Escape Books

This is an excellent read for anyone who needs some inspiration. Very entertaining and filled with insights and bits of wisdom. You will want to keep it on hand for reference again and again. The author has done a very fine job of chronicling her experience. I highly recommend it!

I came to this book to learn more about life on Pelee Island, knowing full well that this was incidental to the author's purpose. I got what I was looking for: a vivid sense of life on that island during the off-season and a well-crafted, sympathetic portrayal of its inhabitants.

But I was not indifferent to Jane Christmas's purpose: to take a sabbatical from urban life (viz., her high-powered career as an editor with the National Post), to share what she had learned from the experience, and to say something about spiritual retreats in general. Did I learn something from it? Yes -- though I'm not starting from the power-career-long-commute-single-parent position she did, and that brings me to the following point. Readers who cannot identify with her Manolo Blahniks-buying past self will have a tougher time relating to or appreciating her experience; they may well be impatient with her discoveries of what would be patently obvious to some. In a sense, her target audience is her past self: there's nothing wrong with that, but it means that what you get from this book will depend in large part on how much you have in common with her.

Nevertheless, it's easy to root for Christmas as she spends several months on Pelee Island. It's a great story: she arrives as a fish out of water, and gradually learns to breathe the local air. It's worth reading on that basis alone.

Bill Taylor brings to the public record an unusual true World War II story which begins in 1941 with his capture on Wake Island following the bombing of Pearl Harbor to his eventual freedom in Yeuan, China in 1945. It is illustrated with drawings made by a fellow-prisoner artist who was incarcerated with him, Bill carefully concealed these drawings to avoid detection by his captors. The story provides high adventure, suspense, and remarkable escapes from his captors on more than one occasion. Bill finally ends up in the hands of Mao Zedong, Chairman of China's rising Communist Party who brought him back in contact with U.S. forces. You won't put this book down once you start reading it!

In 'Rescued By Mao,' author and survivor William Taylor recounts his own experiences as a Wake Island contractor, defender, prisoner of the Japanese and escapee.
Taylor's journey is a lesson in strength, survival, a positive attitude and faith. Most stories, especially those of POWs, reveal a certain 'trick' or 'technique' that these men used to overcome overwhelming experiences. Taylor's was his faith. Taylor found a solid testimony in his original faith in the LDS Church amidst the horrors of the Japanese Capture of Wake Island.
Born to a prominent Mormon family, Taylor lost his way for a time following his father's death during the Great Depression, but a friend and fellow contractor at Wake helped him renew his faith. Beyond Taylor's religious restoration, the story is indeed a well written first-hand account of the American POW experience. Taylor seems to have fared better in Japanese captivity than some of his fellow prisoners, parlaying some of his bad habits for valuable resources like food or clothing.
He gives a fair evaluation of the Japanese who imprisoned him, the Chinese who both helped and hindered his escape and the American leadership that surrendered him along with many less willing others. Taylor gives credit to Commander Winfield Cunningham, the Wake Island Navy commander for the early military successes, but is critical of Admiral Pye, (the interim Pacific Commander following Admiral Kimmel`s dismissal) and his abandonment of the garrison calling him a "complete failure."
The American pre-war intelligence about possible Japanese intentions in the Pacific is also a contentious subject for Taylor. He`s certainly earned the right to criticize, but analysis by scholars like Gregory Urwin and Robert Cressman provide overwhelming evidence of the futility of any planned relief effort for the embattled Wake garrison.
Much of the story revolves around the POW experience. Mao plays only a extraneous role in the story considering the book's title, merely posing for a picture with the author. The real credit for Taylor's rescue should be given Taylor's own self-determination and perhaps even a little Divine Intervention.
REVIEW EVERY BOOK YOU READ, AUTHHORS DESERVE YOUR OPINIONS TOO!

Well written, covers the 1946 3 day battle as well. It speculates that Morris and the Anglin brothers might have been picked up by a boat.

This book gave you the facts, the story, the whole nine yards on this very successful escape from Alcatraz. I went to my cousin's wedding in San Fransisco and as a surprise we went to Alcatraz the day I finished the book! So this book also influenced me to travel!! I definatly reccommend this book.

I stumbled upon this book by accident and was very pleasantly surprised as soon as I started reading it. It very soon became impossible to put down.

The initial protagonist is a young Jewish student of philosophy spending the early forties hanging out with his musician friends in a Warsaw ghetto. As the political scene worsens, he turns to his philosopher idols (Spinoza, Schopenhauer, Hume) as one might pray for guidance and strength to endure the horrors of watching his townspeople, and eventually his own mother, being taken away. When The Greats fail to help him, he decides to flee by obtaining false ID of a dead Polish gentile and joins a work crew that lands him in a German war machinery shipyard.

The book's power lies in his process of becoming fluent with his new self, requiring constant vigilance, especially with the challenges of authority figures, camaraderie with co-workers, handling alcohol and the unforeseen. It's very Kafka-esque in flavor, with a deep cerebral thread of mental discipline, paranoia, and reappearances of his former self as he just tries to survive while striving toward haven in Sweden.

The string of thought is so exquisitely played that you become him, and experience the slow, steady burn of anxiety so pervasive that you obsess right along with him. It reminds me a bit of Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment", especially with its ability to make you burst out laughing in the midst of a particularly dark section, but "Tales of Grabowski" has a cleaner and more navigable flow. What's even more remarkable is that it is based on his real life.

Now I can't wait to read "The Owl".

Judging from the short biography on the book jacket, this is something of a roman de clef. It is a simply written, absorbing account of one man's experience of the Holocaust. The man, David Gordon, must maintain control of his emotions, despite his intense anger, and controlled emotion is the tone of this novel (which is broken up into two novellas and packaged with a short non-fiction account). David Gordon must deny his previous identity, psychological as well as biographical, to survive. Grabowski builds on this so that Gordon is sometimes talking to and actively suppressing his former personality. It is a frequently effective literary device, but perhaps a bit overdone.

The Villikon Chronicles is a must read for any true SciFi fan. Kinnaird has woven a complex war hero saga that not only tells the story of Captain Kort Villikon, but that of an entirely new universe of characters. The saga itself is on par with the likes of Star Wars with a bit of Dune mixed in.

The neo-cinematic artwork of The Villikon Chronicles is in a class of it's own. Reading these books, one definitely gets a sense of watching a movie unfold on the story board like pages. While visually stunning, it does take a little getting used to. At first the layout made following the storyline a bit of a challenge. After just a few pages though, it became much easier to follow. By the middle of the first book it seemed as though I were watching a film rather than reading a graphic novel.

There are enough intricate twists and turns in the plot to ensnare anyone. I truly enjoyed this captivating three part saga and I highly recommend placing it on your must have list. It must be noted that these books, though not rated, may not be suitable for younger children.

The Villikon Chronicles: Ascension of the Expatriates is based on Kinnaird's motion picture screen play The Villikon Chronicles. RueViews eagerly awaits the next chapter and it's silver screen debut!

If you can't find this series in your local comic store, be sure to order your copy online and check out their out their website for tons of character information at www.villikonchronicles.com It's a read worth receiving, and an epic that will last through the ages.

So what exactly is The Villikon Chronicles, you might ask? It's the story of Captain Kort Villikon, a respected soldier and military commander who is framed for the horrendous crime of genocide. His punishment is to be banished to the prison world of Itasca. A world swarming with warmongering clans, pirates, and a vampirical race known as the Porphyrian Hive. Through it all, Villikon learns how to survive in this hostile world and seek a way to escape it so that he may extract vengeance upon those who framed him.

That description barely touches the surface of this story. This is the sort of tale that makes the Ten Commandments look like a child's read. Written and created by Bryan J. Kinnaird, The Villikon Chronicles took a roundabout way to becoming a comic series. Originally, it was written and planned as a movie.

This book is the most moving book I have ever read.

It presents the life a Vietnamese people after 1975 through the stories of 19 vietnamese boat people who immigrated to the US after sometimes several attempts. The stories are told in simple and humble terms. They describe the life under communist ruling and the fear and courage to escape it. The book shows the life in the refugee camps around South East Asia. It is also a book about hope of a better life and about the adjustement to the American language and the American way of life. It also shows how these admirable people integrated in the US society.

The author should be congratulated for telling this untold stories that everybody who heard of Vietnam should know. All my respect and admiration to the Vietnamese people who suffered so much for so long.

From 1975 to 1996, more than one million people have made the trip from Vietnamese shores to other Southeastern Asian countries braving weather, hunger, dehydration, storms, and pirates. About 500,000 others have drown or died at seas. In spite of these ordeals, these people keep rushing to the seas to flee communism. Had they had the means, the majority would have left their country.

These are the stories of 19 people who left their homeland on rickety boats, their ordeals at seas, their lives in refugee camps, and their relocation in western countries. They risked their lives to look somewhere else for FREEDOM they could not find in their country.

There are many waves of refugees throughout the years. People from the first wave were mostly professionals and went almost immediately to the U.S. or other western countries. Refugees from subsequent waves traveled in rickety boats, were less well schooled and spent a longer time in the Asian refugee camps.

The authors are to be congratulated for bringing this topic to the forefront.

I have to say that this is one of my most treasured books. It's insight is direct, and very sensible. If you have a relationship that you have trouble understanding, I am sure this book will help you understand it. It has greatly helped my relationship with my wife. If you are seeing a marriage counselor, you must have this book (and a highlighter!) I still refer to parts of it after having it for two months. It is well written, It does not beat around the bush, it is not frilly, it is very meaty and will not leave you pondering about what the author is trying to tell you. I am in control of my feelings, and this book greatly helps me in maintaining that. Jade Clayton Author- McGraw-Hill Illustrated Telecom Dictionary

This book enabled me to take a hard look at my relationship and identify the source of my unhappiness. I could start to see how I was partially responsible for the bad treatment I had been getting from my husband by not putting my foot down. As I woman, I think we all have a tendency to just hope our mate will understand why we're not happy. This helped to me to articulate the problems to my spouse and not be a particpant in my own victimization. Also it gave me a better undestanding of how relationships can suffer from mismanaged anger, fear, and power.

Not a bad page in this book. I first found myself marking pages, then marking passages, and, finally, typing out my favorite lines. He's got that many. I've never done that before. This is an inspiring, gifted, unusual read. Great mix of spiritual, supernatural, and down-to-earth goodness. You won't be disappointed.

The prose is so beautiful and the poetry the daughter writes is wonderful. That one author could write the prose and the poetry too is amazing! Each character has a distinct voice which is not true in so many stories. I loved this book.

This book has everything...extraordinary writing, a good plot, wonderful characters, range of emotions--from sadness to elation, pathos, poignancy. It is a great read. Have read many books this summer and this one continues to be among those I treasured most.

Just finished this book and loved it all the way through to its fantastic ending. What a storyteller.... I highly recommend this for everyone to read!

I didn't want this book to end. I savored the last few chapters and made them last. I went to bed early to read because I enjoyed this book so much. My favorite thing about this book was the voice it is told in. The protagonist/narrator is so down to earth, self effacing, and interesting. I just bought Mr. Enger's second book. I hope it is as good. I hope you enjoy it too!

I had a hard time getting into this book as well and it never seemed to get exciting. Pretty level throughout and that does not make for a great book. Also, very predictable. I would not recommend it.

As much as I loved the first novel in this series "The Fabulous Life of Emily Briggs" was as disappointed as I was with this book "Escape from Bridzella." The author tries too hard to make the book as fun as the first, but fails to give the characters any emotions or depth. I found myself skipping passages just to get to the end. I was incredibly let down as I ordered "Bridzella" while I was enthralled in reading "Emily Briggs."

I loved the first Emily Briggs book and couldn't wait for the follow up. I was disappointed with some of the events of this book but overall enjoyed the book. I did get tired of Emily's comment - I'm not materialistic - over and over in the book.

This book was a delight to read. The heroine has a great voice, the story moves quickly and I found myself laughing out loud. There are some references that I found very humorous, catching myself thinking of past times.
Her realtionships are very insightful, and I secretly rooted for a certain fellow!

I can't believe someone agreed to publish this junk! The "heroine" is so disgusting. It took me forever to read because I had to keep looking up and rolling my eyes. We get it - you're better than everyone else. But not nearly as clever as you think you are.

I don't know how Out of Sight made the New York Times bestseller list when it came out. This book could have been written by a high schooler. The plot is nothing to write home about and Elmore's writing style is sub-par. The book lacks suspense. I knew (and you will, too) exactly how the book was going to end about 10 pages into it. The book is also lacking in emotion and description. It reads like this: Foly said, "..." She said, "..." He said, "..." The she said, "..." Get the idea? The book is a very easy read that could maybe entertain you for the weekend, but don't expect to be wowed by "the best crime novelist of our time".

This is my favorite Elmore Leonard book to date. now, i have only read three of his books, but I find comic crime novels to not be that interesting. However, I loved the movie and that that I should try the book. The book lived up to the hype. It had a movement that just flowed off the pages. The characters were well rounded, interesting and funny. You really felt the connection between Jack Foley and Karen Sisco, even though one was a bank robber and escaped convict and the other was a US Marshal. If you read just one Elmore Leonard book, read Out of Sight.

This book was poorly written. Its plot was somewhat implausible and the characters were anything but dynamic. It seemed more like a screenplay thinly disguised as a novel, as it possessed very little literary merit. I would not recommend this book to anyone who values his or her leisure time.

If you have never read Elmore Leonard, this is a good place to start. A bank robber named Jack Foley escapes from prison with the help of his longtime partner Buddy. Federal marshall Karen Sisco attempts to stop the escape, but Buddy thwarts her attempt and forces her into the trunk of the getaway car with Foley. In the trunk, Foley and Sisco make a connection talking about things like robbing banks and movies. Soon, Sisco gets away, and the remaining story centers on Foley attempting one last job and Sisco trying to catch him (all the while dealing with the romantic and emotional connection that she shares with Foley).

The story is pretty darn good. And there is a wide range of characters with well drawn criminals ranging from silly, all talk screw-ups like a stoner named Glenn to a real violent, psychotic bad guy named Maurice. The dialogue is funny, and the very quick, clever twists of story/plot make the story a pretty good, engaging read.

This novel was later made into a movie by Steven Soderbergh. Even though the book is good, the movie is much better. While the tone and story are pretty similar, Soderbergh makes some welcome changes. First of all, the Leonard novel is told pretty straightforward. Soderbergh, however, mixes up the narrative using flashbacks that allow Soderbergh to develop the characters. Also, Soderbergh enhances certain scenes by adding suspense and humor (such as the climax that is really suspenseful and hilarious in the movie but by-the-numbers in the book). Finally, the film is shot well and features one great performance after another (George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Don Cheadle, Steve Zahn, Ving Rhames, Dennis Farina, Albert Brooks, Catherine Keener, Luis Guzman).

Starting in a Florida prison, the opening few chapters of OUT OF SIGHT are set as a frenetic pace as bank robber extraordinaire, Jack Foley plans and executes a daring escape. Helping him in his bid for freedom is his former partner in crime, Buddy who is waiting with a car in the prison car park. Also waiting in the car park happens to be US Marshall Karen Sisco who is sitting in her car, preparing to enter the facility when Foley makes his unexpected appearance. Quickly overpowering her, they stuff her in the trunk of her car with Foley climbing in behind her and Buddy slipping behind the wheel to affect the getaway.

Unbelievably cool in the crisis involved in the jail break, Foley attempts to engage Karen in conversation, even wondering aloud whether it might be possible, if circumstances were different, for the two of them to become attracted to one another. Karen of course is incredulous and wants nothing to do with the escaped prisoner, apart from capturing him and delivering him back to prison. Thinking on the events later, after escaping from Buddy and Foley, she does find herself impressed with Foley's cool head under pressure.

There is a brief lull in the action as we recover from the excitement of the opening scenes and the thought of the next score is placed in Foley's head. This takes the form of a robbery target in Detroit, supposedly a low-risk venture made easier by some local help. After narrowly escaping capture from the US Marshalls that includes another run-in with Karen Sisco, he decides that it's time for a change of scenery and he and Buddy heads north.

By this time, it becomes obvious that there's some sort of weird fascination between Jack Foley and Karen Sisco taking place. They're somehow drawn to one another, even though they are on directly opposite sides of the law.

In Detroit, Foley and Buddy are out of their comfort zones. They don't know the city, they don't know the people and it's just started to snow. They hook up with a truly dangerous fellow ex-con named Maurice. He is their aforementioned local help, but they realise that the low-risk operation is shaping up as anything but. With nothing better on offer and against their better judgement, they go ahead with the plan but are extremely wary.

Meanwhile Karen Sisco has tracked Foley to Detroit after some very slick detective work, and after talking her way onto the Foley case. The inevitability of their meeting is obvious. What remains up in the air is what will happen after they meet and when it comes to plots created by Elmore Leonard, this means that the story could lead anywhere from here.

On the surface this is told in a light, breezy tone thanks mainly to the cool behaviour of Foley in times of crisis backed up by Buddy's comical acceptance of Foley's decisions, no matter how unusual they seemed. When the setting changed to the colder wintry city of Detroit, the tone darkened considerably to reflect the dangerous Maurice, with whom they have to deal. You get a definite sense that the significant scenes are going to take place in Detroit thanks to these strong mood changes.

Elmore Leonard mixes an easy conversational tone with tight, tough dialogue. He manages to give each of his characters their own distinctive voice thanks to his clever use of phraseology. Even though Foley and Buddy are ex-cons, in this book they can be considered the good guys and their language reflects this through a minimum of swearing and slang. In glaring comparison, we find that the Detroit "bad guys" such as Maurice, although also ex-cons, litter their dialogue with constant and extreme profanities. It's a simple but effective way to differentiate the difference between bad and downright evil.

Ultimately, OUT OF SIGHT is a love story. Sure it's an unusual love story in the extreme, but a love story just the same. With plenty of action taking place on the periphery of the Foley and Sisco mating dance, it's an absorbing book that provided me with an unexpected ending.