Maryland Books

Peter is a working class successful writer who has become blocked and so begs his well heeled wife (Katherine) who is 8 ½ months pregnant to set him a task. She does which is to tell stories as they sail around the Chesapeake Bay (a 200 mile long estuary on the Virginia and Maryland coastlines) in their boat called Story. During of which we discover how they fell in love in the 60's but not met up until the 70's and why they are having babies now as they hit 40. But this is only one of three other love stories in the novel. One is the love of landscape and the other is of sailing. Both of which are powerfully evoked throughout the novel. Their love story, landscape and sailing are then effectively linked to their families. Hers being local old money who have shaped the land since before the USA was founded and his being boat builders who have shaped access to the water since coming over in the 19th century.

Katherine's family are open, generous friendly and sophisticated so accept and support the whims of Peter and Katherine to sail around the Bay. Likewise Peter shy and intense and Katherine open and bright are deep friends and in love so we like the characters and join in the physicality evoked by the writing. However these are but three of several strands in the novel, two others are a political thriller and an eco-mystery. The first explores the CIA-KGB spy games as the SALT talks dirty tricks play out in the local area. The second looks at the environmental damage being done by illegal dumping. Both story lines are linked firmly with Katharine's ex husband and her charming but wastrel brother but not as you expect.

But all this are themes for the real focus of the novel which is about the art and mystery of writing and story telling. So over the 14 days of sailing we move in and out of the stories of Don Quixote, Huckleberry Finn, 1001 nights of Arabian Tales, Odyssey as they shape and are shaped by the love story landscape and sailing. We meet the narrators as characters finishing their own stories and shaping the novel as we do as reader-characters. This means that the narrative moves through a whole range of formats (plays, short essays, monologues, puns, wordplay etc) and genres (love story, social comedy, thriller, family saga, etc) with us and the unborn babies as narrator commentators along with the characters who know they are in a story. And we know their fates outside the story itself.

Don't expect a quick read as its 655 pages and small print but do expect an intellectual tour de force and a page turner for what is mediation on writing that races along driven by the reader's identification with Peter's writers block, and their immediate parenthood while the multi-layer story entertains and stretches. Clearly a banquet that lingers in the memory when many beans on toast novels have been long forgotten so highly recommended.

Barth is a fine writer who does a marvelous job in creating believable and likable characters. it was fun to sail with him and his yuppy friends in the Chesapeake. (A non-sailer would miss much of the action and pleasure of this novel) The story of the couple and the boat would make a fine but smaller novel. Barth's politics are those of aca- deme and perhaps intrude too much into what is supposed to be only a story...not an effort to convert those who are not PC already. But he sure

can write and OH, I do love KISS just as he does.

Set me a task indeed! It has become the catch phrase my wife and I use to pull ourselves out of a funk... and reading this book will pull just about anyone out of theirs. Following Peter and Kate's sailing adventure over the course of the last 14 days of their pregnancy (with twins) is a celebration of life. Don't be daunted by it's length! It's like reading multiple books in one: a travel book, a play, throw a little espionage and environmentalism into the pot and meet some of literature's greatest characters along the way. Get through the first 50 pages, then sit back and enjoy the ride. By the end you'll find that you just don't want it to end.

I'm 5 pages from the end of this book, but I'm postponing reading them because I just don't want it to end. Like The Last Voyage of Somebody the Sailor, this book is escapism at its most extreme.

The framing is phenomenal, mirror images abound, pairs proliferate, and while things constantly remain at the edge of confusion, Barth always reins you in just before you teeter off into chaos. So deft with words, and even more so with their meanings, Barth has written what is quite possibly my favorite book of all time.

Of the maybe five novels of Barth I've read so far in my young life, this is probably my favorite of them all (Sot-Weed Factor does run a close second, however) if only due to the laziness factor since I didn't feel I needed a doctorate in English literature or mythology to understand everything that was going on. All told, on the surface this is probably one of the lighter books he's done . . . it's basically about a couple (teh wife's eight months pregnant) going out sailing in Cheaspeake Bay and to pass time they start telling stories. Except it's about everything else too and slowly the novel starts to incorporate local history, the knots of the characters' lives, mythology, plays, short stories . . . you name it. For someone not of Barth's skill this would come off as a tedious academic exercise merely to show the author's genre bending abilities. Once in a while it teeters toward that but manages to stay on the right side of the line. What helps is the sheer exuburance of the book, the people all seem to like each other (not that there isn't conflict), folks are happy with their lives, never before has Barth managed to create a more three dimensional set of people or given them a more realistic world to inhabit. It's just genuinely enjoyable to read, especially as the stories and stories-within-stories start to bounce off each othere. There are echoes of several of Barth's earlier works here, I spotted definitely Lost in the Funhouse and Chimera (and the Sot-Weed Factor is mentioned) so for long time readers it's a bit of a revisit with old friends. Is the book probably longer than it needs to be? Yeah, but if long books are your problem than you shouldn't be reading Barth. The main couple Peter and Katherine are sometimes a bit too precious for words (the constant renaming of the babies got annoying real fast) and in spurts there is just too much love going around but I can't really level that as a flaw now, can I? Politics does threaten to creep in every so often but it's dated eighties style politics now so I didn't pay much attention to it. Overall, it doesn't break any vibrant new ground for Barth but serves as a fine summing up of his strengths and his skills, the man can tell a decent story and he can write the pants off just about anybody (and no, those aren't the same thing) so if you want a fun "literary" novel that won't overwhelm you with all those nasty post-modern tricks those oh so erudite authors love to pull on unsuspecting readers, this might just be what you're looking for. Just stay away if you're allergic to mythology, if you want to read Barth it's not something you can easily escape from. But I like it anyway.

Was a good read, a little wordy in places but reflected an excellent amount of research which added to the credibility of the tale. Not for all, but still historical and throws a good light on greed.

This book was a page turner. It's a true and interesting story that is well written. I'm very satisfied and looking for more books by this author.

I was not sure what to expect when I started my read. Within a few pages I felt like I was part of the 1930's. Len brings the reader through the time period as if you are traveling in a time capsule. Soon you are living the story. The historical facts, intertwined with the personal story of events, presents an educational history lesson of real life in 1930's Baltimore in an extremely entertaining fashion. Unlike "National Treasure" the movie this story is plausible and true. Excellent work Len!

Treasure in the Cellar is a real page turner and fascinating read. I was captivated by the story and drawn into the drama surrounding the coins. The smooth writing style and narrative account make the characters and the time period come alive. The author provides just enough detail and historical background to set the stage and to put the story into context without getting bogged down with too many obscure facts. The author does an excellent job of revealing how the effects of historical events such as the Civil War, the 1918 flu epidemic, and the Gold Recall Act along with treasure trove law impact the fate of the boys and the gold coins. A real gem of a book!

Treasure in the Cellar is a beautifully written true-life adventure. Len Augsburger's writing style makes you want to keep reading to uncover the next twist and turn as you root for these disadvantaged kids to keep their treasure. Meticulously researched, the book brings depression-era Baltimore and its characters to life.

When I get homesick for Rock Hall, MD, I read Helen Chappell. She has the whole scene down pat: the speech, the truck beds, the humidity, the scent of salted eels, the VFD, the food, and the people. Only thing missing is the smell of a wet Lab. I suspect a good bit of Rock Hall is hidden in plain sight in Oysterback.

So yes, this is a relationship drama, but for me it is a trip home.

I really liked this book, but admittedly I like everything Helen Chappell writes. This book was a lot of fun with a couple of out loud chuckles. It was the kind of read that you're sorry to finish - because then it's over - but at the same time it's too good to put down.

I DID enjoy this book; however, I maybe was expecting too much. I loved the characters, the conversations, the observations, the plot. I was just left wanting more from the book -- a deeper plot, more information, longer conversations, more detail --

Carrie was a good lead character and I loved her garage sale life style. Being an avid garage saler myself, I could really relate to how she described that life and the treasures she would find along the way. Very true and realistic!!

The plot was good, as stated in previous other reviews. The characters were believeable and true to life. I love books set in the South and this one was a good example of Southern lit.

However, this is a GOOD BOOK and shouldn't be missed. I will keep my eyes open for more from Ms. Chappell. She is a good author, full of potential.

Junk picker Carrie returns to her hometown, Oysterback, Maryland on the Eastern Shore to attend her mother's funeral. Carrie and her sister Earlene have been at odds for years over lifestyles and even while trying to honor the dead they argue. Both await their brother Delmar to return with the ashes from Florida, but he is being detained by police for an incident at the airport where metal detectors were set off by their mom's urn.

Carrie is shocked to find Professor Jack Shepherd sleeping in her mother's bed. He explains that he normally lives on a boat, but her mother said he could use her house while she was away if he needed to for some reason. Her former boyfriend, the married Hudson Swann, also accosts Carrie. She clearly explains to Hudson that they are the past though she admits to herself that she wouldn't mind a future with Jack.

Though there is a dark comical backdrop, WHOLE LOT OF TROUBLE is a deep relationship drama that showcases family rivalries and lingering disagreements and disappointments. The sisters are a delight to observe fuss and fight while their respective descriptions of their brother paint quite a picture of him. Though some tension caused by "outsiders" seems unnecessary, fans will appreciate this no person is an island tale that emphasizes everybody needs somebody sometimes.

Harriet Klausner

Fans of Helen Chappell, rejoice! Oysterback, the delightful town on Maryland's Eastern Shore that was the setting for two earlier collections, has returned, as deliciously quirky as ever.

For protagonist Carrie Hudson, Oysterback is less than delightful -- it's her hometown and she left it behind her a long time ago. Now her mother's death has brought her home, home to deal with everything she thought she'd left behind her a long time ago.

By turns humorous and touching, A WHOLE WORLD OF TROUBLE is Chappell at her best.

As a native Marylander (Frederick) and Johns Hopkins alumnus, I have many pleasant memories of lovely old Baltimore. This book is a light read, but Bell knows the heart of the city well. The reader really gets the feeling of the old neighborhoods and their traditions, mostly due to the author's keen eye and flowing narrative style. He reminds me a bit of Andrei Codrescu.

Bell's interest in architecture becomes obvious almost immediately, and this is entirely appropriate considering the marvelous ensemble of historic buildings in Baltimore. The author's selection of neighborhoods to explore is necessarily selective, for brevity and for safety. Charm City isn't the most hospitable place in the United States, but it reveals a proud history and a truly beautiful cityscape for one willing to dig around a bit. Bell has done just that.

Trust your noodly master, Hon.

Mr. Bell has captured the atmosphere of Baltimore, especially it's unique combination of history and irreverence. When I was a kid (this goes back a few decades) one way people described Baltimore was as "the biggest small town in the world." This book captures the essence of that. Though Mr. Bell and his walking companions wander miles and miles they never seem far from the core of the place. This book is too much fun for any Baltimore reader to pass up.

I enjoyed this book, though that's likely because I grew up a few blocks from Madison Bell, and his stories were like strolling through my childhood and adolescent days. I think the book is well-written, but ultimately, it is a narrative book about several walks around town (going south on York Road, north along Charles Street, east to Fells Point, and then west to an obscure tucked away neighborhood).

Once finished reading it, I gave it away to my brother, a rare occurrence because I usually hang onto my books. I'm not sure that the book would carry over well to someone not already familiar with Baltimore.

The Crown Journey series asks established writers to wander through a city or area they live in or know well, and then write about it in a way that introduces the outsider to that place. I've read two others in the series, Christopher Buckley's one on Washington, D.C. (my hometown), and Chuck Palahniuk's one on Portland, OR (where I went to college). The former is pretty terrible, focusing on the standard federal and historical haunts while mostly ignoring the 500,000+ people who actually live here. The latter does a pretty good job of capturing Portland, with an emphasis on the quirky. After D.C., Portland, San Francisco, and New York, Baltimore is probably the next city I know reasonably well -- it's only a 45 minute drive north, and I've probably visited it somewhere between 50-75 times since the early '80s.

Bell is a 20+ year resident of the Baltimore area, and arranges the book as a series of walks through various parts of the city in the company of friends steeped in local lore. Many of these areas (Fells Point, Inner Harbor, Canton, etc.) are well known tourist destinations, others (Dickeyville, north Charles Street) much less so. His general mode is to embark on his promenade and alternate descriptions of present-day street life and architecture with odds and ends of local history. While some of this historical context is interesting, it does drag the book down at times, as does his preoccupation with architecture.The book is much stronger when he focuses on social history, rather than the "founding fathers" stuff that tends to dominate.

Similarly, Bell is at his best when he turns his novelist's eye to the various bars and characters he encounters along the way, bringing them vividly to life in a way he simply can't with the historical material. The dominant theme is one of constant change and transformation, running from the great fire of 1904 that leveled most of the old town and required massive rebuilding, to the scandalous land grabs of the '60s, to the rapid-fire redevelopment/gentrification currently underway throughout the city. On the whole, a quick and readable introduction to the city for the uninitiated.

Madison Smartt Bell's walking tour of Baltimore take us through a variety of neighborhoods, some well know and some rather obscure. Of course we get the low down on the touristy and trendy parts of town like Federal Hill, Fells Point, the Inner Harbor, and Canton.

With this city nearly 300 years old, Bell is able to sprinkle in an interesting look at its history with the descriptions of these places and how they've changed with gentrification.

Because of his local literary celebrity, Bell has access to some well-know locals and some colorful characters. For example, he visits a quaint, charming, but little-know part of town, Dickyville, with Laura Lippman, former Baltimore Sun reporter and now well-known mystery writer. She grew up in Dickeyville and provides insiders flavor to its description and historical context.

Bell, a guitarist, gives us a vivid sense of the Fells Point bar scene and sits in with a local band where we meet some great local characters. With his skill as a writer, Bell neatly weaves the long history of this area in with the local scene and its changing population.

Bell and I are close in age and both moved to Baltimore about the same time, more than twenty years ago. Reading this book took me back though these years and the many places that make Baltimore quirky and fun,with a unique mix of small city sense of place and big city attractions.

In From Cedar Mountain to Antietam, Stackpole gives us the narrative of events from the end of the Seven Days, to Lee's retreat from Sharpsburg, two events delimited by McClellan's lack of resolve, hesitancy, treason or whatever theory you may believe. At Seven Days it's understandably disorienting to go from Joe Johnston's backpedaling to Lee's aggression north of the Chickahominy. But at Sharpsburg he knew Lee's plans, for goodness' sake, and then failed to press Lee until after the Army of Northern Virginia was reunited, for which Stackpole rightly takes Lil Mac to task.

Stackpole covers a lot of ground in under 500 pages, with the actions at Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas and Sharpsburg. Good maps are here, showing major troop movements and dispositions. There is less analysis here than Stackpole gives in his book on Gettysburg, but then there are pitifully few things in this world which receive as much analysis as Gettysburg.

This book is highly recommended for anyone wanting an introduction to the campaigns of Second Manassas or Sharpsburg before delving into more detailed works such as those of Hennessey on Second Manassas or Sears on Sharpsburg.

I believe this book is a good lead in to the Antietam campaign.
Starting with the breakoff from the "Seven Days" battles, this book leads you through Cedar Mountain 8/9/62 and into Second Manassas. Good general maps, not regimental detailed however.
I used this book for a preempt to the Krick work of much more detail on Cedar Mountain and the Hennessy book on Return to Bull Run, again more detailed. If you are looking for a general overview of the eastern campaign summer of 1862 prior to Antietam , this fits the bill.

This is an excellent account of the end of the Peninsula Campaign through and including the South's first invasion of the North, Antietam. Clearly written, concise and with excellent maps, the interpretation of tactics and strategy is excellent. Given Lee's misfortunes and incredible blunders, it is almost beyond belief that McClellan would let him escape a second time. You begin to think that the South's best general was not Robert E. Lee but George B. McClellan.

In his final battle McClellan truly proves himself either inept or treasonous, you decide. Thank God Lincoln finally fired him for good. Be prepared for a little Southern bias.

4 1/2 stars...This is the only book that I could find that described in detail the period from the end of the Peninsula campaign to Antietam. Stackpole describes this period in clear, concise terms (if not a little slanted to the Confederate point of view) while at the same time making it very readable. We learn all about the troop movements that the Federals made to vacate Harrison's Landing on the Peninsula, while seeing the formation of Pope's Army of Northern Virginia. The plan to consolidate these forces and re-attack Richmond is very clearly covered, but ultimately under-mined by McClellan and to a degree, Halleck as the Federal forces couldn't quite coordinate this seemingly simple troop movement. We get Lee's perspective on this and learn that he had an amazing ability to "read" his enemies' leadership and he ultimately based his troop plans, correctly, on these assumptions. The battle of Cedar Mountain starts the battle sequences for this campaign and shows this ability as Stonewall Jackson advances North to Gordonsville with the idea of crossing the Rappohannock River. The standoff at Cedar Mountain should have given the Federals the momentum that they needed to continue pursuit of the Confederates back to Gordonsville, but we learn quickly that John Pope, although much more agressive than McClellan, is far too inept to lead this large a force. What we see is Pope ordering again and again, a confusing series of movements to try to 1) outflank Lee and then (when it's discovered that Lee has information concerning this troop movement plan and plans to counter-attack) 2) to retreat back across the Rappohannock and establish an entrenchment north of the river. Stackpole, again writng squarely in the Confederate mindset, describes Lee's decision to divide his army and send Jackson on a flanking movement that ultimately ended up in the battle of second Manassas. Pope is severly criticized by Stackpole for lack of leadership and egotistical behaviour and shows how this combination hurt the Union chances at 2nd Manassas. Incredibly, McClellan re-obtains leadership of the combined Army of the Potomac (shown through lack of clear direction from Lincoln and Halleck) and even though learns of the precise invasion plans Lee had of Maryland, he moves at the deliberate pace that epitomized his tenure and misses many major opportunities to destroy the Confederates at South Mountain and finally, Antietam. Stackpole manages to interpret all this complex history into an enjoyable reading experience while still telling history as it should be told. The criticism of this book, to me, is the maps. These are topography maps that really confuse more than help the reader...although, towards the end of the book, they seemed to get better. Regardless, they are plentiful and give the reader the minimum idea of what's going on. Another critique is the brief and vague discussion of the Antietam action at the Sunken Road (Bloody Lane). Stackpole gives 2 pages to this complex action while spending much more time and length to the other sections of the battle and to me, it seemed to detract from the narrative. Finally, the Commentary section that D. Scott Hartwig provides (a re-evaluation of some of the conclusions that Stackpole had that have since come more to light with increased avaialble scholorship) is a surprisingly apt ending to the book. I really must characterize this as an important study of that period of the Civil War between the Peninsula Campaign and Antietam and recommend it highly.

Originally published in 1959, Stackpole's book was revised and republished in 1993 as the 2nd (and current) edition..... Having read MANY books and articles on the Maryland Campaign (including the latest from Sears and Priest) and having visited each of the battlefields several times, Stackpole's book was a wonderful addition to my collection. His compact writing style, the inclusion of some rather obscure facts, and the numerous maps make reading the book a pleasure.....For the Civil War neophyte, this book is a good means of learning about the "rebellion" without being overwhelmed with minutia. For the more "advanced" reader, the book is a delightful refresher course, with bits of new information thrown in from time to time.......In covering the Maryland Campaign (Cedar Mouintain, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam), Stackpole - out of necessity - could not go into the detail found in some more recent texts. And he does miss the mark on some facts, as known today. But on the whole, this work is extremely well-researched and well written.....I recommend it highly.

"Voice of the Terps" broadcaster Johnny Holliday has written this book from the heart. It's an often humorous but always sincere account of Maryland Terp basketball memories that stand out as Holliday's favorites. It is very selective but very cool, and the photos are varied and add much to the enjoyment of this book. A few things make Johnny's book worth having for every college basketball fan: a chapter on many of the veteran referees who were in the middle of the action. Their memories, quotes, opinions, etc are interesting. Coach Gary Williams obviously spent time with Holliday and his co-author Stephen Moore on chapters discussing program "turning points" and the 2002 championship, and Coaches Lefty and Bud give their views as well. Dozens of players talk with Holliday about their favorite moments. Holliday was also friends with Len Bias, and the chapter on Bias is very moving. Many fans are also featured. All in all, I think this is a book for every Maryland Terp fan.

In 2002 I had the honor of working with the legendary Johnny Holliday on his autobiography, "From Rock To Jock." This detailed account of the "Voice of The Terps" life was critically acclaimed as an entertaining and significant history of broadcasting, Top 40 radio, and sports through the eyes of Johnny. We became close friends during the two years we worked on "From Rock To Jock", and this friendship continued when we were asked to write "Hoop Tales," a very different book, with different goals.

For starters, "Hoop Tales" follows the publisher's format for this popular series. The recipe is assemble a collection of great pictures (and our book has some very good ones, several from Sports Illustrated, and the rest from UMD Hornbake Archives, the Athletic Dept, and personal collections), and select about ten stories that basketball fans will love.

I think we did that and much more. We uncovered new information, such as the earliest formation (and games) of the team; experiences of the veteran referees- in their words - of great players, games, and their interactions with Coaches' Bud, Lefty, and Gary. Coach Williams provides his overview of the turning points in the program's evolution. The chapter on Len Bias is Johnny's personal account of knowing Lenny, and describing his growth as a player and person over four years. Several Terp players have thanked us for this positive portrayal. Coaches Bud, Lefty, and Gary, and many famed players - from Keith Booth to Walt Williams- contributed time and candid accounts to "Hoop Tales," and the greatest living sports writer, John Feinstein, wrote the Foreword.

"Hoop Tales" is a written celebration of the Maryland Terrapins with great photos. I'm giving my own co-authored book a five star rating here - and I know some readers will be critical of this self-promotion - but I can't post this author's info without a rating. And we are very proud of this book and we hope Maryland fans will support it. Thanks, and GO TERPS!!

This very short, very readable history of Maryland University's men's basketball program is an enjoyable read, especially for Maryland basketball fans. That said it also has some drawbacks.

First, there really are not a lot of details here. I didn't really learn anything I didn't already know about the program except maybe some of the items in the first chapter about the program's origins and early years. For example, the chapter on Len Bias is short and non-analytical. I know much, much more about that sad chapter in Maryland's history than is presented in this book - which basically is "it's a sad story, Len Bias was a great player, it hurt the program." Ditto the run to their first Final Four and subsequent NCAA Championship Season.

This book is probably basically what it's supposed to be, a short synopsis of the team's history and is probably better suited for pre-teens and teens than adults who have followed the program for years. Overall, I can't say I was disappointed, but I didn't really get anything out of reading this book.

As life long Terps fan, this read is a must. I loved it. Mr. Moore really has captured what being a Terrapin really means to those of us that are die hard fans. Thanks.

Award winning broadcaster Johnny Holliday can add another title and experience to his long and illustrious career - Author!

In "Hoop Tales: Maryland Terrapins Men's Basketball" Holliday, and Stephen Moore, takes the reader inside the Maryland "huddle" to gain insight into one of the most storied programs in college basketball.

As a reader, one can sense the passion Johnny Holliday has for the program, and written words are as enthusiastic as his play-by-play call, or as sweet as the swish of a long jumper.

Len Clark

I read this book years ago and it captivated me. I have always thought that this would be a great movie with a young Michael caine In the lead role. I cannot vouch that this is a truue story (I have heard conflicting reports that Norman Leigh never Existed - his system doesn't work etc etc) However its a great read even if its a work of fiction. The Book ends with the "hero" about to depart for Vegas, I have wondered what happened Ever Since. Sounds like time for "Thirteen Against the Mobs bank!"

While the tale of a team of gamblers taking down a famous casino in Monte Carlo is an engaging story, here's the problem: The gambling system described is simply not possible.

When I read the book, I had my father write a program to simulate 100,000 spins of a roulette wheel, using each of the gambler's moves (the outcome of the spin affects each team member differently).

It took about 5 seconds on this massive computer (at Abbott Laboratories) to re-create 100,000 spins. Results weren't even close to making money. We ran it again, several times, same outcome.

I then had him invert the program, that is reverse the logic revealed by Leigh's system. Maybe, I figured, the author was altering his strategy to hide the real method.

Back to the computer, back to the same results - nothing that amounts to winning money.

Cash in on good readaing from a fun older book, but don't get your hopes up to make a living off a the author's gaming system.

I read this book as a teenager and enjoyed it immensely. Since then, I've often wondered if it was true. I recently decided to write a simulation program that plays the system exactly as laid out in the book. What did I find? Email me at jwoodger@sympatico.ca, if you're interested.

I read the book in less than two days....truly was hard to put down....if you are just picking up a book to browse through and try and pick up a system, then you don't want the book...the system is explained throughout...no charts or graphs or any other BS....I found it to be a great read and have used a part of the system(mostly red/black and high/low) 5 times in the casinos(hardly enough to prove anything)but have walked away with $100+ each time...Now I don't have the capital to get a "Mushroom" as they call it, but if you can consistently walk away from the casino with $100-$200 for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours of play...isn't that worth it.....Not quite as profitable as the European wheel, but it can still turn a profit with patience....BUY IT, READ IT AND ENJOY IT!

The fascinating account of how Norman Leigh took a team to break the bank at Nice using his roulette system. Dryly funny, it offers an insight into how gambling affects and alters personalties. It also illustrates a winning roulette system for those with the exceptional discipline, stamina and bankroll required to play it.

This book really appealed to me because I'm into acting, but I would recommend it for anyone. It has a happy ending, but the whole book isn't all happy-go-lucky, as is the case in other young adult books. There is romance, but also some sadness, and I think there is a good balance of comedy and seriousness. I've read this book SO many times and I recommend it to anyone who loves, or even likes, to read!

As a 13 year old girl I read this book, it made me want to join the theatre... I am now 21 years old with a BA in Theatre (much to my parent's dismay)! Whenever I wonder just why I am involved in this crazy business I open up this book and re-read it. No other book has ever expressed the essence of theatre clearer... its COMMUNITY... and so I applaud this book (it's what we live for anyway!)... : )

This book is a hilarious story of high school life. It shows, although sometimes a little exaggeratedly, how cliques affect teenage America. You meet many fairly believable characters, from lazy Marie to Simon of many moods to intelligent Tina. It also shows how putting on a play gets you into more than you expect as Simon struggles to direct an adaptation of Hamlet that Marie writes. For anyone who remembers or thinks of school as a life of exclusion from others because of different "groups." And the title is true.

I found this book to be absolutely delightful. It had the perfectly blend of humor, romantic tension, and drama. It tells the story of Marie Valpacchio --- a typically lazy girl who happens to write a modern version of Shakespear's 'Hamlet' for an english assignment --- and ends up helping put it on stage for real! The romantic male lead is the student director, Simon --- tall, dark, handsome...and arrogant as anything. Sparks certainly fly between the two --- dangerous ones! They're ready to KILL each other. Until suddenly they realize that their relationship is not one of hatred, but of love.

This book was absolutely charming. I loved the characters. The plotline was tight (which is rare for a teen romance novel) and had a very nice flow to it. It's told in first-person, present-tense, which is extremely rare, but Laura Sonnenmark makes it work well. The story was well-thought-out and superbly written. I'm in my mid-twenties and I STILL enjoy reading it.

The book, "Something's Rotten in the State of Maryland", is okay. In the begining you think that the lead character hates the director of the play and is in love her her jock boyfriend. Then, at the end you begin to think that she likes the director and dislikes her old jock boyfriend. This is like a romance novel. There is a lot about love in this book. Overall, if you need a book to read this one would be good.

"This is the ultimate guide to romantic weekend getaways."

"The authors introduce travelers to lesser known treasures of Maryland and Virginia."

"Wraps up lodgings (including many inns), restaurants and attractions in appealing weekend getaway packages.... A nice attention to detail."

A brand new edition of this unique guide to getaways in the tri-state region, including the Baltimore-Washington corridor. Well researched and laid out in easy-to-use sections that profile one trip each, this book covers Virginia's Blue Ridge, the Tidewater, the Shenandoah Valley, Chincoteague, Charlottesville, Central Virginia and the Eastern Shore. Maryland's favorite spots on the coast, in Baltimore and Anapolis, and to the West are also covered. In addition to the best places to stay and the finest spots to dine, the book is packed with things to do that will rekindle a romance... or get one started in the first place. Local cultural festivals, winery visits, carriage tours, balloon rides, plantation tours and more.

"... [a] unique perspective on traveling as a couple, pointing out places where privacy is paramount, lodgings offer special romance packages, and [places on] the Eastern seaboard to sneak a kiss."

The book was way too long and overrun with facts that the average reader does not need. The title was what prompted me to buy the book as I am an Easten Shore native and have known about the horses for over 70 years. However, the book was MORE about the author and his problems than how the horses got to Assateague Island. I'm not sure that I would recommend it to someone who wanted to know about the horses....

Tom Powell

"The Hidden Galleon" is a magnet that will draw readers through its wonderful historic "connect the events" content......this beautifully illustrated adventure is detailed with archival maps and drawings and pictures that brings the reader into a fascinating adventure of the last days of the Spanish warship La Galga to its final resting place in Maryland's Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
Author John Amrhein takes the reader on his lifelong journey to prove that the wreck of La Galga in a terrible hurricane in September, 1750 included the descendants of Chincoteague Island's pony population that attracts tens of thousands of tourists yearly to Maryland.
As a native of Baltimore, Maryland and a high school US History teacher here in Virginia with 40 years of classroom experience, I found that the book was impossible to put down and a delight to read. In truth, it brought back wonderful memories of the pony pennings that I loved so much to see whenever we traveled to Maryland's eastern shore in the 1950s.

Mr. Powell, I respectfully disagree. It is a historical event that weaves itself into todays events. To understand that impact, you need the details the author lays out. Add the current case between Spain, Odyssey Marine (and now Peru), in which this case has been cited, and it brings to life the current ongoing drama. I can't believe what has happened in the court cases discussed in the book and how it may throw a monkey wrench in this current one - fascinating!

The Hidden Galleon brings the thrill of many years of treasure hunting right into your own living room and makes you want to continue reading as you participate in the progression of the hunt. The final conclusions are rewarding and exciting.