Reviews Books

Henry Shute was a very popular humorist a hundred years ago; some say he rivaled Mark Twain. These supposed diary entries of a young boy recall a more innocent day, when kids could roam all over town without fear, while reminding us that the playfulness, even impishness, of the young still prevails. When our son was 12 or 13, we used to get many giggles and guffaws in reading these tales to each other. Very enjoyable.

I wish I could find "Letters to Beany, or the Love Letters of Plupy Shute" in print, but this is a fine book by the same author. (Actually, I did find a collector's copy of the other book -- for $125.00!)

This is a wonderful book for anyone at any age. I have read it four or fives times since may father gave me his copy in 1957. His grandfather gave it to him in 1931, so the book has become somewhat of an heirloom. It is the view of a childhood that is quite a contrast to the video gaming, televison oriented life in which children grow up today. It may even make you wish you grew up with Henry Shute.

I have a 1903 edition (7th printing) that my mother (born 1911) read as a girl and passed on to me. I read it as a boy (1950's) and again recently (2004). It is an easy & enjoyable read for any age reader. It is a time-machine that will transport you to to the 1860's through the eyes of a young boy. You get his candid view of life, neighbors, family, events. Get it for yourself, your kids or a good friend. This is reading recreation and an escape from the 20th-21st centuries.

My grandmother had this book and it was the first book I had ever read in one sitting (at the age of ten!) My mother, sister and I would laugh about the misadventures of the characters as if they were our own friends.Now that both my grandmother and my mother are gone, my copy of the book sits in the bookcase with scrapbooks and picture albums. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

I was given a copy of this book when I was 11. I somehow lost my copy over the years. On my 60th. birthday, my sister gave me a copy that had a 1909 publishing date. After I broke out in tears, I vowed I wouldn't lose track of this one.

This book is all you will need for renal pathophys your 1st and 2nd years. It is small and doesn't look like much, but is extremely well written. THis is all I used for my 2nd year renal module (with a little robbins on the side), and I nailed the exam. I recommend for any med student.

Helps for reviewing material that is kind of obscure. I preferred reading Robbins Basis of Pathology to get a good glance at the material.

Excellent book as a primary text for both pre-clinical renal pathophys and clinical rotations. Highlights important clinical pearls and practical information for the medicine wards. Highly recommended.

This was readable over the 4-week renal block. It made a huge difference in learning physiology, which was covered during the first two weeks and apparently confused a good deal of my class. I didn't go to class and instead learned almost all the physiology from this book, and I did well above average.

Though the text can be a bit dense and overly wordy sometimes (Glomerulonephritides chapter), it does an excellent job at explaining pathophysiology. Pictures are in B&W though, so if you're just looking for nice slides, pick up Robbins. If you're looking to gain understanding, pick up this book.

I have read countless works covering the UFO phenomenon, but I haven't found one quite like this in some time. Though dated (not covering anything past 1955), this book reveals some of the most incredible UFO sightings ever reported by our military/civilian pilots.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in UFOs or the global conspiracy that still exists today.

Ruppelt was in a strange position, authorized by the Air Force to investigate UFOs, while, possibly, required not to tell all he knew or found out.
For example, he took the twenty best sightings--extensive ground and air visual reports matching radar records--to Wright Patterson AFB's tactical intel center. The analysts took the best ten and examined them. Absolutely controlled by intelligent direction, was the conclusion. And that was it. That's it!? If there was more to it than that, presumably he'd have said nothing about it at all. But still, incontrovertibly controlled by intelligent direction? And then he changes the subject. Perhaps he was as frustrated as the reader is. If that's all the information he had, that was all he could say.
He was unable to explain ("debunk") many of the sightings, but is careful to say that not being able to explain something doesn't mean it's an invading armada of Bug-Eyed Monsters.
Not too many years ago, the Air Force said--"claimed" for the folks who don't believe the Air Force--that they'd cleared 96% of unknowns not otherwise explained by relating them to known flights of U2 and SR71 flights, more than top secret at the time. The U2 may have figured in Ruppelt's later work, but he was out of the business before the SR71 came along. Nevertheless, this tells us a couple of things. One is that aircraft a generation ahead of anything we know can generate UFO sightings. Another is that when somebody says he saw something, maybe he did. Since these reports reported real aircraft. And we've always had something a generation ahead, under wraps, until it becomes known and then obsolete, but by then, there's another.
In another part of the book, he tells of convening a panel of mental health professionals. Must have had quite a budget for a major. The shrinks opined that the reason could be war nerves due to apprehension over imminent nuclear war. Mass hysteria, mass hallucinations. Correcting for the propensity of people to see things in terms of their own profession, this tells us something that those too young to recall might find interesting. The shrinks saw nothing wrong with positing that so many people were so actively scared of waking up dead one fine morning that they saw UFOs. It's not the UFOs that is the interesting part. It's that the shrinks believed, in their professional competence, that a significant part of the population was scared to death and that it wasn't an irrational fear. Ruppelt, writing in and of that time, didn't think to remark on it since he could expect his readers to understand, because they were living it.
Ruppelt talks about the famous Lubbock lights and the summer of UFOs around DC's airports.
The book will probably disappoint those seeking to validate the existence of extraterrestial visitors. Ruppelt either explains in mundane terms the sightings, dismisses them for lack of sufficient evidence, or simply admits there is no answer. But that doesn't mean XTs are the answer. It merely means he has no explanation.
Or no explanatioin he can put in the book, which is the killer for a reader.
What did he really know?
This is a page-turner, although written decades ago. It will explain some of the ways investigations are done, some of the difficulties encountered, and ground those who are too likely to see BEMs on every shooting star.

Rating: A
While the UFO phenomenon has died down in recent years, after all the publicity that The X-Files and shows of the sort generated for the forward thinking analytical scientist in us all, books of this sort are now a little easier to come by. This book is probably one of the best reads in my small collection of UFO and metaphysics books, and takes a very good and not too sceptical point of view on the whole UFO craze that began sweeping not only the United States, but the entire world in the late 1940's, and early 50's. Aimed to be more of a round up of gathered information, it is as we travel deeper into the book however that we begin to find that as the years went by on Project Blue Book, they devised new techniques to help prove whether these Flying Saucers were real or not. The only down side to the whole book in my opinion is the authors views and beliefs on whether or not he believes UFO's exist, which is presented in the last couple pages of this otherwise phenomenal book. Honestly, its almost like someone else wrote the last chapter, as Ruppelt has such an open mind throughout the whole project, but after having the project pretty much disbanded from his authority he takes an about face stance on the subject, which some might wonder was either his way to either confuse the leader, or make them think for themselves about the possibilites of what could actually be out there. By presenting us with all the useful information that they could possibly fit into this small but concise book, we are taken to all parts of the globe, but mostly throughout the United States, as the government seems to be trying to find the needle in the haystack awnser for just what in the hell is causing all of these bizarre occurences in our skys. Though the book is extremely old, and modern UFO books might be better (I'm not sure most of the UFO books I have are particularly old) no book I have cme across, has stated the facts for what they are and let the reader decipher for himself or herself on their point of view on the subject afterwards. An excellent read, that really expands your mind to look at all the possibilities out there.

Edward J. Ruppelt is no run of the mill UFO author. Ruppelt was the first 'chief' of the USAF Project Blue Book. Upon leaving that post and the service, he wrote this book telling the world what he and the USAF really thought about, and how they handled, the UFO phenomena. Ruppelt is the person who coined the phrase 'Unidentified Flying Object' (UFO) to filter out the negative and demeaning connotations that were associated with the term 'flying saucers.' This is a serious look at the UFO question in the early days from a man at the very center of the UFO investigations by the US military. I'm really surprised that I am the first to write a review for this most important and historic book.

Anyone with an interest in the subject of UFOs ***MUST*** read this book. This reprint edition preserves the original page numbers from the second edition so that the original work can be cited. The second edition includes three additional chapters of material so if you do decide to buy a used book make sure you find a second edition copy. Unfortunately, second editon copies are hard to come by which makes this second edition reprint all the more valuable a resource. Another nice aspect to this reprint edition is that the text is sharp and the paper is bright white which makes it very easy to read.

Eugenia Putman, "Miss Genie," is the lovable, respected, frequently honored head of Child Services, a woman with a special heart for the most damaged and hopeless children. Among her caseload are the crippled, the severely retarded, the blind, the legless, and the severely neglected. Throwaway children with little chance of improving their lot. And in grappling with their plight and their dearth of options, she talks herself into an extreme solution. One by one she kills them.

That's the plot in a nutshell, but the plot is only the beginning. Her struggles, her thought process, her elegant way of rationalizing the unthinkable, the graves in her back yard, and her ultimate downfall, make the most entertaining read I've encountered in a long time. The tale is elegantly crafted, beautifully written, gripping, and powerful. You will love these children, and you will love Miss Genie, in spite of everything.

Joallen Bradham is a talented writer with a special ear for language, for dialect, and for the nuances of feeling. To tell the truth, this book isn't for everyone--if you are squeamish about the ideas she portrays, you may not like the book. If you can detach just a bit, take it as it is, listen to the poetry--you will love it. I recommend Some Personal Papers highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

This novel is just as JoAllen herself said; "It's a quick read, and a long think."

The press may specialize in books about the South, but the book itself deserves the attention of readers everywhere. Those who read for significant, thought-rpvoking subject matter will find it. Those who read for artistic method will rejoice.

SOME PERSONAL PAPERS is the story of Eugenia Putman, an urban social worker, who must deal with some of the saddest stories of child abuse and neglect. Although she tries her best to remain objective, eventually her sense of duty turns her to taking matters into her own hands. With just a few days left before her conviction, she retells what she felt she had to do and why. The story is full of irony as Bradham creates a character who challenges our sense that right and wrong is always clear cut. The plot is suspenseful and the setting is key to the artistry in Bradham's prose. I taught the novel with great success over the last two years, and I highly recommend it.

Some Personal Papers, which recently garnered author, JoAllen Bradham, the Georgia Fiction Writer of the Year Award, is a must read. This exquisitely told story is about Eugenia Putman, "Miss Genie," a dedicated social worker who is forced to make choices regarding the children in her personal care that few of us could ever make. This is a case of when "doing what's best" is, without a doubt, a case of "doing what's worst," but for all of the right reasons. Although it has often been said that actions speak louder than words, Miss Genie's actions cannot even be considered without first reading her story in her own words, words that scream at you about the often painful experience that is life for many people, and particularly for children. This is a story you will not soon forget.

Yes, this is truly a great work of literature. For one, the unique, intimate descriptions of life on a small island off the west coast of Finland are exquisite. The writing captures so much of this maritime word in such sure, spare language, that the reader is placed there among the nordic flora, tasting and feeling the ocean, the sky. Nature binds this book together.

The other facet of this book is the relationship between the child, Sophia, and her Grandmother. We do not learn anything about the father, other than that he works at a desk, plants flowers, and skeins. We do learn early that the mother has died, but aside from its initial mention, it is never directly addressed again. Instead we get an oblique look at grief through the interactions between the two primary characters -- granddaughter and grandmother. Sophia deals with the loss primarily through questioning the natural world around her, observing and mourning the deaths of other small creatures, like mice and birds. In fact a lot of dead animals make an appearance in this work. The psychological portrayal of Sophia is astute, at times subtle. Perhaps the strongest part of the books is when she dictates a book to her grandmother about the death of a worm, which turns into a free-flow stream of conscious on death in general. Powerful stuff.

The grandmother seems less affected by the loss of Sophia's mother (her daughter-in-law?). She does not seem overly concerned with death, although she has to deal with its imminence daily through her own physical limitations, but more with the emotions of her granddaughter. She proves to be very tolerant and wise.

The book's ultimate power and brilliance rests heavily on the use of an old woman juxtaposed against a child. They are both confronting the mystery of existence, and their conversations and interactions reveal a deep longing to understand the eternal. A great book.

PS -- this reader felt that the illustrations added to the work, however the few with human characters seemed strangely off-putting.

I rejoice that this short work has come into print again, though it's rather sad that it took the author's recent death to prompt the publishers into action. I'd read an extract in a guide to the top 100 books of the twentieth century and was surprised and disappointed not to be able to get my hands on the full edition.

Jansson has an inate understanding of the wisdom and skewed world-view of children, and manages to capture the fragile - and ephemeral - friendship which can exist between the very old and the very young. There is a freshness about her style which never teeters into whimsy. A rare achievement indeed.

Mm, this is a beautiful, wonderful little book! It is a collection of little stories of a very small girl and her small grandmother going adventures on their little island in Sweden. So full of green things and little bites of happiness. The grandmother is oh so clever and says so many poignants to the girl. The girl is wise too. So full of joy.

As a child, Tove Jansson lived in summer on islands in the Gulf of Finland, and later she and her partner Tuulikki Pietilä lived on a small island called Klovharu. Jansson wrote many children books, including the Moomin series, and ten books for adults.

The plot of the most famous of her adult novels is very simple; an elderly artist and her six-year-old granddaughter Sophia spend the summer on a tiny island exploring and talking about everything but Sophia's mother's death and their love for each other. They wander, pick flowers, watch storms, take trips in a rowboat. The 22 short episodes create a unity: "On an island," thinks the grandmother, "everything is complete."

The interaction between Sophia and her grandmother is a clash of wills, Sophia stubborn, impetuous and supportive; her grandmother wise, unsentimental, on the edge of exhaustion, dizzy, fearful of losing her balance "the balance between survival and extinction was so delicate that even the smallest change was unthinkable".

"It was just the same long summer always, and everything lived and grew at its own pace."

The book has been a major best seller in Scandinavia since it was first published in 1972. Thomas Teal has produced a wonderful English translation. This new edition from NYRB Classics is beautifully printed and bound. This novel captures a summer growing "at its own pace."

Robert C. Ross 2008

This book was given to me by an uncommon friend and I enjoyed it very much. It is about the friendship between a grandmother and her young grandaughter who live on a bit of an island in Finland (?). The beauty and treasures discovered in the quiet lives they lead, finding joy in simple things and loving each other besides those petty annoyances of personality (they are very much alike). There are many "huggable" humorous moments. I think of one in which they trade cats--their cat is indifferent to the grandaughter's overtures and the one traded was much more warm and cuddly, but then (and I quote from the book).

"Hunt! Do something! Be like a cat!" And then she started to cry and ran to the guest room and banged on the door.
"What's wrong now?" Grandmother said.
"I want Moppy back!" Sophia screamed.
"But you know how it will be," Grandmother said.
"It'll be awful," said Sophia gravely. "But it's Moppy I love."

Hands down the most interesting 'behind the scenes' book I have ever read. Despite my thinking I knew alot of the background to the controversial development of the Superman movies this book has so much new information I couldn't stop reading it and knocked it off in 3 days. The history on the Reeves's Serial and Reeve's Film series is incredibly detailed (The 'Dinner with Brando' story is a highlight) while including an interesting commentary on how the charater's portrayal by hollywood relates to the character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. I had no idea the amount of grief they were put through by Warner so it is a very interesting read in terms of the ongoing legal battles between their respective estates and Warner.

The sections on Smallville and Superman Returns are unfortunately brief compared with the other parts of the book but that is a slight criticism on a book that was otherwise thoroughly engrossing. A very welcome addition to my superhero library.

This was a great book and a very quick read! It is also a very scary and eye-opening look into the world of Hollywood in general, not just with Superman. And it seems that anyone who's not a corporation who becomes associated with Superman projects historically gets screwed in some way. Sadly, it began with Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who unfortunately fought for their rights to the character until their deaths. (this was recently ruled in their favor, but sadly it went to their descendants so the two men didn't live to see their life long struggle victorious). Even the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons of the 1940's came with their share of bad luck for Max Fleischer who was forced to hand over profits made. Then, when George Reeves died mysteriously after participating in 1950's show, The Adventures of Superman, the legend of "The Superman curse" spread. When Richard Donner created his memorable Superman movies ,they were already mired in conflict with the studios which is why they degraded in quality until Superman IV killed the franchise for 20 years. And for all those Superman Returns nay-sayers, there was a whole load of crap that could have been made during those years, so I have a new appreciation for that movie. Overall, a great book which also goes into Smallville (for those of you who still watch).

This was one of the most enjoyable books about a comic icon that I have ever read. I won't bore you with what I liked as others posting reviews have done so already and much more thoroughly than I ever could...If you are a Superman fan, read this book. I am sure you will find many things you did not know. It was very hard to put it down. Enjoy

I was expecting a picture laden history of the large scale Superman movies from the 70's and eighties when I first thought about buying this book and was a little put out by the fact there were not a lot of pictures in it. However, the information inside the covers of this book was eye opening indeed and didn't need pictures to illustrate the point.

If you're looking for all the juicy, digging up the dirt on celebrities trivia on what went on behind the scenes in any of the incarnations of Superman, this really isn't the place to look.

If you're looking for a well researched history on all the trials and tribulations involved in getting Superman off the pages of comic books and up into the sky via radio serials, TV live action series and cartoons or cinemas, this is the book for you.

The author has dug deep and gathered together a wide cross section of information that shows just how hard it is to get a idea past the post. From writers who have no idea how to write the Superman character to studio execs who are only interested in the after market merchandising and how to save a few million dollars by compromising the vision.

The fact that Superman actually got to fly is pretty amazing.

I was so engaged that I read the book in a day instead of stretching it out. Lots of interesting info. The backstage in-fighting was fascinating and so were the accounts of the evolution of various Superman TV shows and movies. Since the other reviewers have hit a lot of the high points, and at the time that I purchased the book, no table of contents was attached, here's a breakdown of the subjects covered.

The first couple of chapters cover Bud Collyer,Kirk Alyn, and George Reeves, as you might expect. The middle section deals largely with the Salkinds, Richard Donner, Richard Lester, and Christoper Reeve; the making of Superman I-III. There's an excursion by one chapter into the Salkinds' Supergirl movie and it's effect on the Superman franchise. There are also scattered references throughout the book to the Batman TV shows/movies and that franchise's effects on Superman. Spiderman and other superhero movie/shows are referenced, but Batman gets the most page time.

The Cannon Group and Superman IV are also discussed. Then we move onto the Superboy TV show and more on the Salkinds. The next bit covers Lois & Clark and there's a brief visit to Bruce Timm's animated version of Superman. Smallville is also dealt with. Most of the latter portion of the book is about with the scripts, producers, and actors contemplated for various possible versions of a new Superman movie before Superman Returns was decided upon. Bryan Singer and the making of Superman Returns are also discussed.

On the whole, this is a very intriguing look. I wish the author had been less cursory in the discussions of Smallville and had gone into more detail with the animated versions of Superman, but I would recommend this book to any Superman fan.

Enhanced with more than 3,700 full color covers from America's most popular, iconic, and widespread weekly magazine, "TV Guide: The Official Collectors Guide" compiled by Stephen F. Hofer (Curator of the Philo T. Farnsworth Television History Center, Auburn, Indiana, and who himself is the owner of one of the largest collections of TV Guide magazines and memorabilia in the United States) covers all the national and regional digest size covers from April 10, 1953 to October 9, 2005. Included are TV Guide foldout covers, holographic covers, and multiple covers. For the antique dealer and hobbyist collector, each issue has the current secondary market prices listed. Featuring memorable quotes from TV Guide and from television shows, "TV Guide: The Official Collectors Guide" is more than a price guide compendium, (and a superb history of the magazine itself), it is also a very highly recommended tour of American television programming through more than fifty years of popular culture.

I was so happy to receive the TV Guide Official Collector's Guide, it is a great publication!! It has a lot more information than I expected - comments by stars over the years and much more!! It is very colorful and I will enjoy reading it for years to come. My 45 year old son has a collection of TV Guides and I know he will be interested in seeing the publication to see if the ones he has are valuable! Thank you

This book has several major flaws. For a start, there is no index. The only way to locate covers with your favorite stars or shows is to browse the pages year-by-year.

The price guide only gives values for "mint condition" issues, with no guidelines for how to adjust value for copies in less than mint condition. (Most collectors' guides give a range of prices based on condition.)

It would have been nice if they had included some lists, such as: the most valuable issues; issues with multiple covers; people who have appeared on the most covers; etc. All of these things are mentioned in the text, but there is no way to look them up except by browsing every listing.

Despite these flaws, this is still an invaluable book for collectors, because of it's comprehensive checklist.

The episode of Seinfeld where Frank Costanza was noted to be a collector of TV Guide pretty much cemented that publication's place in the lore of pop culture. Now, from Bangzoom publishers comes "TV Guide" the official Collector's Guide. A lot of collector's books claim to be the only book you'd ever need to own but this one truly fits the bill. With over 3700 pictures, and every national and regional TV Guide cover pictured from 4/10/1953 through 10/19/2005 this is truly the ultimate resource for not only collectors, but fans of the magazine as well.

With a foreward by senior TV Guide editor Michael Davis, the book provides info geared towards the collector on where to buy, grading, and preserving your TV Guide collection. The cover subjects are what drives the price of back issues with the very first issue featuring the baby Desi Arnaz Jr. being the most valuable. While I've never collected TV Guide I was a long-time Comic Book collector and basically TV Guides should be kept and stored the same way...in protective bags and ideally in acid free storage boxes.

The guide provides a 19 page history of the magazine as well as a look at TV shows and trends by decade from the 40's through the 2000's; everything from Milton Berle and Howdy Doody to Lost and American Idol. I was born in the 1960's and love many of the shows from that era even though I didn't watch many in their initial runs. It wasn't until syndicated re-runs in the 1970's that I came to adore shows such Bewitched, Gomer Pyle, and Green Acres. As noted in the book, The Brady Bunch was never a top-rated show, but you'd hardly know that since it has gone on to become one of the most syndicated shows in history and a true TV legend.

Next up is 213 pages which show each of those covers from 1953 through 2005 in full color and it's like a trip on a wonderful time machine to page through the decades to see many of the actors and shows that you remember so fondly, and many you may have forgotten such as The Governor and J.J. One TV Guide trend that seems to have ended some time in the early 80's was featuring Santa Claus on the cover of a December issue. The book concludes with a 68 page index and value guide for each issue and doubles as a handy checklist for collectors.

Whether you are storing issues away chronologically like Frank Costanza, or just have a life long love of TV, you are certain to find something to enjoy in this fabulous book.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

A mind-bending, if not surreal, parade of TV trivia presented week by week, year by year, era by era. Every single TV Guide cover is shown in true color, from April '53 to the first mag-size issue from autumn of last year. They're arranged as text would be on each page, left-to-right, top-to-bottom and IN ORDER on each page, dated and readily viewable. They even include full displays of all fold-out covers, as well as every version of each multiple cover, such as the one which had to be updated at Michael Landon's death, different regional sport-season previews, and the 25-cover tribute to all the Star Trek cast.

The book is in 3 main sections:
1) A 26-page section of blurb overseeing the history of TV Guide and background trivia of many of the covers
2) The section displaying the covers themselves, and
3) A listing of all covers (with dates and captions) and their collectible worth in mint condition.

It is bound in durable yet manageable paperback binding.

Anyone can invent their own TV trivia diversions just by scanning through this book (i.e. what are the earliest covers featuring people who are still alive? or Who has appeared the most times? or How did TV Guide handle documentarial times and issues [JFK's assassination, 9-11, the advent of cable & PBS etc.], or When did one televion era end, and another begin? and the like). The price list section also serves as an easier-to-count ready-reference of all the cover headings.

Mad Magazine presented a similar, also top-rate, timeline of all their covers a few years ago upon the advent of their 400th issue. The first such resource to incorporate all the TV Guide digest covers certainly doesn't disappoint.

I had read a couple of biographies of Tycho Brahe years ago, but never anything on Johannes Kepler except the bare-bones discoveries that made him famous. This book was a well-conceived and well-written biography of both men. Starting with Tycho and his observations and ending with Kepler and his discoveries based on Tycho's data, the book interleaves their lives in the middle where they were contemporaries. What a shame that Tycho died only a year or so after taking Kepler on board. It's interesting to speculate what might have happened if Tycho had lived. But he didn't, and Kepler's brilliant use of Tycho's data made them both famous and greatly advanced the science of astronomy. Thruout, you can see astronomy splitting away from astrology and leaving it in the dust.

Kitty Ferguson tells the tail of the unique and often humorous relationship between Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe that led to some of the greatest astronomical discoveries of our time. Going against the common belief of the geocentric universe, Kepler changes the world forever with the essential help of Brahe's observation on the heavens. Although the result of their relationship is extraordinarily beneficial to astronomy, the relationship is not as peaceful as one would think. Ferguson makes this evident throughout the story and gives numerous examples of their feuding and bickering over their work together. It reminded me of a 17th century spin off of the odd couple. Both informative and entertaining, this book covers everything from Brahe's golden nose to Kepler robbery of Brahe's information and is definitely worth reading if you are interested in the subject.

Tycho and Kepler: The Unlikely Partnership That Forever Changed Our Understanding of the Heavens, by Kitty Ferguson, is a 402-page dedication to two astronomical greats of the early seventeenth century, Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. Beginning with an examination of the society into which Brahe was born, the book traces him throughout his childhood and adulthood, from the building of Uraniborg, Brahe's astronomical observatory on the island of Hven to his banishment from the kingdom of Denmark. Not until nearly the hundredth page is Kepler discussed, but from that point forward, tales from each man's life are alternated. It seems that more time is devoted to Brahe. The two stories come together when the men meet, and it follows them together from that point forward. When Brahe passes away, the focus immediately and entirely shifts to Kepler and follows him to the end of the book. The story comes to an abrupt finish with Kepler's death, though the volume also contains three appendices explaining and elaborating on complex astronomical terms discussed in the body of the book.
I think Ms. Ferguson decided to recount this story because she was interested in both astronomy and history. From reading the book, one can feel the interest the author has in the subject matter. While reading this book, I became interested in the topic as well, but sometimes felt a bit lost. Occasionally, it seemed that she went too much in depth on certain topics, such as the construction of Uraniborg, which she described in great detail. In general, however, Kitty Ferguson seems to like enjoy writing about this topic, and conveys her enthusiasm in her writing.
This is a good book. I read it for a school assignment, and was not especially interested in the topic at hand at first, though I rapidly became drawn into the story. I only grew bored of the book when it began to explain complex astronomical concepts. While all ideas were explained in full and in understandable language, accompanied by appropriate pictures and diagrams, it was still somewhat tedious for someone not especially knowledgeable about astronomy to wade through. The flow of the book is excellent. It never felt rushed, and the transitions between sections focusing on each scientist were smooth. The one thing that I really disliked about this book was its sudden ending. It ends at Kepler's death; it does not even mention the impacts of Brahe and Kepler's work on later scientists. Despite this inadequacy, I was left with a good impression of Ms. Ferguson's book, and with much more knowledge about astronomy, Tycho Brahe, and Johannes Kepler than I had when beginning to read this book.

An amazing and inspirational account of one of the greatest stories in the history of science. Extremely well written and scholarly. I have average reading skills but at times found the book impossible to put down. In spots I had to stop reading it because emotions took over. The best book I ever read about the classical scientists.

Tycho & Kepler - The Unlikely Friendship that Forever Changed Our Understanding of the Heavens is, for the most part, an excellent novel and easy read. Although it is a little confusing and dry at the times when complex astronomical concepts are being explained, they are outweighed by the wealth of historical accounts and gratuitous, but juicy tidbits. For instance, besides explaining the extensive instruments that Tycho built, Ferguson offers that he was also the first Dane to write a poem in Latin, that he had a twin that died at birth, and his aunt and uncle kidnapped him from his parents who wanted a girl and didn't much care. As for Kepler, not only did he develop the Harmonic theory, but had a miserable marriage, a mother accused and tried for witchcraft, and was the first author of a science fiction novel. Kitty Ferguson thus tells the life stories of the astronomers Tycho and Kepler in an informative, educational, yet narrative and interesting way. She effectively spans the 20-year gap between Tycho and Kepler by beginning the book describing Tycho's childhood and indeed his life exclusively up until the advent of a comet on December 27, 1571. Ferguson explains that, when Tycho saw the comet, he was out at one of his 60 manmade fish ponds on his estate at the Danish Isle of Hven, catching fish for dinner that evening. Meanwhile Kepler saw the same comet, but he was only five, and it was during a rare warm moment that he shared with his mother on a hilltop in Leonberg. Thus Kepler enters the story. For the rest of the book, Ferguson fluidly integrates the two men's lives, switching back and forth in an understandable, connected way. She eventually merges the two stories in a dynamic, functional manner, and shows how they used each other, and that many of their final results were synthesized versions of their combined efforts. Basically, Tycho provided excruciatingly accurate data that Kepler confirmed mathematically and extrapolated on. Kepler could have never figured out all that he did with out Tycho's data; he had bad eyesight and could not observe the sky he so dearly slaved for. It was because Tycho initially mistrusted Kepler that Kepler received only slight amounts of data that Kepler discovered that planetary orbits are elliptical - Tycho gave him only data on Mars, which happens to have the most extreme elliptical orbit, otherwise Kepler never would have noticed. Tycho also used Kepler to advance his own work and complete (among other things) the Rudolfine Tables, which are not merely the positions of planets, but guides to figure out what positions they are in at any time, (now, 586 years ago, or one thousand years into the future). The aptly-named chapters are elegantly punctuated with helpful pictures, like paintings of people discussed, illustrations of instruments, maps of the places mentioned, explanatory diagrams, and more. There are also obliging appendixes in the back, explaining astronomical terms (even though they are well-explained in the reading), and an index.
Just as the accomplishments of these men were great, so were their lives, which is probably why Kitty Ferguson felt compelled to tell the story of them. I would highly recommend it, even if you do not much care for astronomy.

Galveston, Texas is the sight of our nation's worst natural disaster in our history. Ron Rozelle summered in Galveston as a child and that began his fascination with the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. He was driven to tell the story in a manner that was true to history and striking enough to recreate the terror of those in the path of this storm. This book is a fictionalized account of the Galveston Hurricane of September 1900. While the weather events are factual. The people he portrays are a mixture of real people and those that Mr. Rozelle created to add depth and heart to his story. His research into the facts of the hurricane's ferocious assault of Galveston and the utter destruction of life and property is vividly portrayed. The characters bring a rawness of emotion, making the reality of the vast loss achingly real. This is a realistic and intense tale of Mother Nature in full fury.

I've been to Galveston and took tours of the many homes the author listed in this book and knew the streets and the very railroad tracks/beach areas he spoke of, but even if I hadn't been there, the author writes in a way that will makes you *feel* like you ARE there, as the story progresses.

I have read MANY books on this storm and I can safely say THIS BOOK "The Windows of Heaven" has got to be the best researched, investigated and well written book i have ever read and come across.

It's not all statistics, and weather, he writes of survivors and their lives that led up to that fateful day so you actually feel as if you're reading an ansestors diary or as if the people actually sat down and told him the stories.

His imagination is also so realistic that you walk away believing every single word he wrote although clearly some of it [like the drowning peoples viewpoints] couldn't have came from anyone.

It's a book that has SOLD me on the author RON ROZELLE'S talents and is a book that should be carried by all Texas schools and educational systems everywhere, as mandatory reading of what that night must have been like.

It left me feeling as if I had been there and suffered along with everyone--and in spite of the heartache and despair I actually felt sorrow when the story ended, and I faced the fact that I would never be a part of these peoples lives ever again.

If you don't read this book you will never know how lacking the others are and will miss out on an excellent example of great writing--destiny will deem this a classic in due time--trust me.

Ron Rozelle did a wonderful job writing this book. It is a well written piece of history. This storm event was the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. Mr. Rozelle paid tribute to the people that died during and in the days following this storm. He also paid tribute to the survivors. There were a lot of sub plots happening during the time, an Mr. Rozelle did a good job incorporating them in just the right place. This book is well worth reading. I highly recommend it.

The events that transpired in September, 1900 have been too long forgotten in the annals of American natural disasters. Ron Rozelle has painted a picture that very accurately describes the horror and heroism that occurred when one of the most intense hurricanes virtually destroyed Galveston and claimed upwards of 10,000 lives. I discovered this book after reading the recent release Isaac's Storm, a non-fiction telling of the storm and also highly recommended. Ron Rozelle has fleshed out the story without damaging the historical accuracy and brings to us a harrowing story of the people who watched their town literally dissapear beneath the waves. Very highy recommended!

Ron Rozelle's second book is a well-done blend of fact and fiction. He uses many actual people and events from the Storm of 1900, the worst natural disaster in the history of the US. He writes sketches of the lives of several characters in a flash-back format and then switches to the current time, describing the coming of the storm and the blase manner in which the people approached it. Weather forecasting was in its infancy, and no one on Galveston Island realized the full impact of the pending storm. Residents had ridden out many a storm and didn't look at this potent killer in any different way from the storms which had come before. Galveston's lack of preparation and failure to build a seawall resulted in terrible destruction of life and property. Rozelle uses these elements to create a story in which the reader learns to care about the characters and then watches the courage with which they faced this catastrophe. This is a very moving book and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in this subject.

This is a biography about a blues singer named Honeyboy Edwards who was a contemporary of blues legend the late Robert Johnson. I became interested in his history when I saw a documentary on Robert Johnson's life containing interview footage of Honeyboy Edwards. The lives of musicians in the 20's, 30's and 40's tend to be fascinating and this is no exception. It is a great read.

AS A BLUES HISTORIAN AND GUITAR COLLECTOR I HAVE MANY BLUES RELATED BOOKS IN MY COLLECTION. THIS BOOK HOWEVER MUST RATE AT THE TOP OF THE PILE. WHAT FANTASTIC FLOWING STORY LINES, MAKING IT HARD TO PUT DOWN. IT GIVES A GREAT INSIGHT INTO THE WAY OF LIFE IN THOSE EARLY DAYS OF THE BLUES. THE PLACES HE HAS SEEN AND THE PEOPLE WHO HE GOT TO KNOW & MEET IS JUST MIND BLOWING. ANYONE WHO IS NOT BLUES MINDED SHOULD READ THIS BOOK JUST TO UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT WAS IN THOSE DAYS JUST TO LIVE AND PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.(I BET HE THOUGHT EVERONE IN THE MODEN WORLD WAS SOFT)TRULY ENJOYABLE.

Fans of blues music and musicians will relish this autobiography of Delta bluesman Edwards, which charts his rise to fame and his survival in a critical musical world. His first-person observations of the changing blues style and field are especially meaningful given that so many blues titles are not written by participants in the field.

Honey and his astute collaborators have given us the genuine article: a poignant, detailed, uproarous chronicle of what Robert Palmer called the"Deep Blues," the Delta tradition from which all other blues styles emanate. If you've heard Honey sing either in person or on his fine recordings, you will hear the voice you read. He offers dozens of unforgettable moments, from the first sounds he ushers from a broken-necked guitar to his mother's death to the death of Robert Johnson, that are alive and chilling. My only criticism is that the photographs featured in the book are spartan, contemporary views of critical sites in this artist's life. More historical photography would have enhanced the text. The publisher of this well-designed softcover has made the text relaxingly readable. After my first 50 pages, I wanted to purchase all of Honey's recordings and read more about him. He is an articulate, funny, precise chronicler of his own life. If only I could do the same with my own life! First rate.

This autobiography succeeds memorably on several levels. Told in spare, moving words, it provides a vivid picture of life in the Mississippi Delta long before the civil rights movements of the '50s. In addition, it's a kind of African-American "On the Road," told from the perspective of one who crisscrossed the Southern United States, scuffling to make a living playing the blues. And finally, it's a terrific history of the blues, told by a man who made a significant musical contribution himself and who played with nearly all the essential artists of the '30s and on.

Edwards, born in the Delta around 1915, worked the fields as a kid before he learned to play the guitar and began hoboing around the South. He rode the rails, played in innumerable small towns, and polished his craft. Along the way, he hung out and played with the likes of Sunnyland Slim, Big Walter Horton, Little Walter Jacobs, Robert Junior Lockwood, Muddy Waters, B.B. King and yes, Robert Johnson. The book describes how these architects of the modern blues passed songs, licks, and stories back and forth, keeping a form that relies so heavily on tradition dynamic and vital.

A major strength of the book is Edwards' distinctive voice, transcribed by his collaborators to retain its distinctive rhythms and dialect. The book's title sums up his attitude. His memories include violent death, physical and emotional loss, and great material want. Still, you sense strongly that he wouldn't have had his life any other way. His narrative is devoid of self-pity, but it never glosses over the difficulty of the times he endured, which included stints in prison.

The book concludes with useful appendices that define key terms and offer capsule biographies and discographies of musicians Edwards encountered. A good bibliography is also included. Highly recommended for those interested in the blues and in American social history. Great read.