T Books

Do you ever have one of those days (weeks, months) when it seems all you have done all day is get after your child for doing things he knows he is not supposed to do? You have tried yelling, using time-outs, taking toys away, etc., and you feel guilty (and worn out). I have an almost 2 year old and a 3 year old and a ton of parenting books. If I could only recommend one parenting book, this is it. The main idea behind this book is that praising good behavior is much more effective than punishing bad behavior. This seems kind of obvious, but it is very difficult to consciously do this all the time. I liked this book so much because it is sooooo motivating. It makes you see how important it is to minimize negative interactions with your children and maximize positive ones. It gives lots of examples on how to talk to your child and words to use. There were some parts of this book that I did not agree with, but the good parts were so good that I think all parents should have a copy of this book.

Everyone should get this book. It gave me so much great useful info. I took tons of notes to go back and keep re-reading. I got so much out of it I am taking the class that goes along with it.

I have spent five years reading parenting books and this is the best one by far. I have read this book probably 5 times...and review it all the time. My husband took a master's level parenting class for a related field and this was his textbook. This book takes the pain out of parenting and the pain out of your children when we try to parent. This is a no-hit, no-yell, effective, kind way to parent. I often have people tell me they can't believe how well behaved my kids are. I tell ya it isn't luck, it is using the information from this book! It is worth every penny you pay and more. You, your kids and your spouse will be happier from reading this. Parenting and family life are fun thanks to this, just as it should be. By the way, this book isn't magic, it isn't always easy to keep your temper down but if you work at it you will love being a parent!

The Power of Positive Parenting contained a few key guiding principles that are valuable. The author's folksy style though is too repetitive and contains too much fluff - I appreciate the message and did learn some good things but it could have been done in a fraction of the space.

If you're a much faster reader (or have a significantly lighter reading load) than me this book is great. If not, I would have loved the Cliff Notes for this one.

From a practical point of view I wish the advice was tailored to particular age groups - too often the advice was poorly;y matched to my 3 year old.

In a nutshell: Love your kids, reinforce their good behavior, don't (over)react to their age-appropriate insanity. (sorry if I missed one)

I regularly assign this book as reading material for my clients, especially parents, as part of my clinical practice. I was amazed to find that many of the principles that I had stumbled onto in my clinical career as a Behavior Analyst were formally documented in this book all of those years ago. This is probably as close to a manual on "How to Parent" as there is out there.

San Francisco has over 50 hills with scenic vistas and small neighborhoods - so these nearly 30 urban walks are top picks for any who want to walk the city's byways. The revised expanded edition has been updated with new maps and color photos and adds three new walks, while an appendix lists the City's 600-plus public stairways. It's a 'must' for any San Francisco travel collection going beyond the general-interest city guide.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Great book to have for anyone who enjoys an adventure. Lots of walking options within the city

We've have been using Edition 1 (published 1984)for ten years. It's our most often used reference for San Francisco hiking. But the copy is now very worn and torn from carrying in back pocket on all those stairway hikes. Almost lost it several times on loans to friends. We are buying the latest edition (No. 6) as a replacement. We'll keep and treasure Edition 1.

We love to see the City close-up and enjoy the neighborhoods. During our reviews of Russian Hill, Pacific Heights, and San Francisco's crookedest street (Lombard Street) - we've used this book to find secret stairways and understand their twisted history. This book is an invaluable resource to making your trip to San Francisco unique -- and get some good exercise too!

Adah's book is a great collection of walks all over the city. As the name implies, all the walks focus on the stairways for which San Francisco is so well known. This has two implications: one is that these walks will wear you out; the second is that, on sunny days, you get incredible views from the tops of all the stairways Adah has you climb.

For locals, the 27 walks cover the entire town from Glen Canyon to Lands End to Potrero Hill. No matter how long you've lived in San Francisco, I guarantee you'll see great spots you've never been to before.

Most of the walks are well off the beaten path for visitors, but a couple cover the classic tourist areas of North Beach, China Town, and Telegraph Hill. The Russian Hill North walk, done on a sunny day, will have anyone believing San Francisco is the most beautiful city on earth.

Adah provides maps, directions, and a great deal of color commentary for each walk. She tends to focus on eccentric details of the local architecture and flora for each walk, lending a whimsical quality to the whole experience.

Two last things to keep in mind. First, because the views are such a big part of these walks, Adah's trips are much better in good weather than in bad. Second, Adah is sometimes a little loose with her directions; I recommend cross checking the directions and the map often.

I connected right away with Gwen and Hal and their children. One of the things I enjoyed was the fact that some of the story centered around Iowa City, Iowa and the university there. A place where we spent six wonderful years visiting our kids. But that aside, I could easily identify in some way with many of the characters. Every family has the dysfunctional Joyce, the overachieving Holly, the trying to prove herself Amy etc.

On those long summer nights in Minnesota, the reader could become a part of the Legend famiy. From getting the feel of sleeping there during a summer storm, sitting around the campfire, and the simple decor of the cabins, we in some way long to be a part of that simple no frills kind of vacation.

Jack and Amy, our two lovers, connected instantly, but for the sake of the family, put their emotions on hold. Their relationship is sweet and brief, but on that, they build a strong and sure love. While a fair amount of time is spent dealing with the problems of the other characters, the attraction of Jack and Amy is the main thrust of the book. I only wish that we had been let to experience more than their one brief, intimate encounter at the lake. Still though, maybe that innocence is what makes the book so special. In that one aspect, much is left to our recommendation.

I would for sure keep this book to read again, as well and look for other Seidel titles.

Seidel writes skillfully and her books are always absorbing. However, her characters always sound like they're psychoanalyzing themselves and this gets quite exhausting to the reader. Too many points of view are represented, and I always feel like I need to escape from all their problems! Yet I am always eager to read each new book despite my conviction that Ms. Seidel takes her characters a bit too seriously.

Summer's End was all I could have wished of a book. Not only because it took place largely in wonderful northern Minnesota, but because every character was so real, so "touchable." I'm sure Ms Seidel doesn't recall meeting me in Washington, D.C. in the early 1980's at a Romance Writer's convention in the Mayflower Hotel, but I never forgot her. She's not only a terrific writer. She's a really neat person. Thanks for Summer's End, Kathleen.

I have been a heavy-duty Kathleen fan since the first book of hers I picked up. Imagine my excitement at finding a new one... and my chagrin at finding it had been out for months! I believe that Kathleen is one of the most satisfying authors currently writing. I find her characters to be interesting and consistant, and I find the growth the main characters always experience to be reasonable and believable. I just can't figure out why her publisher doesn't apparently make any push to sell her books to people who have never heard of her! Everyone I have ever lent her books to loved them, and this one is no exception.

There are already 20 reviews, and I don't want to bore anyone, but I've loved KGS for years now. She writes romances with depth and feeling, and with lovely sentences. I don't know why she remains so underrated, and that's why I decided to add my review to the list - to convince the dabblers that this is a book worth investing in - I've kept all my KGS books, but this one, Summer's End, is especially light drenched. It's got wonderful side characters, with lots of interesting and real conflict between sisters and coping with family pain.

My only criticism is that we don't really get enough interaction between the lovers, we could have had a few more pages on them, but that is a minor quibble. You meet a whole host of characters that feel like friends and you don't want the book to end. Indeed I sincerely hope that she uses some of the other characters here in a new book or three - that's how close you felt to them.

This book is a must read for all young families. It is an incredibly valuable resource of information and inspiration for traversing what can be a very difficult life transition. Realistic and applicable advice is combined with important data. A straigth-forward and informative read!

This is by far the best book on PPD. I have recommended it to moms, dads, grandmas, OB's, nurses, behavior health specialists, psychiatrists, psychologists, med students, you name it. This is the resource to have on PPD.

This book has been more helpful than I expected. =) It does not only provide helpful information, but incorporates exercises which can really help one process and think through feelings, experiences, and ideas. I feel like I'm getting myself back little by little as I work through it.

This book really helped me and reasurred me that what I was feeling was normal and that I would overcome it.

Even if you aren't interested in the clinical side of PPD, this book is a must have for every pregnant woman/new mom. The assessment at the back of the book is worth every penny. I have purchased one for every pregnant woman I know.

The Treehouse Chronicles is a book for everyone who loves good writing, beauty, honesty, practical wisdom, and proof that dreams do come true. I am not a carpenter, nor do I know one thing about building. This beautiful book captivated me from page one. The art work compliments the pages and progress of the enormous project.
Best of all, I am inspired to start thinking in the realm of possiblity and promise.
The author, S. Peter Lewis is not the only one rewarded with this project, so is the reader!

Treehouse Chronicles is an intelligent mix of not just how-to build a treehouse, but why someone would want to in the first place. Great artwork and detailed diagrams plus a bit of philosophical thinking combine with great storytelling. If you think you like treehouses, this is the book for you.

There are two types of people who buy great books. I'm driven to write this review from both perspectives: the first from a reader, and the second from a coffee-table-book browser. Since you're reading this as one type or the other (or maybe both, like me), I want to assure you that you're making the right choice by purchasing S. Peter Lewis's "Treehouse Chronicles."

The intent reader: from the compelling foreword by Anne LaBastille and into the opening passages by Lewis where the treehouse is just a glimpse of a possibility, the writing is captivating to the point where you'll want to turn the pages to learn what happens next. A dry humor, sometimes so subtle you'll have to re-read the lines, is employed throughout and gives a feeling of what it might have been like to work with Lewis and his crew on this project. It must have been a joy for each participant. The painstakingly written words tell more than the details of building an amazing grown-up's treehouse, it paints pictures of the author's family life in the Northwoods and transports you to the cool mornings of mortise-cutting with a chisel and hammer.

The casual browser: "Treehouse Chronicles" is simple and beautiful. The intricate drawings and delicate paintings provide details about construction techniques, life as a builder, and even little bits of natural history from the Maine woods. Lewis's second skill (of many, I presume) as a photographer shines in this book with unique angles of the building team high up in the tree, and one of my favorites of an old, lightning-struck white pine silhouetted in the pre-dawn purple sky. You'll be able to page through the book in true browser-style and get a fair understanding of the entire conception, design and construction. You'll be able to page through the book several times, marveling at this detail or that. (Then you'll have no choice but to start reading bits and pieces.)

I have such a strong feeling about the merits of this book that I've already given away four copies as gifts. I know you'll want to do the same before you've even finished reading (or before you're done browsing, if that's the book-buying type you are)! If you like learning how things are made, this is the book you want to buy. But more importantly, if you want to see how one man's perseverance makes his wildest imaginations come true, you'll pick this book off your shelf time and time again.

You know that delightful list of warm and wonderful things that Julie Andrews tucks the children in with in the old musical classic?

It's like that.

That novel that you can't put down?
It's like that.

That cup of coffee that is brewed just right?
It's like that.

That poem or song that says it all and brings a tear to your eye?
It's like that.

That photo that captures you and makes you want to frame it and put it on your wall?
It's like that.

The gift that you decide is the best thing that you can give to all of the families on your Christmas list?
It's like that.

In fact, last year when I first saw it, that is exactly what I did! I just had to. As different as all those families are, there was something about it that was perfect for each of them. The contractor, the dreamer, the writer, the displaced Mainer, the hobbyest, and the photographer; it was perfect for each one of them.

Thanks Peter.

Treehouse Chronicles: One Man's Dream of Life Aloft

This is not a how-to book on treehouse building. Rather, it's a book about philosophy, friends, family, and place written by a gifted writer who uses his folly as a foil. It is eminently readable as well as very browseable. There are one-page asides on various topics throughout as well as good pictures and striking watercolors a'plenty.

While the technical details of the construction are mostly absent from the book (for instance, the roof is mentioned not at all) there are still plenty of nuggets burried within. I was particularly taken with the chessboard they created. Also, the drawbridge was a neat idea and will probably be referenced in one of my future designs.

The main flaw I see in this work is there is a sort of deus ex machina in the person of Ted. Ted is endowed with preternatural mental abilities and always shows up at the right time to help the hapless author out of his latest jam. I'm afraid this may cause those of us who lack a Ted to hesitate before undertaking a folly of this type.

Another big problem is the way they fastened their structure to the tree. In their effort to not harm the tree by drilling holes, they do potentially catastrophic damage to the future health of this stately pine. I have seen this over and over. Call an arborist before starting, he will (hopefully) set you straight. Despite their tree health faux-pas, I expect this elder giant will make it through fine.

The real reason to crack this book is to be inspired. This is an uplifting book. The little aphorism that I will take with me from this book is attributed to the author's mother: "Dreams need feet. Give feet to your dreams."

Highly recommended for the dreamer. An interesting book for the builder.

Amy Billig was a teenage daughter in the 1970s Coral Gables, Florida. She had loving parents and an equally loving brother. One Saturday, she went hitch-hiking to meet some friends for lunch downtown. Hitch-hiking in the 1970s was common, acceptable behavior. Nobody thought it was dangerous. Amy Billig was never heard or seen again! I will always remember reading this book while I did jury duty and I have seen Susan Billig on television searching for her daughter. She would travel the world searching for her. She doesn't know for sure about her fate. That's the tragic part of this book is that she would rather know than not know. I remember reading "Not knowing is worse than knowing." It is because Susan probably has accepted that Amy will never return home. Her daughter would have never stopped contacting her parents or try to get in touch. Susan has researched biker gangs in America and in England. She has spent all her savings in search for her daughter. A mother's love like hers is not rare because Susan is an extraordinary woman who is relentless in her pursuits for the truth no matter how painful that can be. I think deep down that Susan has accepted Amy's fate but as she wrote to not know is worse than knowing. If Amy is dead and it's sure, she can grieve and move on with her life. Until then, I can't imagine Susan not searching or ever giving up hope.

Horrible and haunting. You want so much to believe she's still alive.

I read this book in a few hours. I couldn't put it down. I just had to know what would happen next. It was fascinating! Sue Billig simply amazed me. As a mother I was able to feel her pain and frustration. What she went through trying to find her daughter stemmed from pure courage, tenacity and love.

I was frustrated myself at the end. I was hoping so much it would tell what happened to Amy, but mainly you just have to guess for yourself.

Mind-blowing read!

I am a True Crime addict and I remember watching the story of Amy Billig on "Unsolved Mysteries." Even though I had seen the story, I figured I would learn a lot more if I bought the book, so I did. I am a slow reader and usually it takes me months to read just one book. "Without A Trace" was different. This book kept me interested all the way through and I seemed to breeze through it. It is a very good read. I even read it in the bathtub while I was taking a soak!

Amy Billig was just 17 when she disappeared from Coconut Grove, Florida in 1974. Amy had planned to meet friends for lunch and was going to drop by her dad's art shop on the way. However there were some greasy, tattoed, leather-clad visitors who were also dropping by that fateful day. The forboding rumble of motorcycles going through town told people to heed their caution. It was the annual biker gathering again. When Amy didn't arrive at her dad's shop and never met her friends, Amy's parents, Sue and Ned Billig, knew something terrible must have happened.

Let me say that reading this book made me take a second look at mankind. I was angry as I followed Sue's relentless quest to find her missing daughter only to be taken advantage of by greedy, shallow-minded people such as the Glasser twins, who claimed to have Amy, and Hank Blair who tortured Sue Billig with sexually explicit telephone pranks about Amy for about two decades which lead to a lengthy court battle in the process. But through it all, Sue would do anything to find her daughter from searching into different tips, meeting up with and traveling with bikers such as the infamous Paul Branch who had claimed to have Amy, traveling to prisons to interview bikers who may have a clue, and even frequenting biker bars to search for her daughter.

Some of the images portrayed in this book make your spine shiver. How about picturing a pint-sized, middle-aged woman from a well-to-do life, clinging to a rough and rowdy biker while riding on the back of his motorcycle? How about picturing this woman mingling with dirty, tattoed, chain and leather-clad bikers armed with guns inside scudzy trailors cluttered with rusty auto parts, beer cans and cigarette butts? While these bikers are peeking out of windows fearing any vehicle that drives up, a biker couple can be heard having sex in the other room. Authors Greg Aunapu and Susan Billig do an outstanding job of taking us on the journey over the boundaries of safety and into the world of the bikers who are murderers, drug dealers and woman-beaters. After all, women are considered property and bikers give them away and pass them around to other bikers as such. As a female myself, this was difficult to read about. But I think I can safely say that I would do the same things that Sue did if my daughter went missing.

The most frustrating part (and indeed I feel for Sue and can relate to her frustration), is all the leads that fall dead. Unfortunately with just about every huge case, there are leads that are looked into and nothing comes of it. Therefore you've just wasted precious time. Poor Sue had to go through so much of this. Calls at all hours of the night, plane trips to places like Tulsa, Seattle and New Jersey on tips from bikers such as Paul Branch, investigations into strip bars where bikers usually make their "old ladies" work at; everything seemed endless. But Sue was relentless, taking every call to heart and jotting virtually every call down in her journal. Many leads brought people who said Amy was a biker girl who was drugged up and called "Mute" or "Sunshine." The tips came and came. She was at this particular market with wome Outlaw bikers buying soup and crackers. She was at this store in Seattle looking at health food. And it's truely amazing how many biker names come up in the search for Amy, from Paul Branch, to "Dishrag Harry," to "Creature." It seems endless.

I just have to give the ultimate kudos to Sue Billig for all that she had to go through in her search. She is the real model of strength that many women should strive for. She is inspiring in every sense of the word. When people told Sue to give up, she wouldn't. When people told Sue that Amy may be brainwashed and never the same, Sue didn't care. When there was any little hint that Amy may be in a particular place, Sue would dash there. If she needed to stand up to bikers, she would stand up to bikers and force herself to be unintimidated. Even cancer couldn't keep Sue down, nor her husband's tragic death. She is an obsessed mother determined to bring her daughter home. Some may think being that obsessed is a bad thing, but it is not. It makes you amazed at how the human spirit handles pressures when things get to be dangerous and life seems to crumble.

The description of the bikers and their hangouts and the places that Sue explored were absolutely fantastic. Every detail gets you right into the book and you are automatically sitting there suffering with Sue. You are riding on the back of a biker's motorcycle with nerves pumping through your body and the wind tossing your hair around. You smell the smoky air, the sweat and leather. You hear the rough voices and see the scowls and other facial expressions. You feel the rage and disappointment when pranksters exploit. And the hardest part through it all is that Amy always seems just out of reach somehow. There is always this feeling of not being able to get to her. I personally have had dreams like that and needless to say, it is tough on the emotions. Even in the end, Sue is still taken advantage of from Branch's "old lady," "Tootsie's" so called deathbed story, to British producers ordering Sue to engrave Amy's name on a headstone. The anger of it all!

But the question remains. Is Amy still alive out there? Is she dead? Is she tortured daily? Is she a drugged-up stripper? Is she pregnant? How did Paul Branch really know of Amy's appendix scar, or that she liked folk music? We may never know what ever happened to the carefree 17 year-old who loved life and was truly inspired by it. It was the simple things in life such as a sunset and the wind blowing in the trees that Amy loved. She was indeed special and very insightful. It was also a much different time. It was seemingly a more innocent time; at least away from the underworld of the bikers. But much has changed since 1974, and as the years progressed in this book, I could truly feel that nostalgic emotional feeling of the fact that Amy had been gone for so long as the times changed.

Although Sue spent 25 years searching for Amy, she had eventually found a way to bring that chapter of her life to a close even though she still mourns for her beloved daughter. Now her son Josh has kids of his own and she is able to channel her energy through them and see traces of Amy in them. The ending of the book was very fitting. It is a haunting passage that Amy wrote shortly before she was kidnapped and it shows the very essence of the wonderful young woman she was/is. It will leave you thinking for days after you finally put this book to rest.

Reviewers before me have said it best. Out of all the true crime books I've read, I estimate 10% rate as "can't put down page turners" and this is one of them. That says it all.
I would put this book in a class of my favorite true crime books including:
Careless Whispers
Zodiac
The Ultimate Evil
Dreams of Ada
Minds of Billy Mulligan

if not the best book ever... then I don't know what is.
This book is so strong and so entrancingly written. Her style is amazing, as is her insight.
The main character describes herself, and the things which happen to her through amazingly new, bodily metaphors. The man she falls in love with reminds one of Howard Roark from The Fountainhead, though not as blatantly preachy.

These are well written and richly tex-tured coming of age sagas of Hampton-dwellers. It turns out that they are just as interesting as anyone else's young trials and struggles.

I just finished H.T. Hamann's "Anthropology of an American Girl" and I loved it! A friend of mine recommended it to me and I was skeptical--I thought it would be a "girl book." I was completely wrong. (I guess you should never judge a book by it's cover, or title for that matter.) It was one of the best books I've ever read. Intellegent, vivid and real are the three words that come to mind. This book spoke to me like no other book has. I want everyone to share in this experience.

What an amazing coincidence that almost all of the reviews of this book are rated 5 stars, that almost all of the reviews are by reviewers who haven't reviewed any other books, and that almost all the reviews say almost the same things about the book.

Gosh, It's almost like the writer had all his friends go out and write positive reviews of the book!

Anthropology of an American Girl is an amazing book that is meant to be read slowly and savored. It's one of the most well-written books I've ever read- every word was so carefully chosen that each sentence is like a line of poetry. Don't be intimidated, though- it's totally readable and accessible. It's just the type of book that should be read thoroughly to truly be enjoyed and appreciated. Even the book itself is exquisite- it's rare to see a book that was so thoughtfully created with the essence of the novel in mind. It's really something to save and to treasure.
The story itself is beautiful as well- it's written in the first person so insightfully that by the end of the novel, you feel like you really know Eveline (the main character), whose life we follow from the end of high school through the end of college. The author is excellent at developing characters: Eveline is complex, flawed, and real, as are the other characters whose lives we follow through Eveline. As a girl around Eveline's age, I could relate to many of her struggles, but the issues that she confronts (falling in love, breaking up, the deaths of loved ones, evolving friendships, moving out, and growing up in general) are universal.
I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates beautiful writing and loves to become immersed in a story. The book's website, www.anthropologyofanamericangirl.com, gave insight into the author's creative process and helped me understand the book as a whole much better- the site has author interviews recorded from the radio, reviews, excerpts from the book, and thoughts from the author herself. Definitely worth a look- even if it's just to check out the website, which, like the book, was beautifully designed.
All in all, highly recommended for someone looking for something different.

This was one of my favoret books... a must read!!!! In the first book, you begin to think captain Bligh is evil but in the second book he seems verry reasanable guy...

Having chanced to see the Mutiny on the Bounty movie starring
Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson recently, I immediately resolved
to obtain and read the book.

I can only add my praise to the preceding reviews. The
quality of the writing, the details of the sailing life
of the time, the descriptions of the characters, were all
excellent.

If you know of young readers enamoured of Harry Potter
and the like, get them a copy of the Bounty Trilogy
and encourage them to read it while they await the final
Potter tale. They won't be disappointed with the
adventure nor the struggle between good and evil men.

To all those actively seeking hardy adventure from the comfort of a chair:
Look no farther, your search has come to an end. This is it. This is 100% total immersion into a world of adventure. So this thing comes in three equally consuming parts. I mean who writes an entire book about sixteen guys stuck on a small wooden paddle boat out in the middle of the pacific, and makes it a treat to read? Hardy adventure seeker I have your fix, and it's not a quick fix, it's a time consuming gem that will have you in its grips until the last page is eaten up. I have to admit that I can't think of an adventure novel(trilogy) that I've enjoyed this much. Quality entertainment. Quality.

Do your self a big favor and read this book. Make sure you read all three parts- The Bounty, Men against the sea, and Pitcairn's Island. It is an absolute shame that most people have only read the first book because the other two are just as good if not BETTER! My personal favorite is part three ,the last book, where the mutineers find an island and try to start new lives there.
Then, be sure and check out the movie - Mutiny on the Bounty starring Marlon Brando. That one is the most accurate version, and I have seen all three.
And then dream of being one of those lucky sailors landing at the paradise know as Tahiti.

Buy this book and read within a week, and you WILL want to explore to the south pacific.

This is an amazing epic of 18th mutiny of the H.M.S. Bounty. Although the tale has been fictionalized as an historical novel, it portrays the conflicting cultures of that time as the forces of racism, imperialism, autonomy and autocracy clash on the high seas. The trilogy is comprised of three novels: The first is Mutiny on the Bounty which chronicles the abuse of Captain Bligh, the mutiny led by Fletcher Christian narrated by midshipmen Roger Byam. Men Against the Sea, narrated by ships surgeon Thomas Ledward, picks up the tale at the mutiny and chronicles the amazing feat of Captain Bligh in returning 19 souls to England after being set adrift in a twenty-three foot longboat with only seven or eight inches of freeboard. The trilogy concludes with the tragic, yet redeeming tale of Pitcairn's Island where the mutineers made their home.

On the surface, Captain Bligh is the villain and Fletcher Christian is the hero. This has been ingrained into our culture to such an extent that any hard-driving taskmaster will not doubt inherit the name Captain Bligh by those under his charge. Yet, Nordoff and Hall resist the temptation to draw these lines so clearly. Yes, Captain Bligh was his own worst enemy. He was so sold out to an autocratic model of leadership that he was incapable of recognizing the autonomy of his men- the needs of his men were subordinate to the success of his mission. Now, men will often subordinate their needs to the need of the mission, or even give their lives for it, if the mission is a noble one; but supplying breadfruit to feed slaves did not fit that bill. Yet, once set adrift, Bligh now becomes the hero navigating his overloaded longboat 3600 miles to safety- a deed that must rank as one of the most remarkable feats of seamanship and leadership in history.

This is also a story of imperialism and racism- the two are inexorably intertwined. British imperialism, carrying the white mans burden to the South Seas, lead to the inevitable conflict between the two races. The sailors, obviously enjoyed the company of the Tahitian woman, even fell in love with them; yet, the idea that the white race was superior was a festering boil just under the surface that exploded when the mutineers made their home on Pitcairn Island. It is interesting to note who was the more civilized race when the conflict arose on Pitcairns Island, the European men acted like savages, whereas we see a measured dignity among the Tahitian men.

What I find interesting about the other reviews written on this book, is the omission to mention what specially brought peace to the Island- it was the rediscovery of the Bible and man's submission to the will of God. Without transcendent values, each man was out for himself and the result was anarchy and death; but when the survivors submitted their will to God's will, peace and harmony was restored. This is an amazing epic and well worth the read.

I have always admired Marcia Wallace. Although I was not around to see the original broadcasts of the "Newhart Show", she made a permanent impression on me through the countless hours of reruns that I've seen over the years. She has endlessly been called a 'one trick pony' - inasmuch as she is only really known for one role, that of Carol Kester Bondurant on the "Newhart Show". And Marcia herself admits that she has never really gotten good reviews for any of her other work (save of course for the also iconoclastic Ms. Edna Krubappel voicethrowing that she's done on "The Simpsons" for years.) Nonetheless, the character of Carol was a significant contribution to television history. She was very much her own person, and Marcia's comedic talents made her unforgettable. Carol Burnett, a genius herself, has said that 'if you're too pretty, you can't be a comedian.' Such was the case with Marcia. No, she wasn't that attractive - but she had a perfect look that lent itself perfectly, even if it was only for that one role. She never even had to read for the part - she was hired instantly by MTM Enterprises.

Marcia's life has indeed been a rocky one - and the tone of this book is fine. She's a survivor and she isn't full of self pity. Despite the rags, she's gotten plenty of riches, which included a brief marriage to a man who was very much the one-and-only for her, and a great kid.
However, I think the book overly emphasizes her marriage, the adoption of their son, and her husband's subsequent death. Virtually no details are given about her work on the "Newhart Show", "The Simpsons", or much of anything else. And in that regard, the book is a disappointment.
If these things were added, it would be an absolutely killer book.
Hopefully someday a second edition will be done. Nonetheless, what is presented is a very enjoyable read.

Marcia Wallace-what can be said? She is a woman on the umpteenth wit and full of honesty, always saved from being too sorrowful with her God-given ability to bring humor to situations that would bring the regular person to their knees...but Marcia isn't one of those "regular" people. I love this book because it tells anyone, no matter what circumstances they find themselves in, with a bit of keen-sighted observations and an always open pot of humor, they can achieve all of their dreams one day at a time.

I just finished reading Marcia Wallace's autobiography. This is an incredible read. She opens the door to her life for us as if she were opening the door to her closest confident and friend. I laughed out loud at her many mishaps and cried during the deepest loss a person can experience. This is a great gift for anyone who has had cancer touch his or her life, and who hasn't. It is also a celebration of life, friendship and family. This is a wonderful gift to share with girlfriends of all ages.

This book is NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER material. Marcia Wallace's book is as deeply profound as it is silly. It doesn't matter if nothing or everything has happended to you in your lifetime, you will relate to the humanity in her stories.
The book is bursting with self empowerment and triumph over tragedy and it's one of the funniest books I've ever read.

Look, if everyone who wrote a memoir was a literary writer, would we all be devouring memoirs like we are? Heck no--we've already heard that story. Marcia's story is... well, it's not your typical, 'here's-my-life-as-an-actress' kind of story. Marcia acknowledges indirectly that who we are has a lot to do not only with where we came from but also what we've been through. And heaven knows, she's been through a lot. But somehow she manages to remain a genuinely sincere person who seems to have a rainbow hovering quite near her at all times--something I will now try to be aware of in my own life after reading her book. Unlike many memoirs currently on the market, this is not an outpouring of self-absorbed angst (as it would be if I were writing it). It's a riotous celebration of the absurdity of human life and the power of the human spirit to triumph against all odds. Marcia writes the way she talks, and she's hilariously funny. Buy this book and read it all the way through the next time you have a "life sucks" day. That's my prescription for happiness.

The book title is exactly descriptive.For those who want the truth of the constitution,start your research here.The fatal flaw in Ron Paul's platform is that he relies on the constitution.If the foundation of the house is built with defects then the house (u.s. government) will be defective and will eventually collapse.If you want to see what the civil laws of good government are, then study the Torah.May I suggest a Messianic viewpoint for the best understanding.Shalom.

His best work and it will make you think. He effectively questions the lame assumptions, propaganda, and hero worship that were drilled into most of us in the government un-schools.


I had to read this one again almost immediately after I finished it the first time.

Author Royce has done a tremendous amount of research to back up his claim of that the Constitution will never restrain the powers of the ruling class. Well quoted and with incredibly relevant quotations of the the nation's Founders the case is well laid that the Constituion (of? or for?) the country is not and was never meant to be a serious leash on overbroad power.

A condensed and scholoraly work, well worth the time and effort to read it. And most definetely not for the timid of intellect or the intellectually cowardly.

It also segues wonderfully well with the Author's previous work Goodbye April 15th!, it fits as a addendum and clarifying work.

For years I have heard that the adoption of the Constitution was a victory of the wealthy upper class of the former American colonies over the common people. Liberals have used this fantasy to push their view of an "organic" Constitution that must change with the times - change in ways that promote a liberal statist agenda, that is. Royce shows that there is in fact much truth to the liberal claims - the Constitution was a clever shell game, designed to hoodwink most Americans into thinking they were getting a free democratic republic, while in actuality laying the groundwork for a strong, and eventually oppressive, central government. But Royce's conclusions are totally different from the liberal's - he persuasively calls for amending the Constitution to push the country back in the direction of freedom and individual rights. Royce also backs up everything he says with solid research and quotes from the Founders, both those who favored the Constitution, and those who opposed and feared it for the threat it posed to individual liberties (the latter included Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson). For those trying to figure out how we have strayed so far from the freedom that the American Revolution was fought for, Hologram of Liberty is a must read.

In the preface of this book, the author challenges us to find the inconsistency in the Constitution's preamble. He presents this truncated quote: "We the People of the United States... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." I'll admit I didn't see it, and even after Royce explains that "United States" has a considerably different meaning than "the United States of America," it still made no sense to me. (It's not easy to overcome a thorough public school brainwashing.) Only after reading most of the chapters did I finally experience an "aha!" moment, and I promise that by the end of this shocking book, you will, too. Highly recommended.