Oliver Books

This CD is a complete compotation of all of Ayn Rand's published works, her writing courses, as well as excerpts from her private journals and letters. In addition, it includes Dr. Leonard Peikoff's groundbreaking "Objectivism, The Philosophy of Ayn Rand."

The interface is solid, although I would prefer a more Google-like approach to advanced searches, which this interface lacks. In addition, cut and paste functions are limited. In contrast the print function allows one to print whole chapters, or "topics" as they are called. My understanding that limited cut and paste was a condition in the publication of this CD, hardly a concession compared to the value of being able to search though all of Ayn Rand's works in one easy package.

Clearly, this CD is solid value for those interested in studying Ayn Rand's philosophy.

Excellent product, research involving the works of Ayn Rand are simplified with the cross source search capabilities, one can search a single book or all the works at once. This CD is a valuable addition to any library which contains Rands works.

The work of Rand is brilliant, as we all know.
Most of the work is out there already. Often freely. Legally or not.
But the makers of the CDrom have taken the protection of the authors work as the most important feature it seems. One needs printing to PDF queues and exporting it to Word, to snap meaningful amounts of information out of it. It feels like smuggling... The entire interface reeks of 1994. In fact, one is tempted to export everything to OpenOffice, and work from here.

Nevertheless, the work itself is masterful, and now digitially available.

Anyone trying to learn from Ayn Rand's books will find that after one has read six or more, it may be difficult to remember where you read what. Of course that is somewhat due to Ayn Rand's philosophy being consistent across her works. This tool allows you to find memorable passages quickly. This is particularly helpful when one finds a similar passage when reading one book and wants to compare it to what was said in another.

I have found this very useful for locating quotes and references. The interface is a little clunky for reading, but this was not the intention of the product, so that's okay. The magnification feature is useful. I wish it were possible to cut and paste more than a couple of lines at a time when using quotes in my research, but I can understand why they would be worried about large scale copying. Definitely worth the money.

So many people today do not fully understad the sacrafice and the struggle our parents and grandparents endured for the sake of freedom. We take it all for granted. Abandoned on Bataan tells of a small town Texas boys view of a horrible war. The will to survive and their struggles are an inspiration. The horrible acts of their captors should never be forgotten. Our unwillingness to get involved in the beginning, our thoughts that it's not our problem, should be a reminder. We must never forget the past, or those brave men and women who sacraficed all.

In today's world, war is something of a video game. We watch it on the television, in the movies, and even pretend to stage our own battles over the internet. Modern day combat as seen in the Middle East proves this even more. With high tech equipment and more resources, we have left ourselves at somewhat of a disadvantage psychologically from past wars. As Americans, many of us have become weak to the thought of paying the ultimate price for freedom. In Oliver `Red' Allen's book, Abandoned on Bataan, we read his memoirs of survival as a prisoner-of-war under Japanese control. Allen tells the story of his own personal tragedy along with the stories of other Americans stuck in "hell." The battle cry of the Bataan prisoners-of-war says it all:
"We're the battling bastards of Bataan,
No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam,
No aunts, no uncles, no nephews, no nieces,
No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces.
...And nobody gives a damn!"

Allen does not attempt to put together a bashing attack towards the Japanese, nor does he give the history of Bataan or World War II. He simply gives the reader a summary of one man's experience as a prisoner-of-war during the Bataan Death March and subsequent captivity. His vivid descriptions of the march along with daily accounts allow the harsh realities of war to be felt by anyone who reads his words.
Allen gives an extensively detailed account of life as a POW under Japanese control. His depictions of daily life spent in Japanese custody are absolutely bone chilling. Some passages left me almost weeping with emotions that I thought were reserved for personal tragedies. One particular incident in the book concerned Allen's appearance before a senior Japanese officer. He was in trouble and had to stand at attention until he was excused; this treatment went on for hours. Already undernourished and overworked, Allen's body was on the verge of shutting down. After several hours, he was told to leave and go back to work. The Japanese officer left but later sent an interpreter back to find Allen still standing at attention. The young American prisoner was so numb with pain he could not move and had to remain in that position until pushed over by the guard. Even though atrocities like this occurred to the author, he still seemed to stay level-headed. Never during my reading did he seem to show hatred towards his captors, which is incredible given the conditions he had to endure.
I consider Abandoned on Bataan one of the best books I have ever read about this era. After reading the book, persons come away with a greater appreciation of our life today and the freedoms we enjoy. Allen's positive attitude, even in the worst of situations, stands as a shining example for all. I would recommend this book without any reservation for those who want to know more about this painful episode from America's past.

"Abandoned on Bataan" is the detailed memoirs of Oliver Allen, one of may American soldiers left behind on the Bataan peninsula during World War II. Most people with even a basic knowledge of the history of the war in the Pacific know of the Bataan death march and the condition of the people when they were rescued from camps in China and Japan. What we generally don't know much about is what happened between those events. Oliver Allen's story fills in that detail with his personal experiences. He details the treatment received (including the rare instances of kindness shown by individual soldiers), the daily life in the camp, the work details, the health conditions, and the eventual liberation. It is a story of strength in the darkest hours of human travesty, it is a story of surviving, and it is a story of winning against all odds. For those with an interest in history and in particular an interest in Bataan or the war in the Pacific in general it is a highly recommended read.

Lest we forget the horror that is war.

Standing, as we are, on the cusp of what historians will call the Second Gulf War, the world is confronted once again with the terrors and brutality that warfare stirs in the human psyche. Each of our living generations carries distinct and vivid imagery of what those horrors are. The further back in time our collective memories stretch, the more brutal warfare becomes. Tragically, as our technology has advanced, our ability to wage a lightning war -- an antiseptic Blitzkrieg if you will -- has become so profound that the youngest of our generations have forgotten, or never learned, just how terrible war can be. In a world where our most recent conflicts have seen more friendly fire casualties than deaths attributable to combat, to be captured, tortured, and deprived of basic human necessities is now something of an anachronism to Americans in the 21st century.

To counter our fading memories, Oliver Craig Allen, with the help of his wife Mildred Faye Allen, has given us one man's perspective of the grim realities faced by thousands of American prisoners of war during World War II ' many of whom never returned home alive. The Allen's do not attempt to tell the sweeping and rich history of American combat in the Pacific during the war, nor have they put together a comprehensive history of Bataan, the Death March or even of the unit in which Red Allen served. Rather, this is a story of survival in the face of almost unimaginable brutality at the hands of Japanese captors. Throughout the story, the reader is met head-on with Allen's completely honest assessment of himself, not as a hero or otherwise notable figure but as a simple young man who ended up in a terrible situation from which there was little hope of escape. Allen's gritty determination and tenacious will to survive is perhaps the most salient feature in this work which traces Red Allen from the years prior to his enlistment through his freedom from captivity and to his return to life as a civilian deeply affected by his experiences in combat and captivity.

Among the many prominent facets of this work is Allen's depiction of the ever-present fog of confusion and chaos that surrounded the battle for the Philippines and life as a captive of the Japanese. This story does an exceptional job in painting a clear picture of the fall of the Philippines and the abandonment of our armed forces thereafter. As a stand-alone memoir, Abandoned on Bataan is a good read about a terrible time. It is also valuable as a component in the larger story of the hell that was life as a prisoner of war under a Japanese captor with only the vaguest regard for individual dignity and human life.

One man's story of survival, as told to Mildred Allen. A teenage American GI recounts his years (1941-1945) of starvation, torture & germ warfare as a prisoner of war of the Japanese Empire in the Philippines & Manchuria.

ABANDONED ON BATAAN isn't about great generals or mighty battles, it is much, much more important, for it is about the survival of human dignity, compassion & hope against all odds. Yes, Red Allen ponders on the differences between cultures. Yes, his perspective of his captors is all-American, his point-of-view, however, is both prosaic & honest.

Yearning to become a pilot, teenager Oliver Allen answers the call to duty as the storms of war rumble over Europe & China. Unable to attain his dream of flying planes, he enlists anyway & is immediately shipped to the West Coast, on to Hawaii & then across the Pacific to the Philippine Islands into the maw of the Japanese advance.

That Red Allen survives is due as much to the simplicity & hardscrabble of his Texas childhood during the Great Depression as to the ebullience of his youth, not to mention pure damn luck!

Embedded in this memoir is history as well as a mystery. What were the reasons the world went to war in Europe & in Asia, & what were the feathers the POWs found in their Red Cross packages & parcels from home?

ABANDONED ON BATAAN is an astonishing read. Profoundly modest, detailed & authentic. Time & time again, this prototypical survivor has the opportunity to dwell on self-pity & whine about horrific injustices visited upon him & his fellow POWs, however, he rarely does so, to his credit. It's the story that counts & the Allens have written a riveting memoir.

This book is fascinating--it says it's a detective story, and it is, but with a twist--it's a detective story about people, and why they do what they do. It's a mystery where the writer tries to unravel how choices and fate and relationships and everything else all twist together to make and change lives, sometimes in sad ways. To me, it is the most interesting sort of mystery ever.

Which is why reading this book was such a total delight. It's like spending time with a really intelligent, engaging person dissecting events and following shreds of evidence, and there's this sense of loss when it's all over--you kind of want to stay engaged. A most excellent read!!

In the late 1960s the author's father and mother joined a countercultural enclave in New Mexico, where their marriage floundered and Anna's father committed suicide. Anna was five years old at the time. Twenty years later the discovery of some old photos sends her on a journey to learn more about her father: her reconstruction of her past is charted in ASSEMBLING MY FATHER: A MEMOIR and provides a moving personal history which will also inspire any conducting their own family history search.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I often randomly choose books to read, without reading reviews or recommendations. Sometimes that method backfires and I'm stuck with a stinker, but not in this case - I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. Perhaps it was the writing, perhaps it was the loss of my own father when I was very young (probably a combination of both) - this book touched me in a personal way that no other book has for some time.

Prior to reading "Assembling My Father" I was lucky enough to attend a writer's workshop with Anna Oliver in Boise, Idaho, and I must say she is an incredible woman. She is not only intelligent and insightful, but also extremely well read- all of which show up in her writing. In "Assembling My Father," she experiments with style and form, including extensive primary records such as pictures, news articles and writings from her father's journal which add to the overall theme of a "detective story." The inclusion of Anna's own tale of personal growth alongside her discoveries of her father's untimely demise create a depth of emotion and a unique poignancy. This is a must-read for anyone interested in writing memoir, especially family history, or for anyone who is interested in the counterculture of the 60's and 70's. I cannot reccommend it enough.

I can see I'm in the minority of reviewers of this book here. I had high hopes for this memoir that haven't panned out.

The story is simple on it's surface- a woman grows up in an off kilter family and realises as a young adult that she is adrift because she doesn't "know" her father. Of course, she can't because he committed suicide, but what she doesn't have are his stories. Slowly- and it felt slooow- she sets out to discover what she can about him.

She talks to whomever she can locate who knew him, including his childhood friends, and she gets what she can out of her mother who often refuses to talk about any part of her past. She collects what photographs she can- a task made more difficult because her father was usually the photographer. She reads his journal and tries to obtain copies of college work, including his undergraduate thesis and tapes of a "college bowl" contest which "put Rennsalaer Polytechnic Institute" on the map as a better school than people had previously thought.

She experiments with different formats in her writing- including some lists of things he would never know about her, and how she feels that he will always be a man who died at the age of 35.

Be forewarned though- it's not an easy book. It's boggy and uncomfortable. It very well may be intended to be that way- after all, the subject is a young father and the events leading up to his suicide. I kept returning to the photo montage in the front, contemplating this beautiful man and wondering what could have caused him to pull the trigger. of course, only he really knows, no matter what anyone else can say about him.

Here's my confession- I haven't finished it. At 2/3 through, I feel like I know what he did, but his daughter, like all of us, will never really know why. And he'll stay dead for her- sad as it is. If I do finish, I wonder if my feelings about the memoir will change.

These books are fantastic! As a mother with a child who has significant learning difficulties, these books have been my saving grace. It was a fight every night to get my son to read. He could never relate to any of the stories; most at his reading level are too babyish and those that aren't were too hard for him to follow. These books are perfect becuase they are fun. He can relate to Hank and therefore has fun following the story. I wish that I could thank Mr. Winkler for this wonderful character. My son can see that just because you have a hard time learning does not mean that you are not smart and funny and able to have friends. What a wonderful life lesson! I had given up hope that my son would enjoy reading. He has even discussed the books with us after he is done reading, something he had never done before. I highly recommend these books for all kids. The stories are well written and funny. Hank has many great adventures and all have a great lesson to pass on.

We first met our hero, Hank Zipzer, in the book Niagra Falls... or Does It? and learned what a funny guy Hank can be. We met his crossword puzzle crazy dad, his mom who owns the family delicatessen called "The Crunchy Pickle" and who is always trying to invent new lunch meats made out of soy, and also his weird, lizard-loving sister Emily and her pet iguana, Katherine (I ask you, how weird do you have to be to name a lizard "Katherine"??)

In that first book we read the adventures that Hank went through trying to make a working model of Niagra Falls instead of just writing a paper about it, and at the very end when Hank's project make a horrible mess and he spent a week in detention with the music teacher, Mr. Rock, he thought that Hank might have learning challenges and suggested that Hank get tested.

Well, at the beginning of this book Hank is practicing for his weekly spelling test and is having a terrible time trying to remember all the tricky words, like "rhythm". Jumping around the room seems to help, but when he gets to school the next day all those words seemed to have leaked out his ears and he can't remember a thing. In fact, because he argues with his teacher, he winds up being sent to Principal Love's office to do what Hank calls "mole time"-that is, sitting and staring at the Statue of Liberty-shaped mole on the principal's face. To add insult to injury, he gets his REPORT CARD later that day.

Now, MOST kids wind up getting small envelopes with their cards in it, but not Hankie-boy. HE gets a gigantic manila envelope with his report card and a letter from his teacher! What's worse, he has gotten THREE D's!!! He might as well pack his bags and go to South Africa, like Joshua T. Bates was planning to do (ha! Text-to-text connection!) While Hank is trying to think of a way out of this situation, his DAD and NOT his Papa Pete come to pick him and his friends up from school. This is not good and unexpected! He was hoping to talk to Papa Pete and get some advice for how to handle this situation.

They all go to The Crunchy Pickle, and it's there that things get REALLY interesting (and funny!) Hank's mom discovers that report cards are due out and asks Hank for his. Hank pretends to look in his bookbag, and passes his report card off to one of his friends. The report card gets passed around like an unwanted Christmas fruitcake until Robert, a small, geeky kid, sticks the whole darned thing into a MEAT GRINDER! There it gets ripped into shreds and added to a soy salami mix that Hank's mother was working on. She was hoping that a local grocery store owner would like her new soy salami and want to buy some, but when Papa Pete takes one look at the nasty glop in the bowl (complete now with bits of report card) he says they should start over again. Hank is relieved because, at least for the weekend, he's gotten away with not having to produce his report card. He's sure something will occur to him to help fix the situation by Monday.

That is, he's sure until dinner on Friday night when his mom tells him that she secretly put her OLD batch of soy salami-the one with ground up D's and a crabby teacher letter-into the fridge and was planning to give THAT to the grocery store owner, Mr. G. Hank nearly chokes on his dinner and has a heart attack. HOW is he going to fix THIS problem?! You can't eat soy salami with report card in it! (heck, Hank thinks you can't eat soy salami WITHOUT paper in it, either!) How is he going to fix this problem?

Well, he's going to "fix" it in typical Hank Zipzer fashion, of course!! That is, he's going to come up with an incredibly complicated plan that has a very good chance of going completely and utterly WRONG (think of all the trouble he had getting his Niagra Falls project to work and all the trouble THAT caused!).

DOES his plan go haywire? Well, yeah-it would almost HAVE to, wouldn't it? It wouldn't be a Hank Zipzer novel if it didn't! but what exactly happens I won't tell you other than it involves a great big dog, chess pieces, Cheerio, soy salami and, eventually redemption.

What I like about Hank is how realistic he is and how almost all of us have a lil' bit of Hank in us (some, like me, moreso than others). Hank isn't a bad kid; he's not mean or a jerk (that's a job for Nick "The Tick" McKelty), but he's so easily distracted and scatterbrained that it's easy for his imagination and impulses to get completely away from him. Anyone who has learning challenges or has had difficulty concentrating in school or in meetings can certainly identify with Hank.

1)In my book there is about a boy who cant spell very well but he wants to win the spelling Bee. Because The winner gets an A in spelling. His friend Asely won the spelling bee. Then he ends up with all D's in school. When they go to his mom's Deli his other friend put it in the meet grinder. Then the next day they took it to a very important buyer. So read the book and find out what happens.

2)I think this is an Exilent book Because it is very funny. Also because of the sispens you never know what is going to happen next.

3) There is some irony in my book because he sutdy's hard for the spelling bee but he misspells his first word.

4)I gave this book a five star rating becasue it was a wounder ful book. Also it is funny.

My son struggled to read, we had troubles finding books that interest him. He is on the last book the zippety zinger and has read all the other ones and just loves them all. Thanks Henry Winkler for the wonderful work that you have done. I recommend these books to all kids...

I remember as a kid, the power the Fonz had on American kids. When his character got a library card, applications for library cards increased nationally. Now that Henry Winkler has turned author, I know he will be impacting more kids in a positive way.

Hank Zipper is a kid with learning disabilities that aren't diagnosed yet. But he doesn't let that stop him. This book moves quickly and is full of vivid descriptions of Hank's adventures. The scene with the two dogs and the chase through the mansion is a hoot!

Kudos to Winkler on this latest venture. This book would be a good classroom read aloud!

This is a necessary addition to your Burroughs library. Interesting insights into WSB. Companion to Yage Letters, Naked Lunch.

If you are a fan of Burrough's cut-up texts and really want to come to understand this engimatic figure, this collection will provide a treasure trove of information regarding his personal life. Although I find it inappropriate to draw any conclusions when I read his words (I respect the Man too much), these private letters cast a different shade from which you can gather some concrete material about what his life, and hence his writing, is really about. Provocative, a clean read, and after reading this, I think anyone will have to reconsider many of their "wacked-out" thought regarding Burroughs, be they good or bad thoughts. He was a complex man, a more complex writer, and just when you think you understand... That's when you realize he's been playing with you all along.

That Kirkus review is cheap, trite and obvious. "Godfather of Grunge"? "MTV generations' idea of a literay outlaw"? What's that mean? They were right when they said he didn't come off as a literary "fella"--why? because Literature is phony and an obstruction to truth--"All that is literature has fallen from me, thank God," wrote Henry Miller, and Burroughs exemplifies that. He was interested in Life, and escaping oppression. Little is made of him shooting his wife? Sorry. His heroin cures? Sorry. Save that for all the lame Hollywood hacks who succumb to addiction only because they know their "life story" will sell. I think this is a great book, one that shows the human, caring, funny, straightforward man Burroughs was in a time of even greater hypocrisy and corruption than today. I think he was dead on the mark in the fifties about America becoming a police state.... Burroughs still upsets conventional literary categories, and the only way the "establishment" can deal with him is to joke and condescend and offer him up as caricature, as Kirkus did. Did anyone read the pathetic obituaries of him? They had no clue what he really did. As he said: "We intend to destroy all dogmatic verbal systems." No glot....c'lom Fliday....

I've read a fair amount of Burroughs, and this book is the best of all, the volume that lets you see into the soul of the man. Many of the letters are to Ginsberg, some to Kerouac and others. The stories he tells are funny and scary, sometimes heartbreaking. From these letters you can see where the more imposing material came from, the genesis of the work that came out in the sixties.

Burroughs and his writings are complex and problematic. The various characters that express themselves in his personality evoke so many contradictory reactions that it's hard to get the author himself into focus. And reading his novels outside the context of the man himself is particularly unsatisfying. That's why this book of letters is so welcome. Along with recordings of his routines (that fascinating voice conveying such dry, ironic malice - "The Best of William Burroughs, from Giorno Poetry Systems" has some of the best I've heard), these letters give us a useful perspective on Burroughs to better appraise his work.

The Burroughs who emerges in these letters stands in sharp contrast to the persona he cultivated. The cool, world-wise narrator/character of his novels is shown here to have been self-deluded, weak-willed, prone to bouts of love-sickness, and particularly susceptible to being hoodwinked. But it's like the complementary hidden side of any real person. There is wit and humanity here in the titanic struggle he waged to integrate a powerful evil he felt deep in his soul. While the struggle often manifested as a battle with addiction, the evil wasn't junk: It was a pure bloody-mindedness that we all have inside. "Likely a survival mechanism inherited from our simian forebears," Burroughs might have opined.

How much of these letters is lies? The editor helps with some fact-checking footnotes, but many key facts can never be checked. A tantalizing psychological dimension is opened when Burroughs writes about his stunted heterosexual alter-ego, but Burroughs wasn't above subverting facts to manipulate people. Whatever the truth is we'll never know for sure, but these writings are entertaining and thought-provoking. They detail the inner workings of a special mind shaped by unique circumstances. Publication of these letters proves that for all his bloody-minded self-sabotage, Burroughs' output refuses to be marginalized.

I happen to be quite a fan of big, sprawling epics, no matter what the medium may be. "Lone Wolf And Cub" is certainly turning out be quite an interesting one indeed. Continuing the plot from the previous volume, samurai-for-hire Ogami has been seperated from his son Daigoro during a brutal attack by his former masters, the Yagyu. As we begin this book, Ogami is on the search for Daigoro, but on his way he will run afoul of assassins and lone samurai. This volume lays out some great stories, as well as new developments in the series that will keep me reading indefinitely. For those unfamiliar with the series, it's best to start back at the first volume. For me (entrenched in the series already), this is another piece in Ogami's search for vengeance and another piece in the big puzzle of Lone Wolf And Cub.

The Yagyu letter continues to gnaw at Yagyu Retsudo who gives ample proof in Volume 13 of the Lone Wolf & Cub saga, "The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West," that he will go to any length to get his revenge on Ogami Itto. In the five chapters of the manga epic included in this volume is the most shocking act of violence we have yet wetness in this bloody saga:

(64) "The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West" has Retsudo ruminating on how he has sent all of his legitimate sons to be slaughtered by Ogami Itto. But the old man has an illegitimate son and daughter, and horrible plans for them both.

(65) "'Marohoshi' Mamesho" is another one of the fascinating characters created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. This time around the title character is an old policeman from the capital on the verge of retirement who stumbles across Ogami Itto being commissioned for his next act of assassination. "Marohoshi" has spent his life protecting people and he is not going to let this ronin continue on the assassin's road.

(66) "Spoiling Daigoro" is an offbeat story where the family that hires Ogami Itto persuades him to let Daigoro stay with them while he goes off to do his job. They have a son who is a coward and a weakling with no friends, and the boy's father thinks that having Daigoro around might be good for Suzunosuke. Ogami Itto agrees and thinks go well for a while, but Suzunosuke soon grows tired of hearing his parents praise Daigoro day and night.

(67) "The Hojiro Yaguy" finds Retsudo's illegitimate son planning on using poison darts that can stop a charging horse to slay Lone Wolf. It looks like there is no way on earth Ogami Itto can escape, but, of course, he always has something up his sleeve. Warning: The ending of this one is unexpectedly brutual and shocking.

(68) "The Bird Catchers," is another episode where Lone Wolf and Cub are spectators for the most part as they come across a group of female falconers preserving a dying way of life. But what makes this tale of some significance, especially as the last one in this volume, is that in the eyes of his son, it seems Ogami Itto might have finally gone too far.

"The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West" is another superb collection of stories in the Lone Wolf & Cub saga. Koike and Kojima still manage to provide a new twist and turn in every volume while stringing us out as long as possible with both the short term mystery of the Yagyu letter and the long term quest of Ogami Itto to get his vengeance on the entire Yagyu clan. I read one episode a night right before bed and am almost always surprised to see what new direction each night's story might take. This has to be one of the ten greatest comic epics of all time.

The mystery of the Yagyu letter is apparently forgotten in the five Lone Wolf and Cub tales told in Volume 12, "Shattered Stones." However, one thing that really stood out in these stories is that since he was reunited with his father after they were separated by circumstances, Daigoro has been smiling a lot more:

(59) "Nameless, Penniless, Lifeless" is one of the most disturbing stories in the Lone Wolf and Cub saga. It begins with a woman putting on a sex show for peasants. But what is even more shocking is that the woman has lost her mind and that her husband, whose face is half scared by terrible burns, is the one who talks her into her displays. There is more here than meets the eye, as is often the case in these stories, and the way in which the truth is revealed might remind you of part of Shakespeare's "Hamlet."

(60) "Body Check" is another one of those tales in which Ogami Itto has to use his brains to put himself in a position to use his sword for his next assassination.

(61) "Shattered Stones" begins with one of the most different ways that Ogami Itto has met someone who wanted to hire him for an assassination. On top of that the rules of the assassination are quite different (again, I am reminded of a Western parallel in the novel "Sophie's Choice").

(62) "A Promise of Potatoes" is an amusing little change of pace story for this series. Daigoro is off by himself again, being beaten up by a group of kids, when he is rescued by a con artist who teaches the boy to sit by a bowl looking pitiful as a way of making money. But where there is Cub can Lone Wolf be far behind...

(63) "Wife Killer" is a wonderfully ironic title, which we learn is used to describe somebody who gives away the tricks of magicians, who are known as "hand wives." Noronji Hoya, the Princess of Magicians, who has been using a delighted Daigoro as her "assistant," is about the encounter the "wife killer," an old saki-sotted magician who travels with two thugs who extort money from magicians: pay up or have your secrets revealed. But Noronji Hoya has a better proposition: she will perform a trick and if the old man can reveal her secret she will kill herself; if not, then she will take the old man's eyes.

Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima are back to telling tales in which Ogami Itto is more often than not more of a spectator to the action in which other characters carry the stories. One of the testaments to the greatness of this manga epic is that the title character can be almost incidental to the story and it is still completely riveting. Here we are, not even halfway through this saga, and they are still coming up with new and intriguing variations on the basic themes they established early on. The fact that they can maintain this high level certainly justifies the exalted status Lone Wolf & Cub has in the international world of comics.

"Talisman of Hades" is a nice title, but "Thirteen Strings" is the one you are not going to forget of the four stories collected in Volume 11 of the "Lone Wolf & Cub" magna epic. We had been confronted with a major development in the story as Ogami Itto stole the Yagyu letter. All pretenses were dropped as Reshido Yagyu declared open war on Ogami Itto, but Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima were showing the same sort of audacious subterfuge as their heroic creation, for as Ogami and Reshido crossed blades, Daigoro lost is hold on his father's shoulders and literally fell over a cliff. Suddenly the mystery of the Yagyu letter has become secondary because father and son have become separated. Their search for one another continues in these stories and for the first time we see Ogami Itto express emotion for his son:

(55) "Talisman of Hades" finds Ogami Itto is now putting up pictures of a baby cart where once he had pasted the talismans of meifunado to invite clients of death and assassination. A group of young students on their way to an academy stumble upon the mystery of the signs and when they see the strange ronin slay a "priest" (another Yagyu assassin in disguise of course), they decide they must intervene, forcing Lone Wolf to teach them a valuable lesson.

(56) "Ailing Star" has Daigoro finding a place to stay with an old granny who lives under a rotted bridge in danger of collapse. The locals keep trying to convince the old lady to leave, but she refuses. "Ailing Star" forms an interesting counterpart to "Talisman of Hades" as Daigoro has his own little lesson to impart.

(57) "Thirteen Strings" is an 118-page story where Koike and Kojima come up with their own version of a Kurosawa film experience (the rain during the last acts of the story is a clue). When we come to end of this epic tale, surely "Thirteen Strings" will be one of the most memorable episodes. A runaway horse is about to trample a child in the road when Ogami Itto intervenes. The horsewoman turns out to be the Lady Kanae, Daughter of the Go-Jodai of Odawara Han, and a spoiled brat who fancies herself a samurai. Ogami also learns of a larger conflict between the Go-Jodai and the farmers. Drought has blighted the harvest for four years and the Go-Jodai has tightened the screws on the farmers, who "hire" Ogami to attend a meeting between the two sides (because if anything happens to Chosuke, the leader of the farmers, Lone Wolf will bring word back to the farmers). Go-Jodai has his own agenda for implementing fundamental agricultural reform. Meanwhile, his headstrong daughter seeks revenge on the ronin who has insulted her. But then the rains bring a sudden flood that changes absolutely everything. This is a memorable story of surprising depth, showing that Koike and Kojima are absolute masters of their craft.

(58) "A Poem for the Grave" has Ogami Itto seeking help in finding the secret of the Yagyu letter. This turns into another assassination job, which results in an encounter with another honorable soul who seeks to turn Lone Wolf from the Assassin's Road. The question is whether things might be different this time because of Ogami Itto's separation from Diagoro.

I am in awe of Koike and Kojima maintain this level of excellence through a story that is not even halfway over by this point in the telling of the tale. I continue to savor one story each night at bedtime so that I can think about how it fits into the big picture and the ebb and flow of the story. An absolute masterpiece, not just as a comic book, but as an epic narrative.

Back in the late 80's and early 90 I owned a comic book store. This was one of the items I looked forward to every month. The writing was incredible and the artwork supurb. Out of dozens of issues I can only think a one or two that weren't worth my time.

When I first saw these book at the local comic store I ignored them. After all I had all of the issues and didn't need to spend money on smaller reprints even if they were in the origional format. However with the middle of this issue we have stories that were never published in America before.

It didn't hurt that one of the best stories (and the last) story of the full sized comic was here "Mazohoshi Maeesho" For people who don't know the series that story will say it all. The intro story also paints a path for those unfamilar with the series.

It would frankly be a waste of verbage to describe each story. The quality level is as always so high and the stories so interesting that there is little more to say.

If you never read this series start with #1 and enjoy. If you like me didn't buy it because they were reprints then go wild.

This book helped a real novice better grasp the many vested interests in this region. While I didn't get much hope for long and stable peace, I believe everyone must keep talking. And, all governments must do their best to resolve the territory issues between Isreal and Palestine.

This book gives one the opportunity to really see what is or has occurred in the Middle East. The truth is sometimes a very uncomfortable fact to live with. Having spent some time in the Middle east and being interested in the area, I find the facts overwhelmingly true. Kudos, Mr. James for being brave enough to state the facts, as they are. The reason I gave the review four stars and not five is that Mr. James did not write enough.

If this book was mandatory reading for all public policy officials in the US government, I believe the Middle East would be a different place today. Not since reading Thomas Friedman have i read a more accurate and balance view of the "realities" of the middle east. When i was younger, I assumed that our elected officials and state dept personnel understood these basic realities but as i have moved through time it has become painfully evident that they do not.

This book should be mandatory reading for all who seek to make peace in the middle east or who seek to do business there. It seperates the realities from the hype and gives the reader perspective on the issues of today and how they evolved from history.

A great quick read and to the point!

I like the way the author exposes the motivation and incentives which lead up to the events in the Middle East, rather than just a description of them. Also, finally someone has come along with actual solutions to the complex issues in the Middle East instead of just a history lesson.

With the recent tragic events in Lebanon, and the continued conflict throughout the Middle East, Mr. James' book provides background and insight to give the reader a better understanding of the current situation.

I bought this book on recommendation from a friend. Being 7 months pregnant at the moment, I can really relate to what Jools was feeling throughout her pregnancy(s). I found it very insightful as parts refer to infertility and what options there are out there to help people fall pregnant. I also had a good laugh at myself as I read about certain aspects of Jools' pregnancy(s). A MUST HAVE!!!

I bought this on a trip to Dublin with my husband. I have enjoyed Jamie Oliver`s tv show and books for a while. This was a great look at what happens at home behind the cameras and also an honest look at being a new mother. I plan to start trying next year, so some of it was scary, funny, and gave you a lot to thank about. The style is easy to read and I finished in a weekend. Lots of pictures, some recipes, and practical lists which I love!

This book is great because you feel like you are getting truthful advice...the good, bad and humerous...from a close friend. I loved the pictures and insight into the Oliver family. Her advice from what she really used from her hospital bag to easy, nutritious, kid friendly food makes it an excellent reference book to keep on hand. Truely one of my favourites!!

This book tells you just like it is! The wonderfull thing is that Jools can laugh about herself and her behaviour. I realy had to laugh out loud about a lot of hilarious moments and I couldn't stop reading. It has some adoring family pictures and a section with tips about shops, to do lists and more.
The book is a absolute must have for those who are planning to become a mummy or those who already have small children. I have one and I recognized a lot of the situations she described. By the way also the people who are interested in a little peek into the private life of Jamie Olivers family should read this book!!

An honest and refreshing account of what it is like to prepare for and be pregnant. It is not meant to be a medical journal but is rather a witty account of Jools Oliver's own experiences. I appreciated the honesty and the information that was given. It is very well written and I could not put it down! Some of the stories were hilarious!

I highly recommend this book for women who are like me planning a family or for those who are already pregnant. This would have to be one of the best books I have read during my preparation for starting a family. Thanks, Jools for your openess! I am so looking forward to any sequels!

This is one of the best wrestling books of all time and I rank it right up there at the top of my list of best wrestling books. Greg Oliver always delivers. He is well researched and he knows his stuff inside and out. I read this book cover to cover when I first got it and have read it several times since. I use it quite often as a reference book also.

If you love wrestling and want to read about the boys from the past and now and want to hear their stories in and out of the ring get this book... and anything else Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson put out.

Finally, someone has written a book that mentions the tag teams I grew up watching when the NWA was in full bloom: George Becker and Johnny Weaver; George and Sandy Scott; Rip Hawk and Swede Hansen; Aldo Bogni and Bronco Lubich; The Infernos and more. Up to now, I thought no one would ever acknowledge the excellent performances of these folks. If you feel the same way, buy this book - you won't be disappointed!

Colorful stories and a great look at the history of professional wrestling. The authors take you from the very beginning of "Australian Rules Tag" matches to modern day. I don't know how younger fans will appreciate this book but for anyone over 35 this book is a MUST READ. It can also be used as a reference when arguing with your buddies. The photos are a great throwback to a time when wrestling publicity pictures were black and white and reminded me of my childhood paying 50 cents for a glossy 8x10.

This is a good history of tags teams in wrestling. It gives a good account of in ring actions as well as the story behind the men. The only thing it lacks is more tag teams especially the last 10 years or so.

Greg Oliver & Steve Johnson did an outstanding job in writing The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams. No other wrestling history book ever has gone to the effort that these guys have. Ever tag team written about was either contacted an interviewed or if all the memebers were deceased at least a family member was tracked down and interviewed. Their rating system was well done and not without contraversy. Love or hate where they ranked your favorite tag team, they made you think about it and discussion amongst the wrestling community has been hot and heavy on this book. Great insight into many tag teams from years gone by the most fans either new little about or never heard of. They helped bring back memories of great teams like the Kangaroos, Kentuckians and The Infernos. Great photos a sprinkled throught. This is a must read for any wrestling fan of tag team wrestling. No other wrestling history book even comes close to covering tag team wrestling like this book.

wonderful! writing styles, details, photos, insights all
excellent. It is like reading a national geograohic article
(so many pictures to go with the stories). The depth he went
into to talk about his ideas and thoughts is really
a treat.

This book is a fascinating account of the life of Ravi Shankar. I was a little reluctant to pick up this book at first- -I thought to myself, "Ravi Shankar- pop star, a musician who lives on hype - who wants to read a fan book? If George Harrison hadn't stumbled across him, he would have been just another sitar player." But after reading this book, I have a much greater understanding and respect for Shankar and all that he has accomplished.

Shankar's early life was simply amazing. His first tour of the US was in 1932, when he was all of 12 years old. With that in mind, it makes perfect sense for Shankar to be the leader in bringing Indian classical music to the West, since he spent so many of his formative years in Paris and on tour throughout Europe and the US. During this time, he became familiar with Western audiences and their expectations, as well as with Western music traditions. It is this familiarity that has enabled him to be so successful at explaining Indian music to Westerners. But as this book details, Shankar was not only popular in the West, but long before George Harrison met him, he had built a very successful career in India. For example, he was the one who did the music for film director Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy, among so many other projects.

Shankar's influences on music in both India and the West are enormous and far-reaching. He was one of the first musicians to gain a following in world music, and he fought strongly against the marginalization of world music as a field only fit for ethnomusicologists. As described in this book, in India, he helped change attitudes towards musical performance and performers by demanding full attention from audiences and formal venues, much like classical performers in the West expect.

Interspersed throughout Shankar's text are short interludes from friends such as Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison. The book includes hundreds of pictures that span Shankar's entire career, including the pre-World War II tours with his brother Uday. There is also a very informative glossary at the end, as well as a chronology and index.

Raga Mala is destined to be a classic of literature.
It is a biography, history, diary, and a basic primer
of Hindustani (North Indian) music.
As a beginning Sitar student under a Guru myself.
I appreciate Raviji's journey from student to master.
The life covers so many memorable moments of history.
His triumphs and pain are an inspiration to all who
are open enough to see it. There is not enough that
can be said to fully explain the depth of this book.
It is fair to say that most will not fully understand
it in one reading.
In closing, Raga Mala will be the textbook to be used
by all interested in Pandit Ravi Shankar, Indian music,
and how it has gained popularity in America since the
1960's. I recommend this book as in the top 5 of my
all time favorite books.

Regardless of how you come into this book, as a Beatles fan, as an admirer of Indian classical music, or someone who studies the Indian culture, you will come out of it thinking of Ravi Shankar as someone very special, but who shares the same passion for life as many of us. "Raga Mala" is his story through his words, from his days as a dancer to traveling out of India for the first time, and eventually setting a goal to spread his music and culture around the world. With celebrity comes fame, and with fame comes admiration, and there were many women who admired him, only for he to admire them back. His love of women is at times overshadowed by his love of food, which is something I never knew before this.

But he talks about his music as his core (at point during the book he compared the sitar to his wife), and gets in-depth about his mission to enlighten people with his music. He loved the hippies but hated their lifestyle, and felt that he could make them high, and higher, with his music.

"Raga Mala" shows a well-traveled and cultured man with the utmost respect for his culture, his people, his music, and life in general. At 81 years old, he knows his "old junk of a body" can't do the things it did when he was 15, but he refuses to slow down for anyone, including himself.

Raga Mala is the autobiography of pandit Ravi Shankar,told in story,profusely illustrated{some in color}], beautifully bound {with luxurious endpapers], on high quality, beautiful papers. It tells his story{introduced by George Harrison} from his early childhood, stage[as a dancer in his brothers famous troupe] to his study of sitar and Hindustani music with a master{Khan},to his gradual emergence in the west. I had no idea, that he had performed at Carnegie hall in the 1930's, that John Coltrane's son ravi was named after him, ot that he was well known BEFORE the Monterey pop or woodstock concerts[he called woodstock"terrifying'}. This is a wonderful book, it tells the ENTIRE ARC of the life of pandit Ravi Shankar{including his apparent heir and pupil, his daughter Anoushka}, and does so with such a well put together volume. The papers, the binding, the photographic reproductions are exquisite. The publisher has done a remarkable job. A classic book, both in form and content.