California Books

Believe those of us who know Mr. Clem and his family - this book is true, comes straight from the heart, and was written to help others going through the same battles with addiction in their families, as well as to help in the healing process. Mr. Clem spends his time (and money) selflessly helping others, and wrote this book with that intent. He does not need to show pictures of Carren at rock bottom, or to prove that it actually happened. Anyone that lives in Northwest Montana, knows first-hand what he and his family have been through. Read the book, and be thankful if your own family doesn't have to go through this. Ron Clem's only agenda is to help others with what he has learned. Read the book, you will not be sorry, and you might be all the wiser.

This is not a book I wanted to read - but my wife talked me into it. I also live, like the Clems, in Montana and have always felt this is a very safe environment. The Clems do a fabulous job of showing both sides of the drama - that of the daughter and the father. As a father, I can relate to his side of the story better and I appreciate how Ron puts his mistakes in the book as well as what he did right. I found myself thinking "that's exactly what I would do..." as I read about his reaction to first picking Carren up after she had been raped. The painfully explicit and eye-opening description of the fall-out from that reaction has caused me to have a number of difficult but necessary conversations with my own daughters, some of whom are now teenagers.

I am most appreciative of and impressed by Carren and Ron for being willing to share such a painful story - pain that must be re-felt each time they talk about the experience or in writing the book. By sharing their pain, they may have helped me avoid the mistakes they made and know how to better help one of my daughters, if ever the same circumstances find us in our "safe" Montana home. It also gives me hope that despite the unbelievable process, Ron and Carren have re-created the bonds of father and daughter. The book helped my children - boys included! - realize the amount of pain to everyone around them their own drug use would cause. I think it opened their eyes as well and cut through a lot of the "sales hype" drug users or sellers would tell them.

One can only hope. I encourage every parent and teenager to read this book - they may not like what they read, but it could well save their life and that of those around them.

Loss of Innocence is one of the best and most compelling books I have ever read. After I found out my daughter was a meth addict and later came to find out the tragic circumstances surrounding her addiction, I began searching for books about drug addiction. Loss of Innocence is by far the best I found. The books makes very effective use of offering contrasting perspectives of the father versus the daughter. Neither one knows the whole story that is unfolding. While I could relate to the father's perspective, it was most helpful to see the daughter's.
Loss of Innocence is a must-read for every parent or future parent of a teen. It points out how parents can seemingly do everything right and a child can still be victimized by a very evil world. This book provides invaluable information on detecting drug abuse. Oh how I wish I had read this book sooner than I did.
This book helped my daughter and I to heal. Loss of Innocence will most assuredly save thousands of lives and families. Parents think something like drug abuse will never happen to their children or family. Please read this book so that you will not be as ignorant as I was.

No child comes with a "How To Raise" manual; parents do the best they can with the tools THEY have from their own life's experience. I greatly admire this family. When they realized they were in trouble, a comprehensive search began to find ways to correct the problem. Carren is no different then Teens anywhere in America in this day and age, in that she chose to take her own way. For every choice there is a consequence and these parents had the courage to make new choices to save their child's life. There is pain, suffering, laughter and positive growth between the covers of Loss of Innocense; this is a must read for every citizen! We all are involved with our youth in some way and this book gives great insight into positive interaction. We CAN make a difference!

This story was so amazing, I couldn't put it down. I have never written a review before, but this book compelled me to do so. This story is too true of so many of our teens today, and so many parents don't know what to do or how to help. Ron (the father) shows incredible courage and strength in trying to bring his daughter back. He refused to give up, and for most teens that is what it takes. I have recommended this book to everyone I talk to. I loved the way the story told both points of view - Carren's and Ron's. Carren is also a strong and brave individual, her story is chilling, yet shows her incredible determination on both sides of addiction. I love that they told their story together for the rest of us to read and learn about addiction, teen troubles and parents who fight for their teens. The support network and the programs like the one Carren went to in Jamaica are real and amazing. They are committed to making a difference for our teens, one child at a time. I am glad they were mentioned in the book. I absolutely love this book!!

I bought this to read for a class, but was taken aback by how good this book was. An excellent read for anyone.

Like a lot of university educated folks, I heard in Psych 101 that once you hit your teens, your capacity to learn languages takes such a nosedive that if you haven't learned by then, you'll never be better than "Me Tarzan, you Jane" no matter how hard you try. I'm not ashamed of accepting this "language expiration date" -- there was no reason not to, and besides, it tracked with my own frustration learning foreign languages. For decades, I accepted this Psych 101 nugget without question.

When I started reading A Man Without Words, I had no idea my old Psych 101 nugget's days were numbered. I heard about the book as something a fan of Oliver Sacks would enjoy, and I associated it with Oliver Sack's book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, about neurological dysfunction, not Sacks's Hearing Voices, about the deaf. I assumed until I started reading that the "man without words" was aphasic -- had brain damage that prevented him from understanding language. Turns out, though, the book's namesake is deaf and poor and had simply, at 27, never been taught any language. No one had ever bothered. Susan Schaller then proceeded to overturn the Psych 101 sacred cow I never knew I had by describing how she taught this young man the beginnings of ASL over the course of a few weeks. Then, so I couldn't think of him as a freak or fraud, Schaller goes on to show that many deaf people receive no language training and can also be taught to sign long after the Psych 101 "language expiration date."

Schaller claims that almost every deaf teacher, and most hearing teachers, of ASL know of adults who have grown up without language. While her book is anecdotal and therefore fundamentally unscientific, she makes a passionate plea for academic study of the acquisition of language by adults, which makes her more plausible than those who would brush science aside where it does not prove their case. A Man Without Words is a powerful request, and a strong basis, for further research in this area.

A Man Without Words is also very well written. Schaller is both artful and precise in her descriptions of sign idioms and grammar, to the point that I, who know little of sign other than what I read here and in Hearing Voices, felt I understood what I needed to and enjoyed learning it. Her narrative case study is better written than many novels, and besides being fascinated by the information Schaller imparts, I also became submerged in the story.

Learning that something I believed for decades may be dead wrong gives me a feeling of loss of equilibrium (I got the feeling a lot when I first started reading about urban legends). No matter how skeptical I try to be, I always seem to be assuming something. A Man Without Words is a convincing argument for skepticism about the "language expiration date," and it raises concerns that the "expiration date" idea may make us give up up too quickly on languageless adults. It is also a fascinating read as a story, which makes the loss of equilibrium easier to take. Now I just hope that since this book was published in the nineties, someone in academia has taken the hint and done some study on linguistic development in adults. I'm off to cruise the Web to find out -- which, I'm sure, is just the kind of reaction Schaller was hoping for.

This book really opened my eyes to the world of adults without a communication system. I just took for granted the fact that everyone had a way of communicating when in fact, this book shows clearly that there are many who don't have just that. In addition, this book is a real page turner and packs a lot of interesting information in just a little over 200 pages.

Wow! A must-read for parents of deaf children, linguists, and SLP's. The author expertly describes the isolating effects life without a shared language. She tells the story of a deaf man who grew up in a poor town in Mexico. The man was never provided any education and was never taught how to communicate. At the start of the story, the man uses only gestures and miming to express himself. He lacks the concept of "language" --a system of symbols (spoken words, manual signs, or written text) that can be used to express an individual's thoughts & experiences and be understood by a whole community of people. The author recounts her struggle to figure out how to teach language and the man's struggle to learn. In addition, she clearly articulates the need for social change, the need to develop resources & programs for teaching the many languageless deaf adults who exist today. While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I found that the numerous quotes throughout the book detract from the overall story. In this respect, the book seems somewhat like a hybrid --it is a positive & triumphant story of two people embarking upon a difficult journey with no map to guide them, AND it is an informal dissertation on the needs of an overlooked segment of the deaf population. Either way, it is a great story and is well-worth reading.

I've read many of the previous case studies of languagelessness in children. We studied Genie and the Wild Boy of Aveyron in an education class on language and it's place in education. This was my introduction to this particular group of disenfranchised, neglected, and abused people...except I thought it was all children usually discovered in late childhood (around age 13). From my neuroscience classes I remember being taught that the brain continues neuronal growth (to targeted synapses in the brain) until about age ten, then begins to cut back. This was supposedly an explanation for why language learning is so difficult later in life. So coming across this book, with its story concerning adults with no obvious psychiatric problems (just a physical difference in lacking hearing) who had managed to survive to adulthood with no language, came as a complete surprise.

This book got put aside as I had to read other books for school and work, but I picked it up again and finished it. Schaller basically is providing a qualitative study, a case study, to draw attention to this apparent problem. This method of educational research is used more and more in writing dissertations, and I actually didn't recognize what it was until I took a qualitative research class myself. The writing and book tend at first to repeat itself. I am not sure what Schaller was doing in writing this way. Perhaps the book had to be a certain length or she felt readers might not pay attention to the seriousness of this problem for Ildefonso and other adults without language. This repetition caused the first half of the book to drag a bit.

After I picked the book up again, I finished it in two days. The addition of the search for other adults with no primary language, Schaller's introduction to other adults like Ildefonso, and then her search for Ildefonso really added to the pace of the case study.

This book throws a bit of a wrench in much of the things I have been taught in both neuroscience and education. There are a few things the book illustrates better than any other book I've read on this topic. First, given the amount of adults who were deaf and had no language that Schaller found in Southern California really illustrates this has to be a major problem internationally. If we are finding such a large group in our nation which pushes education and literacy, what about in countries such as China where there are many deaf (due to overuse of gentamycin) and there are many people with no access to education. Second, again, we obviously don't know everything there is to know about the pliability of the brain. Third, I am very concerned about discrimination against this group, and the possibilities that there are many of these people in psychiatric wards or prisons or other institutions, merely because they have no way to assert their rights. This possibility would be criminal.

I'd like to see more books by Schaller on this topic, and hope to learn more about this in the future. For the most part, this is a great book, and it definitely is a great story which needed to be told.
Karen Sadler
Science Education
University of Pittsburgh

Another entertaining installment in the McAfee Twins mystery series. I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed the first. These books are too much fun!

If you like the genre of humorous mystery, you should also try the "In High Heels" series by Gemma Halliday.

> The red-headed twin PIs are at again. In a fast-paced, action-packed
> story, they manage to save a plane from terrorists and come off
> wearing bags over their heads to trying to keep their rich aunt and
> idler cousin from being charged with murder by an eager-beaver prosecutor.
>
> They look guilty to any and all when a headless corpse is found in one
> of aunt's rugs and the cousin turns up carrying the head but he can't
> remember how he got it. Involved in this messy situation are the
> denizens of the posh Malibu Canyon area. Will the girls be able to
> ferret out the killer or could they become his or her next victims.
>
> Add a cult of the rich and famous who believe in alien abduction to
> the tale and you have a tongue-in-cheek tale that will have you
> wanting to ride with the girls on your own pink Harley. The cast of
> fun characters includes producers who take advantage of starlets and
> those who want to join the movie star fraternity, trophy wives, cast
> off wives, and other members of filmdom's population, a cross section
> of that world that will have you laughing even as you consider the
> seriousness of the murder.
>
> A fun read that I'm pleased to recommend to any mystery fan who enjoys
> a lighthearted look at life in the fast lane. Beware the coke
> snorters and settle back for some enjoyable hours.
>
> Enjoy. I sure did.

After enjoying The Butcher of Beverly Hills so much, I couldn't wait to read this book. I hoped Colt wouldn't lose her touch, and she doesn't disappoint. She's a clever plotter and a pro at creating realistic dialogue and quirky characters. The fun starts immediately and never lets up, keeping you guessing the whole time. I look forward to The Vampire of Venice Beach, and hope that Colt has more Kerry and Terry adventures in store for her readers. Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series will find plenty to like here, but Colt has created an original series that can stand on its own merits. Skeptics might also enjoy the plot's zings at certain well-funded alien-centric Hollywood religions...

I absolutely LOVED round two with the twins. The plot was creative... surprising, compelling-- and just beyond my radar. The characters all grow but still have the same great dynamic. I was kept guessing, and laughing all the way through. I thought I had it-- then, No. But it always twisted better than I could have guessed. The dialogue is fast paced, clever and kind of liberating. The girls ride around on a pink Harley and get things done. I found myself smiling outloud (if one can do that) many times throughout. ;-)

Double the fun! Twin sisters Kerry and Terry McAfee are PIs in Los Angeles. You can't miss them with their bright red hair and hot-pink Harley. They are a hoot!

Their rich aunt Reba finds a decapitated body in her new Malibu beach house. Detective John Boatright, the hunky detective Kerry is interested in, arrives to investigate. Then in walks their cousin Robert with a blonde-haired head in a mesh bag. He has no idea where he's been. Soon both Robert and Reba are confessing to the murder and end up in jail.

Terry and Kerry know they have to find the murderer to clear their cousin and aunt. In the process, they end up involved with Malibu movie producers, actors, cultists, and visitors from outer space. Can they sort through all the possible suspects and find the killer without putting themselves in danger and before Robert and Reba are convicted?

This series is fabulous. I just discovered it and can't wait to read the next book, The Vampire Of Venice Beach. There's also the first in the series, The Butcher Of Beverly Hills. I hope these girls will be around a long time. The writer has such great wit. I ended up laughing out loud many times from their antics. Kerry and Terry are quite different and that's what makes this work so well.

I highly recommend this book and series.

I lived in Scheelite from about 1954 to 1957 while my Dad worked at the mine. I really didn't know much about the mine or history related to it until I read the book. I enjoyed the book because: it covered the entire history of the mine, provided a good overview of all aspects of the operation, and shared some interesting events that happened. The pictures were greatly appreciated and the author's style kept me reading. Maybe I'm biased due to my personal connection so I gave it a 5.

The book's cover is wonderful and my husband loves it. He told me that it brings back many memories of his childhood, when his family lived near the mine, where his dad and elder brothers worked.

The book tells it just as he remembers his life up there. The most often retold story of his is, when the school burned down, do to a heater.

The book is well written and I myself have a better understanding, how life was many years ago. So many men worked up there in the mine.

this is a wonderful book with a rich history of the land and people of the pine creek mine. I highly recommed this book to anyone that likes to travel around Mammoth, CA

My dad, uncle, and grandfather all worked in this mine from about 1953 into the mid 1960's. We lived in Scheelite when I was very young, and then in Red Houses, and Rovana. I went to Round Valley Elementary school. It was a wonderful life..and this book brought back many wonderful happy memories, and made me wonder what happened to so many people I used to know!!!!!
It is a good read for anyone..not just those of us who lived it!!!
Theresa

I was born and raised in Bishop. My Dad worked at Union Carbide in the 1930's and my husband worked there in the early 70's. I went to High School with kids from Rovana, including the author's brother, Danny. The mine was just a part of our everyday lives. This book represents a history of this area of the High Sierras that few people are aware of and I will read it again and again!!
Vickie Keough Taylor

The subtitle of this book could be "Love Is All There Is." Yet the characters in Mourners struggle without love. In the absence of love, they become brittle, unhappy, and bitter.

Like Nightcrawlers, this novel is about the three detectives in Nameless's agency, Nameless, Tamara Corbin, and Jake Runyon. Nameless is dealing with a suddenly cold and remote Kerry, his wife. Tamara Corbin is in agony over her lost boy friend. Jake Runyan is still in mourning for his second wife and in emotional pain due to his estrangement from his son, Joshua.

They are asked to trail a successful investment manager, James Troxell, how has taken to ignoring his work and his wife. It soon becomes apparent that Troxell is addicted to attending funerals and visiting grave sites. What's that all about?

The answers reveal some very dark secrets that are not easily brought to light for safe consumption.

You'll be haunted by this book and its powerful references to the noir tradition of detection. You'll also feel closer than ever to the characters in the book as you share their hurt through reading about their pain.

At the end, you'll come away with a deeper appreciation for the good things in your life. You won't want to trade your life with anyone in this book.

Mourners is Bill Pronzini's thirtieth entry in the Nameless P.I. series which has a bust in the Pantheon of P.I.s. Nameless (now going by "Bill") is probably in his 60s, married to Kerry, and has an adopted daughter Emily who is growing up too fast. His awkward fatherly "sex talk" with her is a classic scene. Yes, Nameless as a family man reveals a gentler, funnier side -- the result of mellowing age. In this case, the affluent financial consultant James Troxell attends all funerals of women who've died violently (thus the book's title). Naturally Troxell's wife is alarmed and hires Nameless to find out just why this erratic behavior. Nameless soon uncovers a women's brutal murder and her distraught sister. The P.I. firm's other two workers, Tamara Corbin and Jake Runyon, inject the subplots of their personal lives. Tamara is getting over her old boyfriend. Runyon does much of the heavy detective work, and his sections give the story its gritty, hardboiled flavor. The prose remains lean and vivid. I've read enjoyed reading all the titles, and Mourners is as good as any.

I always look forward to the release of a new Pronzini book. This one did not disappoint.

The "Nameless" agency team knows about separation and death. "Nameless" friend and partner committed suicide, Jake Runyon's wife died of cancer and Tamara's love has moved to Philadelphia. The agency has been hired, by his wife,to follow James Troxell. Rather than another woman, they find he is attending the funerals of women who have been raped and murdered. At a cemetery, Jake sees a young woman who reminds him of his late wife and who's sister was a victim. What is Troxell's connection to these victims?

Pronzini is such a fine writer. He takes, what could be, a basic mystery and layers it with text that deepens and enriches the plot. On the top level, this is a very good mystery. It leads the reader on a fascinating trail finding out exactly what the object character is up to. The sense of place, dialogue and suspense are all very well done. You become involved with all the characters and care about them. Even the minor, and somewhat unlikable, characters are ones you recognize. On a second level is the story of grief and mourning; it's many forms and the impact it has on various people's lives. I can't' say enough about this book. I am ready for the next in the series, and determinedly looking for the ones I'm missing. If you've not read this series, even with a few slight misses, start at the beginning and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!.

"Mourners" is the 30th Nameless Detective novel by my favorite mystery novelist, Bill Pronzini. Lynn Troxell hires the agency to find out why her husband, James, ia acting strangely. Nameless finds out that Troxell is attending funerals of women who died violent deaths and putting flowers on the grave of Erin Dumont, a young woman who was raped and murdered. Is James Troxell a murderer or someone who witnessed Dumont's murder? Jake Runyon, the agency's operative also helps in the investigation. While Nameless works on the Troxell case, Runyon looks for Erin Dumont's murderer to help her sister Risa Niland whom he meets at Erin's grave. The title refers to many people and situations. Troxell is mourning people who died a violent death because he witnessed one as a child and probably also saw Erin Dumont's murder. Jake Runyon continues to mourn the death of his wife Colleen. Tamara Corbin, Nameless' partner, mourns the loss of her relationship with her long-time boyfriend, Horace. Risa Niland mourns her sister's death. Nameless continues to mourn the death of his former partner, Eberhardt. There is also a serious situation for Nameless' wife, Kerry. This situation will have to be dealt with in the next novel. I was a little diaappointed in "Nightcrawlers", but I didn't ralize why until I read "Mourners". In "Nightcrawlers", Tamara and Jake were the focal characters and Nameless played a minor role. In "Mourners" he is back as the central character and that makes this novel a return to form. "Mourners" is highly reecommended.

This is an exceptional book. I was intimidated by its size, but thought I'd just read the little part concerning the "cismontane" region which is southern California. I read the first line in that first chapter and was HOOKED! Schoenherr's writing is full of vitality and really draws a person in. I'll soon be taking a naturalist class at my local community college because I've found I really enjoy hiking and understanding the natural history in my area of southern California.

Discover the real world around YOU through this book, if you're visiting or living in California.

This book was an excellent resource for my research papers, and for my CA history classes. The details are wonderful! This book is a must read if you plan on majoring in History (in the state of CA) or if you are planning on teaching in California.

This well thought out introduction to the natural setting of California is a must for anyone that either lives in the state or is planning a visit. I used this book as a reference in a report I wrote on California's environment. The all emcompassing narratives about flora, fauna, geology, geography and the wonder of California, makes this book priceless! This is by far the most thorough book on California's native environment that I have seen. Augment this book with, Audobon's Guide to California, and you have a history, guide and interesting information about California to make any vacation or field trip into a journey of unfathomable wonder of California and the natural environment that most of us fail to take advantage of and appreciate. This book really is a must have for anyone who considers themselves a Californian.

If you have an interest in natural history, especially of California's natural history, this is an excellent book. The reader learns all sorts of fascinating things, practically from page one. It is very comprehensive in its breadth while not requiring high-level courses in geology, zoology, botany, etc. to understand it. The writer does buy into a couple of ideas that I think are influenced more by eco-religion than ecological science, but he attempts to maintain scientific discipline and does not harangue the reader with political axe-grinding. He writes in a readable, objective, tone that doesn't get in the way of the interesting "hard" facts conveyed in a clear, interesting style.

The book is an excellent survey text of natural history, California's in particular. I'm an immigrant to California from the Midwest, and did not have the advantage of learning about my adopted state during my school years. I have been looking for a good comprehensive book explaining the formation of the geography and an explanation of the operation of nature here in this state. This is the best book I have found on this subject since I moved here five years ago.

If you are an amateur naturalist, like myself, even just to the extent of having a fondness for programs like Discovery Channel, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, and the National Geographic Specials, you'll like this book. If you're a California parent, the book is really useful for answering the questions kids ask about the world around them.

This book is a crucial reference for anyone interested in natural patterns, Southen California flora and fauna, and environmental design! Highly recommended! It should be on your shelf! How about we make it required reading for all California residents so everyone can appreciate the natural beauty and brilliance of this great part of the planet?!!

If you live in AZ and love the out doors, this is a great book for you to have as a reference or as a fun read.

Subjects are thoroughly covered and the information is written in a friendly and interesting manner. If you have a question about the Sonoran Desert, you will most likely find the answer here. Among other surprises, this book offered my first look at the "creeping devil cactus" - how interesting! I'd never even heard of it before. "A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert" is a book you will turn to for detailed information that can be trusted as well as entertainment. Very nice photographs and illustrations. A great book for a nature lover, even if the Sonoran Desert holds no particular interest to them.

I grew up in the Sonoran Desert, in the ultra hot (and humid!) city of Yuma, Arizona. During my time there I visited the Californian and northern Baja Californian sections of this huge hyperarid land. I eventually moved to the less humid (if less hyperarid in terms of rainfall) city of Tucson, where I explored a considerable part of the eastern Arizonan part of the desert, as well as taking trips into the desert in southern Baja California and Sonora itself. This is a fascinating land and one with great surprises, such as a fauna of fish and aquatic insects, desert crusts of cyanobacteria, tropical birds, army and leaf-cutting ants and strange plants.

Now Steven J. Phillips and Patricia Comus of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum have edited a neat guide to the area in "A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert". The various sections contain numerous bits of information, many of which were new to me despite about 25 years of wandering in the Sonoran Desert. The discussions of the structure and history of the desert are particularly informative. This book should be in the bookshelf, and indeed in the knapsack (despite its size), of all travelers in this fantastic desert.

I have to admit that I know five of the authors- namely Steve Prchal, Renee Lizotte, Gary Paul Nabhan, Carl A. Olson and Thomas Van Devender- excellent writers all- but I can also say that it is a worthwhile book based just on the work of writers whom I've never met and so I can claim some non-bias.

To add to this praise I have a few very minor quibbles. I wish that there had been more reference sections- certainly there are several books on the identification of desert plants, birds, mammals and fish! Also, as a jumping spider specialist I was disappointed that the quite readily seen red and black Apache jumping spider (Phidippus apacheanus), which appears to mimic velvet ants, was not mentioned (but then I am prejudiced!). Also not mentioned were the bright red velvet mites that emerge after desert rains (I get these brought to me all the time by people wanting to know what they are.) In addition, I could not find any reference in the index to tadpole shrimp- a very abundant inhabitant of desert temporary pools. I suppose that there was little room to add such in this already over 600 page work, but it is a pity, as I think they are of interest to the visitor. One other quibble is that I personally dislike the term "brown spider" as there are lots of "brown spiders"- including wolf spiders, some crab spiders, and many others. I prefer "violin spider" as being more specifically descriptive, although I could never get W. J. Gertsch to agree with me on this (I believe that he is the original source of this common name!)

Having said this, I will reiterate that anybody who wants to have some idea of what they are seeing in the Sonoran Desert has to have this book! They can find no better guide on the market!

This is the ideal book to take along on trips to the Sonora Desert. Whether it is the Cailfornian , including Baja, Arizonian(it actually covers five states) or Mexican portions of the vast and diverse Sonara Desert, the details and complexities of this eco system are truly amazing. This book is an indespensible guide to all facets of this immense gift, including the many plants and animals that inhabit this harsh yet bountiful environment. It is a book to read before, as well as after the trips to the desert. Since it is so diverse and vast , covering some 100, 000 sq.mi., the amount of information given is quite a bit but done in such a mannner that one can easily navigate the text to the desired area of interest Inevitably one will stray into an area of new found interest. The little known facts are a lay persons path to knowledge about what the heck they just saw or are about to see. The black and white illustrations for the plants and animals you will or did encounter are excellent and extremely helpful for identification. There is a section with color photographs as well to further illustrate the beauty of the Sonora Desert. With contributions by some thirty five different experts in their pespective field this book is the ultimate guide. Do not hesitate to buy this book if you are visting the Sonora Desert as it will prove to be a valuble reference tool that can be used over and over. Since there is so much to learn about the Sonora Desert and it's inhabitants, this book can be read anytime, anywhere since it is nearly impossible to experience it all. Recommended for the tourist, naturalist or anyone interested in learning more about the 2000 species of plants, 550 species of verbrates and thousands of unknown invertebrate species who make the Sonora Desert home. This is truly fascinating material that only nature can provide so don't hesitate to purchase this book.

we agree with all of the other reveiws.... a great discovery and a great resource....Glad we got it...

This is a great read.

Great, because it has a common sense idea that is missing from most stories of this genre.

The genre, "supernatural horror," ultimately goes to a war between good and evil (yep, heaven and hell), because these would be the source of power in the story. So the ultimate source of power is on another level--not the level the story is about (our everyday homes and neighborhoods). But hey, the vampires, zombies, and other things have been around for a long time. And we are still here, too. Something we don't usually see in these stories must be equalizing the landscape, or else ordinary humans would have been gone a long time ago. What equalizes a vampire? They have supernatural powers, so regular folks are out-gunned. In any war, if the sides are not matched, the war does not last long. In the literature vampires, zombies, et al., have been around a long time. So what holds them in check? Doesn't have to be a "good" version of the evil creature--just something with power and method of its own that it can use to engage the enemy. That's war. Even a supernatural one would have to have this equivalence of power.

There are popular movies about renegades that have reason to hate the supernatural villains, but vampires alone would have over-run the world before most of these popular characters started. Besides, these stories are usually more about special-effects or martial arts or something--not really horror stories but more like action-adventure-martial arts-horror. Whatever. There's only one movie I've seen recently that is an exception to this, "Constantine." But since this isn't a plug for movies, let's move on... ;)

"Night Biters" revitalizes the role of the church in this type of story! Instead of the lame "Exorcist" angle in which the demons have power that is clearly uncontrollable, here the war could have lasted this long. God is on our side through supernatural beings at this level. That's what I was referring to before, when I said that ordinary humans would otherwise be gone. In run-of-the-mill horror stories a recurring theme is that the heroes are so outmatched they have to sacrifice themselves--and leave this plane of existence--in order to win. So in time they'd all have moved on, leaving us here. There must be something more powerful that fights here and wins often enough to balance the war against evil. This story touches on this with style; it's a story told intelligently in a way that makes sense.

So is it scary? Yeah, because the writer tells the tale in a way that evokes vivid images of what the characters are going through as all of these peculiar things happen. It's not a predictable story. I found myself liking some, and wondering if they'd make it...but it's war. Casualties are inevitable. How does it end?

Check it out! It's a great read!

Adrian Harper's Night Biters offers some fresh ideas to the fantasy genre. The magical compact disc is as effective a talisman as a ring or trinket in other period work of fiction. It also solidifies the effectiveness of hip hop in a way the reader will find appealing. Graffiti spray painting is also featured, skateboarding is taken to new heights and I will never see using a Super Soaker the same way.

The writer skillfully depicts the story's teens as youth who regret some of the poor choices they have made and the impact those decisions have on their families while ably avoiding stereotypes. He also offers some interesting views on vampirism viewing it more to an addiction than a spiritual damnation reminding the reader that there is always hope. Filled with clever twist and surprises, Night Biters is a delight.

This book puts Oakland, CA on the map. It is filled with suspense and humor. The multi-cultural characters are people we see in everyday life. I loved this book. I can't wait for the next one.

This is no R L Stien! This book has a diverse group of hip hop characters from the Bay Area that are actully intelligent and not based on stereotypes. The book has teens in the Bay dealing with regular teenage issues, as well as vampires gang violence. The characters are cool, there's African American's, Vietnamese, Latino's, Filippino's, Jews, Goths, ravers, taggers and possibly dirty cops and a guy who eats a rat. If you LOVE hip hop, or you're from the Bay Area you need to read this book. I love Night Biters because it's real hip hop, it's not derogatory or dogmatic, it's just real and entertaining.

The book is written in the style of how Traffic and Crash were made as movies. A ton of individual stories, all intertwined into one explosive plot. Read this book, you won't be disappointed. The story is based on actual events in 1999 leading up to the change of the century in the backdrop of the worlds most integrated group of cities. Two teens come here to spend the summer and find that some of thier friends have become vampires and are dealing with personal issues like abusive stepfathers, drugs, gangs and police (damn taggers!). Doooooood read it!!!

Night Biters is my favorite book, I visited the Bay Area and have saw the old Montgomery Ward building. It was too scary a building for me to enter but not a vampire. I also like that us Pinoy's finally got some recognition and respect in a book. Dragonbrush is my dog I liked the way he and Tioni looked out for one another and how he showed that he really appreciated her. Jamilah is cool but too stuck up for my taste, I wouldn't want my sister taking all my favorite clothes just because she wants them. But in the end they all looked out for one another.

I am continually impressed by this author. Her characters are wonderfully developed and the stories fast-moving. She just gets better and better.

Love the character, love the stories that only get better with each book, love everything about it. Can't wait for the next one.

Barbara Seranella, No Man Standing (Scribner's, 2002)

If you're looking for something to take to the beach, look no further. Talk about a quick read: I started it between a wedding and its reception on Saturday and finished it Sunday evening, despite having the reception, post-reception drinks, and a brunch the day after that turned into a five-hour affair.

The fifth Munch Mancini novel begins with Munch's old friend Ellen Summers getting out of prison the day after her mother and stepfather are killed in a rather gruesome fashion. Ellen has an explanation of why someone would have been after her mother, but the explanation has too many holes in it to completely make sense. Combine this with Ellen's real father coming back into the picture, a crazy woman stalking Munch, a new romantic interest (on the police force, no less), and you've got yourself a novel.

Quick, witty, and absorbing, No Man Standing is pretty much the perfect beach novel; easy, fun, and with short enough chapters that you know, when you finish one, it's time to expose a different side to the sun. ***

I discovered Munch Mancini on a rainy, dreary Friday while cruising www.Amazon.com and went to the library and checked out all the books in the series and had a spectacular weekend Munch read-a-thon. I loved every single book. She gets better and sharper with each consecutive story. Ms. Seranella's stories have the flavor of hard-core reality with just the right touch of suspense and plot twists. No writer I've ever read has the drug scene down the way she does....you can feel the despair and hopelessness of the characters radiating from the pages....and then comes Munch, a ray of hope as one who escaped the druggie lifestyle, a true survivor. Thanks Ms. Seranella for a great series. Keep 'em coming!!

In NO MAN STANDING, ex-bad girl Munch Mancini is now eight years down the straight and narrow after giving up alcohol, drugs, sexual promiscuity, and bikers. An ace auto mechanic and owner of a struggling limo business, Munch is moving into a new house with her adopted daughter, Asia, when an old friend in need shows up.

Ellen Summers was Mancini's best gal-pal in the rough old days, and is just released from her latest stint in the California Institution for Women, a penal facility. Summers is being sought by vicious killers who want returned a very large sum of counterfeit Franklins that she found and hid before her most recent imprisonment. The first bodies in a growing pile are those of Ellen's Mom and stepfather. Meanwhile, Munch is being harassed by the jealous ex of a poor choice of lovers, and she doesn't need the heavy baggage that Ellen has brought to her and Asia's doorstep.

By design or not, assigning Ellen a major role in this fifth book of the Munch Mancini series was true inspiration by author Barbara Seranella. Summers is at least a pale reflection of Seranella's protagonist before she became a contributing member of society. For those steady readers of the series, who perhaps thought that Munch was becoming too middle-class, or for those being introduced to Munch for the first time, Ellen is a much-needed reminder of Mancini's former low-life edginess. That aspect, plus the ending plot twist of NO MAN STANDING, extends my interest in the series as a whole, the storylines of which will need to be unpredictable to keep me returning for more. While the last chapter gives a too obvious hint to the evolution of Mancini's love life in the next book, I trust the author will surprise us.

The back flap of NO MAN STANDING reveals that Barbara Seranella ran away at fourteen from the showcase upper middle-class enclave of Pacific Palisades, CA, joined a San Francisco hippie commune, rode with outlaw bikers, and became an auto mechanic. Since I also spent several idyllic childhood years in Pacific Palisades before my uneventful and unrebellious teens, I wish we could sit and compare notes to determine where I went wrong.

I thought this book was informative but could have offered a lot more in-depth information. It is good for someone looking for some very basic ideas.

After my father was killed in an industrial accident I went to the bookstore seaching for books on death and grieving. I found no comfort and in fact found myself angered when reading story after story about people who lost their loved ones to a long illness. It broke my heart to read about how they got to tell them that they loved them, something I never got. "No Time For Goodbyes" was the only book that dealt with the shock and reality of telling someone, "have a good day at work," and never seeing them again.

My 21 year old brother was viciously attacked and beaten to death by a group of random teenage guys. They did this for "fun". They're the kids that prey on the homeless people or in my brother's case, he was walking down the street to his car at night. The worst part is that they only wanted to beat on him for kicks and "didn't mean" to kill him. They're claiming it was an accident and they didn't mean to have him sustain severe brain injuries. This book described everything I was feeling. I joined therapy groups, but no one seemed to understand. Most of the people I met lost their loved ones of a prolonged illness, an accident, or old age. I felt alone and that no one understood my situation. My brother was a murder victim. He was literally here one day and gone the next. The book made it easier to know that there are unfortunately many people out there who feel the same way I do. It would have been easier to accept if there was a reason for his death. This book explained everything I was feeling. It really hit home with me. I highly recommend this book for those who have lost a loved one so abruptly!! This book has kept me sane for the most part.

This book will prove very helpful for anyone that has had a sudden traumatic death of a loved one. The book covers various kinds of sudden death and explains how it can effect each person it touches. It is a teaching tool for advocates and a learning tool for victims. Being on both sides of the situation I find it a prized book in my library.

It's true; the book is short, simple, and basic. I had such trouble concentrating after my brother was murdered and my parents were seriously injured, that I could barely read a paragraph at a time, something Lord obviously understands. This book clearly expressed the shock and sorrow of my experience and helped me understand that what I was feeling was normal, when nothing else in my world was normal. I stood in the bookstore and re-shelved all the books about dealing with terminal illness and long goodbyes. When I found this one, I sat down in the aisle and cried. I sent it to some of my family members and to an acquaintance whose son committed suicide and, years later, feel immense gratitude to Janice Lord that her book was available when the bottom dropped out of my world.