T Books

Every quilter should have this book.Great for working out yardage for quilts. Lots of useful information.

This book is a great reference tool for any quilter. Highly recommended resource for your quilting reference book collection.

Really a great read. Concise,quick reference for me to use

This book takes a lot of the guess work out of how much fabric you need for various quilting projects. It has more information than I thought it would. For once I am looking forward to finishing up my projects.

Terriffic info, easily understood, with helpful illustrations. The authors have organized their combined expertise so any question is readily answered. The spiral binding allows it to remain open and lie flat during use. Whether you are a new quilter who wants accurate information all in one place and close to hand, or an aspiring quilt designer puzzling your way through yardage requirements and layout options, you'll be glad you own this book.

Claude Thomas' inspiring account of his hellish journey and his eventual path to personal growth is one of the most profound stories I've read. From a life that many would just as soon end, he found a tiny crease of light led him to take all that had transpired in his life and draw upon it as a basis for learning and growth. Truly admirable, with insights and practices well worth emulating.

It took me two attempts to finish this book and I am glad I did.

The book is somewhat disorganized and muddled. I gave up on it the first time because it was a little too preachy and the initial description of the author's suffering and frequent crying was a little surpising since he just told us Vietnam finally gave his life a purpose.

But then I gave it a second try. After learning later in the book more of his experience in vietnam, I had a better understanding of his pain. I realized what I'd been reading was a vivid account of his post traumatic stress disorder. This book is important and powerful because it shows a way the author found after 20 years of pure misery to alleviate his pain and suffering . Anyone who's troubled or depressed or plain just stressed out can benefit from his messages.

I bought 13 copies of this book from Amazon and gave the same gift to everyone this last christmas, and intend to do the same next year and from here on out. They sent me 4 of the 13 as autographed copies which was a nice surprise.

I am going to deliver the last one tonight to a friend who is having a difficult time right now.

This book has brought me a clearer understanding of myself, not by the cleverness of the author but through his simple bare humanity which he shares freely here. Sending this book out into this world can only make it a better place, creating small ripples that could affect and change a great many things over time.

Once a highly decorated war hero, Claude Thomas had been sexually abused as a child and carried the scars of this abuse to VietNam, where he commanded an elite helicopter unit for fourteen months at the height of the American incursion there. He wound up with a chestful of medals (27) and a burnt-out shell of a man, returning to the US, a girl spat on him. One thing led to another and Thomas began questioning his own claims to his life. It wasn't until he met the famous Vietnamese sage, Thich Nhat Hanh, that he began to get a clue as to his spiritual path. Through mindfulness he became aware that he was a victim of Vietnam just as we all were, and just as generations unborn during the war continue to suffer from its political and cultural fallout. Today he is a Zen priest and has written an interesting memoir.

Like Claude AnShin Thomas, when we saw Thich Nhat Hanh we burst into tears on the spot. And not because of any identification with his pain. I think I was just feeling emotional that day. Thomas has an amazing story to tell, but it is not all that well written, and has many Buddhist cliches that spoil the thrust of the tale for me.

And could they have picked a scarier looking portrait of Claude AnShin Thomas for the cover? I've seen him in person, he isn't that bad looking, he has sort of the look of Nelson Rockefeller, you know, not a matinee idol, but not a face from Creature Features either. I think Shambhala was definitelyu trying to go for the macho market here, making Thomas look like he was a serial killer come out of the shadows to slit your throat then creep away. We know that Buddhism can sometimes be a dangerous practice, for you're standing in the middle of the fire trying to confront the real, but enough is enough, and this is a kind of visual crime if you ask me.

"At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace," by Claude Anshin Thomas, is the memoir of a combat veteran of the Vietnam War who suffered great personal torment after returning from war. He ultimately found healing and hope in Buddhism and became a monk. This book recounts his spiritual, geographic, and emotional journeys.

Thomas writes about his military basic training, his combat time in Vietnam, and the serious personal problems he had afterwards. He writes how his life changed dramatically after he met Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk. Thomas tells how he came to be ordained as a Buddhist monk. He also writes of his global travels, of a remarkable walking pilgrimage he took across the United States, and of his relationship with his son.

Along the way Thomas discusses teachings and practices that helped transform his life: meditation, the importance of community, the key concept of "mindfulness." He also discusses his commitment to nonviolence. Thomas' writing style is simple and clear, and often quite eloquent and moving. He notes, "Everyone has their Vietnam"--some source of great pain. The book contains some fascinating scenes from the author's journeys; I found the vignettes from his walk across the U.S. to be particularly resonant. This is a thought-provoking book, and a valuable addition to the canon of spiritual autobiographies.

I found this book un-put-downable. From start to finish the pace never lets up giving you little time to think about such mundane acts as eating and drinking. Mr Robinson's vivid description and use of the putrifying mess that's left after a major battle adds great a twist to the story. I recommemnd this book with only one reservation that it should to be read on an empty stomach. Otherwise buy it!

Bought this book for my 16 year old son for Christmas. He devoured it and asked when the next one would be out. I told him we would have to check with Mr. Robinson. Great job, Timbo!

Being an avid fan of fantasy, choosing to read this book was easy. After getting into it, I found it much more exciting than most. Number one, the story is based after the battle, not a pretty scene and well described in gory detail. Mr. Robinson puts you there, on the battlefield itself. Once you get through the first couple of chapters, you begin to put all the characters together, each one having a unique personality, be it good or evil. You begin to relate to each one. This is not a book that you will want to put down, once you start reading it. I found myself getting deeper and deeper with with each chapter. Mr.Robinson has a talent for keeping you on the edge, wanting to know what is going to happen next. It is very well written - you become so involved that you don't want to stop reading, until the book is finished. Being that this is T.S.Robinson's first novel, it is excellent reading - I can hardly wait until his next one is released.

"It was a good day to die." That's the first sentence of this book, and believe me, it sets the tone for what is to follow.

From page one, this book grabs you by the throat and drags you along through the filth, decay, and appalling aftermath of the death and destruction that is the sad result of a fierce battle. The setting is a big battlefield, and interestingly enough, the whole story takes place in a single day after the battle has ended. Not everyone on the battlefield is dead, though most are. But of those left alive, all have a purpose for living. Some have noble causes, others slink around looking for even more victims. This story tells you...excuse me, shows you what their objectives are, and what they do to accomplish them.

This is not your typical fantasy. For example, this is the first book I've read that has a cast including dragons, dwarves, vampires and even zombies to name a few. But it's a good story told very well. As you change chapters, you move back and forth among the characters and see the story from their eyes. On one page, you'll find yourself holding your breath as one person struggles desperately to stay alive, and a few pages down, you'll find yourself hoping the bad guy gets what's coming to him. Either way, you'll come to care for some of the characters. And don't worry, while the premise for the story seems dark, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

This book is just the way I like them -- the pace is fast, the action is furious, the scenes are described well, and the story is darned good. I recommend this book to fantasy lovers who want to try something a little different.

In the first pages, of Battle Chasers, the incredible detail captures your attention as your imagination runs off to another time and place. Your heart begins to race as you join Ringlerun in his magnificent journey searching for vengeance. Suddenly, you feel the tug of compassion tug while soaring with Rhordanz. The author provides thought-provoking lessons in life for those who listen. T.S. Robinson, I anxiously await to join you on your next adventure.

This is an intense, psychological drama, and a page-turner to boot! What's so great is the wonderful language, the "lofty" writing. I just loved every page, and our poor, tortured hero.

It's a fabulously written book about love instigated by pitty, which can be very dangerous. Worth reading as this kind of thing still happens every day.

...no, not the book by Dave Eggers, but this masterpiece by Stefan Zweig. I came upon this by accident, and bought it, intrigued by the story outline and the reviews below. Only very, very rarely does a book have the power to draw me into the lives of the characters, probably because they're usually just that - characters. Not so here. Here we have flesh and blood and all that entails. I'm still amazed at Zweig's story telling. He's the kind of writer who could make a shopping list fascinating. I lived and breathed every single word in this incredibly beautiful book, and, as has been said elsewhere, the tension becomes almost unendurable. I can hardly do justice to it in a few words. Weirdly, I often found myself smiling, not because it's a funny book, far from it, but just through an appreciation of Zweig's supreme mastery of his art. This is one of those books appearing only a few times in your life that wring emotion out of you whether you like it or not. A heart-breaking, unforgettable and life-enriching experience.

I'd also like to praise the translation, by Trevor and Phyllis Blewitt. At no time is there even a hint that you're reading a translation - something that occurred to me only after finishing the book. On the contrary, it seems to me that the elegance of the language and all the magnificent virtues that contribute to Zweig's humanity and genius have been faithfully rendered. The proof is in my twin disappointments; coming to the end, and learning that there are no further full-length novels by Zweig. I'll definitely be reading all his other works, though.

In the introduction to this book Joan Acocella tells Zweig's story as a writer. One of her claims is that despite his enormous popularity as biographer, essayist, writer of great novellas and stories, this novel is his masterpience. The novel is in essence the story of a feeling, of 'pity' of how it becoming the obsession and duty of the main character turns self- serving and destructive. Briefly , the book revolves around the relationship between a poor Austrian officer Hoffstein and a crippled seventeen year old daughter of a wealthy family Edith Kekesfalvas. After he has inadvertently insulted her by having asked her to dance he becomes bound into a relationship with her, in which she falls deeply in love with him without his truly reciprocating. This is how Acocella reads the protagonist's reasoning and its result after her doctor informs him that it would be disastrous for him to abandon her.

"So he descends ever deeper into hypocrisy. In the process, Zweig gives us a piercing analysis of the motives underlying pity. Gradually Hofmiller realizes how much he enjoys the courtesies paid to him for his emotional services, how it pleases him that when he arrives at the Schloss his favorite cigarettes--and also the novel (its pages already cut) that he had said in passing that he wanted to read--are laid out on the tea table. Nor is it lost on him that his own sense of strength is magnified by Edith's weakness and, above all, by his growing power over the Kekesfalvas, the fact that if he, a poor soldier, does not present himself at teatime, this great, rich household is thrown into a panic, and the chauffeur is dispatched to town to spy him out and see what he is doing in preference to waiting on Edith. Beyond the matter of power, however, Hofmiller finds that the emotion of pity is a pleasure just in itself. It exalts him, takes him to a new place. Before, as an officer, he was required only to obey orders and be a good fellow. Now he is a moral being, a soul."

This end in destruction is somehow a foreshadowing of what would happen to Zweig.Having been betrayed with the rise of the Nazis by the Europe he loves, tried to make a new home and life with his second wife in Brazil. But it does not work out and the both of them are found after having taken fatal overdoes of drugs hands intertwined.

An Austrian lieutenant becomes the victim of the strong emotions of a crippled young girl from a wealthy family, who takes his pity for love: 'the outcasts, the branded, the ugly, the withered, the despised and rejected love with a fanatical, a baleful, a black love.'

The lieutenant doesn't have the strength to cut the links with the girl and her family, partially because he is impressed by their wealth. He continues to give her hope, although he feels that 'anyone who identifies himself with the fate of another is robbed to some extent of his own freedom.'
He is warned against the poison of pity: 'if they were all to give way to their pity, the world would stand still ... You take on yourself a confounded amount of responsibility when you make a fool of another person with your pity ... for the weak, sentimental kind (of pity) is really no more than the heart's impatience to be rid of the painful emotion by the sight of another's unhappiness.'
His undecidedness creates a disaster, also for himself: 'No guilt is forgotten so long as the conscience still knows of it.'

Stefan Zweig is the master of the unexpected U-turns, the eye opening revelations, the surprising upheavals, the passionate endgames, the arousing question marks. While he used his strengths in short novels and historical evocations, he shows here that he also was capable of using them in a longer work.
His insight in the basics of human nature is outstanding: 'Have you ever heard of logic prevailing against passion?'

This story is perhaps partially influenced by Theodor Fontane's 'Irrungen, Wirrungen'.

Not to be missed.

This book has it all -- clear introductory information (materials, workspace, etc.), wonderful stroke instructions, projects, patterns, finishes, and much more. Another nice thing is that the projects are "rated" as quick and easy (beginner) to intermediate to advanced for each technique.

There are lots of color illustrations accompanied by clear, well-written text. The author is very encouraging and upbeat in her writing. This book is such an asset that I am ordering a copy to donate to our local library. It's definitely a must-have!

I have a ceramics business and got tired of plain ol painting and wanted to expand when I found this book. It has taught me so much and my sales are way up! The techniques are explained in precise detail and are easy to follow. It even has practice strokes which I found to be very helpful. There is not a more informative book about painting out there from taking care of your brushes to a beautiful array of advanced technique. This is just a plain wonderful book and I could not say enough good about it!

Jackie Shaw does an excellent job of showcasing all that is possible in decorative painting. Her examples of stroke work apply across the board for any kind of painting. But, what makes this book work is the way she breaks down each stroke into its individual parts to show how to form them properly. Along the way she imparts words of encouragment and motivation to get you going!

She also gives excellent lessons to practice by and keep you stimulated. It is part of the book's progressive learning curve so that as you advance with one part, there is more to learn in the next section as you move from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced.

I rarely write review of books, but as I pulled out this book once again today to reference, I felt compelled to give Ms. Shaw her props! Thanks Jackie!

This is one of the best books I have seen on how to paint for the inexperienced but eager artist. It features an endless variety of terrific projects to suit anyone's taste. The wonderfully explicit, easy to follow and well illustrated directions make creating the projects a breeze with designs for all levels.

The book starts with a list of both basic and "wish list" supplies. It then helps you choose the right brushes and gives some great tips on caring for them. Then there is advice on choosing paint, keeping it fresh and how to tell when it is dry. There is a large section on mixing color and color schemes as well.

The essentials of brush loading, basic brushstrokes and blending are next. The author guides you through each step with detailed illustrations including the best section on creating basic brushstrokes I have ever seen. I found the learning from your mistakes section invaluable in helping me refine my technique. Practical advice and great tips here abound here. Surface preparation is also discussed here giving details on preparing wood, tinware, paper and glass.

A wide variety of projects follow including brushstroke designs, leaves, ribbons, water drops, fruit, vegetables, flowers, lettering, faux finishes and Trompe l'oeil. There are even techniques for working with patterns and information on giving your projects great finishing touches. The instructions are excellent; they are both written and illustrated step-by-step. There is also a large full-color picture of each finished project. In many cases there are also several versions of a project, such as beginner, intermediate and advanced versions of making an apple. I also love that the projects show swatches of each color used and that brand names are not listed for the colors. This makes choosing matching color easier and it saves money because you don't have to buy a certain brand of paint to do the project. Some of my favorite projects include a daisy tray, forget-me-not candle holder, pear saltbox and mushroom sign.

There are helpful template patterns for all the projects as well as a list of suppliers. Whether you're starting out or have experience with decorative painting this is the book for you.

As an artist learning something new I was looking for a basic book explaining all terms and projects showing the author to be truly talented. This is all you need for a complete first course.
There is some disagreement among the various author/artists about the term " float". Other than that they all seem to agree about basic techniques. Beautiful demos and photos.
Greatest thing: The author takes you through several projects which you can do on any paper or wood for practice, and then divides these into three levels so that you can achieve the degree of finesse you desire. So practical! Take it from there!

Grooks is one of the few books I've read many times. There are some amazing things hidden in this book; I am always finding deeper meanings.

Grooks are short poems, often humorous and sometimes politically correct, but mostly entertaining and accompanied by amusing illustrations

Amazon's listing only shows one of the 5 books that I have in my collection. These are quick (5-10 lines) and easy reads that you can bounce back with friends and loved ones after tea.

You will probably recognize more than one of his "Grooks" (extremely short axiomatic poems accompanied by small humorous illustrations). Almost impossible to describe, just by it if you have a chance.

I read (and owned) this whole series when they first came out, and got in the habit of buying extra copies to give deserving friends. Unfortunately I only still have the first three, due to the trials of moving :-(

It boggles my mind that they are no longer in print, as the wit and wisdom contained in these slender volumes belies the brevity of their format. I heard a rumor that they are going to go back into production sometime soon - if true I will probably buy a dozen of each for goft giving ;-)

We liked this book so much, we bought it for my father-in-law who just started his business. If you have a burden to approach your business with Christ at the center, read this book!

I handed this book to my project managers and am already experiencing a ground swell of blessing. The late great Larry Burkett lays the prinicles out in an easy to understand and thoughtful way. I would highly, highly recommend this book if you are interested in doing Business the way God intended.

THE AUTHOR COVERS BUSINESS PRINCIPLES IN A MANNER THAT YOU DONT COVER IN ANY BA OR MBA PROGRAM THAT I EVER HEARD. DEFINETELY WORTH THE READ!

This book is not for someone wanting to get rich quick! If you are a Christian business owner wanting to run your business according to God's word, this book explains God's word and gives helpful tips to follow through with His word.

In a world where the current business ideology seems to be about maximizing short term profits, climbing over others, and getting the maximum return possible with the minimal effort or investment Larry Burkett draws a sharp contrast.

Using referenced Biblical principles throughout the book Mr. Burkett outlines what it means to run a business by God's standards. This does not mean becoming a non-profit or lossing money - but it does mean completely changing the way we view the business, our employees and customers, and our role as business leaders. The principles laid out are challenging and often contrary to the advice you are used to hearing.

I found it to be an extremely useful and informative resource that helped me to see how I could not only run a business successfully, but also not sacrifice my concience or ideals. One of the primary tenents of this book is that we are stewards of the resources God gave us, meaning that the money we have and the business we may own ultimately belong to God, not us, and he has entrusted us with them to use in a manner he would approve of. If you are comfortable with this premise I believe you will enjoy the book and find it challenging. If you are not comfortable with this premise you will probably have difficulty accepting the concepts he has outlined.

I think this is a useful book. It's not particularly well written, but it does have some good information. It's also a bit difficult coming up with a structure for making it through. I just look up keywords from patients I see and cross the cases off as I go along. I suppose it's just something to pass the time and get familiar with some diseases before the real studying starts. I don't recommend trying to read it all the way through.

A quick read and a good supplement for studying for the shelf. I would recommend doing a question book in addition.

Love the CaseFiles series, and the internal medicine one is no different. Carry it around in your pocket and read it during your free moments.

I think this book is an excellent review of common internal medicine presentations and diseases. One aspect which is particularly helpful is that it outlines the mechanism by which the disease/presentation occurs which helps you to fully understand the disease process. I would recommend it for anyone keen to review this topic and looking to supplement a more detailed text.

The clinical vignettes are quick, straight forward and are followed by 8-10 pages of good high yield summaries of what you need to know for that specific topic.

My 3 year old Grand Daughter, Lola, loved to check this book out from our local library. Whenever she had to return it, she would tell her Mom that the book would "miss her".
On Christmas Day when she opened her gift and it was her favorite book, she was very happy. It really is a good book for children, and my Lola loves it!

I got this book for my husband who loves cats. We have three - two black Lamont Cranston, Dust Bunny and one that is white with a couple black stops Wendi Darling.

The book was very touching and so typical of cats. The pictures were lovely. It was a bit sad, but I enjoyed it before I sent it to him.

This book is really beautiful and the story is amazing. It's abaout a cat and a woman. The images are staged sets photographed with Hasselblad, the colours are very nice, the characters are sculpture made of clay. My daughter loves the book and always ask me to read it. It is based on a true story. I hope that Ms Von Buhler will make another one soon and that it will be translated in italian.

This is an absolutely delightful, touching story that is visually beautiful and cleverly executed. All of us cat lovers have experienced elusive cats that we would like to have closer to us. Friends of mine live in a Victorian house that looks a whole lot like the one in the story, and they have a cat in their yard they feed who won't come inside. (Fortunately we live in California so no snow to contend with, as in the book.) When I heard about this book in Cat Fancy magazine I bought it to give them but wanted to keep it too. You can't miss if you buy this book.

The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside is a touching story of trust, patience, friendship and love, thoughtfully written and exquisitely illustrated by Cynthia von Buhler with such warmth and detail that you feel like you too have been invited inside the charming Victorian home. The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside is the story of a little Victorian girl who leaves warm milk on her porch for a stray cat she invites inside, but the cat will not come in. Each day the girl leaves gifts for the cat on the porch, and again invites the cat inside. Each day the cat declines her invitation. Children will delight in the repetition of the story, while parents enjoy the artistry of the illustrations and the variation as the gifts build in grandeur from a simple bowl of milk to elaborate Victorian furnishings. With patience and time, the cat comes to trust the little girl and eventually shows her affection by inviting the little girl into the cat's home they have built on the porch. This storybook and the true story of Olympus, the stray cat von Buhler rescued which inspired her tale, will touch everyone's heart.

The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside is complemented by von Buhler's website, [...] which has been skillfully crafted to showcase her storybook with the same attention to detail and beautiful illustrations. Click on your mouse to discover personal information about von Buhler and the inspiration for her story, an inside look at the making of the book and the Victorian house (von Buhler's childhood dollhouse), step-by-step instructions for young readers to make and showcase their own clay kitty and reviews, and valuable information for saving other cats.

Both The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside and its complementary website, [...], are extraordinary!

Read the Innocent Man and thought I could never be moved so much by a book-really a life story. Saw the movie The Exonerated and heard about Kerry's life. I started reading the book for about 2 hrs a few nights ago... Last night I actually read from 9 pm to 3 am and then got up snowy day here) and read from 8 am finishing the book. I felt I couldn't put the book down until this whole ordeal was over-like my not finishing it still had held him in a deplorable state on Death Rown. When he is handed his belongings and the 1.28 check from his Trust Fund I bawled like a baby. I never really thought this was a just world but never really considered how injust men could be. Amazing life story of a man overcoming and rising above horrendous acts of injustice!
A Must Read!

A first-hand account of how and why innocent men and women can spend decades on death row in the United States that should be read and discussed by both pro-death penalty proponents as well as abolitionists.
Kerry Max Cook is a modern Dante/ Job. His story is of one who travels to hell and back, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, but who in the end has the strength to emerge as an enlightened, if wounded human being. The tortures he endures after being wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of a young woman he only knew casually are simply inconceivable. Not only does he have to contend with the fear of losing his life on a daily basis, (the fear of execution, and the fear of being stabbed) but he also must survive psychologically the tragic deaths of loved ones in the outside world while he is in prison.
The depth of police and prosecutorial misconduct Kerry describes is nothing less than infuriating, shocking. Yet, the presentation of his case is not intended to be an ideological rant against "the system." Merely by stating the facts, Kerry can convince us of the depth of the flaws.
Besides being an eye-opening account into injustice, Kerry's book is also
told in a way that draws us close to him, a human tale that cuts deeply into our hearts. It is a face-paced read that will keep you turning the pages, one that will haunt you and make you want to live each day of your own freedom to the fullest.

Kerry Cook had a few scrapes with law enforcement as a teenager in a small Texas town - joyriding, kicking out the windows of a store that falsely accused him of armed robbery. Thus, police "knew" they had their man when his fingerprints were found at the scene of a grisly murder.

The abuse of justice started immediately, continued for two decades, and nearly ended with Cook's execution. First it was merely physical - police slamming him into a wall, holding his head underwater in a toilet, arranged beatings by fellow prisoners, refusing showers and clothing, and sleep deprivation to force Kerry to confess. More serious abuses then occurred - withholding evidence from Kerry's attorneys, coaching witnesses to slant/fabricate testimony against Kerry, providing scientifically unfounded testimony that "aged" Kerry's prints to the time of murder, solicited false testimony from fellow inmates that Kerry had confessed - culminating to Kerry's arrival on Death Row in 1978. There Kerry was raped three times, and attempted suicide after each. Then his appeal stalled for eight years, and ultimately was denied.

Finally, things started to go Kerry's way. The prisoner who initially testified Kerry confessed, decided to come clean. An FBI expert provided an affidavit stating that scientific fingerprint "aging" was not possible, information was uncovered that a pathologist had told police that the victim's librarian prior boyfriend had ordered a book describing how she had been mutilated (police ignored, and did not provide to Kerry's defense), the major Dallas newspaper printed a major expose of how Kerry had been railroaded, a foundation funded Kerry's successful re-appeal.

The judge in the retrial, however, prohibited introducing most of this new evidence, the foundation funding Kerry's defense ran out of money (his attorney worked pro bono, but could not afford expert witnesses), and after a mistrial (deadlocked jury) and third trial it was back to Death Row for Kerry.

Fortunately, this conviction was reversed again, and Kerry was offered a "No Contest" plea in exchange for time served. His initial decision was to refuse and go back to trial - however, Kerry accepted the deal after learning that the potential jurors generally thought he had gotten out on a technicality and that they were there to "make it right." Finally, after being freed, results of a DNA test came back, exonerating Kerry and pinning the crime on the librarian originally identified by an eyewitness who had been coerced by prosecutors to change her testimony. Yet, prosecutors continued to contest his exoneration when interviewed.

Kerry, however, is not blameless in this miscarriage. Throughout the trials he lied about how his fingerprints got on the victim's door, instead of simply admitting she had invited him up there. (Kerry claims his father told him not to admit this; however, such an action makes no sense whatsoever.) Finally, while Kerry also should be commended for writing the book himself, continually referring to his parents as "momma" and "daddy" was both infantile and aggravating.

Bottom Line: This book seriously questions the wisdom of the death penalty in America.

I have read the book twice. This is a first hand account of one of the worst cases of injustice in American History. Kerry Max Cook has brilliantly written his own book about life before and after death row and the scars that he still carries with him from the experience. I highly recommend this book to all. I have already bought copies for all my friends.

Kerry Max Cook met young Linda Edwards in 1977 and was invited back to her apartment for a drink, where he left his fingerprints on the sliding glass door. Four days later, Ms. Edwards was found brutally murdered, and Cook was immediately arrested for the crime. In one of the worst examples of police and prosecutorial misconduct in American history, Kerry Max was put to trial with coached prosecutorial witnesses, bunk expert testimony about the "age" (six to twelve hours) of the fingerprint, and suppressed evidence that would have favored the defense. The state declared that Kerry Max was a repressed homosexual (at a time when homosexuality was a mental illness, and in rural Texas, no less) who raped and butchered a female out of repressed rage - a theory, incredibly, they stuck to even during re-trials two decades later, in the 1990's!

Chasing Justice is the story of the framing of Kerry Max by the Texas justice system. The narrative was written in Kerry's own hand (1,200 pages at first draft) and condensed into a powerfully personal 350-page account of life on death row - desperation, abandonment, rape and sodomy, stabbings, and attempted suicide. The prose isn't depressing; rather, Kerry Max just fights on, always waiting for the next turn, building his cadre of supporters. Texas death row has been ruled in federal court to constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Kerry Max fought for a full two decades for his freedom, through three outrageous trials, with not a penny to his name. While the major Dallas newspaper was decrying the railroading of an innocent man, he was convicted again and again and again. To date, he is still not eligible for reparations from the state of Texas because he has not been officially pardoned, which would require the unanimous concurrence several bureaucratic offices unwilling to admit their culpability in the grave trespass of justice against Kerry Max Cook. (By the way, the state spent $5 - $7 million over two decades in their effort to execute Kerry Max).

The reader will question - why Kerry Max? In his book, the author does not devote his energies to answering why, rather, he uses his energy to fight. From some brief research on the case, I have determined that the real culprit hired a very expensive, well-connected good ol' boy lawyer, requiring the police to find another suspect to satisfy the anger of the community. I can only begin to wonder how the Texas justice system conspired for 20 years to keep an innocent man behind bars. During each of his three trials, judges continually approved motions by the prosecutor and denied those of the defense, even to the point at which the court had contradicted itself on which evidence should be suppressed or allowed and for what reason!

Kerry Max's remarkable story is a damning indictment of the death penalty and the Texas justice system. Right before the publication of his memoir, national crime show Body of Evidence: From the Case Files of Dayle Hinman featured forensic experts "solving" the Edwards murder based on false evidence from the prosecution. Even 10 years have Kerry Max's exoneration in the national eye, misinformation is still being spread by those in power. Kerry Max Cook's experiences should serve as clear warning not to blindly accept the word of authority.