California Books

As I write this I'm looking at the front cover of Golden Country . That lone cypress puts me in mind of a quote by Paul Klee, who marvelled at the tenacity of trees, and put it thus: "To stand despite all possibilities to fall." I guess that applies to the state of California too, which is just waiting to fall into a gap between tectonic plates. Neider's book, like California, is full of marvels, though I do have a favourite photograph; that tiny bird track preserved in the baked earth of the Mojave. It's like some biblical metaphor for existence and eternity. My God, I wish I were in California right now (outside is like a English summer's day cliche - gray skies, pouring rain, cold winds, not to mention thunder and lightning). I shall seek further salvation in Susan M Neider's lovely book. And recommend it as perfect therapy for anyone with a yen for soul-enhancing travel.

Susan Neider is as gifted a photographer of the Point Reyes Peninsula as that enchanted place has ever had. Her work is tack sharp, wonderfully composed, and perfectly catches California light. A superb collection of photographs.

Jim Cohee
Senior Editor
Sierra Club Books
San Francisco, California

The Ideal Blend
For anyone looking for the ideal blend of landscape photography and information to express the essence of a place, Golden Country: Touring Scenic California does it perfectly. Susan Neider has proven once again that this is her great talent, and has made another valuable and unique contribution to the guidebook offerings. In my opinion, the portfolio of 120+ photographs is her best yet; even the most complex landscapes are captured in gorgeous, rich color with superior skill and honesty. It would not be an overstatement to say that her photographic eye is one of the best at work today. The accompanying text adds for the reader the explanations needed to understand further California's complicated and diverse geology. Her descriptive narrative is excellent -- always clean, direct, and easy to follow. As usual, Neider is able to control the flow of information masterfully so as not to exhaust the reader. Simply put, it is a pleasure to read. Maps are plentiful in Golden Country, and
these are maps that can easily be used when traveling. They are beautiful, thorough and particularly helpful as they contain little camera icons that show exactly where Neider has found her photographs. It's a wonderful touch and a great idea to guide the reader who also carries a camera in hand. For a superb overview of California that also contains the necessary detail and organization to make a terrific guidebook, Golden Country is the ideal blend.

"Golden Country" is, quite simply, an extraordinary book by an extraordinarily talented individual. I am in awe of the sheer quality of the work product created here.

Other reviewers have already praised the book's photographs. They are indeed gorgeous and sumptuous: flawlessly composed, tack sharp, bathed in perfect natural light, and offering a wide variety of interesting content (ranging from soaring panoramas to tight close-ups of individual trees, foliage, rocks, and animals). Some images are simple "matter-of-fact" recordings of beautiful landscapes, while others show off clever interpretations of unusual but naturally-occurring effects (like discreet angled beams of sunlight shining crisply through the green canopy of a section of woodlands, or low-hanging gray clouds appearing to kiss the twin peaks of the Golden Gate bridge, or mountain ridges seamlessly mirrored in salt water pools lying below). But every picture is powerful and emotive, setting its own emotional tone and a distinct mood. All of them are compelling and emotional.

But this is hardly just a pretty picture book for the coffee table (though it would do just fine there and anyone should be proud to display it there or fascinated to peruse it there). This book is also a highly effective travel guide. Unlike other travel guides that bombard the reader with boring historical information and poorly presented details, this book's information is accessible, well organized, and cleanly laid out on the page in a way that anyone can use. Only the essence of what you need to know to visit, observe, and photograph the destinations is provided: no fat, just what you need to know, presented in a highly efficient manner with journalistic-like precision and accompanied by clean, usable maps of the destination areas.

But it is not just a travel guide. It is actually a beautiful piece of literature because of the remarkable quality of the author's writing. The opening preface captures, in a single page, California's majesty, massive expanse, and remarkable physical complexity and contrasts. Later text explains the origins of the landscape -- the geological processes that actually caused the topography to develop the way it did: why things look the way they do, why the weather patterns act the way they do, why the mountains are positioned the way they are, how they came to be that way. It is pure fascination, but communicated in an easy and accessible way, scientifically accurate but not at all overwhelming for the lay reader. The prose is so beautiful, the words so well chosen, the sentences so well crafted and rhythmic, that the text is simply a joy to read -- packed full of information but yet flowing and engaging. I am struck by how Ms. Neider's descriptive writing often manages to combine a soaring, lyrical quality with a crisp, scientific precision, all at the same time. It is very rare to find these qualities combined so artfully.

Before she began her career as a photographer, Ms. Neider was a scientist and a teacher. In Golden Country, she has accomplished the truly remarkable feat of combining together in one book the technical observations of a keen scientist, the engaging education of an inspiring teacher, the graphic design of a fine artist, the talented eye of a world-class photographer, and the emotional intensity and honesty of a great writer. Rarely, if ever, has a photography book or a travel guide managed to provide such a unique combination in a single article.

I consider this extraordinary book to be one of the four or five most impressive creative works I have ever owned, and I highly recommend it to others. You will not be disappointed.

These pictures are beautiful and render the California landscape in a way rarely seen by casual travelers. It is a must for anyone who likes landscape beauty of our glorious west.

I can admit it now, but for a long period of my life, it was quite painful: I'm an Angels fan. Have been since the days of Bo Belinski. That's why I was delighted to see Bucky Fox's addition to the history, lore and trivia of my beloved Angels -- be they of Anaheim or Los Angeles. His book is crammed with stuff I didn't know or, in many cases, had forgotten. Like "Adam Kennedy's Reggie Moment," when Kennedy hit three dingers in Game 5 of the ALC championship series to beat the Twins. Or the key role played by the relatively unknown pitcher John Lackey in a number of major Angel wins (Game 7 of 2002 World Series, Game 4 of 2002 ALC championship, Game 2 of 2005 AL Division series). Bucky's book is filled with this stuff.

For a demented Angel fan, it's all pure gold.

Bucky Fox has done a terrific job of highlighting the top players, moments and memories of the Angels' storied past. This book is written in a short, punchy style that makes it a quick, easy read. It brings back memories for any Angels fan of the great moments in franchise history, and it reminds you that the Angels have a lot more high points in their history than you might think.

I'm not an Angels fan. I'm a Yankees fan and what I want to know is why MY team doesn't have a kickass book like this. With his fast-paced, tightly-written countdown to victory, Fox does the seemingly impossible. He makes the Angels look like the Yankees. And for that, I tip my pro cap to him.

Great introduction for new fans to the history of the Angels and a great rememberance for long time Angel Fans. It was a fun read because you could just tell that the Author is an Angels fan.

As an Angel fan I think this book makes a delightful quick read and scores consistently with interesting tidbits of Angel player triva. Should be in any Angel fan's collection.

I think this was a great book because it captured the life of a teen girl. Some thing she did reminded me of my friend who is exatly like Bron. I would recomend this book to everyone. I think adults should also read this book so they can get and understanding of a teens life. Some parents dont understand Teens. Eveyone but this book its worth reading.

Bronwyn Lewis is a sixteen-year-old girl who has just been forced to move to Ojala, California with her family. The year is 1960. Bron is a good student, and has always lived life by the rules. It doesn't take long for her to realize if she doesn't change herself, she will not fit in with the carefree, easygoing teens in town. A popular interest of these individuals is drag racing, something that Bron wrongly thought she would never experience herself. Soon she meets J.C., an extremely attractive racer, and Will, a down-to-earth, old-fashioned country guy. She gets caught between them, and some interesting things occur with both men. I guess you could say she has a lot of things on her mind, including her reckless friend Lanie, the legendary horrific fires of Ojala, the profits of her family business, and her life's turn for romance and adventure. Hobbs really brings Bron's story to life through her dense plot and rising action. There is an overwhelming mood this book gives you through Bron's interactions with other characters. I really started to enjoy the book as the number of friendships and relationships Bron aquires increased. The ending really left me thinking because there is a distinct mystery to it. The genre is a combination of coming-of-age, adventure, and romance; no single genre would be fit by itself in my opinion. I really felt like I knew the characters personally as the plot thickened. I would definatly recommend this book to anyone. If an adult were to read it, he or she would have a good idea of the aspects of American teenagers' lives.

this is a really good book! it gives good insight on a teen girl's point of view on things. not only that, but it is fast paced! i got in bed to read at nine and stayed up until two to finish it! belive me, you will like this book!

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It made me laugh and cry and fall in love with every bit of it. The author was so great and I hope that I can get to read more of her books, soon. I just loved it, if you haven't read it then you need to. You have no idea what you're missing.

As an adult I was very moved by the story, especially the insight into the thoughts of a young woman. There was a "true story" feeling in the Bron's experiences. A must read for parents of young people...lots of insight into the need to "belong". Hobbs has done a superb writing job!

Excellent book on a California Asian Fusion style of food preparation. Great graphic photos of food preparation with easy to follow instruction to make the various foods. This book prompted a visit to three of the restaurants now in operation in California. Planning to visit the other two in Oregon soon.In particular the Cantina in Pacific Beach, California. Awesome interior design highlighted by a bar from Indonesia and a 1200 pound statue of Budah. Friday, saturday & sundays are heavy customer attendance. The food presentation is very unique. I've recommended this experience to my friends. The Cantina is open for breakfast(awesome), lunch (awesome), and dinner(equally awesome experience).

After eating at the Cantina for years, it was wonderful to finally be able to experience the food at home. Excellent recipes, photos and presentation. I highly recommend this book.

My husband and I ate in Isabel's restaurant in San Diego weekly when we lived in San Diego for four years. We just moved to Chicago and I can't explain my joy when I found out she not only had a cookbook, but one with many of my favorite dishes from the restaurant in it! It is one of the things I miss most about San Diego--luckily, I can still enjoy this great food when I make it in my own home!

Ate at her restaurant and had to get the book as the food was wonderful. The photos and the recipes are
great. We tried them at home and they are unique and great tasting.

The only reason I give this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that if you were not a cook, it would be hard to follow the recipes, as they leave out things that you'd know as a cook to do, but wouldn't if you were a novice. Nonetheless, this is a great book with great photos.

I first encountered Isabel's cooking at her Dragonfly restaurant in Ashland Oregon a couple of years ago. As director of the Center of Excellence in Nutritional Genomics it is important for me to look the part so I ordered the grilled chicken lettuce wrap thinking that it would be low-cal, healthy but tasteless. Boy was I surprised and my family and I have been regulars every since. I was delighted find that many of Isabel's great dishes are now available in "Isabel's Cantina: Bold Latin Flavors." I purchased her book recently and I wasn't disappointed. Isabel has managed to capture in this well written and beautifully illustrated book, the very best of the "fusion" cuisine. Drawing on her multicultural experiences in the LA area, Isabel blends international flavors and ingredients into dishes that are both delicious and fun, not to mention healthy. Her recipes are certainly at the forefront of current food trends that place greater emphasis on flavor and a healthier balance between protein and vegetable. Is Isabel's Cantina: Bold Latin Flavors the new cuisine for the global village? Is Ms. Cruz the new female "Bobby Flay" of the West Coast? I don't know but her style and recipes have put the excitement back into fusion cooking.

Joel Davis literally leaves no stone unturned in telling the heart-breaking story of the horrific double-murder of college sweethearts in his hometown of Davis, California, and the winding and bizarre 25 year investigation that followed. The fact he grew up in Davis and was an acquaintance of one of the victims provides a unique perspective to the book, and his unexpected involvement in the case is a fascinating twist. I didn't want to put it down!

Hi... I know this story because I am somewhat involved in it.. All though I am only 20 years old... The killer happens to be my mothers ex brother in law... Pretty sick... I don't know the book... If it goes into detail of his life.. But I know more of the story than I think anyone else does... He had a very very traumatic childhood... His father was the lowest form of scum there is on this planet.. His name was Casper... My mom is actually in the book briefly.. I got kind of mad because I heard the author changed only her first name, and used her current last name, which is Keaton... Even though she did not get that last name (The last name of my father) years and years later... And guess what they changed the first name to? Sally... That happens to be the name of my aunt!!! I'm sure it's a good book... But the author didn't even research a real life persons last name, and carless through it into the book. It is not that big of a deal... But sometimes people don't want to be linked to certain things like this... And now a real life person that is somewhat connected to this tragic incident is carelessly thrown in the mix.. Not that anyone would notice.. Just the locals that we all know....

An unforgettable story beautifully told by Joel Davis. "48 Hours Mystery" devoted a broadcast to this tragic double murder of sweetheart college students, solved over two decades later with the use of DNA. Joel Davis brings the reader back to a foggy night in December 1980, when Sabrina Gonsalves and John Riggins are driving to a birthday party for her sister. The horror which unfolds for the families is told in chilling detail, as Sabrina and John's bodies are found two days later. Joel Davis' investigation in this unsolved case spurred its resolution. This is a haunting, memorable story, impossible to put down. "Justice Waits" was not available locally and I ordered it directly from AMAZON. It arrived beautifully packaged with a bookmark autographed by the author, and a copy of the "San Francisco Chronicle Magazine" interview with Joel Davis.

Joel Davis' first book is excellent! From the moment I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down. It's a very intense story that's full of interesting details. I grew up with one of the murder victims--John Riggins--and after reading Justice Waits, I feel like I knew Sabrina Gonsalves as well as the other people in the book, because of Joel's descriptive story-telling. Interestingly, Joel didn't just tell the story, but he became part of it. I highly recommend this book.

I'm not usually a reader of crime-books, but, having gone to Davis, I wanted to give this one a try. Once I started, I dragged it around from the kitchen sink to the car to the sidewalk outside of my kids' school because I didn't want to put it down! It's terribly gut-wrenching and made my heart ache for the Riggins Gonzales' families; but it also provides an important reminder of how vulnerable our justice system truly is.

Rachel Howard tells a compelling story in "The Lost Night," a memoir that reads like an extended episode of crime documentary shows like "48 Hours Mystery." A pre-teen when her father was stabbed to death in what seemed like a botched break-in, the loss haunts Howard until she can find a way to make sense of it. Suspicion surrounds Howard's step-mother, whose brother is questioned by police, but it is eventually cold cased. As an adult, Howard investigates further, a decision which brings her back in contact with both her father's family and her dreaded step-mother (who has since married again and moved away.)

The book effectively sets the scene in California's Central Valley, and Howard successfully plumbs the psychological effects of growing up without a murdered parent. She is candid about many of her struggles with men as a result of the loss, although she is slightly dreamy about her wedding and happy relationship with her husband. (This aspect of the memoir seemed overly one-sided and idealistic.) Her father's murder is never solved, but Howard does find a way to come to peace with it, including an acknowledgment of her own biases against her former step-mother, who makes a memorable reappearance in some of the book's best latter moments.

What we end up learning about in "The Lost Night" is the effect of crime on those left behind, and the mysteries that remain when crimes aren't solved. Although the writing is no where near the quality of classics of the true crime genre, this is a worthy effort and worth a read.

Met the author at a book signing and was impresssed by her impeccable poise and story-telling ability. Then I went home and read the book. Wow. I had the same experience as the other readers. This is an excellent and poignant memoir.
One feels the you-are-there quality of a little girl awakening in the middle of the night to see her father covered with blood on the floor. The people in her book are like characters in a Dickens novel, yet they are (were) all very real. Howard captures the cultural milieu of Merced California in the mid '80's. Her father loved Rod Stewart with a passion and the lyrics of his songs weave through the true story of a child trying to make sense of what is going on around her.
The child matures into an adult and becomes a writer! What an awesome contribution to the memoir genre. I do hope that the killer is eventually caught.

This is a wonderful combination of memoir and true crime. I felt as though I realy got to know the author. Her willingness to examine the fragility of memory and adjust her conclusions accordingly made her more appealing. The change in her attitudes toward the people in her life caused me to re-examine my own feelings toward people in my life. This book is a definite addition for anyone's library.

William Grimes has always been one of my favorite NY Times reviewers. Although he tends to be negative, when he waxes effusive, I take notice. When I saw this....
------
"As a memoirist, she succeeds BRILLIANTLY. "The Lost Night" is ENTHRALLING, a skillfully narrated story that begins as a tale of detection but quickly becomes something more."
--William Grimes, NEW YORK TIMES

I figured I'd take a chance. Well, it's been sitting on my nightstand for 6-months now and damn if it's not enthralling. Although I was hoping for a bit of a who-done-it, I couldn't put it down. The descriptions of the messed-up Central Valley(to put it delicately)were terrific. With some sex, drugs, and even some 80s Rod Stewart in the mix, for good measure, it was a joy to read.

Lost and Found - a past reclaimed

I finished Rachel Howard's "the lost night" at 3 this morning. From the minute I cracked its spine, the pages turned themselves, inviting me to ignore every routine chore of mine: dirty dishes, daily exercise, even meals (though I did manage to go to work and feed the cat).

Masterfully written, the book tells a riveting story of the murder of Rachel's father when she was only 10 years old. How she handled the loss of this beloved man, her protector and playpal, is a glimpse into how children cope with tragedy of this magnitude. The experience retrospectively defined Rachel, her relationship with her family and also with her stepmother Sherry, her father's third wife when he was murdered. Rachel, the product of divorce, was spending a few summer weeks at her father's home during this time. She was witness to his last waking minutes and remembered details that would replay themselves with increasing vividness as time went by.

But memory is elusive...and selective. The author comes to realize that her memories were circumscribed by the limited frame-of-reference of a young life.

What I found so compelling here is the child's perspective. I have read (and probably own!) just about every true-crime/courtroom/forensic book that exists, yet I never read such an account from a 10-year-old point-of-view. Rachel illustrates the sometimes graphic, sometimes muted terror-of-the-night children of murdered parents are heir to, their wispy and unexpressed--indeed unconscious--suspicion of significant-others, and their necessary dependencies on adults who, often not comprehending the nuances involved, believe that by trotting the kid to therapy, they absolve themselves of the pain of revisiting the circumstances themselves. In Rachel's case, her father's family remained largely silent with her about that night. They may have felt that openly speaking about the murder with someone so young would somehow legitimize it for her. In fact, their passivity had the opposite, and quite damaging, effect on a young mind hungry for assurance and validation.

Palpable throughout Rachel's memoir is its raw honesty. The writing is often brutally introspective, devoid of the self-pity and lachrymose language which the author might easily --and justifiably-have indulged. She is seeking information and answers, and by the last page, I realize she has found those things, and some peace along the way.

Therese Hercher

I don't imagine anyone would ever call this a 'great literary masterpiece", but it was fun! That is what is so delightful about Jennifer Colt's books - they are fun! I love Terry and Kerry, identical twins who are anything but identical in personality, who are private investigators trying to scratch out a living in southern California. Jennifer Colt's writing puts me in mind of Sue Grafton with Kinsey Milhone - at times I laughed out loud reading this book.
It is a fun read and I enjoyed it so much I bought all of Ms Colt's other books about Terry and Kerry McAfee. Truly a lot of fun.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I highly recommend this book and series.

Randy Shilts's intricately researched biography of one of the greatest gay activists of all time, Harvey Milk, is not only a political biography, but a chronology of an entire political movement.
This is the second book I've read by Randy Shilts, the first being And the Band Played On. While there are certainly some differences between the two, Shilts's imaginative narrative writing is the same. The Mayor of Castro Street is proof positive that he [the author] can turn even the most mundane of political machinations into high drama.
Starting out when Harvey Milk was growing up in Woodmere, New York, the book traces his life from there. From his high school athletic career, to his college years, his time with the Navy, and his Manhattan years. When Harvey makes the move from New York to San Francisco, the book changes pace, and a gay political hero is born. The book is filled with snippets of his speeches, and in the back appendices, the eloquent words of Harvey Milk come alive, as some of his more famous speeches are reprinted there.
At a solid 380 pages (including appendices and sources) the book never drags. Everything appears to be cause and effect, which makes for some white-knuckle reading even if the reader is already familiar with the budding gay movement, Harvey Milk's participation in it, and the untimely tragic assassination of he and Mayor George Moscone by a homophobic zealot.
I must admit, there were certain parts of this book that gave me chills: Harvey Milk's beautiful speeches, the candlelight vigils, the many marches, and the White Night Riots. The sheer epic proportions of it all can overwhelming.
However, epic or not, this remains the simple story of a man and his dream, vision, and hope for his gay brothers and sisters, and all of humanity.

Beyond the frank and up front story of the life of Harvey Milk, this book is an incredible source of information and understanding of the gay rights movement from before its beginning to after the death of Supervisor Milk. Easy to read, albeit long, it's definitely worth the effort. No matter your sexual orientation, this brings new light to an often misunderstood movement.

I read a lot of biographies and, while I love the genre, I'm often disappointed with the writing. This book, by the late Randy Shilts, is an exception. Shilts was a great writer, able to take a variety of facts and put them into readable passages (his "And the Band Played On" is another good example of this). Harvey Milk and the San Francisco of the 1970s come to life in this book. The tragedy of Milk's assassination and its aftermath are rendered in gripping detail.

In The Mayor of Castro Street, the late Randy Shilts paints a vivid picture, not only of the life of gay politician Harvey Milk, but of the fight for gay rights in 1970's San Francisco and the nation as a whole. After a description of the events immediately following Milk's death, Shilts begins the book with Milk's youth in New York City. He briefly describes Milk's years in New York, and spends the vast majority of the book on Milk's last five years in San Francisco. It was during his San Francisco years that Milk made his critical contributions to gay history, including encouraging the development of the Castro into a gay Mecca, and running for, and finally winning, elected office as an openly gay man in a time when most thought such things simply couldn't happen.

Shilts is a meticulous reporter. In his section on source material he details how he extensively interviewed Milk's former lovers, including Scott Smith and Joe Campbell. Many of the dialogues for the biography come directly from the personal diary of Michael Wong, a longtime Milk supporter. According to Shilts, dialogues with others who knew Milk virtually always corroborated those in Wong's diary. Shilts's history of the Castro area came from over one hundred interviews he conducted with area residents.

One of the best qualities of the biography is its astonishingly objective posture. Achieving something like objectivity is a tremendous challenge for the author of any modern-day history, and nowhere is this more true than in histories of the gay liberation movement. The living participants in that history inevitably portray it in a range of ways and often fight vigorously for placement of credit where they feel credit is due. Shilts allows those participants to speak for themselves, and focuses on telling the details of the story, rather than interpreting that story for the reader. It is this author's unique degree of commitment to researching and conveying all the details that allows him to present such an apparently unbiased account.

It is also Shilts's attention to detail that makes the book so tough to put down. It reads more like a novel than a history, and each segment leads into the next with a sense of a tremendous plot unfolding. In a style that would come to characterize his later books, such as And The Band Played On, as well as Conduct Unbecoming, Shilts manages to draw the reader into multiple stories of individuals that end in cliffhangers, only to be picked up again in a later chapter. It is these stories that make up the fabric of gay history in San Francisco and a portion of that larger tapestry called gay liberation.

Randy Shilts has taken great pains to present the man honestly, exploring his political and personal lives. The result is an illimunitating portrait of the Gay Rights champion, documenting his triumphs and ideals alongside his personal ambiguities and foibles. Milk's rise to power, as well as the city's rich gay history, are depicted with candor and clarity.

The assassinations are reported in graphic detail, as is the reaction of the people. Intial shock and grief turn to righteous indignation when, on May 21, 1979 White is convicted on two counts of "valuntary manslaughter" with a maximum sentence of seven years, eight months. The city explodes. Justice is thwarted. A martyr is born. Milk's murder galvanizes the Gay Community to stand up and take their rightful place in society. A great book.

I was delighted to come across this incredible book by Margaret Wyman. Having taught fourth grade in California for ten years, I thought I had a good understanding of the relationship between the native Americans and the Spanish. This indredible story of a Kumeyaay Indian woman, took me to new heights of understanding, and stirred emotions in me from compassion and sadness for the natives, to rage and disgust of the Spanish. The author does an exceptional job of bringing her characters to life. I literally could not put the book down as I raced to learn the fate of these intriguing characters. Margaret Wyman writes with passion and ingenuity. I highly recommend this fine book.

Besides telling the dirty truth, this book will keep you reading and biting your nails until the very end. (In fact, you will be asking "What's Next?") The book is that good!
Just remember that beyond the kind, decent, misguided and sometimes sordid characters, the story is historically accurate, even when the truth is frightening and shameful.

Margaret Wyman has written a compelling story about early California and its invasion by Spain and the Catholic church. Surprising twists and turns are followed through the intertwining of the lives of the natives, the Spanish soldiers, the Mexicans, and the "black robes". Good and Evil, sanity and madness, religious fervor and native beliefs are all portrayed in this novel.
I hope that her future titles will be as readable.

Mission: The Birth Of California, The Death Of A Nation is an historical novel set against the conquest of Southern California by the Spanish crown, set at the same era as when the United States was fighting for its independence. A brutal tale of the subjugation, forced religious conversion, enslavement, and massacre of California's native people seen through the eyes of a young woman who personally experiences the worst and most vicious of the conquistadors' treatment. A disturbing but highly recommended saga by Margaret Wyman, Mission accurately depicts the historical, genocidal impact that foreign settlement had on California's native population.

Margaret Wyman was blessed with the gift of story telling. She has the extraordinary talent of bringing her characters to life. I only wish I had the talent and eloqence to encourage you to read Mission. I found myself discussing Web with one of my friends as if I were reminiscing about my own sister. On daily walks along the trails of Lake Hodges I envision Web and feel her spirit as if she truly existed. Web's story has touched my soul and enlightened my view of Southern California history.

i really enjoyed this book, i'm not even finished with it yet but some of the quality of the book was taken away by the poor editing! some of the chapters were missing entire words at the end! some of the sentences were gramatically incorrect and i kept reading them over and over saying...that's not right...we don't laid down, we lie down! stuff like that really took away from the book because it was a fantastic story. i really enjoyed the element of faith and how there are good vampires and bad vampires etc. it was realistic, like...if there WERE vampires, this is how it would be. either way, i would definitely advise this story being read, just please have an updated version!

This is a great read.

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

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

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

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

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

Check it out! It's a great read!

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

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

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

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

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