F Books

Written by corporate leadership and crisis management expert John F. Boogaert and former business trial lawyer Douglas E. Noll, Sex, Politics, & Religion at the Office: The New Competitive Advantage is a guide for business and corporate managers and officials to move beyond simple legal compliance with national regulations and shape corporate culture with healthy attitudes towards sex, politics, religion, and power. From setting one's "Grounded Positioning Statement" to understanding the reality of the intersection between politics and religion to learning how to be nonjudgmental, noncritical, and nonreactive when dealing with thorny sexual, religious, or values-based issues, Sex, Politics, & Religion at the Office offers valuable insight into how human beings actually think and work, and how best to be the catalyst to improved coworker and worker-management relations. True vignettes pepper this handy, sensible, down-to-earth guide which avoids any kind of moralizing and focuses on promoting intellectual and emotional well-being at the office.

Boogaert and Noll have dared to cross the picket line of compliance and move into a courageous reliance on laws much deeper within the hearts and souls of men and women. Sex, Politics and Religion at the Office offers a trailblazing approach empowering employees to take their entire tool kit to work and to awaken the full spectrum of their possibilities.

Boogaert and Noll take on the forbidden subjects of sex, politics and religion at the office and through their book allow us to have safe and respectful conversations about the very topics that divide us as a culture and a country. Repression, they declare, is no longer an option for any company wishing a sustainable competitive advantage from its workforce. Instead, starting with our own internal assumptions, values and beliefs, and working outwards towards our co-workers, we learn what truly healthy attitudes look like. Boogaert and Noll show us how these essential human qualities can be turned into significant profits for any organziation. I found this book to be refreshing, eye-opening, and enlightening and am recommending it to all of my clients.

Sex, Politics, and Religion at the Office is brilliantly written with experience as the backbone to these two authors. Douglas E. Noll and John F. Boogaert bridge the business world from the crazy laws now covering sexual harassment, to the common sense approach that not only will show you how not to suffer lawsuits, but will actually make your company money. This book truly is "The New Competitive Advantage" for companies with 2 employees to over 2,000.

Doug and John do an excellent job of wrestling with the elephant in the room. Rather than sweeping the entire reality of our basic human frailties, temptations, needs and desires in our workplace under the rug, these two gentlemen hit them head on. With no apology or excuses, every chapter of this latest work plainly and simply lays out the hesitancies, blushings and provocative thinking of our workplace colleagues. Through stories and the rational application of proven theories about how human beings behave with each other, the authors help management explore, identify and design an employment environment that can remain sensitive to each employee's unique personal identity while maintaining professional respect, acknowledgement and validation critical to sustaining a productive workforce.

This book is a great book because it is descriptiv and full of description and detail. I love how they describe Augusta Goodnight, the protagonist's gaurdian angel. She is full of goodness in the way that she does everything and I think that that is wonderful! And it is full of mystery and the past where things were left unsolved from the 40's and earlier. Sadness occours, MURDER!!!!!! Everything that you could want in a book, is in the Shadow of an Angel!!!!! It took me around 3 days to complete it!!!! This is one book that you won't want to abandon ever@!!!! If I abandoned this book, it would be because I don't like to read, because this book has every genre there is!!!! It even has romance, and if youre a guy, then this book is still golden because it has action and adventure in it!!!!!!! If I abandoned this book, then i would be crazy!!!!!!!!1







rEaD tHiS boOk pLeAsE!

I enjoy this series because, due to the fact that the main character, angel Augusta Goodnight, is the only recurring character in the series, each book is different from the previous one. I enjoy many of the more popular mystery series going today, but find it sometimes hard to believe as the series gets older that the main character in the books would run across so many murders unless s/he is an actual detective or policeman.
In this entry, Augusta is helping a young widow recover from the loss of her husband. The widow, Minda, has returned to her small hometown, hoping that the familiarity of it will help ease her pain. Unfortunately, not too long after she arrives, she finds her cousin, Otto, dead in the women's restroom of the local museum.
The mystery involves events from nearly a century before, giving some added period pieces to the mystery. There are many many characters in the book, making it sometimes confusing. I had to refer to the list of characters in the front of the book a few times until I had all the names straight. That aside, it was a quick read and very enjoyable. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Arminda Hobbs has returned to her hometown of Angel Heights after the sudden death of her husband. She needs the comfort of her family. Unfortunately, she finds the body of her cousin Otto in the Ladies Room of Holley House, formerly the Minerva Academy. She also finds a curious pin. The design is reflected in an Alma Mater sampler done by her great grandmother, and a mysterious quilt passed along from member to member of a group of friends. How does this all tie into Otto's murder? Fortunately, she has her family and a guardian angel to help her.

The Augusta Goodnight series is fast becoming one of my favorites. The temporary guardian(her real job is tending heavenly strawberry fields) once again steps in to solve another mystery, in this case, she is tying up loose ends from a previous job. I found it very hard to put this one down and can't wait until the next one.

These Augusta Goodnight mysteries are wonderful with a cup of tea. This third installment of this clever and unique series, introduces the reader to Arminda who is recently widowed and visiting with her grandmother. Her cousin, Otto, is murdered and she finds the body! The story weaves around an antique quilt and family members from the past and present interlock to solve this mystery.

I'm looking forward to Mignon's next Augusta Goodnight read.

This may be the worst moment in Minda Hobb's life because she is mourning for her young husband she loved very much who died in a freak lightening accident while they were on a picnic. She moves back to her hometown of Angel Heights, South Carolina where she has another traumatic incident. In the woman's bathroom of Holley Hall, in the stall next to the one Minda was using, she comes upon the body of Cousin Otto.

At first everyone believed he died a natural death but the coroner rules it a murder. Feeling alone and frightened, Minda moves into the family home where she meets her temporary guardian angel, the heavenly Augusta Goodnight. Working together with some help from Minda's family, it is discovered that Otto's death and an attempt on Minda's life has its origin in a secret society two generations back who made a quilt that contained a deadly message somebody today doesn't want made public.

SHADOW OF AN ANGEL is a delightful and whimsical cozy costarring a protagonist that fans will like and sympathize with and her charming guardian angel. Augusta discreetly nudges Minda in the direction she wants her to go. The mystery itself is a cerebral teaser that will confound most readers but the joy in this novel is not the answer but the quest to find it.

Harriet Klausner

This play captures the intense racial and ethnic survival networks that develop in a prison. Men must join with other men of the same race or ethnicity or risk being victimized. Blacks bond with Blacks, white with whites, Latinos with Latinos. Conflict, competition, and smoldering violence characterize the relationship between these groups. Pinero captures this prison sub-culture very well in his play Short Eyes.

Yet within each group are individual characters with their own motives and desires and manipulations. Again Pinero captures these characters very well, especially the White gang leader, Longshoe, and the Black Muslim gang leader.

Into this mix comes a white fellow, who is initially recruited by the white gang until it is revealed that he is charged with child molestation, a crime called 'short eyes' by prisoners. This man is brutally tortured and killed in the jail setting, only to find out later that he was misidentified. Yet he demonstrates clearly what happens to the scapegoat, the outsider, even in a world of outsiders.

The language is rough and realistic. The tension between prisoners remains taunt, never letting up, and thus revealing the terrible existance that life behind bars presents.

In 1975 this play was highly controversial with its display of racial tension, homosexuality, and murder within a prison. However such TV shows as OZ have introduced US audiences to the racial dynamics and the sexual relationships behind bars. Thus this play was ground-breaking in its time, even though today's audiences may not find it as shocking as viewers/readers in the 1970s.

It is still highly recommended.

Powerful, Extremely easy to read. I wish I could see it done as a play.

Miguel Pinero's play "Short Eyes" opened as part of the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1975. This play deals with life in prison; its flavor of authenticity probably comes from the fact that the author himself had spent time in prison.

"Short Eyes" involves a multiethnic group of inmates whose lives are affected by the incarceration of a mild-mannered white man charged with a particularly shocking crime. Pinero creates a fascinating portrayal of a racially fractured subculture in which whites are the minority. His prison is populated with many memorable characters: the African-American inmate El Raheem, whose "Black Muslim"-inspired dialogue is marked by quick wordplay and messianic fury; Longshoe, the tough white inmate; Cupcakes, the pretty-boy who is the object of another inmate's lust, and more.

Pinero's claustrophobic world of Blacks, Puerto Ricans, and whites could be seen as a frightening microcosm of the larger American society: a world of destructive compulsions and violence. Pinero's dialogue is often penetrating and shocking; his characters are alive with raw pain and rage. "Short Eyes" may be too much for some readers to handle, but those with a serious interest in American drama or Puerto Rican literature, this is a remarkable work of art.

The play "Short Eyes" is a powerfully told truth about prison life. The setting takes place in the day room of a House of Detention. The cast of actors are mostly made up of Blacks, Puerto Ricans and a few Whites. They are young convicts. They exchange taunts, fighting & insults just to keep their sanity intact, and some sense of a community. An accused child molester is brought into the cellblock. He is called a degenerate by a guard. A child molester (or in prison slang a "short eyes") is considered the most despicable of people. Mr. Pinero, while serving a five year sentence for armed robbery in Sing Sing Prison, started writing the play. Marvin Felix Camillo read some of Miguel's work and asked him to sign up in his drama workshop in the prison. This was a workshop for convicts interested in writing and acting. Miguel was encouraged to write plays. The drama work shop evolved into an acting company called The Family. Joseph Papp produced the play "Short Eyes" at the Lincoln Center in New York City. Short Eyes won the best American play of 1973 & 74 by the New York drama critics circle award. Miguel Pinero's play "Short Eyes" is straight on! It doesn't pull any punches. It holds back absolutely nothing on life in jail.

An insider's view of life in the notorious Tombs on Rikers Island, where New York City used to house prisoners awaiting trial. Pinero was an important poet and playright, and co-founder of The Nuyorican Poet's Cafe. This drama tells the story of a middle class white man arrested for child molestion, a "short eyes" in prison slang. These prisoners are held in special contempt by the rest of prison society, and this man is a particularly easy target. Pinero has the voice of authority, making this a rare prison drama with the ring of truth. The play was was also made into a brilliant movie.

This book was a delightful find. I bought it based on the glowing recommendations on the cover by Fritz Leiber, Piers Anthony, and Andrew Offutt, among others. It's not often that you see such a collection of authors raving about a book and they sure were right! This book is a brilliant piece of high adventure, fantasy at its best. Despite the "Red Sonja-ish" cover art, "Silverglass" is not really just a stale old "barbarian" novel. No, it is much more along the lines of Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser series-- mercurial, witty, and delightfully character-based. Corson and Nyctasia are two of fantasy's most unforgettable women characters, so much fun that they just win your hearts and make you want to read more and more about them. **Warning** The series is currently out of print. Get it and the rest of the series used through Amazon's used book service. That's what I did to get the next three books after Silverglass, and it was a snap. Thanks Amazon!

I read this book back in the late 80s when it was published. I never could find the sequels even though I knew there had to be some. Now I came across it again and it's out of print. Argh.

Silverglass is an excellent book that offers it's readers a true fantasy trip filled with lovable characters! The four book series (Silverglass, Web of Wind, Witch of Rhostshyl, and Mistress of Ambiguities) all fit together like a snug fitting glove. They are truly great books that hold the readers attention and keep moving forward in a fast action paced enviroment. Loose ends are tied up and have kept me wishing for a new sequel!!! Where are you Mrs. Rivkin?!?

(cheating here and repeating, but since no one is reviewing the three books that make this series, i dont want anyone to miss the fact that it was both interesting and funny and thought provoking. buy all three)

I'm so bummed that the triology of 'mistress of ambiguities, silverglass, and web of wind' wasnt carried on. ok sure, its the old warrior and sorceress, but it was so well done. the character interaction and development was great, it was like looking in on their lives. the playful arguing and sometimes real disagreements between partners brings to life a relationship that is so mundane in other books. to some extent the adventure was almost superflous, just a vehicle for 'spending time' with them. on the other hands, the adventures were so well done, not predictable endings, complex enough to hold interest but without becoming overwhelming... i can only say, write me another one please!

SilverGlass is the first book in a series of four books of the same name. It is the story of the noblewoman/sorceress Nyctasia and her swordswoman/companion Corson. Nyctasia is forced into exile from her city of Rhostshyl for trying to make peace between the ruling families. She hires Corson as a bodygaurd while she travels to mystical forest in the search of her lost lover. A good book that is a good start to an intriguing series. While short(186 pages) it packs in more story than many 300+ page books.

Tony Cavalucci is a cop for the NYPD, who used to live life hard and fast. After his new partner, Joe Fiore, introduces him to Christianity, Tony sees his life through new eyes and tries to get things back on track. Now engaged to a Christian woman with a son he loves, Tony is a new man and sees his job differently than he used to as he works to keep the streets safe for everybody--including the lowest inhabitants, the skells. Once treating them with distaste and disdain, he now attempts to be kind and help them solve their problems.

F. P. Lione, a husband and wife writing team, depicts the day-to-day real-life drama of police work realistically in this third offering in the Midtown Blue series, titled SKELLS. Murder and mayhem invade New York City, and this cop and his partner, Tony Cavalucci and Joe Fiore, are doing their best to make the streets a little less dangerous for everybody, including the homeless, the prostitutes, and the druggies--better known on the streets as `skells'.

The message of SKELLS is this: Everybody needs God, and God provides hope for everyone, even those people others consider hopeless. Climb in the back seat of Tony and Joe's cruiser and ride along with some of New York's finest; you just might learn a thing or two about hope and compassion yourself.

In their third installment of the Midtown Blue series and their best book to date, the husband and wife team of F. P. Lione (Frank and Pam) offer an absorbing look at the New York Police Department while continuing the story of Tony Cavalucci and his new walk of faith.

Cavalucci, a recovering alcoholic, is still on the wagon, although his dysfunctional family and the party-hard group of cops he works with make it difficult. He and his fiancée, Michele, are building a new house together and trying to work out the snags in their relationship before the wedding. Michele and Tony are waiting to have sex until they tie the knot, but Tony is impatient and turns on the pressure. However, Michele is a single mother who knows the price of impatience. Their relationship is well-developed by the Liones in this installment.

But most of the book is devoted to Tony's life on the job. His time with his partner, the scripture-quoting Joe Fiore, is slowly changing Tony for the better, and he's on a more even keel --- spiritually, emotionally and physically. (When he first met Joe, Tony had been "flirting with the idea of eating my gun.") But Cavalucci's hard-drinking Italian family sees Joe as a threat; he's the reason Tony is going to a different church, is marrying a woman they don't approve of (a single mom with a young son), and has quit drinking. His father's venomous second wife seems poised to wreak new havoc on the family, and Tony is concerned about his sister Denise dating a police officer Tony knows only too well.

As Tony tries to get along with his family and seeks to understand what his father's problems are, he discovers a secret from his father's past that helps him understand what has made him the difficult man he is today. He also battles his grandmother's superstitions, which the Liones flesh out with some nice details.

The "skells" of New York City --- the drug addicts, bag ladies, prostitutes, the homeless --- keep Tony and his department busy in this installment. Cavalucci used to look at them as the dregs of society, but recently "they just look lost and wounded to me." Part of this is Joe's influence; Joe tells him, "If you get down deeper into a person, you'll see there's a reason...Nobody wants to be a drunk or a crackhead --- they're struggling, just like you were struggling."

There are some memorable encounters, including a fairly violent rape scene and a domestic abuse situation, as well as some unusual offbeat calls that are by turns funny and sad. The Liones show how police officers are always just a step away from a lawsuit, even when they are only trying to come to the assistance of someone in trouble.

If you haven't read the first and second books in the series, THE DEUCE and THE CROSSROADS, you'll want to go back and read them in order. Although the first two are highly enjoyable, SKELLS is the Liones at their best. They've smoothed out some of the rough spots in the first two novels and strike just the right balance of faith and the gritty work of Manhattan's finest police officers. There's plenty of character development, mouth-watering food details, and interesting inside information on law enforcement to keep the pages turning. Fans of the series will not be disappointed.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby. Contact Cindy at phrelanzer@aol.com.

It wasn't too long ago that NYPD patrolman Tony Cavalucci was dumped by his girlfriend and spent his off duty hours drinking. If it was not for his fellow officer Joe Fiore, a born again Christian, he would have become an alcoholic. His life has settled down and he plans to marry Michele, a single mom whose son Tony adores.

His new outlook on life leads him to look at the skells, those people who live on the fringe, the homeless, the mentally impaired, and the alkies and druggies with compassion, not scorn. He is now a good neighbor who prevents someone from beating up their wife. His only problem is with his father who broke up their family to marry Marie and won't believe him that his new wife is stepping out on him. His sister has proof, but dad refuses to see it. Tony must learn to accept his father's love for a cheating spouse.

This is not a police procedural but a deep and fine tale that is a character study of a how a cop lives as he thrives to do his best on the job, in his personal relationships and with God. He knows that the Lord is with him every step of the way. Readers will like the protagonist who sees like much differently since he became sober leading to an enlightened tolerance of other people's peculiarities.

Harriet Klausner

"Skells" is the third book in the Midtown Blues series written by husband and wife team F.P. Lione. It continues the story of Tony Cavalucci, 11 year veteran of the NYPD and recent convert to Christ.

The title comes from the term NYPD cops use for the addicts, homeless, prostitutes and others who live on the streets and cause them problems. It's easy for Tony and the other officer's hearts to become hardened to them. But now Tony, through the example of his partner, Joe Fiore, is learning to see each person through the eyes of Christ as the lost and wounded souls they really are.

Tony and Joe run into some colorful characters, as well as tragic situations, during their patrols. But what makes the series so compelling is not the external conflict they face as police officers. Instead, it is the internal conflict Tony faces as a new believer in Christ. He is finding every belief he previously took for granted challenged by his new faith. Many writers might gloss over these challenges by using clichés or having Tony become an "instant" Christian, but not the Lione's. They have handled every aspect of Tony's walk of faith--from the path that led to his decision to follow Christ in "The Deuce" through the gradual changes God has made in Tony's thoughts and actions through "The Crossroads" and "Skells"--with authenticity and realism.

I am hoping there will be additional books in the Midtown Blues series. "Skells" ends in May 2001, just a few months before the tragic events of September 11. There seems to be some foreshadowing (such as rookie cop Nick Romano, whom Tony and Joe had befriended, transferring to the fire department) that suggests we might get to see how the events at the World Trade Center affect Tony and Joe. I, for one, certainly hope so.

Most NYPD cops think skells are the scum of the earth. They're the crackheads, homeless, prostitutes, and other lowlifes who can make an officer's job a nightmare. Eleven-year veteran Tony Cavalucci's midnight tour is full of skells. He used to consider them discarded trash worth no one's time. But lately the skells seem different to Tony--they look lost and wounded.

But the beat goes on. Trouble is always brewing in Midtown Manhattan, and Tony and his partner Joe Fiore confront it all. From the man who accidentally blows himself off the toilet (yes, you read that right), to the discovery of a loft packed with hundreds of marijuana plants, this ain't no nine-to-five desk job. Sure, there are days nothing happens. Those will be the days Tony's dysfunctional Italian family will provide enough drama to match what the streets throw his way. Has his family always been like this, or is he seeing them differently too? Tony's definitely changed in the last few months. He's stopped drinking, goes to church, and is engaged to a nice Christian girl.

There are some days Tony still longs to head on down to his old bar haunts and pound down a few cold ones. But he always stops short. What God thinks matters to him now. Yet whether on patrol or visiting his family, temptations abound. Is it really possible to be a good cop and a Christian?

Skells is not necessarily a plot-driven story. In many ways, reading it is more like reading the memoirs of a cop than reading a novel (think Blue Blood by Edward Conlon without all the family history). This speaks volumes for the realism Frank and Pam Lione (writing as F.P.) manage to convey through its pages. It's like you're tagging along in the backseat of Tony's cruiser. You can almost feel the dirt grinding under your shoes, the adrenaline pulsing through your veins. As Book #3 in the "Midtown Blue" series, Skells was preceded by The Deuce and The Crossroads. It isn't required to read them first, but they cover Tony's life consecutively and will bring a deeper understanding of the characters.

This isn't your grandma's Christian fiction (unless she happens to be an ex-cop). There's definitely some real-life grittiness here. People get drunk. People die. Tony and his partner stop a rape in progress. But through it all there's always hope. The Lione's don't drag you through the dirt of a cop's life without picking you up, dusting you off, and sharing the truth: Everyone needs God. The skells and the cops.

Fiction needs more of what F.P. Lione offers. Refreshingly honest, Skells is the raw portrayal of a NYPD cop's struggle to live out his faith through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for Infuze magazine

This is as much a lyrical story telling about the process and art of herpetoculture and herpetology as it is an informative book. The book details the experinces of the author in certain endevours (searching for a tiger rattlesnake, his first non-local snake etc.) in an entertaining readable manner. It's almost like a more intellectual, pre TV version of some of the Animal Planet reptile shows--that's the best analogy I can come up with. It's really more entertainment than information, although some info is provided (although the captive care information is out of date).
This book has a very select audience; non-herpers won't likely enjoy it and shouldn't bother. For those of us who are, well, it's a great read. We'll recognize ourselves in it (at least I did) in parts. The literate writing, the intelligent allusions and comments, all made for a very interesting and captivating first hand account of what are now the good old days of herpetoculture. If you are a serious herper, you owe it to yourself to read this book.

In my own extensive, lifetime herpetological library, this book rates as my favorite, and one of the best general works on reptile husbandry available anywhere. It is THE perfect snake book for the young herpetologist or adult collector new to the hobby. I used to run into Carl every so often while snakehunting in the Carolinas in my youth, and he was as wonderful a person as he was a top curator. His writings about snakehunting in "the old days" is as fascinating for the casual reader as for the experienced herp. This book was probably his best work, and years ago I paid nearly twice this price in an auction for an original copy.

This book is a must for anyone who wishes to explore the world of herpetology. Unlike many fly-by-night authors, Kauffeld's books have influenced and educated several generations of naturalists. His books set the pace for all who came after him. Part how-to book part adventure book, "Snakes" brings to the reader more than just dry information. Whether it's hunting the eastern diamondback in South Carolina or searching for the elusive trans-pecos rat snake in Texas, Kauffeld takes you there.

I first read this book when I was quite young, in Junior High school I believe. I am now 42 years old. I read it again in my twenties. It has been awhile since I read it but I still remember its magic. This book has two identities. It is of course about snakes and their captive environment. Though outdated it is still full of interesting tid-bits about snake care and behavior. The second identity of this book is more like a novel, especially to a youngster interested in snakes. Each chapter is full of adventure and the experiences of the author. It is well written in that you almost feel like you are in his boots when he catches and cares for his reptiles. Each page excites you to read the next. This is a fun book for anyone who enjoys snakes and snake hunting. I also highly recommend it for helping to teach a youngster the joy of reading due to its well-written novel type style and its interesting topic. It is also a wonderful book for any adult who wants to reminisce about a carefree youth or revisit childhood interests. I will always keep a copy of this gem in on my bookshelf. It's about time I read it again.

I thought this book was out of print and have been hording it jealously. I bought it orginally as a reference to help me as a novice snake owner, but I found the information facinating and gained a knowledge and love for snakes that I would never have expected. I will be thrilled to tell my friend whose kids just bought a snake that this treasure is available.

Wonderfully written book. DF Whipple is great at describing the social and economic environment through his characters. Also, DF Whipple uses humor throughout the book to keep your attention. Issue of illegal immigration is presented in the book, with much thought to the affect in a community held hostage by one employer.

D.F. Whipple has demonstrated once again that not only is he an impeccable eyewitness of the human condition, that not only is he an accomplished author deserving of great merit, and that not only can he compose a craftily arranged story of wide, multi-faceted themes, but he can do it all with a subtle grace that belies the great intensity broiling beneath the depths of his work.

I must admit, as a high school student greatly interested in the literary arts, I am left with a feeling hardly assessable after reading a Whipple book. The characters, ideas; the tale itself seems unable to lie contently within the pages that Whipple has so masterfully filled. There is not a word that appears haphazardly thrown in or written in as "padding". The characters lives don't end by the time one has read through to the back cover. Nor were they started on the first page; instead one gets the feeling that we are merely the observers of these people's lives who we can only begin to grasp. As in his previous novel, the story is never brought to a conclusive end. This comes not through any lack of lucidity on the author's part: no, indeed this arises more to the fact that what Whipple has constructed within the three-hundred odd pages is a large, allegorical mirror upon which we are to view ourselves.

Yes, there are the more universal themes here dealing with immigration that never fall to bland assumptions, conclusions, or otherwise clichéd and stereotyped ends. However, where some readers may not connect to such global themes (which remains unlikely - Whipple allows no connection, large or small, communal or individual to remain insignificant; we as readers are shown the impact of our moral obligations through his characters on a both a restricted and wide scale) he sticks to situations on which we all can connect: what mother has not fretted over the well-being of her own children? When have people not been incited to anger when an outside threat closes in?

It is interesting to note, though, that the truth becomes most clear in the character's greatest struggles. These "scenes" - if you will - usually involve an almost dream-like, hallucinatory sequence of events. It appears that Whipple is trying to tell us that we (as human creatures) have known the truth all along but do not reach realization until our doubts, our self-imposed trials, choke out all other knowns and only the ultimatum - that thing which we so try to ignore - becomes clear even (or especially) as all else falls apart.

Any of those who have read Whipple's first novel, Shadow Fields, will recognize such masterful tactics. You will not be disappointed with this great selection; not only does it display a wide range of interests (the setting is almost completely removed from the large corporations dominating his early novel) but it also documents a maturing style of this author who so far has only demonstrated genuine enthusiasm and skill for his art. Not to discredit his early work by any means, but I left this one feeling more satisfied with the depth with which he explored his world. If any of you are to recall my previous review, you would find this to be a nit-pick of mine (I wouldn't call it a complaint, I enjoyed that book far too much to have a complaint). This time around, however, I left a very satisfied, very thoughtful reader.

And I left, perhaps, just a little bit more interested and compassionate about my fellow man. When a book can do that to you, you most certainly know you have something a little bit more than a "fireside read" on your hands.

I highly recommend this book to any and all interested. I even recommend it to any who may not be interested; you will be surprised at how easily you will slip into the world of Snooker Glen and how very hard it is to leave it.

I was taken away to Snooker Glen, Kentucky on the first page. At first, I thought it was a "light read", basically a book I could shut my brain off and get carried away. Well, carried away I was --- with an extraordinary plot and imaginative characters (all of whom I can say I met personally once or twice). I recommended the book to a few ladies at my church because it portrays a vivid and lively, and quite accurate account of a Southern woman and her family. Snooker Glen is a perfect book for a book club or discussion group - with so many issues intertwined. The author applies the concept of Biblical Esther to the way we live now, in a world threatened by bureaucracy and divided by language, aristocracy, money and religion.

We live in a world in which major media channels are
tightly controlled. This is especially true of
broadcast media and films, in which the major decision
making rests in rather few unelected hands. The big
exception is books-and for most people, books mean
novels. Until a topic is discussed in novels, it
simply isn't going to get broad exposure in US
culture.

Many folks need something with a story to start to
grasp an issue that isn't part of the "common sense"
of popular culture. Snooker Glen joins Fast Food
Nation as one the first books to seriously look at the
range of issues raised by mass immigration.

Snooker Glen takes the issue to a time upon which
many Americans have a bit of perspective of-and a
community that represents something that a lot of
America used to be a lot more like: town with a
strong sense of community and family wage union jobs.

The immigrants in Snooker Glen are more like the
original residents there than many other Americans
today (both groups are largely Protestant from
Northwestern Europe). Snooker Glen focuses not on the
issues of culture and language, but the effects of
immigration on economics, working conditions and the
disruption of an established community of people
who can't easily find another home like the one they
are in.

As a piece of literature, Snooker Glen deals with
things like the security ramifications of immigration
without coming off like a conspiracy theory. The basic
premise of the novel is asking how someone in the
American of the 1950's might view some major events of
the last 55 years if they could get a glimmer of the
future. Snooker Glen raises especially important
issues dropped from the contemporary political
debate-and does so in a way that folks from a wide
range of political perspectives might find thought
provoking and entertaining.

Whipple has crafted a very unique book where the "common-folk" systematically deconstruct the stilted, open border arguments of coastal commentators. In a din of otherwise half-hearted, and self-promoting, intellectualism, Snooker Glen is an irreverant, timely and thought provoking commentary on the immigration debate. In lesser hands, a novel on immigration could be heavy handed or angry. Whipple had the foresight to infuse the novel with a refreshing wit, rich characters and stunning logic. Some of the more vocal advocates for open borders may want to change their tone, volume and vocation; Whipple has reduced their arguments to ashes.

The stories in this collection are diverse. Some of the stories make one think and consider the future especially as regards healthcare legislation and population control (Lipidleggin', Be Fruitful and Multiply). Others are imaginative, supernatural tales of revenge (Cuts, The Last "Oldies Revival", "One Mo' Once Golden Oldies Revival", Doc Johnson). There are three SF stories, 'The Ratman' which deals with rat problems and shows how well trained a rat can be, 'Dat-Tay-Vao' is about a remarkable gift for healing, and 'To Fill the Sea and Air' is a fishing story. Conspiracy theory and the music business are dealt with in 'The Years the Music Died'. 'Muscles', 'The Cleaning Machine', 'Green Winter', 'Ménage A Trois', and 'Traps' are straight horror stories. One story, 'Buckets', deals with the controversial subject of abortion. The title story, 'Soft', touches on a broad range of fears: disease, slowly dying, paralysis, losing loved ones, death, etc., for me this was the scariest story.

If you do read and enjoy this collection, you may also be interested in 'The Barrens and Others', which features a horror story ('Pelts') that is even more disturbing than 'Cuts', and another story ('Pelts') which like 'Buckets' is very graphic and deals with a controversial issue (killing animals for their fur).

F. Paul Wilson is an amazing writer, and these stories serve to highlight that fact. Soft is a good story, and the one about the plant-men was chilling...

I WOULD recommend this to other FPW fans.

Haunting, chilling, and riveting are just a few words to describe the horror fiction of F. Paul Wilson. I have read many anthologies he has contributed to, yet it is only when you see so many of his stories placed in one volume that you can truly appreciate his wicked brilliance. As an avid reader and collector of short horror/fantasy/sci-fi fiction, a piece has to be truly remarkable to stand out in my collection, yet this does, and I would not hesitate to re-read it at any time. Both Soft and Cuts were so delicious that they alone were worth the price of the book! The poorest story in here still blows away everything else on the current market.

A complete list of the stories is-
***The Cleaning Machine *** Ratman ***Lipidleggin' *** To fill the Sea and Air *** Green Winter *** Be Fruitful and Multiply *** Soft *** The Last "One Mo'Once Golden Oldies Revival" *** The Years the Music Died *** Dat-Tay-Vao *** Doc Johnson *** Buckets *** Traps *** Muscles *** Menage a Trois *** Cuts

This work turned me into an F. Paul Wilson fan and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the short story form or horror fiction. Treat yourself to this and you will not be disappointed.

This is an excellent compilation of the author's short stories, which were written between 1969 and 1987. The author, who has since gone on to fame and fortune, having written a number of best sellers, among them "The Tomb", "The Touch", and "The Keep", writes a brief, yet interesting, introduction to each of the sixteen stories, telling the reader the genesis and history of each one.

The stories range from the macabre to the odd, with unexpected twists and turns. These can be categorized as being of the horror genre of fiction. The book also features some stories that fall squarely into the science fiction genre. No matter the genre, they are all edgy, clever, and clearly a labor of love by the author. For those unfamiliar with the work of the author, this is an excellent introduction, as these brief, well written stories will give the reader a thirst for more.

This was my first book of F. Paul Wilson and now I am a huge fan. Every story is tight, concise, and eminently readable. Look out especially for "Soft," "Dat-Tay-Vao" (which figures into later novels like The Touch), and "Buckets."

"Solving Sprawl" made me want to live in the places the authors describe. For my job, I typically have to read a lot of dry, boring reports and books about planning and policy. By providing great, color photos and true stories about how many of these places were created, I couldn't put this book down. "Solving Sprawl" does something that many people have tried, but few have done this well: it makes the businness of creating more livable communities interesting and engaging. Suddenly, smart growth isn't just something I read about happening in some far away place, it's something that can happen in my town, or anywhere.

If you are interested in how to make your community a better place to live without being bored to tears with "legalese" and "policy wonk talk," buy this book!!!

"Solving Sprawl" made me want to live in the places the authors describe. For my job, I typically have to read a lot of dry, boring reports and books about planning and policy. By providing great, color photos and true stories about how many of these places were created, I couldn't put this book down. "Solving Sprawl" does something that many people have tried, but few have done this well: it makes the businness of creating more livable communities interesting and engaging. Suddenly, smart growth isn't just something I read about happening in some far away place, it's something that can happen in my town, or anywhere.

If you are interested in how to make your community a better place to live without being bored to tears with "legalese" and "policy wonk talk," buy this book!!!

I have an advance copy of this book, and I hope Amazon gives it a full listing soon, because it fills a valuable need - showing people how our communities can grow and prosper without sprawl and the ugliness and damage it brings to our landscape and towns. The authors provide 35 inspiring examples of smart growth - development in cities and suburbs, along with green space preserved - all over the country, while disussing the relevant environmental and social issues.

Too often, environmentalists are criticized (and rightly so) for being too negative, pointing out problems without presenting solutions that work for the economy and for people's convenience. This book takes a most refreshing opposite approach, and backs it up with color photos and project data. The authors know what they are talking about, too: these are the same folks who wrote Once There Were Greenfields, the meticulously documented handbook on the problems associated with sprawl development. Solving Sprawl is the best thing I've seen yet on smart growth, and it should be a boon for anyone concerned with these issues. It was produced by the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York, which has more information on its web site. Get it - you'll be glad you did.

This is a valuable and much needed reference that offers substance instead of rhetoric about containing sprawl with smart growth-oriented development. It persuasively demonstrates how smart growth projects across the country are succeeding in meeting people's housing and employment needs while minimizing environmental harm. Thirty-five projects are profiled in sections devoted to cities, suburbs, and conservation areas, each with project statistics and contacts. Its geographic diversity is especially impressive, from the nation's largest metropolitan regions to small rural towns. This is one of those rare volumes that works for professionals as a technical reference, and for community officials and citizens as an educational tool. It's an inspiring catalogue of some of the best neighborhoods and communities being developed in America today.

Solving Sprawl is a wonderfully lively, readable account of how 35 diverse communities from across the nation have managed to find solutions to the problems of sprawl. Examples from urban, suburban, and rural areas demonstrate numerous innovative strategies for protecting the environment while creating attractive, human-friendly places for people to live, work,
and play. The book is enhanced with photos, maps, and informative sidebars. This is an impressive, inspiring piece of work that succeeds as both an introduction to Smart Growth, and as a guide to translating Smart Growth theory into practice.

Like the previous reviewers, I discovered this book in my teens. It must have been shortly after it was first published. I have since re-read the book many times, and even had to buy another copy after my first one was lost. I have always regarded it as one of the best science fiction books ever written. It has action, heroism, romance, a thought provoking premise, a grand vision--everything you want in a science fiction novel. I just picked it up again, and found it to be just as fresh (and contemporary) as when I first read it almost 50 years ago. My brother loves the book too--we have passed our copy back and forth over the years. And yes, it would make a great movie.

A great novel with (at the time) revolutionairy ideas of travel via 'wormholes'. The character is typical of Sci-fi writing of the time, and there is a leading character that has to be an early personification of 'Giles Habbibula'.
Well worth the read, and great book from THE Grand Master of Sci-fi.

According to Alexei and Cory Panshin, in the critical work The World Beyond the Hill, Star Bridge's genesis goes back to 1944 or so. Jack Williamson, inspired by Isaac Asimov's Foundation stories, decided to do his own "managed history/galactic empire" novel, with the working title of Star of Empire. Williamson had problems making the idea work, so that it took 10 more years plus James Gunn's assistance to finally make a story out of the idea.

And what a story! I first read this novel at the age of 9, just a few years after it came out, and have periodically re-read it every so often since then. I outgrew much of what I read in my teen years and before, but this book is one of those stories that I still enjoy now as much as I did then.

This story succeeds on more than one level. Most obviously, it is a fastpaced adventure story. On another level, it's one of those stories where things aren't quite what they seem at first glance. Or at the second (third? fourth?) glance. That, I think,is what keeps me coming back to this novel -- the thought that I may see something in it that I missed on the previous reads.

One thing that completely perplexes me is how unknown Star Bridge is, even among science fiction fandom. It is in the top rank of Williamson's work (that goes for Gunn, too), yet I find that even big fans of Williamson often have never heard of it. Hopefully there will be enough demand for used copies of this book that someone may do another reprint. I think it's about time -- and it would really be cool if it were to be made into a movie.

Why has this book never been made into a movie? It has it all...adventure, romance, a Metropolis-like futuristic empire, the idea of near-instantaneous space travel.
Well, that part of the book was probably the inspiration for the original Star Gate movie. But this book's plot was much more coherent than the revolt against the sketchy, androgynous tyrant of Star Gate. The character of Wu is one of the best executed and most thoughtful in the history of the SF genre, IMHO.

I first read "Star Bridge" in sixth grade at the age of 11; I'm now almost 43, and I still hold this as one of the greatest SF books I've read.

Williamson's imagery and wordcraft set the standard for many of today's modern masters. His antihero Horn, the eccentric man-with-a-secret Wu, and his decaying human empire are shown in high relief, and the imagery evoked burns itself into your mind permanently.

Find and read this book; do what you must to acquire a copy, and savor it slowly. Horn's passage through the Tube and hyperspace is one of the most stirring examinations of consciousness I've yet to read; it still moves me.

Find out why one man can move an empire...