Authors Books

This is a very black, dark book. This is not a book for kids, nor is it a book for people who haven't read anything by Ellison previously. Harlan Ellison is one of those rare writers that can finish a story so powerfully, that you'll feel like you've been literally stabbed in the heart. Like many of Ellison's short story collections, he deals with a specific theme. In this book, he writes short stories about gods, in all their myriad shapes and forms. Gods of machines, pain, rocks, speed, revenge, among others. Of the 19 stories in this collection, let me tell you what I consider to be the best. THE WHIMPER OF WHIPPED DOGS: Ellison's award-winning retelling of the Kitty Genovese incident. Never heard of Kitty Genovese? Don't worry, after reading this chilling tale, you'll make sure you remember. BASILISK: A traitor to his country comes home and finds that he is not welcome. A little confusing at first, but you'll soon get the hang of it. PRETTY MAGGIE MONEYEYES: Don't let the strange title deceive you. This is Ellison in TOP form. Ever wondered what gods reside at the casinos and what they have in mind. It's not PRETTY, I can assure you. ERNEST AND THE MACHINE GOD: An easy-to-visualize story about a girl in a car-accident and her meetings at a gas station. ADRIFT OFF THE ISLETS OF LANGERHANS . . . : Another award-winning story about a man trying to find the geographical location of his soul. THE DEATHBIRD: Still another award-winner. This one is Ellison's retelling of Genesis. This story has a very innovative structure to it. You'll see what I mean, when you buy this book.

While I typically associate Harlan Ellison with Science Fiction, I'm somewhat hesitant to call all of these stories SciFi... they are more like Twilight Zone episodes. They are 19 short stories that involve individuals getting caught up in all sorts of fantastic situations. While there is a general underlying theme of the stories involving "Gods", I found that the main uniting feature was the fantastic nature of the stories.

Some sample reviews from the collection:

ALONG THE SCENIC ROUTE(1969)***** - Ellison published this tale of "Road Rage" way back in the late 60's. It is definately a classic, and one of the more SciFi-esque stories from this collection. Richard K. Morgan recently tried to do a modern "Road Rage" novel, MARKET FORCES(2005)***, which takes ideas from ALONG THE SCENIC ROUTE, but ultimately falls flat.

O YE OF LITTLE FAITH(1968)**** - A young man of no faith in any god, is accompanying his mid-30's girlfriend back from a quick Tijuana abortion, in this pre-Roe vs. Wade world (Roe vs. Wade was decided in late 1973), and finds himself transported to a world populated by gods nobody believes in any longer.

PRETTY MAGGIE MONEYEYES(1967)*** - A sad story of two people's fateful encounter via a Slot Machine in a Las Vegas Casino. One is a pretty poor girl, who turns to prostitution to claw her way from the ghetto to Beverly Hills; the other is a long-time Vegas loser, who is down to his last dollar, and who's luck is about to change, but is it for the better?

CORPSE(1972)**** - A Latin American Studies professor from Columbia University, a man of some faith in Christianity, begins to see the emergence of a new type of god - the Automobile God, but ultimately fails to realize the inevitability and make the transition to the new faith.

SHATTERED LIKE A GLASS GOBLIN(1969)***** - A Marine, recently back from Vietnam, enters and becomes consumed by the varied pesonalities and drugs in a 60's "Party House"... reminds me of an old house my recently graduated high school buddies rented in San Diego, CA in the 70's (and which was slated to be razed along with the adjacent drive-in theater, to make way for a new shopping center). Like O YE OF LITTLE FAITH, this story is notable for the snapshot it gives of a Beatle's White Album-era America. Indeed, having just said that, I just realized that the title of this story SHATTERED LIKE A GLASS GOBLIN(1969), seems to be a play on the title of the Beatle's White Album song LOOKING THROUGH A GLASS ONION(1968).

This book has recently been republished by the SFBC in December 2005, as part of the third set of books in the SFBC 50th Anniversary Collection.

Harlan presents some stellar stories here about what modern gods might be like in what one would call a pessimistic, cynical outlook. He moves through such milieus as sci-fi, high fantasy and even urban fantasy through this book.

The best stories are very hard-hitting and emotionally affecting. These include The Whimper of Whipped Dogs, a retelling of the Kitty Genovese episode about the alleged god of New York City, The Basilisk, where the most terrifying aspect of the story is how a small town treats a returning POW and Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes where a manipulative woman continues to manipulate even after death. There are some other good stories, such as the road rage tale, though not as emotionally hard-hitting.

The problems in several of the stories stem from an abundance of cleverness. Rather than letting the story take the forefront, Harlan chooses to favor style over substance in an attempt to showcase his virtuoisity in the various methods of writing. This lessened some of his stories for me. He is most successful doing this in the titular tale, The Deathbird, but it was still distracting even there.

A very good collection though, despite the flaws. It is unapologetic and uncomprimising demanding you take the stories on their own terms.

For those fans of Ellison, you will not be disappointed, for those of you not familiar with Ellison, this one will have you hitting the used book stores in a vain hope of finding more fodder for your mind. (Don't bother looking, I already hit every book store myself.) Reading this book is like seeing Mohammed Ali box or Stevie Ray Vaughn play the guitar, you get the feeling of seeing the best at his best. Every story in this collection is a gem, some more than others. "The Whimpering of Whipped Dogs" is a classic in and of itself. "The Deathbird" is the most amazing story ever created by a fantasy writer and I say this with no hyperbole. Go out and get this book . . . NOW! It will change the way you view the world and yourself. Other books make this promise, Deathbird Stories is the only book I've ever read that actually delivers.

I read this book because, in the acknowledgements his wonderful novel "American Gods," neil gaiman said this book burned itself into the back of brain when he was still young enough for something like that to happen.

Well, how can you resist an endorsement like that? So, I raced up to the nearest library that had this book (an hour or so away, I'll have you know) and checked it out. And befoul these modern gods if it didn't blow my mind. At least, parts of it did.

Most of the stories - "the Whimper of Whipped Dogs," "Shattered Like a Glass Goblin," "Basilisk," and "Ernest and the Machine God," just to name a few - are really brilliant. They will twist your mind around like only certain versions of certain myths can. They will smack your conciousness around until you think there really are gods in the engine of your car and that traitors really are the high priests of Aries. They will, as Niel Gaiman says, burn themselves into the back of your brain.

Others, however, are not so brilliant. A few simply repeated ideas put forth in other, better stories. Some were simply not as interesting as the others, and some were both uninteresting and sordid. But please note that "some" could and should be read as "one, two at the outside." The majority are amazing.

On the whole, however, this is a wonderful book. I am shocked and dismayed to find that it it unavailable. I think anybody who is into mythology should read this book, just for some of the ideas expressed in it. So should anyone who read "American Gods" and thought it was cool, too. They should have a good time pointing to certain stories and saying, "Neil Gaiman lifted that, that and that." I recommend this book highly. Even with the few faulty tales herein, it is definately worth the time.

I can't stop flipping through the pages of this book. Each page sparks a different memory from Iraq. The recipes are so easy to follow and turn out so well. The best cook book EVER.

My wife is a first class Chef and needed information abiout Iraqi Cooking
to prepare and serve at Master classes
On the WWW there was only 11 recipies
So doing a search on AMazon.com walla a book. The book has many recipies and information about Iraqi Culture it is easily to read and is very informative, it is pity that the Americans went in on a false premise and are surely destroying a vibrant culture.

A great cookbook. Easy to follow for those not familiar with Arabic/Middle Eastern Cooking. Good back stories and illustrations. A true one of a kind work. Be sure to buy this treasure before it goes out of print. A delight as the title suggests.

I received this cookbook as a birthday gift two years ago. When I opened it, I was excited to find a Middle Eastern cookbook, but was not expecting it to 'measure up' to the 10 or so Middle Eastern/North African cookbooks in my collection, as the author is not well known as are the authors of many of the other books. After all this time, I have made quite a few recipes from this book, and all were fantastic. That being said, I feel that I haven't even scratched the surface of this book. The number of good recipes in the book is astounding, and the history portion of the book is very interesting. I highly recommend the book for anyone interested in learning more about cooking Middle Eastern food, and learning about its roots.

Thanks to Nawal for writting this excellent cookbook which includes almost all the iraqi recipes in such nice order.

As a kurd I found many recipes that brought back memories from my childhood, even the terms/words used!

I looked through the whole book briefly, the recipes look easy and well written, not many pictures but I doubt they are needed. Can't wait to try more recipes.

I know I will treasure this book for life..

I'm still reading this book and it has brought many good things to light for me. I'm sending my copy to a friend so she can read it and understand more things about herself.

This book was so inspiring and at time overwhelming... It will make you cry with the poetic reverence, and laugh with its abunding charm.... It give great insight on comming out, and It helps you to decide when is right for you to enter into your own journey on the road to being free.. to being OUT

This book unites the coming out experiences of black women from different socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds.
This collection of 49 short stories/poems/essays and interviews offers an insight into the complexities and issues surrounding women of colour as they search for and claim their identities. The selections which are fictional and non-fictional, are personal, daring, honest, funny, moving and thought provoking.
In short, this is a powerful book which easily transcends the Women's Studies/African American Studies and the Gay and Lesbian arenas, making it the quintessential "must read" for all.

READING THIS BOOK WAS AN INSIDE PEEP AT WHAT GOES ON INSIDE THE HEART AND SOUL OF EVERY WOMAN WHO EVER THOUGHT ABOUT LOVING ANOTHER WOMAN....IT CONFIRMED THAT THE WARMTH, INTIMACY, CLOSENESS, SISTERGIRL CONNECTION THAT I FEEL WHEN IM WITH MY SPECIAL FRIEND IS NOT SICK, OR IMMORAL BUT SPECIAL AND WORTH HOLDING ON TO DESPITE WHAT PEOPLE WHO CANT RELATE MIGHT THINK. THANK YOU TO ALL THE WRITERS AND ESPECIALLY LISA C. MOORE. LOOKING FORWARD TO DOES YOUR POPS KNOW ? (SMILE)

"Does Your Mama Know?" was worth the time and effort that I spent visiting four different bookstores and walking a total of four miles or so. "Does Your Mama Know?" is like "The Color Purple," "The Women of Brewster Place" and "Zami" but better. Similar to these books, Moore's book validated my experiences as a lesbian of color. Her well-chosen stories highlight almost every conceivable coming out experience. Although the book is VERY hard to find -- there are only 8,000 copies floating around the world -- I would recommend this to any black lesbian, regardless of nationality.

As a causal reader, I found ".....Scratch Line" to be a remarkably unique book. Therefore, "Echoes...." cannot compare to it even though it is outstanding on its own. "Echoes.." presents new a powerful characters and relationships that Johnson has masterfully brought to life. Johnson is genius at capturing the flavor of the time in both books, but there is only one Tremaine. Is this a good read? No. A very very good read? Absolutely.

Encore!! Excellent read! I can not recall a book that I enjoyed as much as I enjoyed these two books. Would love to see it on the BIG Screen. Thank you so much Mr. Johnson. If you haven't read it, get them both and take some time off from work because you won't be able to put the books down.

I loved both Guy Johnson's books. Living now in the bay area I can completely see the places he talks about in the book and picture myself there. I love the way he uses retrsopection and how well he links the two. I love Jackson Tremain's character and how the character evolves and changes when confronted with his grandfather's past. Can't believe or agree with Elizabeth's decision at the end, but it makes for a very circle of life kind of ending. Read Standing at the Scratch Line first to get the whole story behind it.

I was skeptical at first, that him being Maya Angelou's son made him think that was enough to make him a writer. He proved me SOOOO wrong (and I am glad!) I am usually not a fan of the gangster world, but he drew me in so fast with this book. Every bit was a delight to read. I actually read them starting with Echoes, and then moved to Standing, and I thought it worked well, changed my perspective of King. The only disappointment I have is that it's been a few years since these came out, and I haven't seen anything else by him. Hopefully that will change soon.

Do we have to get find and send a director to Guy Johnson with a planeful of actors... someone get this to the big screen! If Tyler Perry can commercialize Madea, I am confused why we can't have these books made into a movie. Heck, I have someone willing to do it! Let's face it, the world isn't a perfect place and less than perfect personalities bring out some interesting public discourse (Black women made Madea). Not all our inspirational people are noble God fearing and pious so why should our make believe "larger than life" folk be any different. One reviewer examined the historic accuracy of the book. While being a noble observation it misses the point that Black Folk, African Americans ...and for that fact Americans and the world need to be able to tell the truth in real historic events let alone the fictional stories. Further, in bring on a sense of Black Folk place in this world, there is still much to do with dismantling the rediculous vision of the timid, unlearned, unpatriotic, lazy, morally bankrupt Black Male that American has underwritten for all these hundreds of years. How long will these perpetuate? Answer: Until Black Folk change these images and begin telling their own stories... one by one; fiction and non-fiction alike. Lord knows, currently there aren't enough Black Historians to undo the less than honest works of the legions of half-truth historians America has seen and not enough Jewish historians to care (much Black is written by our Jewish friends). These stories will, like the lies that preceded them, go a long way toward gaining a foothold on the destiny of human kind everywhere.. not just Black Folk! Our destiny is tied together and human kind will never be whole nor great until nobody is allowed to be viewed as "less than."

After wanting this book for along time and being a somewhat hard core Edward Gorey fan, I finally ordered and received this book. I sat with it and experienced an intimate glimpse into his private world and found myself feeling and learning so much about this man and our times. I seriously laughed and cried and everything in between by the time I finished my first page-though. The rich content of the images took me on a journey through his home and collections that touched many familiar and unfamiliar bases. I not only gained insight into the man, but into a window in time in the art and collecting world that was very familiar to me as a baby-boomer aged art/literature/theater type. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is the least bit interested in Edward Gorey and the late 20th century arts milieu. I was/am profoundly moved by this book and know that I will revisit it often.

This is a beautiful book of photographs and text that allows the reader an intriguing view of the home in which Edward Gorey lived and the collections of curious objects, books, and cats he filled it with.

The photographs are large and beautiful - haunting even - and there are lots of them. There is just the right amount of text to cast some light on the man behind the house and his elusive character - anecdotes about his life, his work, his friends and the things that inspired him.

If you are fan of Edward Gorey, or of eclectic interior decorating and design, and displaying collections of antiques, this book will be a treasure in your library.

That's really all I can say. I have been waiting for this book for a long time, and it was the most incredible thing. Amazing photos. Read up on Gorey first, though. The details are some much better when you get the little visual jokes Gorey set up in his day-to-day life.

This book wouldn't mean much to anyone who isn't already a Gorey fan. I own (and love) the compilations 'Amphigorey', 'Amphigorey Too' & 'Amphogorey Also', so have a head start. I also have the auto(?) biography 'Ascending Peculiarity', which is almost a necessary co-requisite to this book - it helps explain the cats, and many other Gorey details. Now that the individual books are available again, I'm tempted to get them too, because they are such nice objects - but only if the kids promise to share with me!

If you are an Ogdred Weary fan...this is a truly wonderful book. Photographs of the exterior (peeling paint and kind of saggy porch) and the interior rooms of the house on Cape Cod in Gorey lived and worked, along with his cats and figbashes, piles of thousands of books, assorted rocks and oddish things, and the expected miriad of curiosities. Alas, or delightfully...just the environment one would expect of the eccentric Edward. A cabinet of curiosities...a delight!

Over the past 30 years I have read many, many self help books and it appears that within the structure of general self help books most authors tend to stroll down one of two comfort paths: One path tends to be ego laden within the authors own expertise and intentions with little acknowledgment to other possibilities or solutions. If the author did not experience it, then it must not exist and we are pulled down a path of only the author's view or adaption, hence we are held to the author's own growth pattern with little glimpse of anything else. The second and more common path is written in a way as to keep the own author's behavior away from the direction of the book as if their own character could flaw the outcome of the book's message or purpose. An example would be an author who knows how to schedule their time accurately and conveys it eloquently with active experiences and involvement but distances them self from other areas of the book when their own flaws are in conflict with their message. In other words, we like or adapt to the book based on the working principles and descriptions used in the book without much connection to the actual author. I think our parents said it best with: "Do as I say and not as I do."
Here is a book that takes a different path; a book written in authenticity as the author uses his own history and working principles to convey who he is and with total acceptance and intention that we probably are not like him. This book is not hypothetical but instead uses real experiences and examples covering each principle or point completely. This might be the only motivational book I have read in over 5 years that does not use any inspirational quotes and I can understand why because most books need additional validity from a third party to make them influential or believable, whereas this book stands on its own with sound principles and examples. To write in this manner takes a special person who can convey them self soulfully and openly and still stay true to their intended path.
This book is written about constraints that limit our daily lives and how to realistically reduce or eliminate them in a simplified manner. I do not believe someone can appreciate the methods or principles of this book without reading the book completely as each constraint is structured to exemplify the others. Not only are we informed on how to deal with our own constraints but we are also led to understand the limiting constraints in others, making us better leaders, managers, spouses etc. As the author honestly conveys his own constraints, we also gain a better insight of his own style of writing and can utilize these understandings to gain a better knowledge making this book a "Catch 22" with a positive ending. To not grow from this book is to ignore the very principles illustrated and clarified completely to our benefit. I see the possibility of not only improving my own limitations but to be a better communicator and interpreter from each constraint and behavioral example. I must confess that I found the first half of this book average and not until I discovered all of the constraints and their limitations did I come to really appreciate the author and find my own limiting thoughts that withheld valuable information from me. I found that the book was written exactly as it is because this is who the author is and it is up to me to interpret it accordingly. Thank you for this array of valuable insights.

Written by head of The Flippin Group and expert motivational coach Flip Flippen, The Flip Side: Break Free of the Behaviors That Hold You Back is a no-nonsense self-help guide to identifying how personal constraints and often unconscious restrictions can hold one back from one's full potential. Breaking free of those restraints and learning to "flip" negative thoughts and behaviors into positive ones form the core of The Flip Side. Negative personality-driven trait types are listed and range from "bulldozers" (too dominant, ignoring all dissenting options) to "marshmallows" (too nurturing, avoiding conflict at the expense of their happiness) and "quick draws" (too impulsive, with poor self-control). A readily accessible guide to improving one's strengths through recognizing and turning around one's weaknesses.

As a believer in the process of self-reflective therapy, Flip has provided substantial direction and real-world situations to see that we all have personal areas that keep us from our best. I especiallly appreciated the opportunity and recommendation to take one step at a time and reclaim our best qualities.

The Flip Side: Break Free of the Behaviors That Hold You Back

I highly recommend this book for those who have found they have other roads to travel but have made personal road blocks that only the individual can remove.

I was walking through the book store a few weeks ago and saw The Flip Side on display. I was astonished to discover the author was my first boyfriend!

I bought the book because Flip wrote it. I was so delighted to discover that it offered insightful, practical advice on how to overcome my personal constraints to become the person I have always wanted to be.

The stories Flip relates reveal his warm, loving and humorous personality. He is open and honest with us about himself and his own life and encourages us to do the same thing with ours.

Flip's book is not just another self-help one that will gather dust on your bookshelf. He offers a plan based on his 30+ years of counseling experience with the tools to implement change in your life....if you just do it! It worked for him and it is working for me.

Thanks, Flip, for showing up in my life again in such a truly miraculous way!

Talking about capitalizing on a name... :) The Flip Side: Break Free of the Behaviors That Hold You Back by Flip Flippen. This was a book I picked up on in one of the personal productivity blogs I follow, and it is one of the most practical, easy-to-understand books on personal change that I've read recently. Even better, he goes into how *you* can react and respond more effectively to each personality type. And trust me, you'll find your problem coworker/friend/acquaintance in here with no problem. :)

Part 1 - Understanding Personal Constraints: Something Is Holding You Back; The Foundations of OPC (Overcoming Personal Constraints); The Five Laws of Personal Constraints; Overview - The Top 10 Killer Constraints
Part 2 - Identifying Personal Constraints: #1 - Bulletproof (Overconfident); #2 - Ostriches (Low Self-Confidence); #3 - Marshmallows (Overly Nurturing); #4 - Critics (Too Demanding, Nitpicky, or Harsh); #5 - Icebergs (Low Nurturing); #6 - Flatliners (Low Passion, Vision, or Drive); #7 - Bulldozers (Overly Dominant); #8 - Turtles (Resistant to Change); #9 - Volcanoes (Aggressive, Angry); #10 - Quick Draw (Low Self-Control, Impulsive)
Part 3 - Overcoming Personal Constraints: Building Your TrAction Plan; Constraints Are Personal - My Story; Personal-Constraint Combinations; OPC Starts at Home; OPC in the Workplace; Personal Constraints and Culture; Listening to What Others Say - The Power of Honest Feedback
Conclusion - Raised in Captivity; Next Steps; Acknowledgments; Index

I'm sure glad I don't have any of these... NOT! :)

Each of the constraint chapters uses a couple of examples (some historical, some personal from the author's work) to show how a particular trait can play out and limit one's effectiveness. This is followed by the "Are You ..." checklist, which has 10 questions you can ask yourself to see where you fall in terms of that constraint. If you're on the high end of the scale, you'll be interested in the "So I'm ... Help Me!" section that follows. That's where Flippen lays out specific actions you can take to change this part of your behavior. Even better, that section is followed by a "How Can I Deal With A ... Person?". That's where you get to find out what types of communication and actions you can take to make your interactions with that personality type go better. The goal isn't to change them (although that would be nice), but it's more like survival skills so you don't get caught in the debris and aftermath of their limitations.

And in case you're wondering, I have marshmellow-y tendencies with a little flatliner and turtle thrown in...

I think that any book that helps you categorize or examine your behaviors can have a positive influence. The Flip Side seems to work better than most in that you don't have to struggle to see yourself or others in the scenarios, and the advice and actions are concrete and do-able. If you're looking to kick things up another level in your life (or avoid kicking someone else in frustration), I'd recommend this book...

Shwartz is a Boston trail lawyer with an unabashed love for the well-written word. In the introduction Shwartz wrote about reading, "I would read, as readers do, to tame the unfamiliar or see the familiar through new and enlightened prisms; to see how different or eerily familiar, another person's interior life could be from my own."

This is a book of short commentaries by 115 writers on the books they love most. And indeed it is hard to flip many pages without finding the word love. Shwartz set out to produce the very book he couldn't find in bookstores!

This is truly a book that your reading group could share. Buy one copy and bring it to meetings. It can give you a wealth of insights and ideas for books to read- read a book written by one of the 115 authors interviewed and then select a book to read that influenced that author. The bibliographical index is reason alone to buy this book. Shwartz has said that he always found himself asking what the authors themselves read; and here you'll find that answered both in text and in the index.

Penelope Fitzgerald, author of "The Bookshop" wrote in her commentary that "Fathers& Sons" was one of the books that made the greatest impression on her, "I still feel close to weeping when I get to the end. . . " John Irving, author of "The Cider House Rules" named "Great Expectations" and said, ". . .the intention of a novel by Charles Dickens is to move you emotionally- not intellectually . . . " And Anna Quindlen, author of "One True Thing" said, "The books I've loved most were the books I could inhabit."

Our interesting word selection was "Verity"" The quality or state of being true or real. Faithfulness to aesthetic truth.

Our favorite quote was by Anne Fadiman: "I was so ludicrously unprepared for Humanties 190 that the course nearly proved my undoing. With a doggedness born of panic, I defaced nearly every line of Aristitle's poetics with citron Hi-liter and crammed the margins with felt-tip notations."

Shwartz wrote that it was his hope that his book "might inspire people to read more. . . " Oh yes!

Anyone who has ever wanted to be a writer will hear from writing instructors all about the importance of constantly reading. Books on writing theory state the same thing as do works about writing by published authors. The importance of reading cannot be disputed, but many writers may wonder what would be appropriate to read. Fans of great writers may also wonder what would be a great next read. Ronald Shwartz has edited a book that answers these questions for all who wonder, what do great writers read and what books have inspired these writers to write?

The book includes many well known authors of both fiction and nonfiction, including notables such as Anne Bernays and husband Justin Kaplan, Robert Coles, Joyce Carol Oates, Penelope Fitzgerald, John Irving, Norman Mailer, and Anna Quindlen just to name a few. Some of the writers simply list the books, others explain why they include the books. Most of the entries are short and to the point, and all the entries are insightful. I only wish Norman Mailer had a bit more to say, but since he just published a book on writing, any questions I may have will probably be answered in that book.

Ronald Shwartz was curious about what books writers read, how and what influenced them, so he set about to seek answers. This book contains 115 different viewpoints. Each chapter, written by a different author, begins with a brief biographical blurb followed by two or three pages describing the authors' choices. Some, like Mario Puzo or Norman Mailer, were quite terse, just itemizing their choices, but most of the other entries were a bit more revealing, giving us a feel for what the books meant to them, when they read them, etc. Their passion for books and reading were truly inspirational.

I kept a pad and pen handy as I read this book to make a list of the books mentioned that sounded interesting to me. By the end of the book I had a huge list of books that I wanted to find and read.

This book not only served as a great source for recommended reading, but provided a wonderful window into all of these authors' lives.

A wonderful collection of some of the most remarkable authors likes and dislikes and what books influenced them most. From childhood memories to adult appreciation, each author shares their favorite titles as well as how they came to appreciate reading and the written word.

As a fellow author, I felt like I had a window seat into the soul of many great writers. "WAR AND PEACE" won many votes as a favored choice.

Some authors distinguish between historic works and current favorites. Most agree that readers make writers! Each author seems to highly respect the written word.

Truly enjoyed the stories told about what was viewed as the catalyst to an early appreciation of books. My only negative comment would have to be on the size of the text. Personal opinion is that with so much written word on a page, you can lose the interest of the reader. These stories should be appreciated and read.

Easy to see why this would make an excellent choice for any adult book/reading group.

the only drawback of this book is that it will rob you of precious hours devoted to reading other books! i'm being facetious, of course -- this is a wealth of reflections to (a) place by your bedside table, (b) in the glovebox of your car, and (c) dare i say, in the bathroom to savor whenever you get a spare moment -- or to enjoy simply for its own sake. it's very much like sitting down face-to-face with a garrulous, self-reflective author (or grandparent) and hearing a lifetime of wisdom squished into a few minutes. so grab a pencil -- you're going to need one! -- and mark what sounds interesting. funny how often "the brothers k" gets mentioned, "moby dick" etc. but so many wonderful surprises in store, too. thanks to kurt vonnegut's (brilliant) short essay, for example, i picked up "candide" and am much the wiser. oddly enough, no one recommends "les misérables" -- i can't imagine why not -- or "musashi" for that matter. but "the tale of genji" is recommended, so all is forgiven. "for the love of books" = beautiful!

Hang on to your hats for one huge push of the envelope... a rebuilt UN has succeeded in dividing the US into enclaves under mandate control by other countries and a civil war is raging which puts family and friends on opposite sides. The Sovereign Forces are fighting hard to preserve our Constitution and save our one remaining asset - missile silos in the Middle States. The action is non-stop in the field and the home front as well. Technical descriptions and gritty put-down comraderie among the SF men crackles with authenticity - perhaps straight out of Mannske's own Gulf War experiences?

Can't wait for the rest of this triology - how could the UN get this power and how do we regain it? Hope Mannske doesn't make us wait very long. It's a sure-fire movie hit - heads up on this one Hollywood!

The author calls this book, "Near Fiction," i.e. "a futuristic story that ping pongs somewhere between non-fiction and science fiction." It is certainly all that and much more.

The book is about the US-UN War. Far fetched?

It is Book 2 of a trilogy and Books 1 and 3 have not been written yet. Odd?

Ask George Lucas.

I have to admit that it took me several chapters to wrap my brain around the author's concept of a near fiction war between the US and the UN, but the further one goes into the story, the easier the idea is to accept.

The thing which makes this all work for me is that Michael Mannske can flat out write. His characters come alive, his scenarios become plausable and his knowledge of the military gives the book an authenticity that near fiction and science fiction need in order to remain plausible.

Mannske says in the Afterword that he wrote this book because he was bored. That he wanted to escape the post 9/11 world and be "mesmerized again by cataclysmic clashes and superpower showdowns...where military strategies are brought to life and age old SIOP [Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol] war plans dusted off and tested in the crucible of the imagination."

The crucible of this author's imagination is white hot. If you are looking for a book that is not boring and quite mesmerizing, Foreign and Domestic is just the ticket. I promise you it will make you think and probably keep you up later than is good for you. It did me.

Great book! In the "against all odds" tradition of great novels this book really got to me. A glimpse at a not too hard to imagine predicament and "Hobson's" choice we could be faced with. Solzenitzen warned us - Mannske has too. Love the characters and their development - I can't wait for the next one. This book would make a great movie.

With the support of our president the UN has placed large areas of the US under the control of its political forces and a civil war is raging putting friends and family on opposing sides. The Sovereign Forces are fighting hard to preserve our Constitution and save our one remaining asset - the missile silos in the Middle States. The action is non-stop in the field and on the home front as well. Technical descriptions and gritty put-down comraderie among the SF men crackles with authenticity - perhaps straight out of Mannske's own Gulf War experiences.

Can't wait for the rest of this triology - how could the UN get this power and how do we get it and our country back? Hope Mannske doesn't make us wait very long. It's a sure fire movie hit - heads up on this one, Hollywood!

The book was very timely for it portrays a likely senario of what the UN might do if it had the power. It also shows the complacency of the American people to accept whatever is handed to them without question. We as Americans need to question what our leaders are placing on us and either reject or accept it with clear minds and be willing stand up for what is right, according to the Constitution of The United States as written and understood by the framers of that document, and not based on the interpetation of any group, court, or other entity. This book may be fiction, but it has so many true facts that are relevant to today's enviroment, that only the story line may prove to be fictional. I thought the book was great reading and had trouble putting it down. I would recommend it to anyone with a conservative view. I look forward to this author's future books.
Shelby G. Lowery
P.O. Box 73
New Albany, MS 38652

Keenan explores the realm of the soul in this pleasant, enlightening discussion. A problem I had is that he never (that I can remember) defines the soul or discusses the spirit. So, much of the language about the soul is somewhat ambiguous. I think at times he referred to what I consider the spirit as the soul. I never grasped exactly what he means by "soul," which is frustrating when that is the focus of the book.

Much of the book lacked the passion that really moves a reader to wake up to the sense of soul and spirituality and the need to address the unseen world. The book is told/read without much drama.

Keenan does share insights about life that will probably cause you to examine your priorities and direction in life. He shares stories that are relevant but that didn't seem to strike a loud enough chord to me. I think he could have gone deeper into his spiritual well to offer the reader more living water that what is here.

I think there is a lack of specificity about what he truly believes regarding the soul. He doesn't share much of his Catholic belief system but more of a watered down spirituality that ignores much of what one would expect a Catholic priest to believe.

There were some nuggets that I can take with me such as looking for the miracle in everyday life, expecting gifts from God and from life, and trusting in the guidance of providence when least suspected.

I would encourage him to be more earnest about what he believes in the future.

I thought this was a good book. Because it was about football. It was'ent just one team it has different players and some of the best players from the 80's to the 90's. Some players are still playing till this day.Thats what this books about good professional players ;about their good days and their bad days.

I didn't finish the book yet because I keep going over some chapters that apply to my own spiritual journey. I can relate to so many things Fr. Pauls says. He is truly a gifted author and buying this book was no "coincidence." I was looking for another book, but this came into my hand because God wanted me to read Fr. Paul's words. Thank you Father Paul for sharing your insights with us. We are on this journey together.

Sometimes, books like these can become too heavily optimistic and, therefore, alienate the reader that really needs comfort in a time of suffering. When I purchased this book, my older sister had just died at the age of 27 and I was desperate for some kind of comfort. My friends and family, though they tried, only seemed to make me feel worse. This book, however, was just what I needed.

Good News for Bad Days takes a sober and uplifting look at life without making your problems seem mundane or unworthy of notice. It is a book that is full of empathy and not pride or guilt. Father Keenan does not push Christianity down your throat or even try to convert the reader, rather he uses modern day situations to show the different ways one can look at life and times of need.

If you are looking for a friend to be compassionate and there is no one in sight, this book is just what you need.

This is a truly helpful book. Father Keenan's compassion comes alive on these pages. You can feel his hand in yours as you read. It's been a fad for quite some time now to say that one is "into spirituality" or is "a spiritual person." But to completely understand spirituality, one must first realize the function of the soul in life. Soulfulness is the basis of all things spiritual, emotional, and physical. It is our very essence. And this guide will help you in your quest to make your life a soulful one. On a personal note: My family sustained the loss of my dear sister just weeks before the release of this book. It served as a comforting tool to all the members of my family during this difficult time. But whether you are hurting, searching, happy, or sad, Father Keenan's words will lead you to a better understanding of the very thing that gives us the vitality and strength that we so need to survive: the soul. Father Keenan taught me so much through this book that I have actually been able to use what I've learned to help others through loneliness, loss, and frustration. And it's been an absolute delight to share what I've learned with all of God's souls who have come into my life.

I enjoyed the book immensely. I have now read all opf the series and would like to see how some of these relationships work ok. I was unable to stop reading unless I fell asleep or reached the end of the story. I like the way all of the main characters cross over into the other books in the series. All of the series seems to be well put together and I will be looking forward to more books from the Heart series.

As with her previous books in the Celta series, Robin Owens once again enriches her stories with a romantic match-up between characters who are unique, interesting, and fun to get to know. Straif, whose flair power has made him the premiere tracker on the planet, has been searching for a cure to the illness that wiped out his family. For years he has avoided returning home since everyone in his family died there except for him (at last, fans will learn how he managed to survive the fatal illness). But now a distant relative is laying claim to the home and all his property unless he returns, fixes the place up, and restores it to its past grandeur. He hires Mitchella Clover for the daunting task. Her flair skills at interior decorating are still developing, but her creativity will delight the reader, especially her passionate desire to help Straif even when his accounts are frozen while ownership of the property is contested. This books delves into the rigid obligations of Druida City's upper crust society, what is expected of those with great flair, and the responsibilities that heretofore Straif has been avoiding. Mystery, danger, humor, heartache, revelations, and love are all deliciously intermixed in this story, a skill Owens is a true mistress of in all her "Heart" books. New readers and fans alike will not be disappointed.

This author is fantastic - each book I read draws me further into this world and into the characters that exist in all the books. I want a heartmate too!

Straif Blackthorn is the last of the Blackthorn family. His entire family had been wiped out by the Celtan Angh virus fifteen years ago due to a defect in the family genes. He had decided to move back to the T'Blackthorn Residence, his ancestral home. The morning he made his decision to move back to the ancestral home, a wet cat informs him that she is his Familiar. "You will adore Me. Everybody adores Me." They adopted each other and became companions. The Fam's name is Drina. She's a beautiful half-Siamese cat, the daughter of the Cat Zanth, which is Familiar to T'Ash.

Mitchella is a member of the Clovers family. They are a family that pride themselves as the most fertile family on Celta. Mitchella cannot bear children of her own. She's sterile, a condition caused by a disease when she was a child. She has a ward, Antenn, who she loves as much as she would any child of her own body. Mitchella owns The Four Leaf Clover, a store specializing in interior design.

After returning to his ancestral home and activating the spells for housekeeping and general habitation, Drina informed Straif that the house was not up to a cat of her degree. They must go shopping. After all Drina is female, she likes shopping. She insists they shop at The Four Leaf Clover. Drina will not allow the gloom to remain in the residence. Besides, she needs an adequate pillow to sleep on. Mitchella had been pondering how she was going to keep her store open without getting a loan from her family. When Straif introduced himself and told her he needed his home redecorated and refurnished, she just knew this would be an expensive job. Sexually attracted to the man and a good paying job, could a woman ask for more? But, he's a noble of the highest class, and a relationship between them would never work.

Robin D. Owens has written another winner with HEART CHOICE. This is the fourth book in her Heartmate series. I was fascinated by the magical environment. The house itself was amazing. It was like a living being. It was able to communicate and use Straif's flair in order to take care of itself. Mitchella was able to use her flair to redecorate the rooms. She could even make walls into moving scenes. I absolutely adored the Familiar, Drina's snotty attitude. Her diva attitude had me laughing out loud many times. Straif and Mitchella's hearts had both been grievously injured in the past. Straif by the deaths of his family to the virus he had survived, and Mitchella by men's rejection due to the fact that she couldn't bear heirs. Their love for each other is almost tangible. Straif's determination to find a cure for his family's genes keeps him from seeing the possibility that Mitchella could be his Heartmate. It was wonderful to revisit Celta and get to read about some of the characters we learned about in previous books. HEART CHOICE is a wonderful book to lose yourself in for a while! I'll be anxiously awaiting the next book in this wonderfully imaginative series.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

Others have written good synopsis of the characters and plot. I would like to add my recommendation. This is one good book. It makes you feel horrible with Michella when Straif rejects her because of infertility. Not many authors can make you connect to characters the way Robin Owens can. I am waiting eagerly for number 6 in the series.

Oh yes, a cat like Drina can make you really glad to be a dog person.