Drivers Books

In this short sharp shock of a novel, Muriel Spark converts cliché into reality. How often has one heard, after news of a reported rape, or murder, or both, the facile comment "She asked for it"? From the outset of "The Driver's Seat" we know the fate that awaits the strange, driven, calculating Lise; and it is a signal indication of Spark's unsparing skill that the reader is trapped in suspense nonetheless. To read this tale takes little more than an hour because, once you start it, it will not leave you alone till it is done. Spark demonstrates what "asking for it" would in fact entail; and permits us to judge for ourselves the distance between that, and being the genuine victim of such a crime---through the sheer power of storytelling alone.

Il faut avoir vu le film de Patroni Griffi tiré de cette "novella" avant de la lire. Ainsi, le lecteur aura en permanence à l'esprit le visage de Liz Taylor , un peu moins hystérique que la Liz de Muriel Spark, mais parfaite.
Le film est disponible en dvd.

There is no writer more despicable than the reviewer who spoils a book by revealing significant plot points.

[Okay, no writer who opines about the arts. Some political commentators come to mind who are surely destined for a special hell.]

But what do you call a novelist who begins the third chapter --- the third chapter --- of her book with this about Lise, the main character:

"She will be found tomorrow morning dead from multiple stab wounds, her wrists bound with a silk scarf and her ankles bound with a man's necktie, in the grounds of an empty villa, in a park of the foreign city to which she is traveling on the flight now boarding at Gate 14."

Try this: genius.

The Driver's Seat is just l00 pages. It will take most of you about an hour. But in that hour, you are in for an experience even more head-splitting than you'll get from Jim Thompson's aptly named The Killer Inside Me.

Because --- obviously --- this book is about something considerably trickier than who-gets-killed.

So the first brilliance of Muriel Spark's writing is its stunning originality; this is a book that really makes sense only backwards, when you finally have all the information to understand what happened. A close second is the writing. "Surgical" is often used to describe Spark's prose, and in this, her most unsettling novel, you can see why.

In a line here, a line there, we learn that Lise is 34 years old. She lives in the north of Europe, perhaps Sweden. She has worked in an accounting office since she was 18, with the exception of "the months of illness" --- and from the clothes she buys in the opening chapters and her strained, off-balance encounters with other people in the first few pages, we clearly get she's had a breakdown and is now having another. She lives alone. She's no oil painting:

"Her lips, when she does not speak or eat, are normally pressed together like the ruled line of a balance sheet, marked straight with her old-fashioned lipstick, a final and a judging mouth, a precision instrument, a detail-warden of a mouth; she has five girls under her and two men."

A dull woman? That's just the point. You'd never notice her, but on the last day of her life, you'd certainly feel her --- and you'd find her really creepy. The customers in a clothes store feel her; she makes them "gasp and gape". Her co-workers sit, silently, as she tells them, through hysterical laughter and tears, that her vacation will be "the time of her life." And on the plane that takes her south, presumably to Italy, she so terrifies the man next to her that he bolts out of his seat.

On and on it goes, a nightmare of inappropriate conversation, off-putting behavior, fevered action. She's supposed to have a date with her dream man --- where is he? "The torment of it," Lise says. "Not knowing exactly where and when he's going to turn up."

What's going on here? Is this a thriller? A search for the dream man that suddenly veers from romance to violence? There are cops jumping in from time to time --- is this a detective novel?

All of the above. And more. With a resolution you don't see coming and then can't see how it could have ended any other way.

"The Driver's Seat" was published --- as "a metaphysical thriller" --- in 1970. Spark was already a literary powerhouse, thanks to "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie", her 1962 novel about a spinster schoolteacher in Edinburgh, Scotland. It had been published --- in its entirety --- in The New Yorker. On stage, it starred Vanessa Redgrave. Completing the triumph was the 1969 film, starring Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for best actress in the title role.

"The Driver's Seat" was immediately recognized as a new kind of book: a traditional, last-day-of-life narrative, told with uncommon brevity and objectivity. Spark wrote more than twenty novels; this was one of her favorites. And her most prescient: you can see the accuracy of this close study of alienation and dislocation on the faces of untold people walking on any street. Or just watch the quirky, disturbing movie version of "The Driver's Seat" --- with Elizabeth Taylor in the leading role and Andy Warhol in the cast.

Muriel Spark wrote her novels in composition books, using one side of the page. No typewriters or computers for her --- she preferred pens that were not just new, but never touched by others. Rewriting? To her, that was the pastime of hacks; she rarely revised.

"The Driver's Seat" is proof she didn't need to.

The bleakest of Muriel Spark's twenty one novels, 1971's The Driver's Seat provides its audience with a short, harrowing ride, one often without apparent course or destination. Written in uncomfortable second person present tense, the reader becomes an immediate and hesitating witness to the last days in the life of Lise, the book's erratic, exacting, and strangely confrontational anti - heroine. The Driver's Seat is, among other things, a piercing indictment of both the Apollonian and Dionysian aspects of Western sixties culture and the radical break with traditional that the decade represented. Spark pulls off a clever literary coup in the opening paragraph of the third chapter, when she casually reveals the novel's catastrophic ending. By defusing the book's forward motion and the reader's expectations of reaching a climax in the routine manner, Spark forces the reader to look away from the narrative to understand the book's theme and meaning.

Lise, 34, is a product of scrubbed clean and prepackaged modern society, and is or has become a kind of tight - lipped clockwork cog blandly caught in the dull hierarchical social and economic machinery of life. Emotionally sterile and spiritually vacant, only the briefest glimpses into the inner workings of Lise's mind are made available. However, Lise, who habitually erupts into unprovoked barking laughter, has had "years of illness" of the psychological kind, the results of which have left her office coworkers quietly terrified of her presence. Lise is a walking pathology, a brittle death's head effigy who is likely to collapse or collapse a building at any moment should her precarious self regulating control system fail. Lise is a shark fin cutting the surface of life, a breathing but not necessarily living crash test dummy, a combustible wax work 'other' lacking a genuine human presence and an authentic resemblance to mankind. Spark hilariously underscores Lise's tragic monstrousness by giving her the Bride of Frankenstein's hairstyle, skunk stripe rising up from middlebrow to high pile above.

Subtly coerced by her coworkers to take a vacation, Lise already has extensive plans to do so. She will travel by plane from her own northern country (probably Sweden) to a southern country (most likely Italy), leaving behind her modern pine walled apartment, which has been constructed so that all furniture and appliances fold smoothly away into the walls (even the toilet). Lise keeps the few visible household trappings perfectly ordered and devoid of personal touches, leaving the apartment like a hotel room in a perpetual state of readiness for the next guest. Lise's home is her 'pine box.'

Only elderly, sweet natured, and met - along - the way traveling companion Mrs. Fiedke, who can neither see nor hear properly, can stomach Lise's company as Lise searches endlessly for a "boyfriend" she is unable to recognize or describe. In an effort to assist, Mrs. Fiedke asks, "Will you feel a presence? Is that how you'll know?" "Not really a presence," Lise famously replies, "the lack of an absence, that's what it is." Strangely, Lise becomes briefly more human as the narrative winds to a close; she momentarily regrets the plan she has precipitated, even while there is still more than enough time to bring it to a halt. She misses "the lonely grief" of home, and offhandedly says, "I wished my parents had practiced birth control." Readers will find Lise's brief manifestation of humanity starkly poignant.

By revealing that Lise's present condition has been partially caused by her being "neither pretty or ugly," and her continuing isolation due to her intrinsic status as a nondescript person in a world of mediocre, bland, and unremarkable people, Spark underscores the process by which some individuals perpetually overlooked as 'ordinary' can become extraordinary deviant and dangerous. Encouraging already indistinct members of society to assume generic personalities and rigid, conformist lifestyles, Spark seems to be saying, doesn't force the evolution of the New Man, but causes permanent spiritual deformities and creates abominations.

The Driver's Seat is filled with eccentric characters, but unlike other Spark novels, there are no outright sinister eccentrics other than Lise. The Driver's Seat equates evil with processed sterility and blankness rather than with the more traditional concepts of Christian sin and violation of grace and virtue. Here, vacuous stupidity (when Lise and Mrs. Fiedke are surrounded by cavorting hippies, shrewd Mrs. Fiedke says, "They are hermaphrodites. It isn't their fault"), solipsism, witless opinion, groundless protest, and trendy hedonism are merely the new norm, the to - be expected detritus of newly destabilized Western life. Even meek Mrs. Fiedke, representing the decaying old guard, believes all "homosexuals should be put on an island" and doesn't hesitate to say so. In the Driver's Seat, both civilization and nature, both the old order and the new, are at a dead end.

In an absurd world, can a person seize complete control of his or her destiny? If so, to what degree, and to how many possible outcomes? Can man successfully usurp God's role? These are the questions Spark raises and unsettlingly addresses here.

A story of a woman in search of the perfect man, and of two people perfectly suited for one another finally meeting, The Driver's Seat turns every fairytale and romantic notion painfully upon its head. Upon finishing the book, Spark landed in the hospital, apparently suffering nervous strain and exhaustion, which gives potential readers a hint of its macabre power. Highly recommended.

I'm surprised to see that there is no review posted for this book. It was a gem of a find for me, one of those books that I found while browsing for nothing in particular, and it sounded interesting at the very least. Since then I have come to enjoy Muriel Spark very much, though for nostalgic reasons this book remains one of my favorites. I have read it time and time again, and it's one of those rare experiences that lingers each time.

The book chronicles the vacation holiday of an unsettled, eccentric woman named Lise who is searching for her "boyfriend" in another city. To say more would be to give away wonderful, dissident chords within the book. I think it's one of the greatest parts of the experience Spark gives her readers- it's all a bit off-key, a bit awkward, a bit like watching a train as it lumbers down the track with the knowing that something bad is going to happen. The book follows none of the orthodoxies of most writing, at least in my mind, because while there is an obvious beginning and end, one gets the impression that much of the implied story began a very long time ago and that the future of Lise might include stalking the streets of this foreign city and its more benign tourists. I left my first reading with more questions than answers, but it was a very good thing within this context. There is nothing in Lise that can be contained very efficiently, including what one might expect of her, and so while the story ends in the shortterm with the insertion of the back of this tiny book, somewhere in the mind it is possible for Lise to continue to wander aimlessly through the imagination and the many doors found there.

As effective as the characterization, the sparse narrative is eerie and fantastic and shows restraint where others might provide a deluge of interesting yet ineffectual description and leaves us wanting more in many cases. But, like a scolded child we realize that- as the title implies- there is another who knows better than we who is maneuvering this vehicle and we are totally at her disposal. As a reader, this book was about acceptance and a certain amount of perseverence, because there were times when I truly felt dread reading about Lise and the assortment of characters that she encounters on her journey. It's a book I have never forgotten and one that sticks out in my mind as one of the better pieces I've had the pleasure of reading.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy subtle, creeping turmoil instead of the blood and monsters that pepper popular suspense. This is not about the man with the axe around the next corner, or the modern psychopath stalking their prey. At least, it's not clearly any of these things. It is the bubbling of something more than every-day-ho-hum under the surface of what appears normal (if slightly eccentric) human behavior, and it's got plenty of twists in store for those who decide to take it on. A wonderfully scary book, and a symphony of slightly sour notes building to a creepy, determined finale.

Long-Distance Grandparenting is as loaded with ideas for building relationships with far-off young ones as a farm-house table at Thanksgiving. It doesn't matter whether the children you seek to befriend are grandchildren or greats, nieces or nephews, bewildered toddlers or surly teens. It makes no difference whether you are related by blood or were drafted into the family some other way, whether the young people live down the block or, as is more often the case, halfway across the continent.

You must make unflagging efforts to get into and stay in these kids' lives so you'll be there when they need you, or to impart a set of values they may not be getting at home, or to underscore values they have been presented, or to provide consistency in the midst of turmoil, or to create memories that will bring them joy later on, or simply because you love them and you must be involved.

Long-distance love affairs are hard enough when both sides are trying. With kids and older folks, often the youth do little, if anything, to keep the relationship mutual. You need ideas--and lots of them--till you find one or more that works for each of the children you love. Gore's 85 pages are packed with experiences of how real people have engaged in the delicate dance of winning over younger ones without offending the parents. There--I hinted: there are warnings, something no guide to long-distance grandparenting could be complete without!

The book can easily be browsed or read at one sitting. Or read and browsed again. Reread. The cover illustration of a tin can connected by telephone cord to a cellphone sums up the problem. The pages that follow illustrate many solutions.

This book was an easy read. I would have liked to be more specific about the relationship building between grandparents/parents/and children. But it gave ever good suggestions.

The wisdom in this book is so extensive, coming as it does from people with many and varied backgrounds and experiences, that it will be attractive and enlightening even for individuals who do not have grandchildren. The fundamental qualities which compose the subject are love, patience, thoughtfulness, generosity, careful planning and, above all, connectedness. Some of the situations between elders and their grandchildren which are so well described here can be applied in other human relationships such as teaching, resolving family grudges, and renewing and keeping old friendships. Primarily, though, this is a book for those grandparents who yearn for their grandchildren, but who cannot see them frequently because of the distances (both psychological and physical,) so common in today's complicated world. "Long-Distance Grandparenting", by Willma Willis Gore, should be recommended for purchase by such people, and kept as a staple in every public library. Ann Williams, Bakersfield, California

Today's Grandparents Preserve Yesterday's Ties
... a New Book Tells Us How

by Susan Stewart

The American nuclear family, as defined by the iconic Leave It To Beaver and other television sitcoms during the 1950s and `60s is--more than half a century later--the exception rather than the rule. High rates of divorce, the emergence of "blended" families, single and same gender parenting, and a much more mobile society have all contributed to a dramatic redefinition of family. And the "extended" family as we once knew it--those eccentric aunts, feisty uncles, quirky cousins, and beloved grandparents who used to live nearby--has all but disappeared. Today's grandparents are traversing entirely new territory, both literally and figuratively. And the distances can be daunting.

Long-Distance Grandparenting, Connecting with your Grandchildren from Afar offers a sturdy bridge for the many modern grandparents left wondering how they will adjust to this ever-shifting landscape. Award-winning author and grandmother for some twenty-five years, Willma Willis Gore has written a book that is entertaining, informative, practical, and poignant.

"All grandparenting experiences are not created equal," writes Gore in the introduction. "Grandparents sometimes become rivals. Money can be scarce, time and transportation can be problems. Schedules conflict." So Gore interviewed dozens of grandparents, their children and grandchildren and infused every chapter with their stories, often quoting them directly.

Ten well-titled chapters, anecdotes with headings, and a comprehensive resources section steer the reader easily toward the most helpful sections. How does one, for example, deal with the concept of "rules" when parents and grandparents differ? Chapter 2, titled "Rules for Grandparents, Parents, and Grandkids" offers sound, effective guidelines.
What about the murky waters of giving advice? Try Chapter 4, "Risks and Rewards of Grandparent Advice." What happens when grandchildren move overseas? One anecdote is headed, "When the Split Takes the Grandchild Far Away."

The practical importance of thank-yous, the reinvention of letter-writing, and the magic of the internet are explored. And a special chapter just for men offers often-neglected grandfathers unique methods for cultivating special ties beyond the usual fishing, fixing, and phoning.

The author also addresses the less tangible aspects of long-distance grandparenting, such as understanding that perfection is an impractical goal, that change is the only constant, and that knowing when to say "no" is crucial to preserving honest, loving relationships

Clashing grandparents, truculent teens, confusing messages, and sibling rivalry are all discussed, with practical, inventive, and thorough advice for each. Never preachy and far from sappy, Long-Distance Grandparenting is written with brevity, humor, and heart.
Its inclusive approach does not judge or even opine; rather it illustrates the many faces of grandparents today and addresses the change with stoic optimism.

Real-life solutions from authentic situations are the hallmark of this charming book. Long-Distance Grandparenting gives readers the feeling that anyone can find creative ways to establish and sustain a loving connection with their grandchildren--preserving and protecting one precious and irreplaceable relationship in the ever-changing face of the American family.

Nowadays many of us find ourselves not living near to our grandkids. In order to keep in touch, Long Distance Grandparenting, has some delightful and innovative ideas to keep in touch with your grandkids and make sure they know who you really are for themselves--not just what their parents have told them.

Author Willma Gore has done a great job of gathering diverse information into one easy to read and delightful book.

Highly recommended for all grandparents.

Las huelgas de 1934 que forjaron el movimiento
sindical industrial en el mediooeste
norteamericano y ayudaron a allanar el camino
para el ascenso del Congreso de Organizaciones
Industriales (CIO), relatadas por un dirigente
central de esas batallas. El primero en una serie de
cuatro tomos sobre el liderazgo de lucha de clases
de las huelgas y campa?as de sindicalizaci?n que
transformaron el sindicato de los Teamsters en gran
parte de esa regi?n en un movimiento social
combativo y se?alaron el camino hacia la acci?n
politica independiente de la clase obrera. Incluye
una nueva introducci?n a la edici?n en espa?ol
por Jack Barnes.

THIS REVIEW IS ALSO BEING USED FOR TEAMSTER POWER WHICH IS A CONTINUATION OF THE STORY PRESENTED HERE. THE POLITICAL POINTS ARE VALID FOR BOTH BOOKS.

ORGANIZE WALMART! ORGANIZE THE SOUTH! These are the slogans which outline the tasks that the American labor movement, particularly the organized trade union movement under the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win Coalition, need to address. With those tasks in mind it was refreshing for this old militant to re-read Farrell Dobbs' analysis of the fight to organize the truckers in the 1930's. This volume, and an earlier one detailing the struggles to organize truckers in Minneapolis, are little handbooks for model labor organizing. Dobbs himself was instrumental in organizing the truckers of Minneapolis in the great strikes in that city in 1934 and as documented here the later, successful organizing of the over the road drivers in the Midwest which created the modern, powerful Teamsters International Union. He was, more importantly, a supporter of what later in the decade became the Socialist Workers Party- American section of the Trotsky-led Forth International.

Whatever else may be true about Dobbs this man could organize workers. Why? The last sentence in the previous paragraph gives the answer. In the modern labor movement it is not enough to be a militant on the picket line but one must also have a political approach to labor actions. With the merging of corporate and governmental interests on the labor question in the modern state militants better think politically. As the December, 2005 unsuccessful struggle of the transport workers in New York City demonstrated militants better know the enemy and his tactics well. Moreover, these days, unlike in the 1930's when it went without question by advanced workers, it is as important to know there is an enemy. On the other hand think what it would be like to have a political militant like Dobbs organizing the drivers of those 7000 trucks that Wal-Mart owns to distribute its merchandise. You get my drift. Read what he has to say carefully.

To even introduce this militant labor leader of the 1930's is to state the fundamental problem of today's labor leaders. They do not exist in the modern labor movement. Yes, there are militants out there in the rank and file but militant leaders are no longer produced and that is the rub. Unlike the strategy of independent political action which underlined Dobbs' work the strategy of today's labor leaders can be summed up in two words- class collaboration. That is a strategy of dependence by the labor movement on the good will of the `friends of labor', essentially the Democratic Party- not to fight for victory in the streets but by what at times amounts to parliamentary cretinism. Just start to organize Wal-Mart seriously or organize the South and militants will quickly see who their `friends' are.

The natural audience for this book are today's labor activists so the reviewer would draw attention to the following issues that Dobbs and his associates had to confront and which militants today will confront in any serious organizing efforts. (1)The role of the labor bureaucracy in limiting the scope of struggle. (2) The role of governmental mediators, courts, legislation and the above-mentioned `friends of labor' in curtailing the struggle. (3) The role of scabs and others, including government troops, who will try to break the up the struggle. On the positive side- the following should be noted; have your own publicity organ to get out your message; organize other labor and pro-labor sources to assist in strike action; anticipate that governmental and corporate sources will try to `freeze' workers out so have your own transport, commissary and medical operations. Finally, in the words of the old Wobblie song by Joe Hill- "Don't Mourn, Organize!!

In rereading this book I was struck by what a wonderful thing it was that these rank and file workers were able to change history by creating, out of their struggle, an example of revolutionary unionism. It was wonderful for them and is wonderful for us, because it shows what we can do today. This book also tells the story of how Farrell Dobbs learned that he could trust in both the fighting capacity of the working class and the leadership capabilities of its vanguard. Through powerful examples Dobbs describes the dog-eat-dog viciousness of capitalism and contrasts it with the desire on the part of young fighters to break through the backstabbing and open up a road to workers' solidarity. This book could change your life. Amazon may list this book as unavailable from time to time, but it's always available from the Pathfinder z store. Click on "new and used" at the top of the page.

Dobbs, a leader of the 1934 Minneapolis Teamster strike, which became a citywide general strike, tells its story. The battles with the companies, cops, strike breakers, and their hangers-on are told with masterful effect. It also shows the rising industrial unions as organizations of working-class struggle, taking on the employers and its government. But the real gem at the heart of this tale is how the unfolding struggle transformed ordinary workers, including Dobbs himself, into extraordinary fighters, thinkers, and revolutionary leaders.

Farrell Dobbs was a coal-yard worker and one of the central leaders of the 1934 strikes when in his twenties. Some forty years later Dobbs was the national secretory of the Socialist Workers Party and wrote down an account of his experiences working in the coal yards and becoming involved in unionist movement organizing the drive to establish Teamsters Local 574 and the rise of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) as an effective nation-wide instrument to better working conditions for men and women like himself. Teamster Rebellion is Dobbs account of the hard-fought strike actions which were often all out battles with law enforcement and hired thugs operating as strike breakers in the employ of the exploitative company owners and such big-business fronts as Citizen Alliance. Teamster Rebellion is a welcome and recommended addition to academic and community library American Labor History collections.

This book is an in-depth and thoroughly detailed discussion of the various features of Painter X. But more than that, it is also an excellent step-by-step how-to for using these features to create a very satisfying painting from a photograph - with almost limitless potential variability. While artistic effects are certainly involved, this is not a book for the graphic artist who has the ability to create a painting starting from scratch on a blank canvas. For that one might consider Painter X Creativity: Digital Artist's Handbook by Jeremy Sutton, or the Painter X Wow! Book by Cher Threinen-Pendarvis.

The only flaw is one found in the otherwise useful accompanying CD. While most tutorials were easily viewed, some were obscured by a red screen, with an error message stating that the problem was due to an error using Macromedia Projector.

But don't let this one flaw deter anyone interested in this book. The book is excellent.

The author also writes for the San Diego U&T; many of these trips are culled from his archives.
He knows the area, and he has an adventurous spirit. He maps out routes that are out-of-the-way, ones that you wouldn't think of yourself, like out to a desert town, but also more urban trips. The attention to detail is key; miles, times, markers, etc.

A great guide if your new to the area, or, if you've lived here for awhile and want to experience a part of San Diego you've missed.

I had the chance to see and hear this author at a local community college. In addition to his appearances on a local television station, he has written for the Travel section of the San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE. No other county in the United States offers beach, mountains and desert all within its boundaries. And such treasures as a historic gold-mining town turned picturesque destination, an almost-unspoiled desert, a world-famous observatory, an authentic Mexican village. the first California mission are also contained here. One can almost spend a week or more on a vacation without traveling far from San Diego and still feel that he has been to unique places.

This book is great! We have done one drive so far and it left from our front door. We did everything he instructed and had a GREAT time! We went to a restaurant he suggested and it was awesome. My advice is to call ahead if you plan to go to a restaurant he has suggested because some close early. If you are a local and want a great book to liven up your weekends, this is it. You will explore San Diego and have a blast while doing so. All in your backyard!!

My husband and just got home from one of the trips in the book, "Russians, Wineries and the Real Baja," which goes from Ensenada, to Tecate, Mexico. We had a wonderful time. It is so beautiful and we saw a side of Mexico we never expected. I highly recommend this book.

While reading this book, I contacted the author via instant message and noted how struck I was by her extraordinary recall of detail, faithfully and interesingly fashioned into this very readable tale of one family's struggle to live life well. And as the author conveys so realistically, it's seldom easy. The second standout feature of this book is the author's effective use of periodic flashback that dramatically places the reader at the bedside of her beloved daughter Noelle who had been struck by a drunk driver and critically injured.

This is a story written by a devoted, loving mom and, unhappily as it happens, a bereaved parent. Read this heart-warming story with a cozy blanket and cup of tea. You'll soon discover how well and profitably you've spent your time.

Alan D. Busch
6/22/08

What a wonderful read!! I couldn't put it down. I felt like the boy in the movie "The Page Master", who upon finding a book he couldn't wait to read, found a place to hide to just read the book, relishing every page and enjoying each chapter as much as the one before it. I actually bumped into someone who was talking about this book as well and she said the same thing, she just couldn't put it down. The ones lucky enough to have found this hidden treasure will be moved beyond words by this beautiful story of a life lived.

This book was almost impossible to put down. It was sweet, funny and sad. It's a story of a mother's worst horror--the loss of a child, told with love. What a wonderful testament to a lost daughter and a delightful family. Let's see some more writing by Micki Peluso.

Micki Peluso's poignant memoir, "And The Whippoorwill Sang" is a 'must read'. With wit, insight, and heart, she draws the reader into her life, into her home, and into the pain of a loss no family should ever endure. This book is not only a miraculous journey for every reader, but should be REQUIRED reading for some---especially those thoughtless enough to drive under the influence. Peluso's book is a tribute to the power of loving family connections and is one not to be missed.

I've never been much into memoires, but I have to say, this story of one family's life had me engrossed from the moment I picked it up and started reading.

This is a story about one family's life, and I can relate to almost every incident in this tale. I almost split my sides when I read about some of the heroine's adventures. Have I ever run out of gas on the interstate? Or tried chugging up a mountain with a vehicle that wouldn't chug? Uh, yeah. Have I ever said, or heard anyone say "shut up I have to see where I'm going?" Uh, yeah.

The author shares her experiences with us and allows us into her family as though we were a family member. I feel as though I know this group and that they'd have gotten along so well with my own family.

One technique the author uses is the flashback into the past as she sits
waiting for the doctor to pronounce life or death for one of her precious children. A heart wrenching account. She uses present tense for the emergency scenes and past tense for the flash backs and, although I don't normally like present tense use, this worked. In fact, I couldn't imagine it done any other way.

I give this book five stars for an enjoyable and sobering look into the author's life.

Patricia A. Guthrie

This book combined with Linux Device Drivers, 3rd Edition, must be available in the library of all the emebedded system developers, based on Libux.
This book, give more information than linux device drivers, another iformations for the new developers, that are starting developing emebedded systems based on Linux.
So buy it.

Without a doubt, this is the best driver book I've ever purchased. In the first few chapters the author walks you through boot, interrupts, builds, installs etc so that you can make the most of his outstanding knowledge of drivers and driver design which fills 3/4 of the book. Even if you don't want to design or build your own driver, the first few chapters alone are worth the cost of the book and the knowledge he imparts about drivers is priceless. If you are a Linux Kernel analyst, you can do no better than purchase this. And as to his writing style.. I've read plenty of dry, boring Linux technical books but this one even has a most outstanding writing style. It was enjoyable to read. I cannot praise this book enough. If you're a newbie Linux Kernel Techie or someone who thinks they already know everything... you cannot go wrong. Buy it, read it and you will learn more about drivers than from any other book, and you'll learn a whole lot more besides.

This detailed guide to writing Linux device drivers is a solid acquisition for collections strong in advanced Linux programming: it's for audiences with a working knowledge of operating systems and C - but not necessarily device driver writing - and brings together all the basic concepts and methods needed to address common programming scenarios. Many driver are discussed in no other book, making Essential Linux Device Drivers a 'must have' for any collection serious about Linux programming applications.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I'd been frustrated by the fragmented and incomplete nature of documentation surrounding linux driver development. This is the book I was looking for, I guess.
I specifically liked:
1. the way the author ties all the pieces together. For example, in the PCMCIA subsystem, the diagrams give you the broader picture architecturally, and the code snipppets give you the minutia you'll need. 2. the fact that it is up-to-date as far as the kernel version is concerned.
3. how it resolved a lot of questions I'd had about the scheduler.
4. the really good handling of USB and the video subsystem.
It is a little light on SMP and portability issues, but overall a very good book.

I've been frustrated by many other Linux kernel and device driver books. The authors often make assumptions about the readers knowledge and gloss over areas that can be quite confusing.

To some extent, that's unavoidable: the Linux kernel is monstrous and very complex, and the hardware that drivers control can also be dark and mysterious territory.

I really appreciated this books approach. It's not that everything is explained in complete detail; that would be impossible. However, the author obviously tries very hard to give an overview, an orientation that will hopefully set your mind in the right direction, before diving into details. Throughout the book he adds "go look at this" suggestions that can help you understand whatever he's dealing with at this point.

I think Chapter 2, which is a high level fly-by of the kernel in general, is an absolute masterpiece. That starts by pulling typical kernel boot messages and explaining what they mean and what's going on in code to produce them. It then goes on to discuss kernel locks, briefly looks at procfs and memory allocation, and closes (as each chapter does) with pointers to where to look in the source for the subjects discussed.

Chapters 3 and 4 flesh out basic concepts more, and then after that the book goes into details, picking both real world and fanciful examples of hardware and giving sample device drivers. Simple devices are presented first, while later chapters get into more complicated hardware, but in each case the same general format is followed: overview of the how and why, sample driver(s), how to most easily debug, and pointers to real kernel sources.

Very well done. I have no complaints - oh, a few minor typos, maybe, but nothing serious.

This is a clear, amusing and readable account of how Joan Darrah went from being a volunteer leader to become the mayor of Stockton, CA. Her engaging style makes it seem both doable and worthwhile. She recounts how much she was able to do by diplomacy and persuasion to dramatically reduce crime in the city and to take control of the city's development away from the developers and give it back to the people. Inspiring. And she is so likable. You end up feeling as though you have just had a good talk with a fine mentor. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone concerned about civic affairs.

This memoir is one of the most potent stories I have ever read about a woman politician. Joan Darrah is a phenomenal example of what women can do and overcome in the largely male dominated world of politics. I was so inspired not only by how she rose to the powerful position of mayor, but the ways in which whe changed the city of Stockton. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a strong woman who has accomplished so many remarkable things.

Women working in the political arena, whether as politicians, activists, or in a myriad of other areas, struggle with finding traveled paths relevant to their goals. What Joan Darrah has ratified is that our desires to be agents for positive change in our communities are worthy and that a path has been traveled. GETTING POLITICAL - STORIES OF A WOMAN MAYOR recounts her experiences as Mayor of Stockton, CA that led to a resurgence of community pride in her city and tremendous personal growth for herself. Darrah's book is a candid, intimate, and inspiring look at a woman successfully putting herself "out there." The community Joan speaks of is 250,000 but the experiences of a woman leading are universal to all that have chosen to put their foot forward. A must read for women that have been there and those that want to go.

Joan Darrah presents us with a remarkable testament of one strong woman's effort to change the political terrain of a community of 250,000, Stockton California. She succeeds.

Why wasn't there a book forty years ago when I was in college like this book? It is a real political primer, one which in real life stories, detail the evolution of a woman from a non-profit type leader to a shrewd politician.

Episode after episode detail the daunting challenges of Stockton in the nineties: the drowning of several children by the out of control Calaveras River, the disastrous designation of Stockton by FEMA as being in a flood plain--it could have been an economic calamity for Stockton, and the tragic shooting of a property owner and a policman in a drug raid.

Nothing could probably overshadow the horror of the lone gunman who shot to death several students at their school. How does a relative newcomer handle such awesome challenges? Joan Darrah does and jumps back and forth successfully from being the loving caretaker to the shrewd politician.

One incident, however, enfolds into a huge drama with the mayor pitted against powerful gambling interests as well as the city council. Her move to get the entire community to vote and drive the gambling interests out of town, is nothing short of exciting.

The style of the book moves you along. If a detail here or there doesn't appeal, right away you will find yourself in the middle of new and even more absorbing story.

And you are learning. This story could be the story of just about any modern city in this country with a multitude of challenges. And the book tells us how Mayor Darrah's wonderful patience and courage change things for the better.

There is the colorful story at the end of the book of how ships brought men from San Francisco, bound for the hills during the Gold Rush, right into the deep water port of Stockton, where they disembarked and set off by horse or mule into the foot hills.

Joan Darrah is the first person in a half century of efforts to successfully launch the re-vitalization of this downtown area.

If the facts don't fascinate at times, then the biographical aspects of the book will have appeal. A determined girl, promoted by a high energy dad and a loving mom, Joan presents us right away with a young person with much promise. Yet, in retrospect, Joan's marriage to a fifth generation attorney from a prominent Stockton family might have been the best choice to nail down her long term possibilities of a political career.

Linking with the right people is demonstrated over and over, and Joan's affirming these persons' special contributions is a clear key to a politician's success.

In a further bigraphical vein, Joan must be incredibly proud of her high achieving three children. They are contributors in the best possible sense of the term. Joan combines the best aspects of being a mom and wife with the conviction of being the best possible mayor.

This memoir is one of the most potent stories I have ever read about a woman politician. Joan Darrah is a phenomenal example of what women can do and overcome in the largely male dominated world of politics. I was so inspired not only by how she rose to the powerful position of mayor, but the ways in which whe changed the city of Stockton. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a strong woman who has accomplished so many remarkable things.

As a retired police officer, and author, I found Life behind the badge to bring back vivid memories of my work as a peace officer. Doug has done a fine job of putting the reader "on scene."
Richard Neal Huffman
Author of Dreams In Blue: The Real Police - ISBN# 1-4137-9073-9

Life Behind The Badge is a great read. This book details every emotion that a Police Officer feels, but just cant interpret. Srgt. Driver is a veteran cop now, and has been through it all, yes even in "small town America." If you are looking for a book about real police work, and not some book that was not even written by a cop; that has no idea what's its really like, this is your book! Srgt. Driver great job, and be safe!

I read this book from cover to cover the day I received it. Sgt. Driver reminded me why I became a cop in the first place. Truly inspirational!

If I never read another book that's fine with me. I haven't cried since I was in Elementary School, until now. I way underestimated how heavy a badge is to wear. I will never again look at a cop, or a police car, and not think about what lies ahead for them. I started reading this book in the afternoon and finally went to sleep when I saw Sgt. Driver's face on the back cover. It was that enjoyable. Keep up the good work sir!
Dave L.

Going against our current world of political correctness, this is one book that doesn't pull any punches and tells it like it is ... This is a true accounting of how a cop lives his life and tells of the personal sacrifices he makes to "serve and protect" those in his community... No Hollywood version here... Simply one highly-decorated officer's facts of what he and his brotherhood face everyday... From capturing drunk drivers, to helping the elderly, to nearly being beaten or shot to death - If you don't have respect for the police and the things they do now- You will after you read this book...

In a word, awesome! This is a practical guide to actual assembly techniques. Little time is spent discussing when or why someone would do what the author tells you how to do. Other books cover those tasks quite well. I'm sure all this info is dated, but it's still quite informative.

I really did like this book, it does have a wealth of information which can be APPLIED to more modern techniques, and generally just gets you thinking in different directions as a book like this should. But given todays climate and the fact that every state has improved security tremendously around IDs and ID cards and even birth certificates, unless you want to try your hand with a laminated Maine ID and or birth certificate printed on improper paper (and probably end up in jail), this may not be the best resource to follow word for word any longer. I didnt like the fact that he barely delved into the new world of teslin and pvc credit card hologramed high quality state IDs (if at all actually) as I feel that you would have to in a book of this nature today, but overall there are some worth while "ideas" in this book that have helped me get a bit better in the real world. Id recommend, but with a bit of caution depending on what your planning on doing, or not doing (*wink*).

This is an excellent book for someone wanting to delve into id replication, and techniques. The author is very knowledgeable on the topic he discusses in this book. From start to finish, it leaves you with a very clear understanding of the methods used to create a means of identification. Fair warning, and as he states in the book, it isn't meant for someone attempting to purchase or obtain alcohol. The book does not go into detail on every state, better yet, it focuses on information that will actually help you make an id. Full of resources and techniques, this book is an EXCELLENT guide for someone with the incentive of making an id.

Finally. A novelty ID construction book that deals with the meat of ID construction. Refreshingly, two chapters WERE NOT dedicated to lamination. I think we all know how to laminate.

MUCH ATTENTION was paid to creating holograms (something we actually need to learn).

The research was obvoiusly thorough and comprehensive. The author does not take credit for ideas that aren't his. All his sources are properly credited (though usually anonymously by request of the source). But, hey, it shows CLASS.

VERY REFRESHING slant for a genre that has of late been falling into the trap of selling titles. This book as REAL SUBSTANCE.

An excellent reference source for anybody interested in this art. Also great for writers who need to research underworld maneuvers for their "villain" characters.

Thank you, Mr. Charrett!!!!

I just finished reading this book, and I loved it! I must admit I was skeptical before I ordered because we have all been scammed at one time or another. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had NOT been ripped off this time! This book lives up to the hype and does not disappoint the reader. The knowledge of the author is complete on the subjects discussed, detailed instruction is given, and (most importantly!) common pitfalls are exposed. I found myself exclaiming out loud "Wow, THAT little tidbit alone is worth the cost of this book." about six or seven time throughout my reading. I also would like to add that if you are interested in this kind of thing, this book is a great learning tool, a good place to start. Thanks Sheldon, for a well written, (often hilarious) informative, eye-opening book.

Great insight, untold stories, and unseen photographs about an extremely private man. It was quite refreshing from the self-serving tomes that celebrities have put out and continue to put out about themselves. The one thing I've always admired about McQueen (besides his obvious acting talent) was his disdain for celebrity and the fact that he remained true to himself. This book drives that home.
Excellent.

Wow, the photographs are beautiful and highly personal. It's like seeing a private photo album from this marriage. Plus the text is informative and revealing. I'm so glad this part of Steve's life is now so well documented.

It goes perfectly on my coffee table.

A fantastic book on the last years of legend Steve McQueen! Great job by Barbara McQueen and Marshall Terrill! Touching moments! Great photos!

This book takes you into the very intimate and private world of Steve McQueen between 1977 and 1980.

Consisting of approximately 150 color photos (most of which were taken by his wife Barbara McQueen) and accompanied by Barbara's recollections of their time together.

Unlike some other photobooks where you sense you are watching the star pose, this book shows you the absolutely unguarded and relaxed side of the man as he goes about his daily life, talking to friends, tinkering on his bikes, dozing in an armchair or washing down the pavement outside his airplane hanger.

These are the sort of photos you would usually never see of a movie star - Steve in the morning before he has showered, looking drowsily over a hot mug of coffee, househunting in Montana with Barbara, or lying asleep on the living room floor with his pet dog lying on top of him.

You really feel like you have stepped into Steve and Barbara's house, it is that personal.

The text accompaniment is also very entertaining and educational as Barbara shares her memories of how Steve wooed her, the initial problems he had to overcome in winning her parents approval of the relationship, his personal lessons to her on how to dismantle and rebuild a motorcycle (sadly unsuccessful) or a gun (successful), how he came to propose, and many other intimate and fun moments. Overall it takes you through their entire relationship and serves as something of an autobiography in itself.

All these photos are beautifully presented in a high gloss large coffee table book format.

Released with the first limited edition run of the book is a 45 minute audio CD of Steve verbally working through the script of the film "Tom Horn". It is fascinating to hear him talk about his vision of the film, rework the script and plan his character. You get a real sense of the epic film he wanted Tom Horn to be (but was denied due to the studio slashing the budget), and you realise just how insightful he was with film and acting. The amount of thought he puts into his role should forever dispel the notion that he just played himself on film.

Steve McQueen - The Last Mile is a very special book and no fans collection will be complete without it.

Intimate, touching, insightful, sometimes hilarious passages into the life of The King of Cool, Steve McQueen. We live in such a visual, media oriented world that we tend to get preconceived notions of who movie stars are, based on what we see. The world saw Steve McQueen as the ultimate man- handsome, macho, cool, someone they could spend their hard-earned bucks on back in the day and get their money's worth at the theater. Barbara McQueen, his widow, saw the real Steve McQueen. She got to know Steve, the family man; Steve, the man who loved the great outdoors and his morning constitutional; Steve, the great mashed potato guru, airplane and motorcycle enthusiast. "The Last Mile" shows how little we all knew of his kindness and philanthropy; how little we knew of his yearning for happiness and how he ultimately found it. The photos in this book will enchant you, leave you wanting more. One of my favorites is one where Barbara embraces Steve from behind. That photo alone is worth the book to me. Beautiful model, handsome superstar, real people worn out from what life has dealt them. You can see it in their faces. It makes me sigh everytime I see it because there's not one person I know who hasn't been to that point and had nothing left but an embrace. You will love this book and you will want more. I guarantee you.