One The Books

The writer seems to capture a time of history that truly makes the charecters and scenes jump out at the reader. I found it was a book that I truly enjoyed. The author crafted this story well and puts most of the Patrick O'Brien novels to shame. The seriousness and complexity of the story only add to the enjoyment of reading this book.

The rich historical setting blended with the exciting drama of mutiny, incited by the son of the Secretary of War, made for a very satisfying read. The characters were vividly fleshed-out by the author. I appreciated the research that went into writing about this incident in our history. Excellent book.

The rich historical setting blended with the exciting drama of mutiny, incited by the son of the Secretary of War, made for a very satisfying read. The characters were vividly fleshed-out by the author. I appreciated the research that went into writing about this incident in our history. Excellent book.

In 1842, Midshipman 18-year-old Philip Spencer, the son of the President John Tyler's Secretary of War was hung for mutiny aboard the U.S.N. Somers. Not One Shred Of Decency is a masterfully written, expertly detailed, historically accurate, ardently recommended novel based on the circumstances and aftermath of this unusual event in American history. Bob Brown demonstrates a mastery of both his subject and his ability to write a gripping account that has the reader avidly engaged from first page to last.

In 1842, Midshipman 18-year-old Philip Spencer, the son of the President John Tyler's Secretary of War was hung for mutiny aboard the U.S.N. Somers. Not One Shred Of Decency is a masterfully written, expertly detailed, historically accurate, ardently recommended novel based on the circumstances and aftermath of this unusual event in American history. Bob Brown demonstrates a mastery of both his subject and his ability to write a gripping account that has the reader avidly engaged from first page to last.

Tomie dePaola describes how a grandfather's love and physical care for his grandson is given back when the tables are turned in the grandfather's needy old age. DePaola's words and pictures are gentle and communicative. The grandfather's own words, "Now one foot, now the other," return to him when he needs them.

This book tells the story of a child learning to relate to his beloved grandfather after the grandfather suffers a stroke. It is told simply, realistically, lovingly, and from the child's point of view, covering the range of normal emotional reactions. This book is marvelous! Highly recommended, even for very young children.

It had me in tears. You can imagine my 7-year old was quite amazed at the sight... The author manages to put so much feeling into very simple sentences. It makes it very easy for young (and old) to understand how important each family member is to the whole family, especially when there are special needs.

We borrowed this book from the library, so I didn't know what to expect, but towards the middle, I figured out what was going to happen, and got all choked up. My daughter kept turning over to me, since I had to whisper, so I wouldn't cry (my dad had recently gone through 4 months of illness which almost took his life). It definitely explains "stroke" well in simple words, deals with the emotions of the family, and discusses how to care for an ill person. It does have a positive ending, so keep that in mind, in case you're dealing with a possible death. It's very well written, tugs at the heart strings, and the important parts really come through.

Such a wonderful book! It comes at a time for our family when Grandma's health is declining. For our daughter who is nearly three, Grandma seems a bit scary, since she doesn't look and act quite like herself. When we visit Grandma, she tends to moan a bit, which is very frightening to our toddler.

This beautiful story is about a boy named Bobby and his Grandfather, Bob, who lives with Bobby and his parents. They have a lovely relationship; they spend lots of time together, building with blocks and sharing stories. Bobby especially likes for Bob to tell him the story about how Bobby learned to walk... ''Now one foot, now the other.''

When Bobby is 5 years old, Bob has a stroke, and the little boy is frightened by the changes in his grandfather. Once Bob finally gets home from the hospital, he doesn't seem to recognize Bobby. The first sound Bob tries to make ''sounds like a monster'' to Bobby, but Bobby learns to understand Bob and, through love and persistence, is instrumental in Bob's recovery.

I'm sure that this book will help my daughter to understand why Grandma isn't quite herself. Hopefully, our visits to see Grandma will be less stressful for her (and for me). After reading this story to my toddler at least dozen times (we received this book in the mail just three days ago), I can finally keep from tearing up until the very last page. I highly recommend this lovely book!

In this age of over electronic bombardment, One Citizen's Words stands firm as a grounded voice of reason, encouragement, and humor. Words matter to Christine Whitmarsh, and she wants your personal words to matter also. If you have ever thought of writing a blog, a book, or even just a letter to the editor, then One Citizen's Words offers plenty of fuel to get you rolling.
I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read from such a talented young author and look forward to her next endeavor.

It is like Ms. Whitmarsh reached into my head, and ripped out all the things I have been mulling over for years. This is not only "One Citizen's Word", it should be the consciousness of every citizen of the country.

It is an easy read, but, entirely thought provoking. It should be converted into a hard drive that should be implanted in every citizen of this totally misguided country.

If you have the capacity to see past what you are supposed to think, and understand simple logic, I highly recommend you buy this book.

Perhaps you wont agree with everything between it's pages, but, if you don't come away thinking about the way you perceive existence, and finding the need to change certain things within your life....well, you deserve the mess we presently exist in.

I just finished reading One Citizen's Words by Christine Whitmarsh. It is a rather short novel that took me about 45 minutes to read, an hour to think and plan, and (assuming) a lifetime to forget.

Let me first start by telling you that I have found the first text that my students will be reading. One Citizen's Words is an English teacher's dream. It's full of juicy, thought provoking quips. There are even review questions at the end of every chapter, like it was made as a teaching aide.

Every page of this wordfest contains some very rich content. If I were to write a book, this is what mine would be - a bunch of thoughts all explored with detail. I hope that my book would be half as entertaining and intriguing, but this is a work of art.

This book has some really good highlights. It's a good read. I also enjoyed answering some of the questions that were asked. it's really interactive writing, the author definitely wants her voice heard but she truly and genuinely wants others to be heard as well which is quite rare.

Christine Whitmarsh has some very interesting and comedic views on some of the most random topics. LOVE the camparison between Red Sox and Yankees fans, love the lesbian story by the way. CLASSIC, and the Native American "If we'd only thought of this" was brilliant.

Don't want to ruin the rest for you, just buy it. Coming from a very hard reader to please, this book is quality.

... this book is a gem. Granted I didn't understand some of what Christine writes only because our interests are different and I had no idea what she was talking about but for those who are in and of the world you'll understand even more of what she's saying. You may not agree with what she says yet, she has every right to express her experiences ~ being alive and varied, courageous and circumspect. As another reviewer said, I laughed out loud at so many things I related to such as imaginative students being labeled with A.D.D., people who end their sentences in "...sooooo..." and so much more! If you like to read, this is one you should absolutely get just because it is unique and speaks of the printed word in a way no one else but Christine Whitmarsh can speak them.

Revvell
http://podcast.TheBookCrawler.com

For many years, there were few full-length studies of the retreat of the Army of Northern Virginia following its defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1 -- July 3, 1863). But two outstanding books have recently been written to fill this gap. In 2005, Kent Masterson Brown published his "Retreat from Gettyburg." Brown's book focuses on the logistics of the retreat and on how Lee was able to mask his intentions, slowing Meades's pursuit. It also views Lee's goal in the Gettysburg campaign as primarily a raid -- an attempt by the Army of Northern Virginia to secure needed foodstuffs and other goods from Northern soil. With that objective in mind, Brown discusses the retreat after the Battle of Gettysburg, and implicitly the battle itself, in the context of the entire campaign. He finds that the campaign partially met its objectives.

I was eager to learn more about the retreat after reading Brown. His book has been followed by a new (2008) study of the retreat: "One Continuous Fight" by three noted students of the Civil War: Eric Wittenberg, David Petruzzi, and Michael Nugent. Wittenberg and his coauthors have written extensively on Gettysburg and they have focused on the role of the cavalry. This focus on cavalry operations is critical in understanding the retreat.

Wittenberg and his co-authors give a detailed tactical study of the retreat from both Union and Confederate perspectives. They offer a detailed military discussion of the over 20 engagements that occured between the beginning of Lee's retreat on June 4,1863, and Lee's crossing over into Virginia on June 14. The book includes many stories, quotes and anechdotes from and about participants on both sides of the line. "One Continuous Fight" is an excellent study in its own right of the retreat and a worthy complement to Brown.

Many people think, when they consider the retreat, of Meade's alleged failure to pursue Lee's army. The title of this book "One Continuous Fight" should dispel that misaprehension. Wittenberg shows that there was continuous and severe fighting throughout the retreat. He describes in detail the engagements at Monterey Pass, Hagerstown, Boonsborough, and Funkstown, among other engagements. He also describes the fighting at Williamsport when on July 6, Confederate General Imboden led a heroic defense by his wounded soldiers and teamsters against a Union cavalry attack. The book offers detailed descriptions of the movements of the armies and of the results of little-studied battles.

Wittenburg gives a full picture of the strong defenses Lee constructed at Williamsport in the face of the flooded Potomac River which hindered his crossing. For three days, Meade and the Union Army failed to attack the position. When Meade at length wanted to attack on June 14, Lee's army had slipped away into the night. The hazardous crossings at Williamsport and Falling Waters are described in full detail.

The major issue surrounding the retreat is whether Meade could have done more in stopping Lee, won another victory, and perhaps ended the war. Wittenburg's study shows the complexity of this question, which in fact folds several discrete issues into one. Meade would have taken an enormous risk by attacking the fortified Confederate position at Williamsport with his exhausted and ill-provided army. His decisions to refrain from attack until the Confederate position had been fully reconnoitered was probably sound. But the Union pursuit of Lee, Wittenburg argues, was flawed in several respects. He is somewhat critical of Meade but places most of the responsbility on Meade's cavalry chief, Pleasonton, for dividing his forces and not following the retreating Army in an agressive, coordinated manner. In contrast, the individual cavalry commanders for the Union, especially Buford, get high marks for their efforts during the retreat as do Stuart, Imboden, and, generally, the entire Confederate cavalry. Lee's conduct of the retreat receives high praise.

Unlike Brown's study, Wittenberg's book gives little attention to the goods the Confederates carried back with them to Virginia. In fact, with Wittenberg's emphasis on the privations of the retreat, he doesn't seem to think the goods secured through foraging were a factor. Wittenberg also, in contrast to Brown, sees the Gettysburg campaign as a dismal failure for the Confederacy in terms of loss of life and loss of leadership. Overall, the impression is that Lee was fortunate to get away, and that the supplies of food he may have carried with him were of scant consolation for the large military defeat at Gettysburg.

This book is clearly written with good portrayals of the complex fighting. It offers good maps and includes two lengthy driving tours, one for the route followed by Imboden and his train of Confederate wounded, the other for the route followed by Lee's army. This book will appeal to serious students of the Civil War with a good background knowledge of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg campaign.

Robin Friedman

The plotting of the maneuvering and engagements between the Confederate and Union armies in the week and a half right after the climactic battle of Gettysburg leaves off with a trip along the route of the armies giving GPS coordinates so readers can follow in the footsteps of the armies and also locate the exact spots covered in the regular text. But for this book, many of the routes and spots could not easily be located as these days of the conflict have received little attention. In many cases, there are no historical markers or official sites. Historians and Civil War buffs tend to think both armies, spent after the battle of Gettysburg, licked their wounds and recuperated, not to engage in any significant confrontations until the battles in northern Virginia marking the closing phase of the war. But by their detailed recounting of the week and a half after Gettysburg, the coauthors show that this period evidences its own strategic aims and fateful clashes. It was especially important for the South in that Lee's army survived intact by fending off Union forces trying to deliver a crushing blow to it in its weakened state.

The authors have a special interest in the Civil War cavalry. But it is not because of this they pay particular attention to the role of the cavalry of both sides. They pay close attention because the cavalry was particularly important in the brief period. Southern cavalry was mainly responsible for protecting the 17-mile long wagon train of wounded rebel troops. For its part, Union cavalry played a leading role in combat against the Confederates; and some units proved to be a match against the highly-touted Southern cavalry forces. The variety of sources--letters, diaries, military communications, news reports, and books--allows for shedding light on varied aspects of the days covered. The title is taken from a phrase in a letter by a Union soldier. Overarching strategic views are succeeded by first-person accounts of particular combat episodes; from communications among officers, one follows the battle preparations on both sides; newspaper articles give a picture of the concerns of civilians trying to follow developments; papers from civilian leaders reveal their efforts to bring about the respective desired outcome. This variety of material is skillfully integrated for a dramatic narrative. The reader hardly notices the shifts in content as one becomes engrossed in the tale to learn specifics of how the known outcome of the escape of Lee's army happened. "One Continuous Fight" is popular history at its best--simultaneously engaging and educating.

The Union Army in the Civil War provides a tremendous example of how an institution can survive its own imperfections and turn itself into a successful organization. It was not easy, and it took awhile. Corruption and indolence under the Buchanan administration were endemic. Incompetence prevailed after the cream of the officer corps defected to the Confederacy. As with the present administration, its highest ranking officers were too often those whose skills lay in their politics.

Eventually, these people were filtered out, but the cost was tremendous,
and invariably paid by others.

This book is a marvelous addition to the common base of knowledge about the critical days after Lee's assault on Gettysburg. It may well lead to the conclusion that the entire battle should be viewed as comprising the first two weeks in July, 1863, rather than just the first three days. The scholarship is first rate, the logic and conclusions profound. If nothing else, we now have the reasons why Lincoln's intuition led to his shelving that famous unsent letter to Meade.

A book this important calls for a competent editor. Three writers working together turns this call into a scream. The occasional typographical error can be forgiven - even though the copy is overrun by the writers' spelling errors. Assaults on grammar are endemic. What I cannot forgive, and what inspires this review, is the frequent repetition of whole paragraphs.

I salute the publisher, Savas Beatie, of El Dorado Hills, California. I also beg them, and the authors, to insist on a competent editor before committing this volume to its well-deserved future printings.

I recently finished the book and am glad to see that this part of the Gettysburg Campaign has finally received the recognition that it deserves. The authors have given us a full blown history of the battles that occurred as Lee's army retreated from their loss at Gettyburg. It's a day by day travelog that shows just how each army reacted to the aftermath of the fighting at Gettysburg.

The authors have shared stories of the heroism on both sides as they found themselves involved in the 10 days described in the aftermath of the most significant battle of the Civil War that took place in the Eastern Theater. They have delivered a fascinating tale of those in the ranks, whether on foot or riding a trusted horse as they dealt with the horrible weather and the lack of sleep.

My favorite chapter deals with the events of July 8, 1863, as I was born 100 years after that date. The events at Boonsboro and what Lee and Longstreet were doing that day provided this reader with a glimpse in to the Civil War that I have rarely come across. I had no clue that on that day 145 years ago, a son of NJ, Judson Kilpatrick received 3 cheers from his men. This son of NJ was happily surprised reading that, as in all my reading on Kilpatrick I have not come across "Kilcavalry" being cheered like that.

Highly recommend this book for those who are interested in the Gettysburg Campaign. It's a fascinating and well written treatise on what happened after the battle. As others have mentioned, take advantage of the tours listed at the end of the book. It's well worth your time following in the footsteps of those who walked the walk 145 years ago. You will not be disappointed.

Steve Basic

Gettysburg. Say it and one is immediately reminded of the cataclysmic three day battle between the Army of the Potomac, commanded by George Meade, and the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Robert E. Lee. Three days, July 1-3, 1863, that changed American History forever. Thousands of books and articles have been written about the battle which took place in the tiny hamlet of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I dare say you could fill an entire room in a library with nothing about books devoted to this one battle alone.

But what happened after the battle? Lee's retreat from Gettysburg, and Meade's failure to destroy the Army of Northern Virginia before it crossed the Potomac River to the safety of Virginia is sometimes given the briefest of mentions, but more often is treated as a single chapter, or epilogue in a work covering the battle or the whole of the Gettysburg Campaign. Books devoted entirely to the retreat itself can easily be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi and Michael F. Nugent have successfully corrected this omission from the historical library with their book, "One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863." Drawing on a wealth of first hand accounts: letters & diaries, many of which until now have remained unpublished for 145 years, as well as contemporary newspaper articles and previously published primary and secondary sources, the trio of authors have written a dynamic and engaging volume, that is easily read and hard to put down.

During its retreat the Army of Northern Virginia clashed in nearly two dozen skirmishes & major engagements with the Army of the Potomac, including fighting at Granite Hill, Monterey Pass, Hagerstown, Williamsport, Funkstown, Boonsboro and Falling Waters. There was so much fighting going on between the opposing forces that Privet L. T. Dickinson of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry to described the ten day retreat as "one continuous fight."

The book covers in detail the movements of the armies; however the first chapter is devoted entirely to Imboden's "Wagon Train of the Wounded," which I found compelling to read.

Meade has often been accused of letting Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia slip from his grasp at the moment when he had the ability to crush them in the palm of his hand. After the titanic three day struggle on the fields of Gettysburg, was Meade derelict in not following up on his victory? Did he move too slowly or too cautiously? Could Meade have done more? Or was the blue-clad Army of the Potomac as used up as their brothers clad in butternut and gray? From the title of their book alone, the authors dispel nearly 145 years of finger pointing, and accusations and in their conclusion they give a fair and balanced view of exactly who, if any one, was at fault.

Included at the end of the book are two driving tours: The Retreat from Gettysburg and The Wagon Train of the Wounded, both contain GPS coordinates and detailed driving directions so the reader can follow in the footsteps of history. Of course, if you want the full experience, I'd encourage you to don a wool uniform, strap on a backpack, pick up your rifle and walk the routes in the ninety degree heat of July. If you chose to do so I'll wave at you from the comfort of my air conditioned car as I drive by.

Are there too many books about the Gettysburg Campaign? In a word, yes. Is there still anything left unwritten about the campaign & battle? Absolutely, and this book is but one example. It is a must have for any student of the Civil War, and especially for a student of the Gettysburg Campaign.

The Alamo has been the inspiration for a large number of movies (most recently, Touchstone's "The Alamo") and novels. When writing about an event so culturally charged, authors of historical fiction face the expectations of pop culture, where myth often trumps the truth, the demands of historians, who require authenticity, and the interpretations of the politically motivated, all within the framework of a viable story.

Enter Ned Anthony Huthmacher, author of "One Domingo Morning," whose entry point into the Alamo tale is the fact-based story of Joe, the slave owned by the Alamo's commander, William Barret Travis. Joe's fictional story has not been told before. The fresh point-of-view yields an interesting narrative that avoids some of the cliches that overwhelm Alamo literature.

The "history" of this historical novel is done well. Huthmacher is a member of the Alamo Society, a contributing writer to the Alamo Lore and Myth Organization, and appeared both the 1987 IMAX film, "Alamo: Th Price of Freedom" and in Touchstone's 2004 "The Alamo." His attention to detail made for enjoyable reading for this history buff.

The political overtones of the story are difficult. Huthmacher is writing about a slave who participated in an event trumpeted loudly by freedom lovers. The irony is obvious. My only quibble with the narrative comes when Travis offers "freedom papers" to Joe and two other slaves. I sympathize with the author's dilemma. Joe can't be portrayed as weak, nor can he be realistically cast as a proto-civil-rights advocate. Huthmacher skirts the problem with a quick nod to the issues and non-stop story action, certainly not the worst solution for his readers.

The story also involves an older black woman named "Maizy." Alamo enthusiasts will be pleased to see the legend of a black woman defender who died on the walls brought to life in a realistic fashion.[p]
The plot covers the Texas campaign from the beginning of the Alamo siege to the Battle of San Jacinto. The last of the narrative takes Joe south to Mexico (the best-documented historical information agrees) where the protagonist's past meets his future. Huthmacher's prose is straight-forward, with a common touch that seems comfortable and appropriate. Huthmacher's "One Domingo Morning" is an enjoyable and invaluable addition to Alamo literature, and I highly recommend it.

One Domingo Morning is a sensitive, insightful piece of the way the world - and revolutionary Texas - probably really was in the 1830's. Too many have written on this subject and couched it in how the world is now. The author has an uncommon ability - sorely lacking in many authors on the subject - to let the reader "feel" what it was probably like to be caught in the turbulence of those days. We are exposed to the slavery question, almost taboo in other pieces, studied thoroughly from a multitude of perspectives. We see both Mexicans and Texians as individuals and not all made from the same cloth. And perhaps most importantly of all, we see war in its most terrifying and unromantic. A pet peeve of mine with any type of "war" historians is their distinct lack of ability to understand what war is really like, knowing it only from their desk chair. To be sure, there has been some very good scholarship on the subject, but very rarely have we seen much of it capture the true horror and personal suffering of battle. The author has captured just that misery. This book is not only a fine one historically, interweaving not only what we know happened and what "might have" happened, but it is also a darn interesting read. You don't need to be an Alamo fan to like this book. It is so much more than just about an Alamo survivor. It has amazing depth to it and, as an author, soldier and believer in bettering the human condition, this is a MUST READ!

A captivating account of war and love, One Domingo Morning tells the story of Alamo Joe, the lone male survivor in the historic battle that claimed the likes of such reknown heros and Jim Bowie, Davy Crocket, and William Travis. It is a story of Joe's loyalty: to his Master, Travis, wife, Silvie, the cause of Texas, and ultimately, to himself and his quest for freedom. With great attention to visual detail, Huthmacher paints a vivid portrait of the battle and subsequent flight to freedom by Joe that is compelling and brutally honest with generous glimpses of tenderness and compassion. It has all the elements of a true suspense novel, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. A great first work by an author who has obvously done his homework.

What can you say of such a book? How often can an author take such an obscure story line and bring it to life with such passion and fervor, as to make this much illusive tale seem incredibly modern and relavant? The story of this young man and his incredible courage and determination are not lost within the pages of some stuffy old historic prose. On the contrary, Joe's drive and determination, coupled with a heart for both his love of family, his master and his country are displayed with enough color and intrigue to keep the reader from ever wanting to put the novel down. Be very entertained and don't be suprised if you learn a little something along the way!

I have known Ned Huthmacher for a number of years and never knew how wonderful a writer he is. I have always wondered about Joe,the slave that William B. Travis had with him at the Alamo. But no one ever bothered to put the pieces together and tell his story. Ned has done this in a most masterful way. By combining fact with fiction, and a few movie references here and there, Ned has presented a complete picture of one of the Alamo's unsung heroes.
What I enjoyed was the simple, straight forward telling of the tale.The characters come alive on the page. My favorite is Ned's description of Crockett's entry into San Antonio. With his "gun metal grey" hair. You gotta love this stuff. Ned captures the human complexities of Joe and vividly describes his reactions to the events and people around him.
This is a "must have" for any Alamo collector. I doubt if there will ever be a book covering Joe's story as completely as "One Domingo Morning".
Ned was sure he was right....and then went ahead.

The illustrations in this book are fabulous! I gave this as a gift for xmas one year, and it went over very well!

I have purchased at least six of this book to give young couples who have gotten engaged. I just purchased one for my daughter's childhood friend who just got engaged and I also purchased one to keep for when my daughter eventually becomes engaged. I was very sad to learn from Border's that this book is out of print. The story is wonderful and the illustrations are enchanting!

I have a two year old daughter that just loves all of Mark Kimball Moulton's books. "One Enchanted Evening" tops her list of favorites.

The only way to describe it, is like a "Mid Summer Night's Dream", but for children. It's magical with a wonderful message -- you can't help who you fall in love with.

I highly recommend this book.

I am a recent M.K. Moulton fan, and just love this book. He uses different illustrators for his books, so each one has a different feel. I've purchased this book twice, once for myself, and the other for a gift! Beautifully presented in a hard-case, it reminds me of quality books I had as a child. A must!

Whenever I ask my girls(ages 7 & 5) to go get my favorite book to read to them, this is the one they grab, and they are right. I absolutely love this book. I have read it to every child I've had a chance to. I have read it to adults as well. The message is to beautiful, and true.
The illistations drew me to this book, and the story keeps me coming back, time and time again.
I look forward to reading it each time I get the chance, and for many, many years to come.

As I read through each essay, I was struck with how expertly Amy has woven the details of her life with the exploration of Jewish values. Her book becomes a colorful tapestry of everyday living as seen through the prism of Jewish tradition--all told in a fresh and inviting way--like a conversation with a dear friend-- with humor, grace and style.

This book is a delightful mix of personal anecdotes from Amy's life and a solid knowledge of Jewish teachings. Each brief chapter draws the reader in with an everyday experience that is easy to relate to, then expands that experience to reflect a key teaching or moral value from the Jewish tradition. I recommend this book to all readers who want to learn more about Jewish life and ethics. In addition, it would make an excellent text for someone considering becoming Jewish.
Rabbi Helen T. Cohn

Lederman's excellent book, filled with personal history, is an inspiration to anyone seeking to find a spiritual home in Judaism. Relating critical Jewish concepts to events in her life, Amy Hirshberg Lederman reaches out to the reader engaging them to be involved in their own way.

Many books bog down on the details of practice, but this book takes a higher road looking at the big picture of Judaism in the events that occur in peoples lives.

If you are looking for a quick inspirational read that will show you Jewishness in all aspects of YOUR life, this book is for you.

Amy Hirschberg Lederman's ONE GOD, MANY PATHS, is filled with wit and wisdom that can touch the heart and soul of people of all ages. She brings the experiences of her life into the Jewish world reminding us that living a Jewish life can be found in so many places of our lives. As a rabbi, her stories are a great way to help set the mood at our Erev Shabbat service as she encourages us to look at ourselves. This is a book that should be a part of every person's Jewish library filed under living Jewishly.

Rabbi Jon Adland
Indianapolis, IN

As a non-Jew, I was particularly grateful for how much Jewish tradition and wisdom Ms. Lederman dished up with her stories. Her enthusiasm for her faith and culture are contagious. And of course there is laughter ranging from the subtle to the rollicking. Don't miss her take on what the Talmud teaches about how much sex a woman is due from her husband.

The book provides a thumnail sketch that is very helpful. However, if you need in depth information this is not the book. It offers an easy to read format and concise.

I got this as a Christmas present to my dad, but found myself wishing I had got it for me. I'm one of those kinds of people that wish I knew more about this and that philosopher, but aren't sure where to begin. I've heard lots of the names in this book but never really knew what they believed, but the book goes over it quite well.

I bought this book after taking an introductory philosophy course in college. I had a deep interest in the subject, but not a very strong background. If you are like me, then this book will be a great starting point for you. Do not expect to find any great analysis of any philosophical theories, or even any opinions on the theories of the various philosophers. In fact, some of the philosophers are covered very briefly, and we are given only the most basic information about them (where they were born, where they studied, what kind of family they came from, where they died, etc.). However, having said that, this book WILL provide you with the basic knowledge of the most influential philosophers so that you may embark on your greater journey into the world of philosophy. It clearly deliniates the beginning of philosophical thought and it's transition to modern philosophy and as most reviewers have stated, it is very well structured and organized. Every major philosopher that you have ever read about/heard of is in this book. I strongly encourage any and all readers interested in a philosophy background to purchase this book!

This is the kind of book you - as a philosophy lover, I assume - can keep on your centerpiece or desk somewhere easily accessible for reference. It's very visually pleasing and organized, so you can spend hours reading about this and that philosopher. Its limitation lies in the explanation of the philosophers' views, which summarizes a lot and as a result you cannot hope to learn much from it content-wise. If your goal is to learn some philosopher's views well, this is not the book for you, but if you want a quick reference for philosophers' time periods, historical heritage, theoretical orientation, etc., it is great.

Conclusion: a good pick if its purpose is understood as a reference, as a poster noted below. The point is to talk about the people rather than the ideas. It will not engage you in deep ideas, but will tell you a bit about a great many thinkers.

Well, I can't pretend that I understood it. I didn't understand "Sophie's World" either. I prefer the format of this lay textbook over the device of the bizarre story of Sophie's World as a structure for didacticism though I admit the bizarre stuff was there to illustrate the philosophical points. I read "One Hundred Philosophers" quickly to see what was available in it but would need to study it with additional texts to go in- depth and attempt to understand the actual philosophy.

I bought the book because it links together disjointed pieces of information. I think it's a good starting point and I intend to use it as a reference book rather than having to go on the net to find the same information.

It's amazing that I'm encountering beliefs out there that I've been reading about in the book and can easily refer to for discussions. There's some surprising individuals in the book to read about, real eye-openers. There are also patterns of biography depending on the era cited e.g. starting out as a theological scholar and getting side-tracked into philosophy.

Some of the woman philosphers' lives make sad reading, early deaths and in one case matyrdom. In contrast, some of the men lived to great ages.

As well though, I saw a pattern of philosophers being repeatedly exiled, tortured, imprisoned and executed for their beliefs though this isn't happening with the latest Continental and Anglo-American ones featured! I found this book so worthwhile I felt inspired to buy one for my 14 year old neice as a great introduction to the valuable and deep subject of philosophy.

Funnily enough, I bought it as one of a selection of books available in the tea-room at work among the usual recipe and typical prosaic lifestyle selection. It was a great buy for $NZ12 (New Zealand).

enjoyed the book and found an artist rendering taken at a train staion, i beleive. the approximate page location is 70 & 71, give or take. what i need to know is where i can obtain a source that has this picture showing this german train station during WWII. it is for a friend who works for union pacific and loves enginges. please contact me about the picture. as for the book i grew up near wright-patterson AFB, Dayton OH and love planes - loved the book - hope to purchace it someday. any direction to a source will be greatly appreciated. thank you. Dave Falknor.

This was so well done!!! The written account was complimented so well by the great pictures that I felt like I could get an better idea of being there. This really needed to be recorded before it was a forgotten era in history. Thank you for doing that.

This book is an excellent postscript to reading thousands of pages about the air war in Europe. I've always been fascinated by what the air crews did, and how they lived their lives. Part of what makes it so interesting is the vast span of time that exists between now and then. This book, through photographs, documents that span of time... and through these photographs, you can see how something so large as a world war can fade into the past, which in a special kind of way makes the people involved that much more interesting: larger than time... bigger than anything you can see now. The text in this book is limited (by their design), yet concise and informative. Yet, if a picture is worth a thousand words, this book is probably a million words long. I haven't seen pictures as vivid as those in this book anywhere else. Many are in full color, some are vintage WWII color photos spanning two pages. The appendix is filled some pretty amazing statistics, right down to the number of .50 caliber rounds fired by 8th AF bombers.

The foreword by Andy Rooney is pretty revealing as well. You won't watch him on 60 minutes the same way again.

This is not a formal history, but an attempt to convey the atmosphere and experience of the time. Well written and artfully laid out.

As the son of a surviving B-17 pilot, I have spent considerable time poring over books specific to the subject. This book, along with Half a Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer are true treasures. History books alone cannot convey information to our successors like a story retold by someone who had the events firmly planted in their memory by the first-hand impact of the situation.

Hollywood is a vicious dog eat dog world and surviving in it can be difficult. This is where "One Less Bitter Actor: The Actor's Survival Guide" comes in, and grants aspiring thespians great and sage advice such as how to combat being typecast, bad habits to avoid, the deadliest questions to be asked, and dealing with the crushing disappointment of rejection. Written by Hollywood veteran Markus Flanagan with over two decades of experience, "One Less Bitter Actor: The Actor's Survival Guide" is recommended for actors everywhere and needs a place on every community library shelf devoted to the art of acting.

This book was well written and spoke to not only the Actor inside you but the starving artist. And no matter how successful you are that fear is always there. So stop putting off figuring a way to channel that energy "until I make it", and start now by reading this book. In my career I will recommend two books and this is one of them... Sean Rogers

A concise quick read, a highly entertaining, well-written indispensable book for actors who want to keep their head and keep acting. Great advice, not so much about technique, but about how to better do what you are doing. Recommended for veterans and neophytes alike and covers auditions, the industry, staying sane, staying focused, and advice on melding the actor as artist with the actor in show business. Stop stewing, start smiling. What are you waiting for?

As a non actor I enjoyed reading this distilled documentation of an actors life. It was like walking for a while in his shoes learning the fear, embarassment,and pain that goes into tying to make it in the world of show buisness.

I learned that like with most difficult things it's your mindset that can ultimatly save you and preserve you for yet another audition and another challenge. I also got that treating others as you would like to be treated goes a long way in making an otherwise difficult situation better all the way around.

I would recomend this to non-actors as insight into another world, and of course actors as a first rate guide into what's in store and how to handel "the Biz" successfully.

"Acting is a collector for those without a career plan." This is one of the sharpest observations in this no-nonsense guide to navigating the "madness" of the business. It is also a wake up call for those of us who enter this industry prepared to work but under-prepared for the workplace: the dynamics and casting decisions that are mystifying but rule our day-to-day perspective as creative people. If we let them.
With a tone of urgency (yet the cool voice of a pragmatist) the author urges actors to look beyond the guesswork of booking to keep perspective and focus when egos jostle or "entitlement syndrome" gets the best of us. "Do the work," he says, and he sounds like he's been there.

The author's experience makes for a survival guide that offers both seat-of-the-pants advice for the audition ("hold the room hostage") and encouragement to look beyond the call to the nuts-and-bolts of career building: "Perform a career activity each day." This valuable yet overlooked key to success is crucial for the 99% of us who spend our time thinking about why we're not making it, when we could be doing something to increase our odds. Behind every star there is a hard-won battle for success, and from the stories in the book these battles are not always glamorous. But a well-tended career - like a garden - is likely to yield delicious fruit, though weeding may not be fun.

I liked this book because it was a voice of encouragement from one actor to another to weed, prune, and water our careers - and our creative impulses. The simple advice is to "do the work." We act because we want to, he reminds us, but too often drudgery, insecurity, and uncertainty get in our way. But we're in a career for which no high-school counselor or acting program could prepare us, and indeed we do need a survival guide. The book is a helpful reminder to keep the work in the foreground, focus on long-term success, and let everyone else worry about the stuff that we can't control.