History Books

A little background: I grew up in Central Illinois, and began watching "All Star Wrestling" on Saturday mornings. I would see these bulky bruisers like Nick Bockwinkle and "Da Crusher!", and really thought this stuff was real.

Then, out of nowhere, came this flamboyant, trash-talking, electrifying persona called Superstar Billy Graham, with his tie-dyed tights, Elton-John rhinestone sunglasses, and the biggest, baddest, most impressive physique I'd ever seen. He was unreal, and for the next year or so, he was THE GUY to watch for during the telecasts.

Then, just as suddenly, he disappeared. Vanished. The TV wrestling went on, and I sort of lost interest, and always wondered what happened to that Superstar Billy Graham guy.

Well, read this book, and you'll find out the whole story. Being so regionalized in those days, unless you were a hard-core wrestling hound, it would have been difficult TO know what happened to him in the intervening years.

What happened to him was he moved on to the NY region, was a smash hit in the NY area, got major juice as the heel to beat, won the belt in a titanic match, held it for about a year, sold out arenas everywhere he went, and then was forced to give up the belt to a true Baby Face named Bob Backlund, (WHO???), got messed up in his head and heart, got into drugs, and became - even more quickly than he arrived - one of the saddest also-rans in the business. Never ever regaining the Superstar persona that had so electrified crowds in the mid to late 70's.

You'll find out more about Wayne Coleman than you'd ever like to know otherwise. Its a fascinating backstage view of pro wrestling in the kayfabe era, and what it was really like to be a performer in those days. You'll discover the ups and downs of steroid use/abuse, and how it prematurely depletes the body of its essential elements. You'll meet a man who gave his life to one of the strangest forms of sport/entertainment on the planet, and find out what happens when the ride is over.

Its a very telling, and really well written book. Its a very honest, personable account that makes you feel you've actually met Wayne Coleman. Its easy to see how a lot of people could really not like him, but this fascinating account of who "The Superstar" really is and was is extremely interesting and compelling. I enjoyed reading this book very much, (similar to how I felt reading Gene Simmons book on KISS.)

I don't endorse pro wrestling at all. In all honesty, its about as Satanic an expression as exists these days. But for filling in a long ago mystery of what happened to the "Superstar Billy Graham," this book does all that and more. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to know the full story of the granddaddy of all modern wrestlers.

While Mick Foley may have set a bar, he doesn't have nearly the experience and lifetime of Superstar Billy Graham. Ric Flair's book is good but it spends a great deal of time praising the WWE. Dusty Rhodes tale was bland and lacked details, a huge dissapointment.

Billy Graham's story raised the bar beyond Foley's book when he penned his memoirs. A few great elements of this book consist of him being frank about drug abuse, including steroids and doesn't attempt to dismiss their deadly long lasting effects. I think Graham realized while he was writing this book the impact he made on professional wrestling. He was the first to jam on the mic and knew how to work a crowd-pure showman and that is the necessary part in being a successful pro wrestling. Before Hogan, The American Dream and The Nature Boy-there was Superstar!

The story is bitter sweet and sad. A Superstar of a performer that nearly died multiple times. I just hope his new life as a minister is a much easy and equally satisfying journey. Thanks Superstar for all the TV memories.

This book was outstanding from page 1, to the very last page.

Outstanding job and life story!

Superstar, a man ahead of all times!!

It's a cliche', but what a page turner. First let me say, I was a HUGE Billy Graham "mark" when I was a kid. He was the first guy that drew me in. He had such charisma. So cool. Anyway, this book is just him 100% totally pouring out his soul. He holds back nothing. Tells you absolutely everything about everyone and mostly - himself.

The stories are more heartbreaking with each page. Everything from him hearing he may only have 30 days to live when he was waiting for his kidney transplant to embarassing moments like when he ditched a cab outside of the Georgia wrestling TV studio because he didn't have the money - only for the guy to come in looking for him and then Dusty Rhodes flips out a $50 bill in front of others to Billy telling him to "pay the taxi".

What's most amazing is that he tells much of his story without heavy bitterness or anger except during his attacks on the WWF and Vince during the steroid trial - which he admits he only did to try to get some hush money from Vince since he really had NO money. It was that he really should have done more and that drugs really did wreck his life.

Wow - I could go on and on and still not give up everything in this book. It really is great. God bless the man of the hour, the man with the power - too sweet to be sour!

THIS IS THE STORY OF FORMER PRO WRESTLER SUPERSTAR BILLY GRAHAM. HIS STORY IS TRULY AMAZING. THE AMAZING PART IS THAT HE IS STILL ALIVE. HE TELLS US OF HIS BODY BUILDING, EVANGELIST, BOUNCER AND PRO FOOTBALL CAREERS ALONG WITH HIS WRESTLING DAYS AND ADDICION TO DRUGS AND STEROIDS. I FOUND HIS STORY TO BE INTERESTING, TERRIFYING, HUMOROUS AND ABSOLUTLY RIVOTING. I HAVE READ MANY BOOKS ABOUT PRO WRESTLING AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST. SUPERSTAR CERTAINLY DOES A GREAT JOB TELLING US HIS STORY. HE DELIVERS A POWERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT STEROIDS AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS WIFE AND GOD. A MUST READ.

This is an excellent book for those who want to know more about witchcraft from a theoretical perspective, it contains information about many occult topics, some of which do not exactly belong to witchcraft but are associated with it in the popular mind. All put together with the brilliant prose of Doreen Valiente. The only thing I don't like about this edition of the book, is the photograph of Janet Farrar's flabby butt in the cover, if the publishers thought this would improve the sales, I have to say this book doesn't need it at all!

Madame Doreen Valiente has written an excellent Witchcraft text that has stood the sands of the hour-glass.She offers a critical review of all the major famous people associated with classical and modern witchcraft.It's omnificent story-telling without any fluffy piffling tales presented.It's serious reading for any neo-pagan,who wants to expand one's Craft knowledge. From that of a mere novice to a higher level of a trusted Occult scholar. This book has more persuasive and insightful opinions on the British Witchcraft-Gardnerian traditions and customs,than any other recent English Craftbook.So i can only recommend this classical work on historical and near present British Magick.I have the original edition,with the moon priestess,around the witching midnight hour.The newer copies offer a sky-clad witch, that may turn some serious wiccans, widdershins away from it.This book is not a 'pig in the poke',short-changing the true followers of Wicca.Read the book and judge for yourself.You will not be disappointed.Also check out www.highcrossquarter.com for current information about today's British witches & wizards.

I'm always suprised when I see really great books on the Craft have few reviews compared to a lot of the "junk food" type stuff that is constantly published today. This isn't a how to book for beginners, but a great history that's set up in a dictionary type way. There's so much info and so much to learn here. This isn't just a book for practicing Witches, but for anyone interested in witchcraft. I could see this book being a great resource for anyone doing a paper on witchcraft. It can be a little dry in some spots, but not very many!

This is a great little encyclopedia on witchcraft and occult topics that relate to the pratice of both witchcraft and also Wicca. If you are looking for a good book to help expand your magical vocabulary or a great book that will help you become a more well-rounded witch, this is the book for you..... What I recommend is that you get the book and you start reading the information presented here-in. Then if you are looking for more information or updated books about any articles what you see, come online and see if you can find any specific books relating to the topics presented or look around on the web. It is easy to read and Doreen keeps your interest peeled!

Any books by this author is highly recommened!

Much Love & Many Blessings,
Thorn Nightwind

This book was so full of information from the very first page, I just couldn't put it down.It was certainly a important addition to my Wiccan library.If you want to find out what, where, and why ,this book will give you all of that .I have been a student of Wicca since I was thirteen ,and am now forty-eight ,having this book all those years ago would have definately been a blessing.

There are a number of excellent reviews here with great detail and insights on this remarkable story. But I had the fortunate timing to pick up and begin reading this book as the 2008 presidential campaign was coming to a close with the resulting election of Barack Obama.

William Lloyd Garrison's vision and insistence upon not only the immediate abolition of slavery but the granting of full and equal rights and the integration and recognition of blacks as fully fledged American citizens seems astonishing for his time. At one point he even speculates that a time will come when a black man will be able to become President. We may all take that vision for granted now and it is easy to consider ourselves enlightened today; but what if we had been living in his time? How many of us would have been capable of such moral clarity in the midst of a society that was at best fundamentally indifferent and at worst implacably opposed to the emancipation of the slaves let alone full and equal rights for blacks? Garrison's motivating force came from his Protestant and fundamentalist Christianity, he put no faith in established religion or politics and he was willing to tear up the Constitution and dismember the Union to achieve a just and moral society and nation. He was considered a crackpot in his time but it seems clear now that he was that rare person ahead of his time and on the right side of history. Not only that but he had the personal willpower and relentless drive to instigate a tremendous positive change in the nation.

I am struck by how difficult it is for any of us to see the truth in the times we happen to be living in. Garrison laid bare the unfulfilled promise of the constitution and some ugly truths about American society in his day; he was vilified relentlessly, called a traitor and worse for his efforts. I will try to be less dismissive of gadfly's in the future. Someone mentioned Michael Moore in one of these reviews as a modern day Garrisonian figure, that's funny because the same thing occurred to me as I read this book. I generally detest Moore for his slovenly appearance and boorish attitude and it makes it too easy to dismiss his message entirely. Could he be a man on the right side of history (dumbed down for our modern media and times of course)? That's a scary thought but worth some consideration after reading this story.

Alternating between the silly chatter and `issues' noise of the presidential campaign on TV and then returning to the fundamental truths presented by Garrison was a startling experience for me. The book was actually more exciting and certainly more enlightening than the election campaign itself; even as this historic election is perhaps the ultimate vindication of Garrison's life work. America, always imperfect but always wonderfully dynamic. Perhaps the slogan `change' really does sum us up best.

Bad

A. The narrative pace is just awful. I don't know what it is about this book I almost didn't make it past the first 40 pages because the begining moves so slowly.
B. The idiotic "conspiracy theory" idea regarding the Texas Revolution. Someday right minded people everywhere will be able to laugh conspiracy nuts right off the street.
Good

The book has a great deal of information regarding the beginnings of an organized abolitionist movement in this country. Garrison was the focal point for this when the movement started to move beyond isolated groups of idealists and Quakers and started to be taken seriously as a genuine force for social change.

Overall-Once you get into the book it is amazing, but you have to be in the right mood to do so.

Now a book that shows two sides of slavery that all white people were not all for slavery .Like Dr.martin luther king was saying that slavery was not about black against white ,but justice againt injustice.Because if all men and women are not free then we are all in chains.Books like this one has giving us a balance look at one of america darkest sides. But men like Garrison showed us that their were men and women that were a light of hope that all men are created equal . And being a black man I must say thank you to all the blackmen and women and white men and women of the past for fighting a fight that many of us still fight for today .And that is for an opportunity to live as we were when God created us in the beginnig as, a human being thank you.

Let's just get the obvious criticisms out of they way. First, the author pretty much flat out states that The Civil War was fought only because of slavery--and in the preface! Yawn. Will I ever be able to find a Northerner who can write a book that examines both sides of the conflict? I mean southern writers do it all the time. The second problem is the assertion that the Texas Revolution was some kind of government conspiracy--from Pres. Jackson on down to Sam Houston--to perpetuate slavery and continue manifest destiny. While I'm sure some men fought for those reasons, this moronic conspiracy theory about secret government shenanigans has no basis whatsoever. In fact, I would recommend the wonderful biography, Sam Houston, by James Haley. It expertly destroys that awful line of thinking that has somehow survived all these years.

But, being from Texas, I tend to be sensitive to such things. For most people it won't matter.

I still highley recommend All On Fire, though. It is very well written and researched. But most of all, it is the only real biography on Garrison worth reading. And say what you want about the author's biases, he can't muddle the fact that Garrison was one of this country's great patriots, willing to stand up to anyone to free his fellow man. He dedicated his entire life to this noble cause--and except for a few references in some Civil War books--is largely forgotten. What a shame.

William Lloyd Garrison was a man ahead of his time. Not by years or even decades, but centuries. In the 1830s he was an outspoken proponent of not just the abolition of slavery (many advocated various ways to deal with the South's "peculiar institution"), but called for the immediate abolition of slavery with complete and full civil rights for African-Americans. He dreamed of a time when a black woman might succeed a black man as Secretary of State a decade before the Supreme Court ruled that blacks were something less than human in the infamous Dredd Scott decision. He was also an early advocate of women's rights, labor reform, temperance and civil disobedience, as well as an outspoken critic of organized religion (Garrison was what we might today call a fundamentalist "born again Christian" who recognized no formal church other than Christ's teachings).

Given Garrison's role as founding father of the abolitionist movement, his passion for the cause, longevity in leadership and terminal impact on the greatest political issue of the nineteenth century it is puzzling that he has left such an obscure historical legacy. As author Herbert Mayer notes, Martin Luther King Jr. cited Gandhi, Thoreau and the Gospel as his inspiration and motivation in the Civil Rights movement with no reference to the man whose peaceful agitation did more to eradicate bondage than any other -- and who in turn may very well have been Thoreau's inspiration in writing "Civil Disobedience."

So why the obscurity? Mayer's biography does little to address this paradox. In fact, his book makes Garrison's general absence from the mainstream of American history all the more tenebrous. The man that emerges from the pages of "All on Fire" is a moral giant, a crusader in the purest and best sense of the word, who risked -- indeed, welcomed -- verbal and physical abuse, a life of indigence and scorn, all in pursuit of a truly noble cause. Garrison grew up in New England and never traveled further south than Baltimore until after the Civil War, yet he dedicated his life to the abolition of slavery with an intensity and zeal that surpassed dissident southern whites (such as the Grimke sisters) and even some blacks that had escaped from bondage themselves. Because of his central role in establishing and leading the cause, "All on Fire" is, as the full title suggests, as much a history of the entire abolitionist movement as it is a biography of its leading agitator.

However, a close reading of "All on Fire" also reveals a hidden side of William Lloyd Garrison that Mayer, unfortunately, never fully explores: a man of extreme ambition, vanity, and conceit. Garrison fought tenaciously to keep himself at the front-and-center of the moral movement he came to regard as his own. One senses that the fame and notoriety he gained by his agitation came to mean quite a lot to him. In this sense, Garrison reminds one of a contemporary political gadfly increasingly enamored of his high-profile image: Michael Moore. Perhaps Garrison's attraction to celebrity never fully outweighed his commitment to the ultimate prize of freeing three million humans from bondage, but it certainly meant more than the pious Christian in him would have liked to admit -- and certainly more than biographer Mayer is willing to concede. Again and again throughout the narrative Garrison experiences a painful and personal falling out with some of his closest friends and coadjutors: Frederick Douglas, Wendell Phillips, the Tappan brothers, etc. And time after time Mayer attributes the rift to simple misunderstandings or the result of the stress and pressure of the times. That Garrison might have been something less than the Galahad on ante-bellum America is left unexplored.

Nevertheless, for anyone with a desire to know more about America and especially to learn about a man that was once one of the most controversial and well-known figures of his century, only to sink to near anonymity, this National Book Award finalist can be highly recommended.

As others have pointed out, this book is interesting as a history of popular cooking in the U.S. in the last hundred years or so. The illustrations are delightful and the text is informative.

But I must differ from the other reviewers and make a point for those of us who like authentic recipes. Many of the recipes here are introduced with the words "adapted from" or "version of" - which is a way of saying that the original recipe has been altered in unspecified ways and for unknown reasons. The result is that many of the bowdlerized recipes are only vaguely similar to the original, and invariably to their detriment.

I vastly prefer the recipes to be given in their original form so that, if we choose to, we can make them as we remember them. If I want to de-fat and de-sugar recipes where these elements are vital to the taste and texture, I can make that "adaptation" on my own. I think it's rather dishonest to portray the contents as "the recipes our mothers and grandmothers loved" when, in fact, they are frequently pale imitations with all the goodness removed. Be sure to preserve and treasure those clippings grandma left you; with a world full of "editors" carefully excising the politically incorrect ingredients, they're the only unadulterated record of how grandma really cooked.

Now that my mother needs others to cook for her, I look for ways that I can prepare a meal ahead that will bring back memories of the "Good Old Days". I still follow her dietary guidelines, but re-introducing recipes from her hey-day makes her smile, and gives her a welcome change of pace. One of her favorites from this cookbook has been Johnny Marzetti, but I use Baby Portabela mushrooms instead of white mushrooms, and my mother wants double the amount of mushrooms. For my mushroom-hating mother-in-law and cheddar-averse sister-in-law, I remove the mushrooms and saute red and green bell peppers instead and switch to colby cheese. For DH, I increase the extra lean ground beef and use pepper jack cheese. These variations are economical, not too spicy, but tasty. They bring a smile, and take some of the pressure off my mother's care-givers. This cookbook lets me recreate the "Good Old Days." As always, it is my prerogative to update to meet dietary needs.

I love to cook and eat. I have loads of cookbooks. This is the best book I have seen that captures what my parents and grandparents ate and taught me to eat. Beyond that, is chronicle of the food that became available and why and where they originated.
It should be considered a history od 20th century foods a s well as a cookbook. Loads of comfort recipes, as well as those that are now considered classics, never to be deleted. Worth purchasing if you are a baby boomer, you will love it.
DOC

This book is a treasury of true American cooking, with the recipes our mothers and grandmothers loved,and that make fond memories for us. Some are still favorites for family and entertaining (Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, Stroganoff Casserole), others beg to be rediscovered (Imagine! Coca-Cola Salad), all provide fascinating reading, with their accompanying histories, orginal ads and illustrations. "American Century" has rapidly become one of my favorite cookbooks, both for browsing and for adding to my collection of recipes that please and amaze.

I use this book as a reference guide for my high school American History and African American Studies classes. Everything in the world seems to be here including an old favorite from the 1960s, 'Puree Mongole.' This cookbook is easy to read and most recipes are simple to follow. The best part for me, as a Social Studies teacher, is the gem of the history lessons and time lines associated with all the food preparations. A real pleasure and a book that is priceless if you like the history of American cuisine.

I'm going to be a police recruit in the NYPD in the upcoming months, and wanted to know more about this line of work..Armed & Dangerous would be the book to read. This book is for anyone wanting to be a cop, marrying a cop or the friend of a cop...Gina pulls no punches. She is gritty, raw and honest in her writing, which a lot of other police novels lack. I'm currently reading another police novel now, and its so hard to get into it. Gina raises the bar on all other novels..if you never pick up another true crime novel, read this one!!

Riveting, disquieting, amazingly well written. I had to check the cover a couple of times to make sure it wasn't written "with Joe Shcmow." Ms. Gallo names names and leaves out no details about how she managed to function, survive, succeed, and retain personal dignity within a most wretched hive of scum and villany.

This was an interesting book, however I would have liked to see a little more of the positive side of being a policewoman. There had to be something positive about the job, or she wouldn't have been a policewoman for so many years.
Having a policeman for a friend, I did appreciate some of the insights into how they may feel different from "civilians".
It's a very sad tale of how many people live and how instead of the police being encouraged become discouraged.
I struggled with how to rate this book, because it's discouraging and haunting, with no upside I wanted to rate it a 3, but Gina does a good job of writing and relating her experience, so I rated it a 4.

I'm a retired police Sgt. my wife Ann Jillian an actress, and we just finished reading "ARMED AND DANGEROUS" by GINA GALLO. This book is FANTASTIC! It's easy to know that Gina Gallo was the real police and did real police work - that's a given, but her talent for putting it all in her book is something only a GREAT WRITER could do. This is a real page turner, we could not put it down until we finished it. My wife and I highly recommend this book to anyone. Thank you Ms., Gallo for an excellent book. Mr. Mrs. Sgt. A.& A Murcia. Los Angeles, CA.

At last, an interactive experience of life in big-city law enforcement! In a relentlessly authentic voice, Gina Gallo translates every nuance of the police experience into an unparalled copspeak primer for those who've never worn the badge. Forget cop stories as a spectator sport. Gallo pulls you into the action with "the real police", presenting the reader with the same visceral punch, emotional blindsiding and residual angst that haunts anyone who's been there. In my years as a Chicago homicide detective, job success often depended on equal parts of tenacity, intelligence and guts. Gallo's book provides this in spades along with an unflinching scrutiny of our own vulnerability. This book elevates cop docudrama to a new art form. I'm proud that Gallo is one of our own, even prouder of her courage and talent in telling our stories.

Ted Lawson's book is the most exciting and famous book about the Doolittle psychological raid on Tokyo. It's an easy read and is an amazing story. This one pin prick raid off the USS Hornet probably shortened the war by 10 years. The raid caused Adm. Yammamoto (who felt he had lost face) to plan and launch the Midway assault that turned into the major turning point in the war in the Pacific. (Midway neutralized Japanese sea power and made the Guadalcanal victory possible.) In short these 16 planes caused the Japanese to split their forces, a fatal error.

Most people don't know the massive help given us by local Chinese to help most of the crews escape the Japanese. Finding the American air crews was priority one for the Nips. The Japanese retaliated against the Chinese peasants killing anyone suspected of helping us, over 2500 Chinese were tortured and butchered by the Japanese. Great book I read it in one siting. Lawson eventually loosing his leg from injuries suffered during the crash landing the Ruptured Duck while attempting a beach landing. It is a must read for all American's that can possibly get through it. If you read no other book on WWII read this one. It's an inspirational classic.
Doug Johnson

I first read Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo when I was about seven or eight years old, probably the first non-children's book I ever read. I've been hooked on first hand accounts of combat ever since. I reread it only within the last year.

Lawson's story was one of the first published of WWII, only the year after the events described and long before the war ended. We get a ground level look at the making of the force led by Doolittle on the raid that, while of minimal impact materially, gave a tremendous boost to the morale of the United States while simultaneously shaking the confidence of the Japanese in the invulnerability of their homeland.

After the raid and crash landing of Lawson's B-25, we get the heroic account of the Chinese civilians who at great personal risk helped the downed fliers reach saftey. The prose is written in a conversational style, as if Lawson were sitting in your living room telling the story instead of writing it. Overall, highly recommended!

Ted Lawson's first-person tale of America's first blow back at the Empire of Japan is a "must read" for anyone interested in military history. The first book published on the Doolittle Raid, Lawson's narrative describes the genesis, preparation, and execution of the raid, and should be followed with a reading of Doolittle's autobiography, in which Doolittle describes his mission as well as his despair after bailing out of his B-25. Little did either of them suspect that a raid intended to boost American morale would have strategic consequences, and that Japan would divert badly needed resources to home defense that otherwise would have gone to the front lines.

Well told story of the Doolittle raid told by one of the pilots on the raid. The story is about the pre-raid, the raid itself, and the aftermath, which tells about the injuries sustained by Capt. Lawson and his crew and the help they received from missionaires and the Chinese in escaping capture by the Japanese. He also relates the stories of some of the other crews on the raid.

I first read this book so many years ago that I can't remember, but I think it was about when I was in the eighth grade, say about 1955. I remember the book, and I remember the Van Johnson movie. The scene where the Chinese peasant brings Van Johnson the pair of slippers only to see that he has lost one leg stays with me even now. ==This is a classic book. It was written by one of the pilots on the Doolittle raid over Japan. In fact it was the character played by Van Johnson, Lt. Ted W. Lawson, that wrote this book.

This book, these men as much as any other that I can think of illustrates exactly what Tom Brokaw had in mind when he referred to them as the 'greatest generation.' Especially so when you talk to one of them and they invariably tell you they were not a hero. Heros were the ones who didn't come back. Heros were the other guys. I was just doing my job. Heros they were all.

Read this book. Read it again if you read it years ago. Give a copy to that youngster in your family or church that you think will appreciate it.

This is a must read for humans. Guess what? The bin Laden clan is not so different from any other family--they've got personalities that span the spectrum. Osama's father had 54 children and died in a plane crash. Daddy was an ambitious, clever, can-do sort of man. A charismatic opportunist, and a capitalist. He built a company up from nothing and, by Islamic law, his fortune and business were passed on to his children. Osama got his share. He was an only child from a Syrian wife. He was a quiet lad and found his way educated by religious extremists ... and he took to it--fundamentalist religion. The rest of the fam took to the good life that money could buy--oil money mostly-- passed on from the King of Saudi Arabia for construction projects. The family disowned Osama and now they are making money hand over foot. I think Osama will go down in history as somewhat of a hero, a sort of Robin Hood, Butch Cassidy type. Bush? History won't be kind to him - he's the one with the anti-social personality. The bin Ladens don't exhibit great intellect, they're really quite unexceptional, except for Osama, who had the rare courage of convictions ... religious fanaticism.
It's been seven years now - bin Laden's still a free man, Bush is being retired to his ranch - there are two wars still going on, and the stock market is back to "ground zero." Amazing.

I started reading this book mainly because the author is a pulz prize winner. I started it back in April. Mind you I am a slow reader but this is one that I can't put down. I remember after 9/11 hearing that the Bin Laden family had been flown out the next day or so by Bush. But I didn't know anything about them. Except they were allowed to fly but I was stuck in Essen Germany (one of the pilots has lived there w/ his girlfriend). This book is drenched in so much information that Steve gathered. I cannot imagine how hard or frustrating it must have been to get people there to talk. I have been taking my time and absorbing it (and even highlighting names...like James Baker). I had no idea and I don't think most American's how intertwined the Bin Laden family is with the U.S. They own so many properties all over the country. Even in the small city I live in now and the city I just moved from. It was also interesting to read about the Gulf War since I am a vet that was in during the gulf war. I remember that the king of Saudi told Bush he wanted to give every service member a solid gold metal. Every one of us. We were soooo excited. Bush said no. So nice of him. I mean my younger brother was on foodstamps while he was an e-3 in the Navy and I was barely clearing 12 grand as an e4. Nah that couldn't have come in handy. It is also interesting to see that money from the U.S. came through CIA to one of the main operatives there that passed on money to Obama and he never knew we gave him money. This was during the Afgan war. I could go on and on but JUST BUY IT!

This book provides a glamorous insight into the life of the Bin Laden family from the early beginning. Details within this book might seem over exaggerated but most likely very real. A dazzling narrative of high stakes business/borderline politics that brought about the most powerful family in the Middle East.

This book brings you on a journey across many continents leaving a dizzying trail of foot prints. A journey made possible by Oil, Construction, fortune and pure ambition.

This is a long book, but will remain in your hands until the last page.

A second addition would be appreciated to bridge current events to where this book left off.

Steve Coll's THE BIN LADENS receives Erik Singer's smooth voice and Broadway experience as it tells of the rise of the Bin Laden family and the oil fortune which earned them a place in not just the Middle East, but in Western history as well. Concurrent with the family biography is a survey of global integration and interactions key to understanding world politics - and an invaluable guide.

With his "The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century" Steve Coll has written something relevant and valuable. In his meticulous reporting of a powerful Middle Eastern family that spawned the world's most famous terrorist Steve Coll has, more important, revealed the trappings of globalization.

The Bin Ladens is the Saud royal family's contractors, and they have literally built most of Saudi Arabia. They are a large and expansive, devout and traditional Muslim family but before anything else they are businessmen. That's why they will assiduously cultivate good relations with the corrupt and tyrannical Saud royal family, whose very whim rests the fate of the family. They will also tear down and bulldoze to a fault the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and transfer their capital and assets out of Saudi Arabia in times of uncertainty. By being absolutely loyal to the Saud royal family, even acting as one of their largest creditors, the Bin Ladens has prospered, even though because their private and business dealings are so blurred together and because the thorny web of personal relationships that constitute business in Saudi Arabia means everyone owe and is owed money to someone else, they have no idea how much they're worth.

As a mighty tome this book discusses many topics but ultimately it's about, as the subtitle suggests, the Bin Ladens and globalization. And while this is a family epic the patriarch was much too prodigious (fathering at least 54 children), and the story centers around two Bin Laden scions: the eldest and heir Salem and his younger half-brother Osama.

Sent to English boarding schools at a young age the very large and personable Salem, as the heir apparent to this family's construction empire, must have learned quickly that wealth in a global free market means he can live his life like a wet dream. After his father died Salem did much to globalize his company, and retained many foreigners -- lawyers and advisors, pilots and girlfriends -- in his retinue. Yet, out of necessity, Salem was staunchly loyal to the Saud royal family, even doing intelligence work for them -- such as supplying the mujahedeen arms, money, and Osama in their fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan. Freely moving between the West and his homeland Salem's ultimate dream was to have four Western women from different countries as his wives: for him this was the true meaning of globalization.

Osama Bin Laden led a very different life from Salem. His mother had him when she was fifteen, and, because there were so many wives already in the Bin Laden household and as was the custom, she re-married, and it was in junior high that the Osama became involved tangentially with the Muslim Brotherhood and radical Islam. At that time many young boys in Saudi Arabia were drawn to radical Islam, and it's possible that like fatherless black teenagers in New York who joined gangs they were drawn in because they desperately wanted authority and structure in their lives. When Middle Eastern patriarchs decide to have dozens of sons they in fact sentence all of them to a fatherless existence. And while Osama had a kind stepfather his Bin Laden name meant he was in fact superior to his stepfather, and therefore could never look up to him.

Besides providing Osama with structure and order Islam also sated his second most immediate need: sex. Islam permitted Osama at 17 to marry a younger cousin of 14, and would permit him to marry three more times. And fighting the jihad in Afghanistan Osama may have been motivated by yet another mundane reason: respect from his half-brothers. The Saudi royal family supported the war, and thus the Bin Laden family supported the war -- and here was an opportunity for Osama to finally prove himself to the Bin Ladens. Ultimately, it did not but in Afghanistan he created a new family for himself: Al-Qaeda.

"Ambition, energy, natural talent, and a gift for managing people had made [the patriarch] Mohamed Bin Laden wealthy," Steve Coll writes. "Reinterpreted by Salem, these characteristics had girded a secular life of singular creativity and financial success. Reinterpreted through a prism of Islamic radicalism by Osama, they would soon prove just as transforming."

And what Osama realized was that the very tools of globalization -- mobile phones, Internet, and international finance -- could be used against globalization itself with devastating effect.

Unfortunately, globalization's prophets were so enamored of their creation they could not imagine this was possible. During the late Clinton administration federal agents tried to ascertain the funds available to Osama by hacking into Swiss banks but their overlords overruled this, arguing this would compromise confidence in the European banking system.

What was so traumatic about the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks was not the degree of damage but how it shattered our very sense of the world -- of what is fixed, true, and right. By turning the very symbols of modernity and globalization against itself Osama Bin Laden showed how messy and precarious our world really is, and that's a sort of metaphysical trauma almost impossible to recover from.

Globalization indeed is a messy and complicated process, as the Bin Laden family would discover. Yes, globalization meant cheap access to German prostitutes and German cars but it also brought many complications. While in America Bin Laden family members were swindled out of their money, and harassed by the police about if they were treating their household help properly. When one Bin Laden son found himself in American divorce court, and constantly harassed about his actual finances -- which he knew nothing about -- by his wife's divorce lawyers he yearned for the ease and simplicity of patriarchal Muslim law. Not at all strange that while reared in modern and progressive Western society most Bin Laden sons in the end chose the comfort and certainty of their corrupt and close-minded homeland.

Globalization, like the Internet and modernity, is neither good nor bad. It just is -- it promises and it imperils, it strengthens and weakens, it creates and destroys. Many are turned off by globalization's inherent messiness and complication, and thus it's not surprising many -- in every society -- will seek comfort and consolation in religion, the simplest and most dogmatic thing available to them.

And so Osama Bin Laden is not globalization's enemy. He is, like his other brother Salem and like the Bin Laden family and like all of us, ensnared and overwhelmed by globalization, desperately trying in his own way to best make sense of it.

This is the final volume in the "Ages of Middle-Earth" series and it was actually the first written. Although published in two volumes The Book Of Lost Tales was originally written as one. Tolkien expands in this second volume the stories of Middle-Earth as they unfold during the first four ages. For years Tolkien had been a scholar of mythology and he used his studies to transform ancient Earth mythology into the fantasy we know today. So if you love fantasy, whether you are a Tolkien reader or not, you will love this remarkable first attempt at reshaping modern fantasy.

If you like the silmarillion and book of lost tales one, than you cannot wait another day to get this. If you are like me and REALLY LIKE this whole middle earth thing with the trees, music of the ainur. etc, then you absolutely have to read this.

The first lost tales was the first half of the silmarillion, and of course part 2 of lost tales is the rest of the silm. Though a lot of these works are unfinished(certainly the whole tale telling itself with eriol and gilfanon?, yet some seem very finished like the fall of gondolin.

Some people don't think peter jackson did not do a good job with the lord, yet they do admit it was still a pretty good movie. I did not find return of the king NEAR as good as the other 2 movies, but I think that Pete was the best choice as director.

Now the point that I wanna make is that with all of the material from the book of lost tales part 1 AND 2, the silmarillion, unfinished tales, and all the annals I think Peter Jackson could make another epic movie doing 1 of 3 things, or something that I'm not thinking of. It doesn't matter how these are made, I just wanna see them on screen.

1. Make a two-part movie 6-7 hours in total.
2. Make a 3 1/2 hour or 4 hour movie
3. Pick a certain tale like turin or luthien

Any of these things that I have suggested are acceptable to me, but I would be open to any way possiblre to put this on screen.

I honestly feel that with the very strong emotions in these books it could be better than the lord of the rings movies.

The Book of Lost Tales 2 is a fantastic continuation to the first, taking place right where it left off this book goes in deeper than the first. The Book of Lost Tales includes 6 tales that where apart of the first but explains it with greater detail. This book was edited by Christopher Tolkien, the author's(J.R.R. Tolkien) son. All of the six stories include many notes that help you with the story, and 4 of them include a commentary that Christopher Tolkien wrote. I found the commentary and notes to be very helpful and enjoyable although he refers a lot to The Simarillion so one who has not read that might not understand some of it, and infact the stories that are in The Book of Lost Tales 2 are briefly in The Simarillion, which is also a very wonderful book. These books can be at sometimes a little difficult to read given the ammount of detail and information that they give you, sometimes it is hard to organize all of it but as you read on more things fall into place.

I highly recommend this book, although suggest reading The Simarllion before hand, J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world is quite enjoyable and his writings are full of detail. I also found the appendix and index of words quite useful and very nice to have, it tells you where all the names come from and have referances to where you can find them in this book and others. If you have read Lord of The Rings then you will find referances that are from this book and also The Simarillion that you did not get before.

Overall I thought this book was very enjoyable, although some what tedious at some points, and I recommend it to all fantasy and Lord of The Ring fans.

`if he could indeed destroy with his cunning the happiness and glory of the Gods and Elves...'

When the hateful god Melko marred the world, the Valar hid within the blessed land of Valinor, abandoning the Elves and Men of Middle Earth to slavery under his terrible rule. This was the time of great heroes who challenged Melko's impossible might. Beren and Lúthien entered Melko's hall to pluck his most prized possession from his crown. Cursed Túrin became a feared enemy of all evil creatures. Tuor fought to save a beleaguered realm. The mighty kingdoms of Gondolin - ruled by King Turgon - and Menegroth - ruled by King Thingol - long provided refuge for the few free people. Finally Eärendel risked all to beseech the Valar for aid. These heroes made terrible sacrifices to rid the world of the greatest evil it has ever known. Ashamedly, as magic faded and the Elves fled from the world, Men forgot these great deeds.

Ages later, the English mariner Eriol sailed to Tol Eressëa, the Lonely Isle, where Elves welcomed him as guest. In grand oral tradition, they recounted to Eriol the tales that should never have been lost.

Anybody who enjoyed The Book of Lost Tales Part 1, which should be read first, will love Part 2. It is also helps to first read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and, most importantly, The Silmarillion.

Christopher Tolkien continues to expertly assemble and present his father's works. His precise commentaries are essential to understanding J.R.R. Tolkien's mythos.

Some of the stories in Lost Tales are much more detailed than their final versions in the Silmarillion. Lost Tales is a treasure trove of rejected content that really fleshes out the myths.

The Book of Lost Tales Part 2 has six sections.

`The Tale of Tinúviel', one of Tolkien's most popular stories, tells of the triumphant love between Beren and Lúthien. This version is shockingly different than that found in The Silmarillion, and it contains much more dialogue and plot.

`Turambar and the Foalókë' is the stirring tragedy of Túrin son of Úrin (or Húrin). Cursed as a child, Túrin rages against fate with heroic intensity. This account is wonderfully detailed.

`The Fall of Gondolin' recounts the final days of King Turgon's fair city. Ulmo (the only Valar to intervene in Middle Earth during this period) sends brave Tuor upon a divine quest to bring counsel to the doomed realm. This Lost Tales version is staggeringly well detailed. The final battle for the city (summarized in a few sentences in The Silmarilllion) here receives tremendous attention. This action-heavy scene is definitely a highlight of the book.

In `The Nauglafring', Elves and Dwarves battle over cursed gold. This early-abandoned tale flatly contradicts much of Tolkien's other work.

`The Tale of Eärendel' tells of the legendary mariner who now sails the firmament above Earth as a radiant star, bringing hope to men. J.R.R. Tolkien never wrote this story, so this section consists of outlines, poems, and heavy commentary.

`The History of Eriol or Ælfwine' delves into Eriol's life. It clearly identifies Middle Earth as our Earth; for instance, the origins of England and Ireland are spelled out and Rome is presented as an Elvish enemy. Although enlightening, this thoroughly explained setting lacks the mysterious grandeur of LoTR's Middle Earth. This tale was never finished, and Christopher Tolkien shows superhuman diligence in piecing together jumbled outlines and narrative fragments. It is densely commented and makes a slow, though worthy, read.

The Book of Lost Tales shows the devotion J.R.R. Tolkien had for his craft. It is a perfect choice for any Silmarillion fan.

-Zach Zelmar

`The Book of Lost Tales, Part One and Part Two' by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by son, Christopher Tolkien, is, according to the editor's Foreword, some of the very earliest works written by Tolkien on the mythology of Middle Earth. Many, it is stated, were drafted in the 1920s, nearly ten years before the start of `The Hobbit'.

This is an important fact, as it means that they were not written to `fill in' details of references made in either `The Hobbit' or `The Lord of the Rings' (LOTR). It means that both of these published novels were narratives of a preexisting world of Middle Earth with a history stretching back thousands of years, to the very creation of the world. This supports the sense of historical depth one has when you read both novels. Early in the Foreword, editor Tolkien addresses this very aspect and the danger that the great depth of history felt in the novels may not transfer to documents that lay out that history. I personally do not sense that danger when I read these works. The intellectual effort required to understand the text and tie it together with all the Tolkienania that has gone before is more than enough to keep me busy. This is the basis of my title for this review, `Fantasy for Grown-ups'.

My experience is that neither `The Hobbit' nor `LOTR' books or movies had a strong appeal to the same audience as the literal and virtual comic book works such as Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Star Wars, Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), or even Indiana Jones. The world in which Middle Earth is set is much more subtly different from our world or the world of `Long ago, and far, far, away...' Even in `The Hobbit' one gets hints that the world of Middle Earth is not our comfortable sphereical planet with a different geography but the same physics, chemistry, and biology. One gets the sense that while the great `Gandalf the Gray' may be called a `wizard', he is not a wizard in the same sense as Merlin or a wizard of `Dungeons and Dragons'.

The most important difference between Middle Earth and our world is that this continent is in the center of a great disk surrounded by seas across which are the undying lands including the Elven island of Eressea and Valinor. The next major difference is that there are beings, primarily elves, which walk the earth and which are literally immortal. That is, they cannot die by natural causes. They can, however, be killed in battle, as seen in `The Two Towers' movie with the death of the elven archer allies helping to defend the Hornburg with Aragorn, Theoden, and the Rohrrim. It is also interesting to see that Gandalf possesses an immortality of an entirely different order, as he survives the great battle with the Balrog in the mines of Moria, a battle that would have killed any ordinary immortal elf.

It would have been interesting to see Tolkien deal with immortality in the same way that John Boorman did in his script for the movie `Zardoz', an easily underestimated movie. (Oddly enough, Gandalf is most like the characterization of Merlin in Boorman's movie, `Excalibur').

Another big difference is that the physics of this world is different from our world. Light, for example, simply does not behave like our notions of light. It is much more like a liquid that can be captured in the Silmarils or in the vial give by Galadrial to Frodo in Lorien. This is part of the reason neither Gandalf nor any other character, even Sauron, seems to use much `magic'. What may appear to us as magic is simply bending the different laws of physics to the will of the magician, as Sauron does in creating the One Ring.

These two books are yet another step removed from the `popular fiction' of `LOTR'. `The Silmarillion' was one step removed in being much more like Hesiod's mythology than Homer's epics. The `Unfinished Tales' were another step removed in that they were close to being stories with extensive editorial annotations. These two volumes, which are really one work in two books are reconstructions of even cruder material. Reading them may be about as much fun as reading Frazier's `The Golden Bough'.

Now, reading `The Golden Bough' can be fun for a particularly intellectual interest, but it takes just a bit extra to gain the same pleasure from these works, as they are not stories from a historical mythology which may explain genuine primitive thought and beliefs. They are make believe! They just happen to be of a type of make believe which is more different than just about any other fiction you can imagine.

The greatest insight I get from these myths on the early history of Middle Earth is on the origins of Tom Bombadil and the Ents. While neither is mentioned, there are ample hints that both are beings who sprung up from the bones of Middle Earth itself, independent of any efforts by the Valar. This explains the total difference between Bombadil and every other character in `LOTR' aside from Treebeard and the Ents. The Elves, the Wizards, Sauron, dragons, and probably dwarves, hobbits, and men all arose out of immigrants from `The Undying Lands' or were created by the Valar.

I find the single most interesting character in these pre `LOTR' stories to be the Noldor (elven) leader Feanor. He seems to have the air of Prometheus about him in that he defies the gods (the Valar) without being an evil force like Melkor / Morgoth or Sauron. When Feanor is not on the stage, my interest drops several notches.

These are the first two volumes of the twelve volume `The History of Middle Earth'. While several of the volumes seem independent, I would not venture to read any of them without having read `The Silmarillion'. They will make very little sense without this background in hand.

This guidebook from Starbucks entrepreneur Arthur Rubinfeld, one of the world's most successful retailers, provides an excellent introduction to conceptualizing, realizing, expanding and reinventing retail brands. Rubinfeld and co-author Collins Hemingway organize the book clearly around four basic principles: Think big; be oriented toward growth; find the right location, and plan for the future. They explain each principle step by step in terms that are understandable to the general management reader. They illustrate their assertions with examples from Rubinfeld's experience and from the experiences of such prominent retailers as Wal-Mart's Sam Walton and McDonald's Ray Kroc. If you consider launching a new retail enterprise, getAbstract would advise reading this book first.

Learn from a guy who took a coffee retailer from 14 locations to over 3,500 in just a few years and created the momentum for the Starbuck's Brand. One who glamorized a cup of coffee and got America to culturally change and willing to pay over $4.00 for something they previous purchased for a under a $1.00. A huge shift in what is possible. This is a great read for those interested in leadership, strategic thinking and knowing your demographic. Good enough to pass on to a friend or colleague, but better kept as a resource for future projects.

Rubinfeld is one of the masters in the retail locationing process. I own about 50 books in English and German on retail management, but none has included the expert advice on the very specialized retail locationing process. At least not compared to Rubinfeld's understanding. Both from a very strategic point-of-view and down to the nitty-gritty details of the legal agreement.

Rubinfeld's experience from Starbuck's rapid expansion in the 90s is very helpful, but he also adds a lot of other interesting retail cases from his work as an independent consultant.

The book's website includes very interesting checklists, but is not as impressive as you would expect based on the references made in the book.

The title's focus on "Expanding your business ... across the globe" is misleading in my opinion. Rubinfeld's advice hardly crosses the Atlantic nor the Pacific Ocean. But if you are interested in his ideas and concepts, you'll soon see that it doesn't matter. The principles remain the same with some adjustments for local responsiveness...

Being a chairman of a small retail chain, I have already put the author's advice into practice in the negotiations for a new retail location. They are easy to follow.

I also highly recommend the book's excellent chapters on retail chain financials. It is one of the first books that clearly distinguish between retail chain earnings and store earnings. Rubinfeld's focus on having a robust proforma economic model is key - also in my experience. And this is irrespective of whether you own all the stores yourself or also include a franchise system.

Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business

Author Rubinfeld took Starbucks to its place in retail dominance by creating a brand identity, yet assuring that stores did not have a "cookie-cutter" feel to them. The author points out for retailers, the store is the experience, and this is key to estabilishing a foothold. The way Starbucks stores were put together allowed them to be located even in historical building and other places where a normal outlet might not be desired.

The book doesn't just cover marketing strategy. It also discussing hiring the right team, and how locations are chosen. This information is golden.

Chapters include
* Make No Little Plans--core values, first store, maximizing retail experienc

* Go Long: blueprint for execution

* Own Main & Main: location, hot spots, how to grow rapidly without stumbling

* Push the Envelope: Path to Growth

Can't think of another book that outlines how to get to mega-success in retailing as well as this one.

Rubinfeld has credibility, being the person who commanded the domestic and global expansion of Starbucks. Here, Art Rubinfeld gives very specific advice on not only the "what" but the "how." His well-rounded and varied background has has enabled him to perceive things the way he does and then implement his ideas. He worked as an architect and as a construction manager. Later as Brand Development Consultant for Adidas and Washington Mutual Bank, prior to joining
Starbucks. He took Starbucks From 100 stores to over 4,000
worldwide. The concept of Starbucks is, and has has been unique. Who thought, back in the early 1990s that this new coffee outlet would do what it has done? I didn't.

Rubinfeld presided over and directed the Starbucks corporation's
growth in the 1990s, but he's also served as an independent
consultant for many other companies, so this adds to a more
multi-dimensional level of knowledge and numerous experiences of which to draw from. He specifically sites successes - and failures - with specific and detailed examples. Because of his background he can apply theory and also apply actual practice: from upper-lever strategy to front-line consumer. ( E.g. the 80:20 rule.)

Another concept: location plus people. The emphasis is on the
concept of retail and retail expansion, and the author doesn't stray from this as the foundation. Even of course, down to the store design which (Starbucks contains elements of the natural Earth, and presents the entity of the coffee bean and it's progression to the cup of java you get in-store). The complete retail puzzle involves many pieces. Strongly integrated throughout this book on retail is the concept of brand.

This book is categorized into 4 categories, with each category having a couple, to seven chapters. The Chapters zero-in on such areas as creativity, and customer loyalty; finding the best locations for your brand, management, staff and organization, for the big or small operations; implementation (translation: doing it). How to adapt, and continue to being dynamic and change, to maintain your customers. One useful term is what Rubinfeld calls "ideation." This is the
creation of new ideas. In the changing market place, this is the corner stone separating those who stay, from those who fade. Lots of proven ideas and concepts in this book.

I loved the first Abel Jones Civil War mystery (Faded Coat of Blue), but was sorely disappointed by the second (Shadows of Glory), so it with great relief that I can report that this third in the series displays much (if not quite all) the skill Parry brought to Faded Coat of Blue. The story kicks off with a serious bang, as the first thirty pages or so throw Major Abel Jones into the messy battle at Shiloh in early April 1862. From the very first sentence ("I remember the smell of men burning"), the reader is immersed in the chaos and confusion that is war, and it's hard to imagine any work of nonfiction\ able to compete with the "you are there" sensation these pages impart. In this in initial bloody action, the ever-stern Jones rounds up as many of those fleeing the battle as possible, and rallies them into a little unit, fighting through the day.

It's only after the battle that we finally learn the purpose of his foray into the front lines. As outlined in the previous books, the Welsh immigrant and former soldier Jones has been transformed from an army clerk into a special agent of President Lincoln's. Here, he sent is to investigate the massacre of forty runaway slaves, an atrocity discovered by advancing Union troops in Tennessee. Jones meets with Generals Grant and Sherman (and his friend Dr. Mick Tyrone), and is escorted to the Confederate side as an emissary to General Beauregard to discuss this heinous crime. Of course, this isn't as simple as it sounds, and Jones goes through a few adventures before he's able to team up with an young aristocratic (and Harvard educated) Southern officer to unmask the killers.

Actually, the book's one significant weakness is that there is a great deal of buildup to the mystery, but once the investigation is underway, the killers are identified with very rapidly (not to mention that the answer seems obvious the moment the villain is first seen). As in Shadows of glory, the emphasis is much more on mood and atmosphere than actual suspense. Much of the story seems designed to have Jones come to the realization that slaves are humans too, and perhaps are worth fighting a war over. To that end, a number of the supporting characters aren't nearly as well realized as they are in either of the two earlier books. Jones' Confederate liaison is a textbook golden-haired young Southern gentleman, and there are a smattering of basic rednecks and slave types as well. One notable exception is the Barnaby B. Barnaby, the Cockney gentleman's gentleman to Jones' liaison, who provides comic relief and a vivid voice. Of course, the strongest voice is Jones' own as narrator, and his telling is robust with the Welsh idiom, cadence, and priggish prejudice of the earlier books. Phrases like "he was as full of tricks as an Irish barrister" abound, and add much to the story.

All in all, the book is satisfying reading, if not as outstanding as Faded Coat of Blue, which just had everything going for it. The series continues with , Honor's Kingdom and Bold Sons of Erin which I will definitely be seeking out.