy (whose real name I don't think ever comes up, which I like because it's as if his birdness erased his human identity) are also of interest; for instance, Birdy prefers birds to people, he even fantasises sexually about birds rather than girls. It's fantastically weird.

The book is best described as "bird-y", like it's title. Whoever reads it will understand what I mean. In the center of the story stands an eccentric, introverted boy called Birdy, who's entire life is driven by an obsession with birds, and a dream - to fly and be free. The book opens with Birdy in a military mental hospital, traumatized by his experiences in WWII. His childhood friend, Al, has been called over to try and bring Birdy back to reality. At a loss of what to do, Al begins telling Birdy stories from their childhood, and recounting all the adventures they lived through together. Through Al's narrations and the remembrances they trigger in Birdy, the fascinating story of a most unlikely friendship unfolds. Al is a handsome, athletic Italian girl-chaser, with an abusive father and an obsessive need to prove himself. Birdy on the other hand, is a wild spirit. You can sense throughout the story how he feels caged, and reveres the birds he sees to be free. He constucts an aviary and raises canaries in his bedroom, studying them, learning their language, getting to know each one personally, and losing himself in their world. The descriptions of the canaries are so intense that the reader himself feels as though they are human, or he is a bird. Birdy is an amazing character - brave, self confident, a mechanical genius, who struggles to fit himself into human life, but who's mind works in a completely different way than anyone else's. The book tells the extraordinary story of the two friends, and is simply a pleasure to read and a refreshing change from the conventional.

I've read a lot of books in my day, but Birdy is easily one of the most memorable. A traumatized World War II veteran trapped in a VA hospital stays sane solely through his preternaturally detailed recollections of raising canaries as a teenager--and through the perfect loyalty of his closest friend.

Wharton's better known World War II novel, A Midnight Clear, comes nowhere near this one in terms of originality and emotional truth.

Birdy is a beautifully written, most unclassifiable story, unsentimental, sometimes painful, but extraordinarily life-affirming and imagination-affirming. Some day it will be recognized as a genuine classic of American fiction.

Thats right. One of the best books I have ever read. I have already purchased some 5 copies for my friends - to share the beauty of the book with them too. Its a masterpiece.

The depth of description about a bird, and its daily life, is described here in a way I have come across before. But thats not what its all about. There are many concepts discovered here, and it makes the reader ponder. Issues such as war, friendship, love, dreams, insanity and sanity.

I especially got involved in Birdy's dream. I am a bit of a dreamer too. He goes onto explore the fact that maybe we living now, is a dream. And the dream that both you and I will have tonight, is actually our real life. I liked this view.

Buy the book, its very much out of the ordinary, and I hope you really enjoy it as much as I did! Happy Reading!

This is the third book I read by Gibran. I started with "The Prophet" and "Voice of the Master". "Broken Wings" is the first novel I read by this author. It is a love story between two young people at the tender age of 18 that meet and establish spiritual connection between each other immediately. The girl, Selma is raised by her wealthy widower father, who in spite of his wealth seems to be ignorant of the way the world works. The young man, our narrator, is somewhat of a dreamer and idealist who believes that patience and perseverance will grant him the hand of the woman he loves (Selma). But world, being the cruel place that it is has different plans. Everyone pure and true ends up being hurt in the process, only the cruel and greedy get to go on with their lives as if nothing happened. Beautiful story beautifully told and wise as only Gibran can make it so.

"Every beauty and greatness in this world is created by a single thought or emotion inside a man. Every thing we see today, made by past generation, was, before its appearance, a thought in the mind of a man or an impulse in the heart of a woman. The revolutions that shed so much blood and turned men's minds toward liberty were the idea of one man who lived in the midst of thousands of men. The devastating wars which destroyed empires were a thought that existed in the mind of an individual. The supreme teachings that changed the course of humanity were the ideas of a man whose genius separated him from his environment. A single thought build the Pyramids, founded the glory of Islam, and caused the burning of the library at Alexandria.

One thought will come to you at night which will elevate you to glory or lead you to asylum. One look from a woman's eye makes you the happiest man in the world. One word from a man's lips will make you rich or poor."

--Khalil Gibran, Broken Wings

We have all the tools to keep us connected that our forefathers never could have dreamed of. Cars and airplanes allow regular visitations between friends thousands of miles apart. The telephone and the internet allow direct connection with those not in our presence, the cell phone extends this connection to all times and virtually all places. Yet, do we take the time see what we do to those who really are around us, when we leave the guest in our living room to check and see who is signed on to our buddy list on our computer? Do we see our friends' hopes and dreams, joys and sorrows, when we ignore them across the booth in the restaurant to answer our cell phones?

Every action I perform has an effect on someone else. Many people that we meet, we only see that one time. I wonder what their impression of me is. I wonder if I have uplifted them, or hurt them, or barely made an imprint at all. I wonder if they ever look beyond how I have changed them to see me, to see beyond the generally relaxed, goofy, at ease outlook I put on the situation to see how I really am feeling at the time.

Our feelings, our outlook on life, our hopes and expectations can change in an instant. When that person you are thinking about calls or emails, elation ensues. When you don't hear back for awhile, doubt and yearning go through you mind. Yet, it could just be random, the person deciding to send a message just to say hi, like I often do to my friends.

Okay, I am rambling again. That passage above by Khalil Gibran comes from his short book Broken Wings, written from a first person perspective about a man's first love, Selma, who was betrothed to another. This passage was from one of the middle chapters. It caught my eye, and I am still trying to make sense of it, what it is really saying. Any thoughts? Feel free to share. You can post comments on my blog anonymously.

Kahlil Gibran once again tells a beautiful love story. I fell in love with this novel, and would recommend it to anyone who loves to read a beautiful, and realistic love story. It made me cry!

Khalil Gibran's fiery book on first love and its undying potency. A must have read for fans of the Prophet. A fictional tale that captures the essence of love awakening energy in the context of culture, social rules, and family ambition. A juxtaposition on the distinction between a love marriage and a marriage as a merger and acquisiton.

Gibran says, "I was eighteen years of age when love opened my eyes with its magic rays and touched my spirit for the first time with its fiery fingers and Selma Karamy was the first woman who awakened my spirit with her beauty and led me into the garden of high affection, where days pass like dreams and nights like weddings."

In his typical lyrical prose, interlaced with subtle imagery and deep philosophy, Kibran creates a masterpiece of first love. The story is poignant, and is full of platonic ideals, so characteristic of first love, especially in the East. I say so, as in the East, be it South Asia or the Middle East, first love is a cherished territory where spirituality overwhelms every idea of sexuality. The prose is delightful in content as well as intent, and is laced with a wisdom, so reminiscent of his most famous work, the Prophet.

Gibran always wrote short novels, and this one too is a short, but intense read. The sentences are rich with poetic descriptions, and the way author describes nature and love is refreshing, soothing, and beautiful.

I recommend Gibran to one and all. His writings may not appeal to you if you are looking for cheap thrills, but if you pine for a love story that defies the usual pot-broiler stuff, a love story full of purity and selflessness, read this one.

I don't read westerns & I really don't know what caused me to pick up this book several years ago, but I am glad that I did. After reading it I had to share it with my friend & we agree that it is one of our favorite books that we have ever read. I recently started re-reading it & am very happy that it still holds the same appeal. Harry Combs really makes the story come to life! His story-telling ability is up there with any that I have read.

Brules was by far the best book I have read in years. This was truly one that I could not wait to tear into. Real hard to put down. Action, Action,action- the superman of cowboys. I loved it.

a bit too much killing indians, but just when you start to get tired of this, the story line shifts. Combs is a GREAT storyteller

I do not often read westerns, however I thought I would give a book like Brules, touted to be more literature than genre, a try. I'm sorry I did.

Brules is too long, too wordy, and unnecessarily racist. Yes, the white men and the indians didn't love each other. We know that. But having that driven home without redemption for over 400 of the 500 pages is nauseating at best. Brules himself is mostly without redemption. There is little to love in a man who views his woman as a beautiful piece of flesh and shoots and kills people to get whatever he needs. Yes, I'm sure there were lots of cowboys like that out there, but do we really want to spend a whole 500 and some pages in the company of one?

That said, Brules is fairly well written, and Harry Combs did manage to create one character I really cared about--the young man we meet at the beginning of the book and to whom Brules tells his story, Steven Cartwright. I hear Combs wrote a whole book about him, The Legend of the Painted Horse, and perhaps I will go give that a try.

All told, Brules is probably a good read for Western readers. I think the rest of us, however, will find it a bit nauseating.

This novel absorbed and transported me as few others of the genre have. Cat Brules is a simple, utterly uneducated, natively ingenious man who suffers extreme hardship and personal loss but continues to wage his wars, trying to overcome both the Comanches and his own devastation, and succeeding in ways he never expected. A professional critic I am certainly not, but an avid reader of many genres - this is in my top five favorite novels of any kind - ever. Read it (but read the unabridged version) and love it.

I sometimes wonder why magical books like this have such a long incubation period. I was fortunate enough to come across a copy in an independent bookstore - Moonlight Books - in Pagosa Springs, CO. Since then, I have purchased several copies and given them as gifts and I keep one copy that I loan out and one copy that I never loan to anyone!

The text below comes from my blog:
... [This] book ... really caught my eye. I loved the title "Church of the Dog." The illustration on the front - just lept off the page! I even liked the feel of the purple paper just inside the cover. This book called me by my true name - I just didn't know it yet.

I began to read... and cry... and read... and cry... This is a love story told through the hearts of an average family. The family is just like yours or mine. Ancient secrets cast long shadows over them. Along comes a woman who enters into this family constellation. She is both the catalyst, the witness, and the container for the ensuing magic. Each of the characters - Mara and Edith, Earl and Daniel enter the container of transformation and are healed. Along the way, I too experienced great love - love of myself and my potential. This story, artfully and loving rendered, gave me hope and healed my heart.

Church of the Dog taught me that my heart could fully grieve my loss. Church of the Dog gave me imagery and metaphors for my pain. Later, the book would play an important role in the mending of my mother's broken heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I love healing stories. This is a magnificent story of hope, love, healing, and grace.

I have the privlege of knowing Kaya- I went to school with her. (I wish we still lived near each other, because I'd like to see her from time to time.) She was always one of my favorite people, because she had that nice combination of down-to-earthiness and idealistic-dreamer.

So when I heard that she'd written a book, it didn't surprise me one bit to discover that it was just a great little story and book!

Church of the Dog is an enjoyable book; you want to know how the story will turn out; it's well-structured, and leaves you thinking, happy, and satisfied that you'd read both a fun story and a true story. (The two aren't always the same, you know.)

Anyway, if you're thinking about it, I'd say grab a copy and read it. Odds are you'll enjoy it.

And Kaya... give me a buzz whenever you come to town. :)

My book discussion group was very priviliged and delighted to have Ms McLaren at our last meeting. She is the very essence of her characters and gives off an 'aura' of such inner tranquility and her sense of humor knows no bounds. We all had the highest praise for her work,the development of her wonderful characters, and the subtle messages that she gently gives us. This is a must read, you will be happily satisfied. This book glows.

This gem of a book will be a favorite library edition and you will read it over and over again (5 times already!). In this day and age that an Author of Kaya's intuitiveness and spirituality is uplifting and such a positive affirmation of our life. Kaya's characters come to life with a belief and caring for each one. As I am of the older generation, I particularly loved Edith and Earl and their love story. Keep on writing, Kaya and thank you for this Angelic gift!!!

Being a 2yr Highschool Student of Kaya's, I may be a little biased. If asked to describe Church Of The Dog I would use the analagy of Being a fly on the wall while, Sitting Bull, Quintin Terrantino, Bob Dylan, And Henry Rollins shared a morning cup of coffee. Her writing style is very unique as is she. And her phillosophies on life and its anonimities Never ceases to shine a new light on a subject. No matter How many times I've thought about the same thing. Great Job Kaya, I'll be looking forward to reading some more books in the near future.

Like another reviewer, I've had this book for years but never got around to actually reading it. But when I did, I couldn't believe I had let this sit on my shelf untouched! Excellent. And yes, it's right up there with the other classics like Tom Sawyer, To Kill A Mockingbird etc. Perfect for a rainy afternoon when you can curl up in bed and enjoy it.

"A Cry of Angels", which I have reread a few times, is probably one of the best books I have ever read. I rate it up there with "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Secret of Santa Vittoria", and "The Milagro Beanfield War", all of which I consider classics.

This story of a Southern boy, his friends and relations, is immaculately drawn and very endearing. With each read the book retains its magic and charm and I can finally replace my old beat up paperback with this newly reissued edition.

Until this new edition, the book had been out of print for years. Fortunately readers will now be able to rediscover this wonderful secret classic. Unfortunately Jeff Fields has never written another novel, which is a great loss for anyone who loves great literature and a great story.

I knew Jeff Fields when he worked as a producer at a local television station in Jacksonville, Florida, and read the book reluctantly and only out of courtesy, not imagining that I was about to discover one of the great books of my life. Like most of the earlier reviewers I cannot understand why this book has not become a mega hit best seller. Jeff went to Hollywood as a script writer for the production of a movie about his book. Things did not go well with the producers when Jeff refused to change the story to suit them; he resigned and the movie was never completed as far as I know. Too bad, all someone has to do is follow the book EXACTLY and they will have an academy award contender. I have not seen Jeff since about 1985? and don't know if he continues to write. In an case, don't fail to buy this book!

A freind who is an avid reader repeatedly spoke about this book. She would not lend out her copy because the book was out of print. Finally and thankfully, it has been reprinted. I agree that it should be required reading for high school. There is so much substance; history, beautiful writing,and of course humor that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. In my opinion, there are too many coming-of-age books but it all depends on how one grows up.

I first read the book when I was a teenager and absolutely adored everything about it. When I re-read it as an adult, I still thought it was one of the beat books I ever had the pleasure to read -- and I am an avid reader. Like all the other reviewers I can not understand why this book has not gained more recognition -- it touches upon some of the issues raised by "To Kill A Mockingbird" and does so with great literary skill.

More than that, this book is full of characters that will warm your heart and make you believe in the goodness of people. A great, great book -- do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy!

Barnabas Sackett's life from his evasion of the Queen of England in Europe to fighting and befriending different tribes of Indians North of Jamestown and South of Plymouth. Makes a long drive seem much shorter! John Curless has a perfect voice for this story. One of Louis Lamour's best!

I discovered books on CD from a coworker. Having a one hour and ten minute commute each way makes listening to books on CD a great way to enjoy the travel time.
I found this book very well written and very well spoken. One person having to read the voice of many characters is probably not the easiest thing to do. This reading is well done. I found myself sitting in the company parking lot just to finish a chapter before facing my workday. This was my first L'Amour book on CD and it was very enjoyable.

Sackett's Land and To the Far Blue Mountains make a complete story of the life and times of the Sackett progenitor. The combination is entirely satisfactory. L'Amour had the ability to tell the story well, and he developed that ability with years of work and research. It is probably fortunate for Sackett enthusiasts that he wrote the first books in the series later in his writing career. We benefit from his seasoned skills.

As in his westerns, in this book L'Amour focuses on what he finds interesting and what he thinks the reader will like to know. For the most part, he doesn't go into the technical detail that some authors pursue, but he paints a clear picture. The reader has a feeling of being there, or the strong sense that they could be there, right along with our hero.

The Sackett family saga is the story of an American family. Like all of L'Amour's work, it is wholesome and educational. He consistently hits on themes that his readers recognize, the importance of education and critical thinking, respect for our fellow creatures and the world in which we live,loyalty to family and friends, and taking positive action to shape one's own life. All that and a fun story too, for the cost of five bucks.

Dramatically narrated by John Curless, To The Far Blue Mountains is an flawlessly recorded audiobook presentation of yet another of Louis L'Amour's classic western novels featuring the hardy endurance of the Sackett clan as they addressed the challenges of life in the Old West. To The Far Blue Mountains follows Barnabas Sackett, who is on the run with his steadfast wife Abigail and his only escape is to the west. This is a superbly written adventure story of earning a life for oneself on the frontier, surviving all manner of hazards both human and environmental, and eventually prospering despite the hostilities of nature and man alike. To The Far Blue Mountains is an enthusiastically recommended audiobook for personal and community library collections!

I picked up this book because the intro on the back cover sounded good and I've liked almost every L'amour book I've read. Its written in a first person narrative as though he was sitting across from you on the couch telling the story.

The first half of the book is terrific, following his escape from England. We learn of his thirst to be out in the wild open spaces of the newly discovered America, he is falsy accused and is running from the law collecting people to join him as he describes the new beginnings they can have in the New World. Its very tightly written (though I think his escape from prison was way too easy) and you really love the character.

Once the group got to America things changed. In an effort to show the WHOLE life of Barnabas the whole story changes, now we have 50 years of history in 100 pages. So the narrative changes from a day-by-day upbeat story where friends are joining the group to a list of significant events, usually where one of the group dies from an indian raid. It becomes a series of "we built a fort", "xxx died in an indian raid", "the fort burned down", "we went down to sea and traded our skins for supplies", "yyyy died in an indian raid", "we built another fort", etc.

I didn't like the ending either, I think the whole story basically got pretty depressing towards the end with all the group dying or leaving to go off and do other things. All the next generation were grown up and strong but we don't have the emotional connection with them that we did with the first group.

Fungus is part of a bogeyman family. Their job is basically to be gross and go around scaring kids and all that sort of thing, slime, nastiness, saying boo, and that whole caper. What if this is your destiny and you don't want it to be? That is the issue under investigation in this amusing and clever tale by Briggs.

Wow! I got this book 20+ years ago from my older brother and loved it! I lost track of my copy and for years now I've been trying to remember what it was called...I just happened upon the dvd on netflix and there was that familiar face. I remember looking through this book over and over again and seeing something new each time. I'm pretty sure pages were falling apart and coming out of the binding I read it so much. I highly recommend this book for youngsters, and I plan on ordering copies for my neices...and probably one for myself!

Very happy with this copy....great read and goes with the other Raymond Briggs books I purchased....made a fabulous xmas present!

'Repulsive but none the less compulsive'. This classic Raymond Briggs book hasn't got a real storyline. It's more like an comic strip encyclopedia on the life of bogeymen (Fungus) and bogeywomen (wife Mildew) and their bogeychildren. The book just charts a day in the life of a bogeyman, who it seems, exists merely to torment us 'Drycleaners'. Briggs richly illustrated study of bogeydom delights in all things revolting, slimy, putrid, and lavatorial, and even raises deep questions on the meaning of Bogeydom life. The book is filled with visual and literary gags, e.g. hidden on Mildrew's bathroom shelf there's 'FemStench' perfume which is real Eau de Toilete (toilet water), plus you finally find out what Great Aunt Ada Doom of Cold Comfort Farm really saw in the woodshed as a child (and it was something nasty). This book would be of interest to any kid over 8, boys might go for it at an earlier age than girls - although be warned it's not suitable for sensitive parents. It's ideal for teenagers and young adults, who will appreciated the sophisticated humour more. So if you ever wondered what makes the bogeyman hiding under your bed tick, get this superbly illustrated and funny book.

I've loved this book for years, and actively sought it out in my adulthood to own. The book is filled with everything from gross visual jokes and puns, to the deep philosophical questions every Bogey must have. It's ingenius and unique. Worth buying for a creative or visually stimulated child.

Looking through some old books in my Attic, I happened upon this novel; first released back in 1995.It chronicles the down-ward spiral of a young Man with hopes an dreams, into a never ending slide towards his worse nightmare, a walking, Zombie. This is a harrowing depressing read, which I've often thought would make a great movie. It written in a very matter of fact way (Mr. Snell is an actor by profession, and it tells) but once you get used to his style, the novel opens up to you. Harrowing.

I read this book about four years ago and still think that it is the best book I have ever read, and I still cannot get the story out of my mind i think it is one of the most compelling and real novels I have ever come accross and feel that it should be re-released to show people exactly what it is like to be in a situation like the character in the book.

Well done to Ray Shell!

Het verteld een verhaal van een drugs verslaafde persoon.
Het verhaal is ten einde als je het boek begint te lezen, Cornelius (en niet de schrijver!) neemt je mee naar zijn wereld, zijn gedachte zijn parionide wereld. Heel erg vlak geschreven, heel erg simpel, maar o zo puur naar voren gebracht. Het item drugs speelt een rode draad in het boek.
Hij beschrijft zijn wereld in fases, periodes, van die heel goed gingen en die hel waren.
Het einde van het boek is een beetje zwak, maar dat moet je op de kop toenemen. Want het is de moeite waard om het te lezen en te BELEVEN!

This was a good book. Change your life good? Not mines. It's about a crackhead and you see things how he see and feel thing. You really have to get use to the writing style because some may call it artistic but for me it was mumble jumble. As you get into the book it become more coherent. It's always amazing the roads people choose to walk and what can be at the end of it. After wading through the mind of someone so grimy you actually look at your self and realize that could easily be you. As in life not all things are what they appear and this book is a prime example. This book also spoke a lot of truth concerning black people and why they not as together as they should.

I read the book a few times, because it really got to me. Out of own experiences with drugs I know that it is so authentic and it describes exactly how the selfdeceiving and -destruction works. And the pain you have inside and you can just not deal with. I never read somebody which came so close.

I saw friends going the way Cornelius did over the years and the book is very close to reality (besides the extreme ending) and that is why it touched me deep. It describes the life of a junkie how it is without that "social" touch.

Considering the biography of the author, it can hardly be his own experience and I keep wondering how he got this inside.