Maryland Books

Joe Eherman has captured what is wrong with sports. This is a must read for all coaches.

I had heard that this was an amazing book from so many people and I was definitely not disappointed - what a great story of what God can do through the life of one man wholly sold out to His glory! Marx is a journalist who grew up as the ball boy for the Baltimore Colts. One larger-than-life figure on that team of the 70s and 80s was Joe Ehrmann whose life took a radical turn when his younger brother passed away from cancer. After years had passed, Marx once again reunited with Ehrmann and was struck by what he found - the flamboyant football star was now a coach and mentor to young men using the game of football to teach about the necessities of life. Ehrmann's life was now invested in the lives of others teaching these young boys how to be men - Building Men for Others is the name of his program, but it's much more than a program or a set of principles, it's a way of life, a way to see others, a way to live that completely transforms others around you. The book was a great read and should be near the top of "must reads" for every father and coach.

It has been such a long time since anything I have read has spoken to me like this book did. The writing itself was run of the mill, usual sports cliches (some parts read like a sports illustrated piece) - but the message is its strength. After reading it, this book would not leave my consciousness. Days later I had to go back and read passages again, Joe Ehrman's "Building Men for Others" concepts invading my thoughts at all hours. Honestly, I do not even know how this book ended up on my bookshelf. One day I needed something to read and found it sitting there. Only hours later I am left dumbfounded, reflecting on who I am and ultimately determining that I could be doing much more with my life and perhaps finding satisfaction I never knew possible. Please read the book, you'll be glad you did.

Do you have someone in your life that just inspires you? Are they a man built for others? In Season of Life, there is a true man, a man built for others. The book is an inspirational nonfiction book and Jeffrey Marx, the author of the book, is a ball boy for the Colts because he had a tennis camp across the street of the Colts stadium. He becomes friends with Colt Joe Ehrmann. 15 years later, in Baltimore, Maryland, around 2000, Joe is an activist for the needy, and Joe and Jeffrey meet again; much has changed about the two. I like this book because it is a useful book, because it is about friends, I say this because on page 83 Mike and Ambrose, two players on the team talk to each other after a loss, "'I'm proud of you, man' said Mike. `I'm so proud of you too." Said Ambrose". This is showing the friendship displayed. The book is being a man for others, meaning you must be caring towards others, which is the theme. The quote also supports that, because they are being men built for others by being true friends. That quote shows what inspirational value this book has, and why I like the book. This is a good book for 8th graders and older, and is useful for all.

As a young football Coach this book provided a lot of wisdom and good advice. Season of Life is a book that takes the reader through the season of a football team. It takes you through the ups and downs, the glory and the heartache. This book has been endorsed and recommended by the FCA. This book is so real to those of us who know what coaching is like. Its honest, emotional and inspiring. I recommend it to those who have not read it. It should be a must read for all coaches.

I read this book after watching - several times over - David Simon's most recent work, The Wire. I have always been interested in detectives and was drawn by this book because it is non-fiction. As well as being a highly enjoyable read, I would say there were three main takeaways. First, the detailed first-hand account of actual cases and methods of investigation (including related disciplines such as interrogation, medical examination, ballistics, trace evidence, etc. as well as the legal processes and challenges that lead to conviction) have made me much more familiar with the actual process of solving murders. Second, a basic understanding of the structure and organization of a homicide unit within the police department and how the system is incentivized to solve crimes. Third, an appreciation of how these detectives - through late-night drinking sessions and office humor - manage to make their lives livable when they are not dealing with the darker side of their profession. Simon's first book is really special, I look forward to reading it again someday.

Homicide is one of the better of the crime reporting novels I have read. Simon was definitely at the top of his game.

He manages to write the book with more of a novel feel then a biography of the people involved. Other similar books, such as 'Homicide Special' try for the same thing, but you still feel the writer in their presence. Simon makes the reader feel as if they are there without feeling that the writer is intruding on anything.

The cases the officers work on are all interesting, and not all are slam dunks or even solvable. Many authors would feel a need to make their book have cases with endings. I applaud Simon for not giving in to that temptation.

Baltimore definitely plays a role in this book, and you get a real feeling for the city. You can see in this book the seed that would eventually sprout the series 'Homicide'.

If you are interested in detective work this is an excellent read. I highly recommend this book.

great book - heard David Simon on NPR and he knows the streets of BMore

Journalist David Simon's homicidic tome, published in 1991, follows a group of detectives from the Baltimore Police Department's Homicide Unit for an entire year, beginning in January 1988. It is a gritty, great read about the matter-of-factness of murder in a city with one of the highest rates in the nation. An article in a recent (April 19, 2008) issue of New Economist highlights a recent drop in that rate (from 282 homicides in 2007). During the year of Simon's internship, there were 234 murders, followed by (p 618) 262 in 1989 and 302 in 1990. Based on those four years, that's an average of one violent death every 18 hours.

What Simon was able to put together from his year's worth of journalistic scribblings on life with the good guys and the bad guys is a fantastic fly on the wall's eye view: the graphic violence of crime scenes, the raunchy humor of and banter between the detectives, the despair of the victims' family members, and the utter stupidity of many of the criminals: (p 16) "the investigator's saving grace is the killer's overwhelming disposition toward incompetence or, at the very least, gross error." His Guidebook of Death Investigation Rules are remarkable: (p 34) "Rule Number One...the page 1 entry in a detective's lexicon: Everyone lies." Rule Five is equally profound (p 237), "It's good to be good: it's better to be lucky." Best of the book: Simon's ability to capture the events in a comprehensive and cohesive manner, even with several welcome change ups to the overall chronological format. Covering every aspect of "life on the killer streets" Homicide is a perfect read for tome-loving crime buffs, neither category of which I belong. Also good, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer, and Green River, Running Red by Ann Rule.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love Mr. Simon's writing style, which is both intresting and easy to follow. The only negative about this book is the language, which may offend some people.

All I could think after reading this book was HOW DARE YOU!

How dare you make me laugh, cry, and and get so involved in the story that I had to read it all in one sitting.

I couldn't put the book down once I started it and my kids kept asking what was so funny every time I would break out into laughter. I'm glad that nobody was paying much attention, they would have seen tears between the smiles and thought I was going crazy. I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster.

Peggy, Mister, and Missus were all very real from the beginning and it was as if I was watching their lives unfold in person.

CONGRATULATIONS! It's a wonderful book....
Now may I please have control of my emotions again?

I could write so much about this wonderful book but to sum it up, it's one of the best novels I have read in at least the last ten years. Everything is neatly intertwined, and the author makes the characters loveable but still fawed. This book shows how race differences should really be handled--with love. Congratulations to the auhor for doing such a magnificent job. I loved the book!

I was caught up in this book the second I read the back cover. How many novels do you know that actually make you feel like you're right in the story with them, that what's going on is real and true to life? Well, this one does, and I can tell you that after reading it, I had a whole new apprecaitation for racial differences. DeVincent-Hayes make this story real, and she made me look at what it might be like on the "the other side." I just love this story. I wish [...]would pick it up for her book club and her Harpo would make it into a movie, I cried and broke into laughter in so many places in this story. Peggy is such a likeable character, even with all her flaws. Mr. Ellen is just like James Earl Jones, and Mrs. Ellen is so cool. This is a wonderful family story.

Why is it that good books like this "22 Friar Street" aren't bestsellers? Is it because such a book isn't vulgar, profane, violent? Our society should want books like this that reflect on human relationships and show us not only in the good light, but also with all our flaws and shortcomings. The author of this book should win a Nobel for her superb writing skills and exceptional insight into humanity; more importantly, Oprah ought to celebrate it on her bookclub, and Ron Howard ought to make a movie out of it. It's a story that shows humanity in a clear light--what our expectations of each other are, what are stereotypes and preconceived notions consist of and how damanging they can be. Never have I ever run across a book that has gapped so many chasms as this book, such as blacks and whites, young and old, wealthy and poor, cultured and uncouth. This story just blew me away. In some places, I laughed so hard that people in the doctor's waiting room stared at me; in other places, tears rolled down my eyes. You have got to read this story! Great work, DeVincent-Hayes!

Whooowee! What a ride this story takes you on...unbelievable! Not only is it a roller coaster of a ride, but it has characters that you just fall in love with, even ol' meany Aunt Audrey who really doesn't hate Peggy after all. This book is like a wide beacon on dark seas because it shows how we can brighten up our beliefs and change society and fix all the inhumanity we often put on others. I loved Peggy and Mr/Mrs Ellen. This book sucks you in and keeps you glued to it without your even knowing it. Buy a copy for yourself; you won't be sorry. It's a true, wholesome family story and a quiet lesson in what it means to love each other despite cultural, racial, educational differences.

I have never taken the time to review a book on this site but if any book ever deserved it, it is this book. This is the story of the first death row inmate ever exonerated by DNA evidence. I have long held the opinion that the death penalty should be abolished because our system simply isn't reliable enough to impose that ultimate punishment that can never be righted should the system have failed. This book is real, concrete, powerful, moving proof of that idea.

Kirk Bloodworth spent 9 years of his life locked in prison, cockroaches crawling all over him, inmates urinating through the front grate in his cell because he was a "child killer", the guards forcing him to paint the gas chamber where he was awaiting execution. He missed his mother's funeral, lost his 20's, was forced to turn into a near animal just to survive, and had to think daily that he was going to be killed by poisonous gas or spend the rest of his life in prison for something he did not do. Can you even imagine what that must feel like?

This was an incredible book and I think everyone should read it. We need to know the stories of people like Kirk Bloodworth because there are many more of them out there and we owe it to them to at least be aware. And, even though you know the main outcome of the book before you start, it still managed to have a surprise ending that literally gave me goosebumps. Definitely add this to your "to read" list.

I met Kirk Bloodsworth on an airplane ride, and what an amazing person. His perserverance and positive attitude about his experience is true. The book is a true reflection of the man.

Tim Junkin does an excellent job of recounting the horrid turn of events that led to Kirk Bloodsworth's arrest, indictment, conviction, and second conviction for a crime he didn't commit. Neither Bloodsworth nor Junkin ever lose sight of the fact that an appalling crime was committed, and Junkin is not afraid to show Bloodsworth, warts and all.

The arrogance of the prosecution in this case is staggering. Even when faced with incontrovertible evidence that the wrong man had been charged, convicted, sentenced to death, and incarcerated for years on end, the prosecutor's office refused to acknowledge that it had been mistaken. Moreover, it waited a decade after Bloodsworth's exoneration to run the DNA it had through CODIS. Unbelievable.

The quibbles I have with the book are few. I wish there had been a detailed index. While the bibliography is immensely helpful, I wish it had included some texts by Elizabeth Loftus or Robert Buckout on the unreliability of eyewitness testimony. In fact, Buckout was hired as an expert by Bloodsworth's defense team in his first trial, but incredibly not permitted by the court to testify. Finally, like many nonfiction books about legal cases, Junkin's book begins almost at the end of the story and then backtracks, finally picking up the story's final threads again toward the end of the book. This tack leads to some overlap and redundancy in storytelling. It may be bothersome to some readers. Is any one of these complaints enough to merit subtracting an entire star from a review of the book? No. Maybe half a star, if that.

If the book Bloodsworth interests you, you might also want to look at the website [...] for more information about the wrongfully convicted and how dedicated lawyers,scientists, and lay people are helping them to see the light of day again.

Jerry Layne Rogers, Sr. -- wrongfully convicted and innocent. From 1989 - 1992, I was his investigator at CCR [The Office of Capital Collateral Representative, a state agency representing death-sentenced persons].

Mr. Rogers' case consisted in 1992 of at least 80 boxes of documents, from court files, prosecutor and law enforcement files, trial and evidentiary hearing transcripts, etc. Mr. Rogers's case was the largest and most complicated that CCR has ever represented that I am aware of.

The second largest and most complicated was that of Mr. Gerald Stano, whose lead attorney during most of the development of his case was Mark E. Olive.

In 1995, Mr. Rogers began receiving pro bono representation from the Washington, D.C. law firm Covington and Burling. The result was an unanimous Florida Supreme Court (FSC) 26 page opinion ordering a new trial in Mr. Rogers' case due primarily to prosecutorial misconduct, in particular Brady v. Maryland violations.

To read the opinion, go to the FSC website, then at "Public Information", to the recent opinions, to the year 2001, then toward the bottom at February 15, 2001, one will find the FSC opinion.

During the summer of 2002, Mr. Rogers was re-convicted, however sentenced to life upon the jury recommendation. Now twice Mr. Rogers has been wrongfully convicted.

In 2004, the Florida 5th District Court of Appeal denied relief. The FSC declined to accept jurisdiction and thus denied the petition for review.

Mr. Rogers' case is pending Federal review.




For those interested in reading the narrowly decided by four to three vote Florida Supreme Court opinions regarding two more death sentenced persons whose innocence is an authentic issue, please go to the FSC website, then go to the recent opinions, then chose the correct year and scroll down to the following two cases:

Roy Swafford: April 18, 2002

Peter Ventura: May 24, 2001


Additionally, the issue in the below cases is DNA testing that proves that Roy Swafford did not rape Brenda Rucker:

Roy Swafford: March 26, 2004 Case Nos. SC03.931 and SC03.1153



Please also read other books about Florida's death row by David von Drehle and Michael Mello - also availabe at Amazon.

Bloodsworth tells a now familiar story to readers who have followed the work of the Innocent Project (though Bloodsworth
case pre-dates Barry Scheck's Innocent Project) His story amply illustrates how frail justice can be with a system where guilt and innocence can rise and fall on the wealth of the accused or the eyewitness Identification of the accused by a 10 year old child-whether guilty ala OJ or innocent ala Bloodsworth (and so many others--)**** spoiler*** what really shocked me was how the State of Maryland and local DA waited about 10 years after Bloodsworth was released from jail (after 9 years in prison) to submit the DNA specimen to the databank to finally identify the real killer It was also shocking to see the FBI actually pointed an arrow at an area of fabric to test for semen it never tested, a neglect that would havew sealed Bloodsworth 's fate if the clothes had not been preserved -*****The book sadly shows how the system is often all about winning, and not a lot about justice. The defense on federal appeals now does not simply rest on a reasonable doubt of a case lost at trial, but now hopes to prove actual innocence. I wish the prosecution and defense of criminal cases would each open the doors to full disclosure, like civil cases for money do, if defendant will waive their fifth amendment privileges ( with the presence and assistance of counsel) while the government abandons the death penalty. The death penalty is not the worst penalty for the guilty but would have been the ultimate insult for the innocent, like Bloodsworth and too many others. I highly recommend this book and if you still believe in the death penalty, rent the filmed documentary THE THIN BLUE LINE. The death penalty is too kind for the guilty and too final for the innocent Bloodsworth's story ably shows the angst of his daily mantra, his AIM , Bloodsworth , An Innocent Man

I'd highly recommend this book for people who already know something about Catholicism, but need a bit more depth in order to understand why Catholics believe what they do. I have used it as a resource for people who are Catholic but it has been a long time since they have had catechesis, or for non-Catholic Christians who want to understand more about Catholicism.

It may be a bit too detailed for someone just beginning the Inquiry or RCIA process unless they want a thorough resource book, but in this case I would definitely pair it with a simplified copy of the Catechism.

It makes a great gift book too!

My seminarian friend recommended it to me. At times Opus Dei can be too black-and-white with no gray in between, but this book is still a wonderful way to connect all of Catholicism. I go to Mass regularly and have gone to a Catholic HS, but I still didn't feel like I knew my faith. This book was able to show me how we do know a lot about our faith, but we just have a problem making sense of what we know. Also, his analogies are brilliant. I use them constantly in explaining Catholicism to others.

This is required reading for the Catholic, literally as many catechism classes require it. It is also very useful for those wanting to learn more about their faith or the Catholic faith in general. It is full of useful information laid out in an informative and well written manner. It is easy to find information and questions. That being said it is also very dry, but its hard to make a book like this a page turner.

I've owned this book now for about 3 years and have read it through all the way, once. I've gone back to sections for refresher information, many, many times. What I like the most about this book is, if you do not have the capacity (time, or stamina) to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) all the way through - this is an excellent way to get "more than the basics" of what is in the CCC in a very clear, concise manner.

From the very first page (just like all catechisms of the Catholic church) it starts with the three fundamental questions. Who made me? Who is God? Why did God make me? Just that first page will have you hooked and you will not want to put it down. I constantly recommend this book to anyone over the age of 13 because it is that clear in it's method of explaining the faith. I do not believe this book is for anyone looking for a "dumbed down" version of the faith, and by that I do not mean there is anything wrong with the book written by Fr. Tregilio called "Catholicism for Dummies." Quiet the contrary, these two books are just for different types of readers.

Another interesting observation on this book is the different kind of people that love it. I have met such different personalities and ages of people (13 to 79) who love this book that I think that fact is also a recommendation of the book.

Read it, it's good for answering all your questions AND will untangle any misconceptions you have developed along the way, or just remind you of what you may have forgotten.

I highly and unreservedly recommend this book.

I use this text frequently for inquirers into the Catholic Faith. Every one says it is witten in a very interesting style. Many can't put it down once begun. Well written and faithful to Catholic Church teaching.

If more people took the time to educate themselves about horses and horsemanship in general and Xenophone's book in particular, perhaps we not see so many "show horses" of various popular breeds so physically manipulated by in breeding for only one or two specific traits rather than breeding for the whole horse. What was true in Ancient Greece is truer still today - without good feet, balance in the body and common sense a horse is worthless. Bravo to Amazon for bringing us this excellent book dirt cheap!

The material in this book is thousands of years old but amazing in how modern the approach is to horsemanship. Most of Xenophon's advice is timely even today. It shows how little has changed over the centuries.

This is a must if you are passionate about horses. It is so clear and to the essential point that it is a pleasure to read.

Xenophon covers several aspects of horsemanship, from grooming, leading, and choosing a horse, to mounting, riding, and training a war mount. Very, very interesting to see what is still applicable today. While this isn't a "training" or even a "horse care book," its a great historical reference from those interested in how horses we cared for and trained 2000 years ago. However, for those looking for a story or a book to teach riding skills, I suggest you look elsewhere. Those interested in dressage will find this worth-while, as it is considered the oldest text on the subject.

Xenophon's philosophy and many techniques, though tailored for the development of a war-horse, demonstrate the ageless capacity for human empathy toward the horse. The horse centered work makes the goal of a harmonious partnership attainable. The book interweaves aspects of barn management, riding technique, and early human psychological insights. The translation keeps this work relevant and vibrant. The overriding theme is one of responsibility for the education and wellbeing of the horse. It is, if nothing else, a comfort to read that some horses in the ancient world were treated humanely in the training process...even if under the unfortunate auspices of a warrior culture. Kurt Hartle, Reydon,Suffolk. UK

As a long time horse and mystery story lover, I'm always on the lookout for books that combine the two. I've often been disappointed in what I have found. I've read quite a few in this genre with glaring inaccuracies about horses. Or, if they get the horse stuff right, the characters are weak, the plot is convoluted, the pace is off, and the writing is painful. This author gets it right, gets it all right! She obviously knows the difference between a Quarter Horse and a Shetland Pony, the characters are engaging, the plot is interesting, and the story moves along at a decent clip. Even if you aren't a horse lover, it is a good mystery, even if you aren't a mystery lover, it's a good horse story. I'll be looking for more from this author.

A wonderful fun book. I enjoyed how the plot moved from A to B without leaps of faith. It is great to have a horse mystery where the author obviously has been around horses and the horse show scene. Can't wait for the next book.

This is a great book. I couldn't put it down once I started it. I really enjoyed it and I look forward to her next one:)

What an excellent book! It grabbed me from the very first page & ended with me wanting to read the next book! You know how authors include excerpts from a chapter of the next book in a series? Well, when I finished this book, I was dying to read an excerpt from this author's next book! The Misplaced Horse is very well-written ~ it's as good as ANY of the mystery books that are written by famous authors. It has the added bonus of being written around the horse world. It's refreshing to read such a book that's not full of mistakes about the horse "stuff". I once read a book by a VERY famous author who was talking about a big Tennessee Walker. Then the character went on to say that this big TW was 13.1hh. Nothing like that happens in The Misplaced Horse! The characters are well-developed & the storyline will grab you & hang onto you until the end. I'm going to get copies for everyone I know who likes mysteries or horse books. The Misplaced Horse is a great gift.

I loved the characters and the way the plot moved along. I especially enjoyed the wry humor combined with a mystery plot. A great read, it is a fun book. Great job and I look forward to more.
Jim Brady
Washington, DC

Bloody Point is far from the run-of-the-mill FBI story. With believable characters, fantastic descriptions, and a plot with many unexpected turns, this is a book I truly enjoyed. Inspirational while extremely entertaining, Bloody Point is a book men and women will both enjoy. Well written and highly recommended.

The grieving widow pushing away the people she loves most. The partner that found out you can be healed in more ways than one.

The only thing I found wrong there were a couple of men that were interested in Cassie and you felt that she was on the verge of letting one of them into her life then they were never heard from again in the book. Maybe next book she'll explore the possibility of love again.

I can't wait for the next installment of Cassie & Jake.

This was a great book with a fast moving story. I liked that Cassie had a supportive, involved father who had wisdom to share with her. Cassie worked hard to find answers to her questions, even when it meant putting herself in danger. I had a hard time putting this book down. It is easy reading, and kept my interest. This book dealt well with several topics such as divorce, death, depression, and finding faith.
This story would be appropriate for fifteen year olds and up.

What a joy! Don't you just love it when you "discover" a great new treasure?

If you're looking for a new suspense author, who writes with a solid spiritual thread, you need look no further. Linda White, with her first published novel, will not disappoint. The strength of her research adds a powerful element of believability, and her main character, Cassie McKenna, becomes a woman you will want to hear from again.

I took this book with me on a quick trip to Aspen, along with another "just in case". I didn't need the other one.

If you read this book, you will join me in eagerly waiting for Linda White's next.

Bloody Point is a page turner from the first page. It is a gripping story of intrigue, deceit, lost love, tragedy, with realistic spiritual challenges and blessings. The local history of the Chesapeake Bay along with intricacies of sailing bring a special flavor to the story. Highly recommended to anyone who likes a murder mystery or detective story.

I love this cookbook! It has everything I want in a cookbook: fantastic recipes which are very straightforward, a very funny and chatty author who tell the story behind almost every recipe, and pictures. Granted, you'll get more use out of this book if you live somewhere that sells a variety of great, fresh seafood, but even if you don't, this book is a treasure. The side dishes are mouthwatering. No exotic ingredients needed. These are classic old-school, good recipes that usually aren't written down. Classic recipes with great oomphh. John Shields is the kind of guy you'd love to hang around with on a lazy Saturday or Sunday, looking for a great undiscovered restaurant or church supper, which offers delectible cuisine at reasonable prices. Ok, so you can't have John in person, but this cookbook is the next best thing. One of my instant favorites.

I ended my search for the perfect crabcake recipe with this cookbook! His crabcakes are wonderful, the best ever. And the rest of the recipes and narratives in this book are delicious and entertaining, Shields provides an inviting glimpse into the Chesapeake culture and cuisine. Makes me want to visit the area someday.

Wow, did I over estimate my "knowledge" of this area's cuisine and natural resources! This book is an excellent primer for cooks of all levels who feel the need to know about C-bay cuisine. Terrific recipes and a great insight into the quality of life in the area.

I watched the PBS show that this book originated from and immediately ordered the book. I already own over fifty cookbooks and this has become my favorite. As a native "Baltimoron", I've thoroughly enjoyed the stories and info about Baltimore. The recipes are fabulous. You must try a "Dirty Gertie". Fantastic. These recipes are the best that Maryland has to offer. John, hats off to you! Living in Ocean City, we can sample the best seafood in the world. Now, my kitchen is the best in town. Thanks.

This book was a Christmas gift from my husband, and it has to be one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. I thought I knew a lot about this region's cooking, but I learned a great deal from this book. The recipes for Baked Squash & Tomatoes and Oyster Stew have become standbys in my kitchen. Not only is this book full of fabulous recipes, but the stories woven through the book are worth reading just on their own. John Shields is truly a "Bawlamor boy" and one of the state's greatest assets. Highly recommended!

Kathleen

This surprisingly neutral book compares the enormous variety of religious beliefs throughout history, with particular attention paid to Christianity. While not an in-depth text, it will serve as an introduction to critically examining the development and spread of religion.

Christians should definitely read his chapter on Christianity; Mencken considers the 1611 King James Version to be one of the most beautiful books ever written.

While his chapter hypothesizing the origins of religion is rather speculative, any such hypothesis is bound to be - at the very least it will pique your interest in the subject. The chapter on the variety of religions is particularly interesting, as it attempts to show how the same general ideas were molded into vastly different beliefs; in particular, the section on the various conceptions of heaven(s) and hell(s) will definitely be engrossing to anyone.

Pleasant, easy to read, and thorough overview of religion from the beginning of humanity, with an emphasis on Christianity, from the position of an atheist.

From the preface: "My book is mainly factual. Its purpose is simply to get together, in handy and I hope readable form, the material data about the embryology, anatomy, and physiology of theology, with an occasional glance at its pathology....Religion was invented by man just as agriculture and the wheel were invented by man, and there is absolutely nothing in it to justify the belief that its inventors had the aid of higher powers, whether on this earth or elsewhere....There is no purpose here to shake the faithful, for I am completely free of the messianic itch..."

Chapter I "Its Nature and Origin" - Mencken describes his view of how early priests came into being in prehistoric society: "One Spring there came great rains in the valley and on their heels a flood of melting snow...One night the flood rolled into the lowermost cave, cut off the occupants, and drowned a mother and her child...The rising water to them seemed like a living thing...One fellow steps boldly forth...He goes close to the edge and bombards his enemy with stones...Growing bolder, he stalks into the water and belabors it with his club...the next morning the flood begins to recede...This first priest could accomplish something that other men were incapable of...What more natural than to give thanks?...True religion was born at that moment...He took on the aloof, philosophical air of a dermatologist contemplating a rash: he learned how to avoid making promises and yet hold the confidence of his customers... He gave some thought to the form and content of his first incantations, and thereby invented the first ritual...The gift of blarney went with the sacerdotal office, in the early days as now...the new trade of priesthood had attractions that were plainly visible to any bright and ambitious young man...When he let it be known that there were certain things, done by the people, that would gratify the gods and insure their aid, these things began to be regarded as virtuous, upright, moral. When he announced that other things were frowned upon, they straightaway became sins...The priest found himself a law-giver...Did the fires rage and the sky remain dry? Then it was because the faithful had forgotten their plain duties...It was not the priest's fault...calamities were plentiful in those days, as they are now. They remain the most potent weapons in the armamentarium of the priest...Theologians, as a class, are practical men. Immortality, as they preach it in the modern world, is but little more than a handy device for giving force and effect to their system of transcendental jurisprudence: what it amounts to is simply a threat that the contumacious will not be able to escape them by dying...I am myself a theologian of considerable gifts, and yet I can no more imagine immortality than I can imagine the Void which existed before matter took form. Neither, I suspect, can the Pope."

Chapter II "Its Evolution," continues as an academic treatise, but sprinkled liberally with condescending and clever phraseology: About creation myths: "In no department of theology is there a vaster accumulation of amusing rubbish." About afterlife: "Even in India, the very gonad of theology..." About contradictions in the Bible: "The collection of tracts called the New Testament is so full of inconsistencies and other absurdities that even children in Sunday School notice them."

Chapter III "Its Varieties" is a study of comparative religions. This is a well-done academic piece with fewer "Mencke-isms."

Chapter IV "Its Christian Form" is a beautifully written history of Christianity, highly complimentary of the Old Testament as poetry and Literature, and is the best chapter in the book. He reviews the well-accepted J, E, D, & P authorship of the Torah, with brief mention of how it was compiled. (for more info on this, read "Who Wrote the Bible," by Friedman). This chapter alone is worth the price of the book. According to the bibliography, he gets much of his factual material from James Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics.

Chapter V "Its State Today," resumes "Menckeisms," such as, "The church as an organization has thrown itself violently against every effort to liberate the body and mind of man. It has been, at all times and everywhere, the habitual and incorrigible defender of bad governments, bad laws, bad social theories, bad institutions."

I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining and informative book and highly recommend it. For a different approach to the same subject, I recommend Atran's book, "In Gods We Trust."

H. L. Mencken was a rare man indeed. He was a hard headed skeptic of the theological arts, but took an intense, scholarly interest in it, and it was a boon to the universe of thoughtful men when he decided to report back to them on what he found there. The book he wrote will stand for a long while as the best of its kind--at once dispassionate and informative, with more than a little of his trademark wit thrown about with an undisguised glee. His enthusiasm for his subject bubbles out all over the place.

The book begins with an imaginary story of how religion must have gotten started among the first primitive men. It is a story well told, and reveals what Mencken imagines is at the root of men's heart much of the time--a fear of the unknown, and an understandable aspiration to master that fear by some means. Then, very early on, the con men step in to utilize the fear for their own ends--power and cash. To successfully create a job for himself, he proceeds to invent embellishments unintelligible to the poor saps, and rituals that only the initiated, such as himself, can perform.

The book continues with some comparative religion, basing most of it on what the Romans sneered at, that the Greeks made dramas about, what the Jews borrowed from the Babylonians, and what the Asiatics actually first dreamed up. He finds in all of this the roots of Christianity, and especially the stuff that Christ had never thought of, which the theologians later added for the most practical of reasons.

His account of the early church and the evolution of the bibles is gratifying in its scholarship and clarity of description. He makes the ancient theological quarrels come to life, imparting an understanding that is a valuable addition to any freethinker's equipment. Occasionally, the real Mencken peeks through, enlivening and enlightening as he goes.

The best part of the book, though, is when he shows how religion is inadequate for the job, and is in a full retreat before the onslaught of science and rational methods, leaving the truly civilized man with " a way of facing the impenetrable dark that must engulf him in the end, as it engulfs the birds of the air and the protozoa in the sea ooze....not perhaps with complete serenity, but at least with dignity, calm, a gallant spirit."

If you're used to the snappy quotables we've (all?) come to expect from Mencken and love, you may be somewhat disappointed. "Treatise..." contains more carefully fleshed out analysis and argument than his sociocultural criticism.

In this mode, without so much of the caustic wit, his writing style actually doesn't impress quite as much. But, to make up for it, his quality of argument and inventiveness is surprisingly rich. I'd always considered Mencken to be quite a philosopher, as well as a snappy come-backer. Here, he proves it: coming up with some quite brilliant hypotheticals about the origin of religion in early man, especially. And his re-telling of the concise history of Religion shows that he has a knowledge of considerable breadth. There are a few very dramatic turns of phrase here (the fun stuff), some awkward delivery, but a lot of interesting subject matter.

In this sardonic, blasphemous and sometimes ferociously cynical pamphlet, H.L. Mencken castigates the irrationality and incredibility of all religions, e.g. there are 175.000 discrepancies in the manuscripts of the Christian New Testament.
But he considers religion rightly as one of ( for him) the greatest inventions of all times, giving the clergy enormous economical (all the temples became extremely rich) and political power. For Mencken, their power comes from the fear of Hell. The God of love that they preach invariably turns out to be a God of harsh and arbitrary penalties and brutalities. Religion is not only cruel (human sacrifices), but also a source of enormous human misery: 'Is a Catholic bishop a good citizen, when he commands, on penalty of Hell, that poor and miserable women convert themselves into mere brood sows?'(p. 270)
'The priest is the most immoral of men.' (p. 271)
His major targets are Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
'Calvin was the true father of Puritanism, which is to say, of the worst obscenity of Western Civilization.' (p. 245) His God is an 'appalling monster'. (p. 272)
The Churches are well aware that science is their natural enemy. Therefore, they try to control education. They are always on the defensive (Galileo, Darwin) and they are opposed to all attempts of rational thinking. For Mencken, religious education is the same as organized ignorance.
He lambasts those who defend religion for 'practical' reasons: 'the fact that threats of Hell have their social uses is ... simply an argument against the human race!' (p. 268)
However, H.L. Mencken has a dark side: 'the democratic pestilence'. Like Plato, he was disgusted with the masses which were a source of a cancerous proliferation of demagogy. More, 'the reigning theologians heated up the mob against the enlightened minority.' (p. 255)
It shows his deep pessimism: the masses could not be educated and the mighty priests kept them in an irrational darkness.
This is an important flaw in his reasoning and it turned out to be a false prophesy. In many democratic countries, the religious right is on the defensive and is losing (lost) important battles.
This treatise is one of the most violent pamphlets I ever read: a Homerian battle of the enlightened one against the powerful caste of the priests.
A must read.